What is Formalism? | Philosophy Today | Formalism, art history| Definition of Formalism

|What is Formalism? |
The first thing that comes to mind when looking at the word formalism is: Form.
So, strictly described, formalism is an approach to study and interpret artworks by focusing exclusively on their form. By form, we mean the way the artwork is made and what it looks like.
In principle, a formalist appreciation of an artwork will be made by analyzing the compositional elements of that artwork.
Assuming you have a painting on hand, let’s say Blue Poles by Jackson Pollack for example. If you want to evaluate such painting based on the formalism approach, you shall look at colors, shape, and lines, and perhaps brushwork, composition, and texture.
Two names you should always remember when talking about formalism are: Clive Bell and Roger Fry.

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