Humanities through the Arts (32578)

Prof. Hallinger
Angella Valpolini
ID: 10146952
Film Shock 6: The View of the Edge
Is it possible to create a piece of art capable of awakening a conscious and reflective reaction
on a society? One that could also get connected with how the society feels? In light of the events
occurred during the Holocaust (1939 - 1945), the artists of that time were stuck with the doubt of
how to overcome the crudity of the Holocaust events, how to compete against true and realistic
images of this catastrophe? How to compete against printed images? These photographs were
realistic, were direct and pure. They expressed in its whole form the concept of the Holocaust.
The expressionism used by many artists of that period of time, just as Van Gogh, Munch,
Kirchner and other expressionists artists, which mainly reflected about the self and the struggles
they faced in their lives, was about to change. Not even the expressionism of the senses of
cruelty, carnality and brutality shown on Beckmanns The Night (1918-1919) and Soutines
View of Ceret (1922), in my perception, could be near to recreate and express the horrifying
reality of the million deaths during the Holocaust. Notwithstanding, Kandinsky made an
approach to what it would be the next representation of art. He would use abstraction as a
representation of soul. As he suggested, the approach to the soul is so direct, the soul itself so
impressionable, that any impression of taste communicates itself directly to the soul, and thence
to the other organs of sense (in this case, the eyes). This vision and concept of art were later
approached by Jackson Pollock, Clyfford Still, Barnett Newman, and Mark Rothko, who were

categorized

by

the

movement

of

Abstract

Expressionism.

As the message of indifference and lack of human life were spread with the photographs, I
was able to understand the vision and perception that Kandinsky and other artists brought to art.
What goes beyond the material? What goes beyond a body? It is the soul. When nothing else is
left behind? When there is nothing more to give? We should have a soul. The catastrophe of the
Holocaust not only showed the indifference many people had towards the population but also the
lack of soul. Because if there is no soul there is a lack of feelings, respect, and mercy for others.
In addition, with a lack of soul, they also showed indifference as well for the souls of those who
were killed. Then, I understood Why abstraction? Because it goes to the basic form, the
essence, and to something that makes us equal. Abstraction sees things beyond the details and
connects with inner emotions. That is why, when human value and spirituality disappears at
times such as the Holocaust, it seems that to transcend the physical might be one way to heal
the trauma (The Shock of the New, pp 316). In fact, The more fearful the world becomes, the
more art becomes abstract (Paul Klee, 1915) Nonetheless, this may be a vision that not
everyone can understand. The events of the Holocaust as the impact of it in arts helped me see
further about this kind of catastrophe and the power it has to change and reach every corner of
the world. With the vision of arts, I was able to understand how basic elements and things can be,
yet they still have a profound meaning that is based on the essence of them. However, does this
happens to everyone? Are we all aware of history? Or are we just connected with our daily
news? I believe that even though some of us take the time to study past events and think we can
learn from them, most of the times we do not make an emotional connection with it. We do not
see further and we do not think about the people who suffered. Beyond this, I believe that the
problem lies in how the people perceive events rather than the period of time. Just like events of

history, people do not usually feel an emotional connection with daily news unless it affects
them. We gave news and history a sense of importance, but most of us do not make an analysis
of them. We seem to be immune to the news in general because we do not have a response
towards them. Overall, I believe that what happens is that sometimes it is hard to believe until we
experience it or we decide to think beyond of what we see and hear.

Hughes, Robert. Chapter 6: The View from the Edge. The Shock of The New.

New York: Alfred A.Knopf, Inc., 1991. 269-323. Print.