Art Theory vs Practice

Short Essay: Relationship between Theory and Practice

A theory can be defined as a methodical classification of knowledge functional to problem solving. Theories are used to explain certain facts in a particular setting and should address practical problems and that is why it is trusted that the main focus of a theory is in its application. I believe that practice cannot position itself without the theoretical questions guiding the practice, making the relationship between both reciprocal. In relation to the art world, there are always incongruences between theory and practice. There’s an age-old problem with this particular relationship: both of those who engage in either train of thought, believe that there is not a complete and mutual understanding of one another. However, there is a third kind of thought: one that embodies the becoming, the abstraction/application process. These people are a conduit, fundamentally bridging the two worlds.

A clear example of one who has achieved to prove a theory through practice is the artist Cindy Sherman. The artist is known to practice the theory of “appropriation”, a concept greatly supported by Roland Barthes. Barthes believed that one should not look to the creator of a literary or artistic work when attempting to interpret the meaning inherent within. Whether this act is seen as positive or negative, in the end, it is clear that appropriation is active, subjective, and motivated. Sherman embodies the qualities that come with the application of appropriation practicing a theory, although she does not verbally reiterate such. What she acknowledges through her work is how appropriation is at all times a socially defined construct and could hold different connotations based upon the frame of reference in which it is mentioned. The focus of “originality” in postmodernist art diverged from that of the modernist in the sense that authorship is at once discounted and concurrently elevated. Whether or not she knew the exact...