Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Landscape of The Soul
Landscape of The Soul
Objectives
• The difference between Western and Eastern Painting (European & Chinese)
• Tales from the East
• Tales from the West
• Outsider Art
• Shanshui
• Daoism
• The Emperor and the Artist
1 mark
How has the worth of Nek Chand’s work been recognized abroad?
Nek Chand has been honoured by the Swiss Commission for UNESCO. A five
month interactive show ‘Realm of Nek Chand’, was held in the leading museums
of Switzerland, Belgium, France and Italy. The fiftieth issue of Raw Vision, a
U.K based magazine features Nek Chand and his Rock Garden Sculpture
‘Women by the Waterfall’, on its anniversary issue cover.
2 marks
Give three points of contrast between a Classical Chinese landscape and a
Western one.
• Firstly, a classical Chinese landscape is not meant to reproduce an actual
view as would a western figurative painting.
• Secondly, the Chinese painter does not use a single viewpoint while the
western painter wants you to borrow his eyes and look at a painting exactly as he
saw it from a specific angle.
• Thirdly, you can enter a Chinese landscape from any point but in western art
you cannot do that.
How would you classify ‘art’ on the basis of your reading the chapter
‘Landscape of the Soul’?
On the basis of reading of the chapter, ‘art’ can be classified into ‘raw art’ i.e.
works or art created by an untrained artist and ‘realistic and figurative paintings’
created by artists who are trained painters.
Contrast the Chinese view of art with the European view with examples?
The Chinese view of art is not meant to reproduce an actual view and doesn’t
choose a single view point. His landscape is not a real one and you can interact
with it from any point. The artist creates a path from your eyes to travel up and
down. The European painter wants you to borrow his eyes and look at a
particular landscape exactly as he saw it from a specific angle. The European
paintings reproduce an actual view of a real object.
What do you understand by the term ‘Outsider art’ and ‘art brut’ or ‘raw
art’?
‘Outsider art’ is described as the art of those who have no right to be artists as
they have received no formal training yet show talent and artistic insight. The
style of ‘raw art’ refers to works that are in their raw state. Anything and
everything from a tin to a sink to a broken down car could be material for a work
of art.
Which is the ‘third element’ where the interaction between Yang and Yin
takes place? How is it essential in Daoism?
The ‘third element’ is the middle void where the interaction between Yang and
Yin takes place. It is like the Yogic practice of ‘pranayama’ where meditation
occurs. It is essential in Daoism as it is the fundamental notion of Daoism.
“Let me show the way”, said Wu Daozi. Explain how the author interprets
the word ‘way’?
The word ‘way’ is the ‘way within’. ‘Dao’ means both the path or the method
and the mysterious works of the Universe. The painting is gone, but the artist has
reached his goal – beyond any material appearance.
How does the Chinese story present the powers and limitations of the
Emperor and the painter?
The power and limitations of the Emperor were that he commissioned the
painting and appreciated its outer appearance. He may rule over the conquered
territory but only the artist knows the way within. On the other hand the painter
in the story has tried to achieve the essence of inner life and spirit in Asia.
Why did the painter not draw the eye of the dragon he had painted? How
far do you agree with him?
The painter did not draw the eye of the dragon he had painted for fear of it flying
out of the painting. I do not agree with him because a painting would look more
realistic if he had painted the entire dragon with all its organs also in the
painting.
What did the painter Wu Daozi tell the Emperor about the cave?
Wu Daozi told the Emperor that in the cave, at the foot of the mountain, there
dwelt a spirit. He clapped his hands and further added that the inside of the cave
was splendid beyond anything words could convey. He requested the Emperor to
allow him to show him the way.
Who was the “untutored genius who created a paradise” and what is the
nature of his contribution to art?
The 80 year old creator-director Nek Chand who sculpted the rock Garden with
stone and recycled material at Chandigarh is the untutored genius of the paradise.
This act is recognized as India’s biggest contribution to outside art.
10 marks
“The Landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and conceptual space”.
Discuss.
Nathalie explains to the readers that a classical Chinese landscape is not meant to
reproduce an actual view as would a Western figurative painting. The European
painter aims at creating an illusionary likeness while the Asian artists make an
attempt to capture the essence of inner life and spirit. A Chinese painter does not
feel that a landscape is a real one. He does not choose a single view point. Hence
we can view his landscape from various angles and enter and travel in it from
any point.
The Chinese artist creates a path for our eyes to travel up and down and then
back again, in a leisurely movement. These paintings require the active
participation of the viewer. This participation is physical as well as mental. We
are required to enter the mind of the painter as well to see and admire the
painting. If we understand the ideals that motivate the painter, we can understand
true essence of a painting. It is because of this that we can say that his landscape
is an inner one --a spiritual and conceptual space.
The emperor may rule over the territory he has conquered, but only the
artist knows the way within. Discuss.
An emperor represents power, authority and will. His wish becomes a command
and his command rules his territory. An emperor is also powerful enough to
obtain the services of an artist. Acquisition of wealth, power and objects doesn’t
make him superior to the artist. On the other hand, an artist has a spiritual insight
into the nature of things. His paintings are deeply revealing of the spirit that
constitutes his art. An artist achieves the perfect essence of inner life and spirit.
An emperor may commission a painting and appreciate its outer appearance, but
the artists’ reveals to him the true meaning of his work. It is only the artist who
knows the way within the territory that the emperor has conquered. The way
means both the path or the method and the mysterious work of the Universe. An
artist’s vision helps the emperor understand and attain the goal of life, that is,
spiritual space. Thus the emperor may rule territories, objects and materialistic
space, but an artist is spiritual and beyond any material appearance.