Kandinsky, Wassily. Concerning the Spiritual in Art. (Trans. M.T.H. Sadler). New York: Dover, 1977.
The introduction to this book was very interesting in that it presented Kandinsky's ideas on everything from Post-Impressionism to the Cubists. Kandinsky attacked the Cubists by saying that their work lacked a spiritual focus and that it was not carried far enough away from the material world. Rather than painting from within, these artists painted from nature with an external point of view. Kandinsky, on the other hand, wanted to separate his art from nature and paint totally from within. He believed that the same abstract qualities found in music could also be found in art.
A reassuring statement that Kandinsky made is, "Construction on a purely astract basis is a slow business, and at first seemingly blind and aimless. The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul, so that he can test colours for themselves and not only by external impressions" (46). This statement let me know that the journey towards abstration is going to be a slow and painful one that will be full of doubts.
Kandinsky's theories and ideas on painting are very direct and influencial. They seem to be very appropriate for my study of spiritual art. Kandinsky states that "Painting is an art, and art is not vague production, transitory and isolated, but a power which must be directed to the improvment and refinement of the human soul-to, in fact, the raising of the spiritual triangle" (54). I find this statement to be very true. Artists are the visionaries of the world and seem to have a respect for life that the average person does not have. Artists liberate society from the drudgery of day to day life. They are the catalysts of life that everyone turns to for inspiration and strength. This not only applies to artists, but also to authors, playwrights, actors, dancers, and any creative person that society turns to for entertainment. These people are the reminders of why life is worth living.
This is the direction I want my art to go. I want it to be an expression of life and a reminder of life itself. Kandinsky's art is a true visual expression of life itself and his theories back up his art.