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 Kazuo Shiraga, one of the founders
of the Gutai group, painting with his feet. The Influence of Zen on Artistic Creativity in the '50s by Michel Batlle Translated from the French by Chantal Duggan (scroll down for the original French
text)
To build a bridge between the Oriental and the Occidental worlds has been an ancient dream of many curious and dynamic minds, in order to conquer (from Christopher Columbus to Pearl Harbor), to do business, or to exchange spiritual ideas. The 18th century was so enraptured by oriental ceramics that they were reproduced in its manufacturing plants (the famous “chinoiseries”), and in the not so distant past, did not the impressionists embrace Japan? Just as African art had influenced Cubism, the oriental philosophies, particularly Zen Buddhism, in turn influenced North-American artists after the Second World War. Curious about difference, new worlds, and other perspectives, many artists drew back the curtains on Japan and China. Some traveled there, others read Lao-Tseu or Suzuki. This encounter with new philosophical concepts and a new vision of the world would fundamentally change the space of the painted canvas, which up to that time had perpetuated the rules and the mysteries of the Renaissance. Nurtured by the density of the styles of Cézanne, Monet or Matisse, American painting was discovering another dimension: the void. This void not only enabled American art to forget its European heritage but also could eventually counterbalance the excesses of a consumerist civilization.
Mark Tobey, “Universal
Signs” A forerunner in this field, Mark Tobey, born in 1889,
is fascinated by calligraphy, which he studied in 1920 under a Chinese master and he made his first trip to China and Japan
in 1934 where he sojourned in a Zen monastery. The power of signs fills his entire work, becoming a sort of sensitive musical
score: “What was once a tree became rhythm. . . .” Tobey synthesized the
stones of Zen gardens with the grid of Mondrian’s compositions. But he always desired that all of the richness
of the universe be contained in the smallest parcel of reality. There is only one step from the proliferation and interlacing
of his signs to the famous drippings of Jackson Pollock, an evolution of what we could call the “American dimension,”
in other words a new fullness in which the work of art is scaled to the human body, the latter being its specific tool. It
is in that instant that American painting takes note of the physical reality of the place in which it is created: the vast
spaces of its territories and the monstrosity of its cities, enabling this style of painting to surpass the previously dominant
School of Paris. Jackson Pollock, “Look at the action” Thus was born, with Pollock, what the critique Harold
Rosenberg coined “action painting”, a pictorial technique in which the artist’s gesture and the very act
of painting find their direct reflection in the completed work of art. This technique allows the artist to fully identify
with his work. The creative power of the gesture was only the beginning of a and long evolution that would stretch from Tachisme
[a European school of painting similar to and contemporary with Abstract Expressionism] to body art. In Zen, one cultivates
intuition as that which produces knowledge suddenly and spontaneously, independent of any natural demonstration. It
is the unexpected voice that is heard when it is needed; it is the guide. “When I am in my painting,
I am not aware of what I’m doing. It’s only after a sort of ‘get acquainted’ period that I see
what I have been about. I have no fears about making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a
life of its own.” (Pollock, quoted in Possibilities I, Winter 1947-48) Barnett Newman, “One line to control chaos” We can therefore say that the paintings of Franz Kline are “painted actions” similar to the works of the Tachisme painters. For Mark Rothko, the absence of a theme becomes the theme of his painting, a sort of presence-absence, obsessed with a reality that cannot be grasped. Unlike other abstract expressionist painters, Barnett Newman does not disperse his shapes. Without any concession, he emphasizes the vertical line, “a lone line is sufficient to dominate chaos.” He shows himself “simple, naked, colorless” as Lao-Tseu described the unique and universal self, emptying space instead of filling it. For these artists, Zen philosophy opened new perspectives on the world and on the human body and soul, becoming source and fruition at once. This was not a constricted and rigid way of thinking but the transmission of concepts forged by thousands of years of experience yet always fresh and awakening. “Here and now.” This key notion emphasizes the present. So it is important to be completely present in each gesture. To concentrate here and now, is the lesson of Zen philosophy. The subject being in the object and the subject containing the object.
Ad Reinhardt, Abstract Painting, 1960. If Tobey showed the way toward Zen, Ad Reinhardt was
to become its most prominent symbol as he became the “relay” towards what came to be known as Minimalist Art,
which he called “art as art.” Engaged in the practice of Zen philosophy, his painting is above all the site
of a mystical experience, of a very objective pictorial experience. He imposes rules on himself and follows them; he
is both the master and the apprentice: “The only work for a fine artist, the one painting, is the painting
of the one-size canvas—the single scheme, one formal device, one color-monochrome, one linear-division in each direction,
one symmetry, one texture, one free-hand brushng . . . .” He reached the apotheosis of his art with
his series of “Black-paintings” which he painted continuously during the last fifteen years of his life in order
to push his art to the limits of indivisibility and absoluteness. Tàpies, “Suggest the space to awaken the spectator” American artists were not the only ones to turn their
gaze towards the Far East; in Europe, artists such as Wols, Mathieu, Degottex, Yves Klein, Soulages and Tàpies had the same
interest. Concentrated forces in Soulages’ expression, where
simplicity is essential; the lyricism of material and sign for Tàpies: “When I started to work, Zen
philosophy which helped me the most in appreciating contemporary poetry and arts… In Zen, there is a meditative
component, but also the jolt that rattles your thought and renders something indigestible rather than digestible. There
are times when I am really contemplative and when I dissolve into the void. But there are also moments when I try, in
other ways, to suggest emptiness and to thus awaken the spectator by shaking him.” If Zen was an influence on the Occidental world, what was happening in Japan? For the Japanese, it was necessary to turn to Europe
or America to nourish their art with new concepts. As early as 1923, a neo-dadaist group named Mavo was noted for its public
actions. The group’s manifesto stated: “We incessantly confirm and deny. We live in every sense
of the word in an absolute fashion.” Thus, the Japanese introduced their sense of gesture into the arts, concentration
and intuition in gestures sometimes resembling martial arts, integrating rituals from their traditional culture with precepts
from Buddhism. Gutai, “Giving life to matter” At the beginning of the 1950’s, the Gutai group
was born. Directed more towards nature, the group attempted to rediscover the unlimited space of artistic expression to open
it to life itself. Gutai art does not transform matter, it gives life to matter. . . . Enlivening matter is a
mean of giving life to the spirit. Raising the spirit is to allow matter to enter the superior spiritual world.
Kazuo Shiraga insists that he is touched by Tantric Buddhism, somewhat different from Zen. “By liberating the potential
energy of man, Tantric Buddhism permits him to develop his gifts. As for myself, I do not have the ability to solve
these mysteries. However, by painting with my feet, I believe that I reached a state where I was very close.” Organized around Yoshihara Jiro, the principal members
of this group were: Shiraga Kazuo, Tanaka Atsuko, Murakami Saburo, Motonaga Sadamasa, Shimamoto Shozo, Kanamaya Akira, Yamasaki
Tsuruko, Yoshiwara Michio. . . . It would be tiresome to name all the artists which claim
they have been influenced by Zen. It is usually difficult to detect this influence since it is, above all, a practice and
a school of humility. This text would like to point out that most historians fail to acknowledge the influence of Zen
on many artists. This influence remains strong today since it is an opening and a basis for understanding the world, and therefore
humanity. This text was first published in French in 1994 in
No. 67 of the magazine “Zen” (Founder Master Taisen Deshimaru) Michel Batlle is an artist of Catalan origin based outside
of Toulouse, France. He
is the founder of several journals, including Articide Circuit, established in
1993. |
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La créativité artistique issue de l'influence du Zen Michel
Batlle Lancer un pont entre l'Orient et l'Occident, un vieux rêve présent dans beaucoup d'esprits curieux
ou dynamiques pour des conquêtes (de Christophe Colomb à Pearl Harbour), du commerce ou des échanges plus spirituels. Le
XVIlIe siècle s'extasiait sur des céramiques orientales jusqu'à les reproduire dans ses manufactures (les fameux décors
" au chinois " ) et plus près de nous les impressionnistes ne japonisaient-ils pas ? Marc
Tobey , « Les signes universels » Précurseur en ce domaine, Marc Tobey, né en 1889,
est fasciné par la calligraphie qu'il étudiera en 1920 auprès d'un maître chinois, et c'est en 1934 qu'il effectuera
son premier voyage en Chine et au Japon où il séjournera dans un monastère zen. Le pouvoir des signes emplit toute son œuvre,
devenant une sorte de partition sensible : " Ce qui jadis était un arbre devint rythme. . . " Tobey
accédant à la synthèse entre le Jardin de pierres des monastères zen et la grille des compositions de Mondrian. Mais
sa volonté sera toujours que, dans la plus petite parcelle du réel, soient contenues toutes les richesses de l'univers. De
la prolifération et des entrelacs de ses signes aux fameux drippings de Jackson Pollock, il n' y a qu'un pas ; le passage,
à ce que nous pourrions appeler la "dimension américaine ", c'est à dire une ampleur nouvelle qui met l'œuvre à la dimension
du corps, ce dernier étant son propre outil ; et c'est à ce moment là que la peinture américaine prend conscience de la réalité
physique du lieu où elle est fabriquée: les grands espaces de son territoire et la monstruosité de ses villes. En cela cette
peinture prend de vitesse et de force l'Ecole de Paris. Pollock, « Regarder l’action » Ainsi
naissait, avec Pollock, ce que le critique Harold Rosenberg nomma « l'action painting », technique picturale dans
laquelle le geste de l'artiste et le fait même de peindre trouvent leur reflet direct dans l'œuvre une fois achevée;
cette technique permettant une totale identification de l'artiste avec son œuvre. Mais le pouvoir créateur du geste ne
faisait qu'entamer une future et longue carrière, dutachisme jusqu'au body-art. On
cultive dans le Zen l'intuition comme ce qui donne une connaissance soudaine, spontanée, indépendante de toute démonstration
naturelle, elle est la voie inattendue qui se fait entendre juste au moment nécessaire, elle guide. « When
I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It's only after a sort of "get acquainted"
period that I see what I have been about. I have no fears about making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting
has a life of its own ». Quoted in Possibilities I, Winter 1947-48 Barnett
Newman, " Une seule ligne pour maîtriser le chaos " On peut ainsi dire que les peintures de Franz
Kline sont des " actes peints " tout comme celles de la plupart des peintres tachistes. Pour Mark
Rothko l’absence de thème devient le thème même de sa peinture, une sorte de présence-absence
avec pour obsession le côté insaisissable de la réalité. Contrairement aux autres artistes expressionnistes abstraits, Barnett
Newman ne disperse pas ses formes. Il plante sans concession la ligne verticale, " une seule ligne,
dit-il, suffit à maîtriser le chaos " Il se montre " simple, nu, sans couleur " ainsi que le qualifiait Lao-Tseu du moi unique
et universel ; vidant l'espace au lieu de le remplir. Ad Reinhardt, " L'art en tant qu'art " Si
Tobey avait ouvert la voie vers le Zen, Ad Reinhardt allait à sa suite en être son symbole le plus fort dans le sens
où il devenait le " passeur " vers un art qui allait s'appeler le l’Art Minimal et
qu'il nommait " art en tant qu'art ". Engagée dans la philosophie zen, sa peinture est avant tout le lieu d'une expérience
mystique, d'une expérience picturale très objective. Il se donne des règles et les suit, il est le maître et l'élève : " La
seule œuvre à réaliser pour un artiste peintre, la seule peinture est la peinture usant de la toile de format identique,
le schéma unique, un seul moyen formel, une seule couleur monochrome, une seule division linéaire dans chaque direction, une
seule symétrie, une seule texture, un seul passage de la brosse à main levée. " Il ira jusqu'au bout de
sa peinture avec sa série des « Blacks-paintings » qu'il ne cessera de peindre durant les quinze dernières années
de sa vie, afin de la pousser jusqu'à l'indivisible et l'absolu. Tàpies, " Suggérer le vide et réveiller le
spectateur " Les artistes américains n'étaient pas les seuls à porter leurs regards vers l'Extrême-Orient
; en Europe, des peintres tels que Wols, Mathieu, Degottex, Yves
Klein, Soulages ou Tàpies participaient à ce même
intérêt. Gutai,
" faire vivre la matière " Dans le début des années cinquante, naît le groupe Gutai plus
tourné vers la nature, il tente de retrouver l'espace illimité de l'expression artistique pour l'ouvrir à la vie. " L'art
Gutai ne transforme pas la matière, il donne vie à la matière. . . Faire vivre la matière est un moyen de faire vivre l'esprit.
Elever l'esprit c'est faire entrer la matière dans le champ spirituel supérieur. Kazuo Shiraga affirme être marqué par le
bouddhisme tantrique, quelque peu différent du zen « Le bouddhisme Tantrique en libérant l'énergie
potentielle de l'homme, exerce sur lui une action, et développe ses dons. Je n'ai pas pour ma part la capacité d'atteindre
à ses arcanes. Cependant, à travers la méthode de peinture avec les pieds, je crois être parvenu à un état qui en est très
proche ". Constitué
autour de Yoshihara Jiro, ses principaux membres furent :Shiraga Kazuo, Tanaka
Atsuko, Murakami Saburo, Motonaga Sadamasa, Shimamoto Shozo, Kanamaya
Akira, Yamasaki Tsuruko, Yoshiwara Michio... Michel Batlle Ce
texte est paru pour la première fois en 1994 dans le N° 67 de la revue " Zen " (Fondateur Maître Taisen Deshimaru) |
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