Edoardo Villa Through the Eyes of Clive Bell.

Significant form can be described as the relation of lines and colours, as well as certain forms and relations of forms, that stir our aesthetic emotions. The personal experience of a peculiar emotion should be the starting point for all systems of aesthetics. This is known as aesthetic emotion. When an object provokes this emotion, it can be described as a work of art. If an object (such as a painting) does not possess a significant form, thus not moving us emotionally, it cannot be described as art. All aesthetic experience is subjective as it is based on an individual’s experience. However, just because a picture moves us, does not mean that it is art. Forms and the relations of forms were not meant to be objects of emotion but rather means of suggesting emotion and conveying ideas. The so-called Futurists, convey information instead of emotion through their paintings, thus these cannot be seen as forms of art. To truly appreciate art, we need to bring nothing with us but a sense of form, colour and a knowledge of three-dimensional space. This way there is nothing outside of the picture to distract us. In pure aesthetics, we have only to consider our emotion and its object. A good work of visual art carries a person who is capable of appreciating it out of life into ecstasy.

Edoardo Villa’s work is well known for its lack of meaning. Firstly, I will look at his sculpture, Hanging Tree. Hanging Tree is a dramatic and visually appealing sculpture. The real question, as whether or not I would classify it as a work of art, still needs to be uncovered. As discussed earlier, in order for something to be classified as a work of art, it must contain significant form and evoke some sort of aesthetic emotion. I feel as though art should possess a combination of form, colour and line. In a black and white drawing, for example, the white space is contrasted against the black lines. This means that this drawing possesses both colour and line (I count black and white as colour). When we look at Hanging Tree, there is wonderful use of line and although the only colour being used is a dark grey, when it catches the light it shows a great deal of depth and contrast. When it comes to form, the sculpture exhibits this through its three-dimensional spherical-like structure, contrasting shapes make the sculpture dramatic. I would personally classify this piece as a work of art. As I have previously stated, I find that primitive art is always good because it is free from descriptive qualities. This sculpture can be seen as primitive. Primitive art has no accurate representation only significant form. Thus, the sculpture possesses significant form and evokes aesthetic emotion, so it can be defined as work of art.

Hanging Tree. Edoardo Villa. 1994, Steel. Height: 1470 mm

The next sculpture that I will look at, Figure in Space, is no doubt visually appealing. It uses line and colour beautifully. The bronze has darker and lighter shades throughout the structure, it also catches the light which emphasises its three-dimensional curved lines. The curved lines spiral dramatically upwards and are interwoven. This piece clearly lacks any sort of descriptive quality and it is entirely up to the imagination to attach emotion to it. This plays into the notion of form and the relations of form not meaning to be objects of emotion but rather a means of suggesting emotion and conveying ideas. All that is necessary for this piece to be appreciated is a sense of form, colour and a knowledge of three-dimensional space. This piece evokes aesthetic emotion and makes use of significant form. I would arguably say that this sculpture is an even better work of ark than Hanging Tree.

Figure in Space. Edoardo Villa. 1956, Bronze. Height: 1250 mm.

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