Lines embody in their very formation past history, present action and future potential. Lines move, grow meander, wander, search and make connections between diverse elements. Think of maps, the thread of Ariadne, paths through the forest, constellations, borderlines, timelines and the lines in the palm of your hand, lines form part of our daily lives and environment. They delineate both time and space. From the cave painters, through Kandinsky to de Kooning and beyond, the importance of line in art cannot be overstated. We will look to these artists and other, for the many ways that line is used to describe their worlds. This lecture is inspired by the writings of social anthropologist Tim Ingold and artist Wassily Kandinsky. Ingold’s premise is that “to study both people and things is to study the lines they are made of”. His work brings new thinking on the constructs of society. Kandinsky, in his book “Concerning the Spiritual in Art”, posits that art is animated by a spiritual breath, which is reflected in our cultural and societal practices. Together, they illuminate the need and desire for a more integrated and fluid way of understanding the bonds that join us.
Please join us for a lively discussion of the ways in which lines play a significant part in your life.
The Doug Adams Gallery is the primary exhibition space for the Center for the Arts & Religion at the Graduate Theological Union.