In Polish literary studies methodology, Kleiner’s status as entirely marginal, if not anachronistic, can be justified only on one condition, namely if we overlook the study Content and form in poetry (“Przegląd Warszawski” 1922, r. 2, vol. 2, pp. 323–333), for it can be read as the rejected cornerstone of Polish immanent structuralism. Due to the ambiguity of the term “structuralism”, it is necessary to define its meaning here: it will be determined by the historical context, i.e. the Course in General Linguistics (first edition: 1916). Adopting Janusz Sławiński’s terminology, we may add that it is a rejected cornerstone of immanent (“unconscious”) structuralism not a formulated one.
“Before filling in the application form, please read carefully these instructions.” Forms, Intercultural Communication and Transnational Dutch Studies Almost everyone is familiar with various types of formal forms. The language as well as the structure of such texts differ, however, from the standards and rules of every-day communication, which, in consequence, may lead to many problems. Reading the instructions to the form may not always constitute great help or assistance. It is very common that people, who are obliged to fill in the particular form, come across different terms or sophisticated grammatical structures they do not know or at least do not fully comprehend. Let us add to all these problem a notion of a foreign language, and as a consequence, a foreign culture for which the form is prepared, we may be facing an insurmountable barrier – both linguistic and cultural. This is a matter which, nowadays, modern philologists have to face. Particular intercultural problems or diffi culties which may additionally constrain the communication should also be overcome. The first part of the article expounds upon some of the problems that people, who have to fill in the Dutch forms, may encounter. The second part of the article discusses how the official forms may be introduced to the educational curriculum as a didactic means that helps in the process of both language teaching and learning.
The reflection on form (eidos, morphe) is situated at the core of Aristotle’s philoso-phy. Not only it was the bone of contention with Plato and other academic philosophers, who maintained the separateness and immutability of forms, but mature Aristotle’s theory of form provided him with an adequate theoretical equipment for all fields of scientific inquiry, so the concept of form proved to be all-pervasive (transcendental). This issue is examined in the paper. The article also deals with some issues characteris-tic of the contemporary (postmodern) debate, such as the question of sense and intellec-tual cognition, the problem of identity, the mind-body problem. Finally, the parallel topic of matter is addressed by showing that Aristotle’s conception still proves incisive in contrasting several theories, lending itself—more or less implicitly—to the Neopla-tonic conception.
The “burden of the past” (W. J. Bate) has persistently remained in the focus of poets’ attention across various periods of the history of Western poetry. Questions of tradition, historical belatedness, and “anxieti[es] of influence” (H. Bloom) have fueled both theorists and practitioners of poetry. The English Pindaric tradition confronts these questions uniquely. It has shown consciousness of its own historicity from the beginning. The vocation of the Pindaric poet and his relation to the inimitable master, Pindar, persist as central themes throughout the reception history. They contribute to the evolution of a tradition where poets increasingly question the possibility of autonomous poetic creation.
Contemporary aesthetic thought, especially that rooted in the pragmatist tradition and apologetic for the environmental experience, tends to situate form oriented aesthetics in juxtaposition to the concept of the aesthetic engagement. In particular the notion of disinterestedness is often brought to the forefront as connected to the concept of psychic distance and disdain for the surrounding reality. This essay attempts to revise two theories strongly promoting the importance of the physical form of the objects inspiring the aesthetic experience of the artist, namely that of Clive Bell and that of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, in order to respond to the aforementioned criticisms of formalism. In particular, the concept of the perception of the form as an end-in-itself rather than as a means to a heterogenous end is analyzed with reference to its engaging character.
W artykule przedstawiana jest interpretacja wybranych wątków Krytyki czystego rozumu Kanta. Autor pokazuje aktualność niektórych koncepcji Kanta, między innymi tych dotyczących uteroretyzowania obserwacji, kategoryzacji oraz aktywnej roli podmiotu poznania, który organizuje świat doświadczenia.
EN
The considerations presented in the paper are an interpretation of selected elements of Immanuel Kant’s epistemology. The author shows topicality of some Kant’s conceptions, inter alia, those concerning theory-ladenness of observations, categorization and the role of cognitive subject, actively organizing the world of experience.
Works by Belgrade artist Leonid Šejka (1932–1970) are usually considered fantastic, an embodiment of aesthetic ideals of Mediala Art Group he was a member of, an opposition to everything that Modernism stood for with its harsh formalism that expelled object. However, the complexity of Šejka’s opus as artist and theorist allows a different approach. In this paper, we turn to – so far neglected – Šejka‘s positive relation to Modernism, which he saw as a foundation for new aesthetic ideals. He understood that Modernism turned paintings into objects of empty forms void of function. Nevertheless, the future of painting, for him, resided in re-introduction of objects into painting in order to re-establish the necessary form-function relation, preserving, at the same time, Modernist traits. Šejka tried to demonstrate this in his mature works. He wrote about it in a series of writings, which contribute to our understanding of his opus.
The paper analyzes the elements and strategies of Russian formalism applied to the Russian avantgarde zaum poetic experiment of Alexei Kruchenykh and Viktor Khlebnikov. In futuristic tendencies to create a trans-rational language or zaum language lies the idea of a new voice, sounds and semantic meaning. According to Russian poets the new semantic meaning of the word is obtained only in the process of performing a poem. Also, according to Russian formalism, sound of poem, in the performing process, has its own independent meaning. In this sense zaum experiment in its printed form does not possess a fixed resolution of meanings, but only has potential of meanings. The function of fixed forms, that during the process of performing is to form a new movable semantic meaning.
The article concerns with still not well-known part of the artistic work of Zdzisław Beksiński (a famous photographer, painter and graphic designer). In the 1960s the artist was occupied with literature as well. He wrote short prose which reflected many modern literary fashions and trends, and even anticipated some of them. In his literary works Beksiński was especially influenced by the suggestive aesthetics of the onirism, geometric architecture, and anti-Utopian novels. Sometimes, his narration refers to modern pop culture: the technique of film or the convention of comic strips; what is more, he applies the style of commercials and propaganda slogans. The artist from Sanok also adored writing different variations of the same story which let him play with various genres and plots. But, whatever he did, it was all about the construction, the form. His literary texts record their narrator’s consciousness in a minimalist way, without any traditional literary frills. Therefore Beksiński unconsciously realized the idea postulated at the same time by Cortazar: each prose work should not be a “sum”, but rather a kind of “difference”. This prose substantially complements our knowledge of the whole art of Beksiński, a natural genius, and remains another alternative part of his creative activities.
PL
The article concerns with still not well-known part of the artistic work of Zdzisław Beksiński (a famous photographer, painter and graphic designer). In the 1960s the artist was occupied with literature as well. He wrote short prose which reflected many modern literary fashions and trends, and even anticipated some of them. In his literary works Beksiński was especially influenced by the suggestive aesthetics of the onirism, geometric architecture, and anti-Utopian novels. Sometimes, his narration refers to modern pop culture: the technique of film or the convention of comic strips; what is more, he applies the style of commercials and propaganda slogans. The artist from Sanok also adored writing different variations of the same story which let him play with various genres and plots. But, whatever he did, it was all about the construction, the form. His literary texts record their narrator’s consciousness in a minimalist way, without any traditional literary frills. Therefore Beksiński unconsciously realized the idea postulated at the same time by Cortazar: each prose work should not be a “sum”, but rather a kind of “difference”. This prose substantially complements our knowledge of the whole art of Beksiński, a natural genius, and remains another alternative part of his creative activities.
This study introduces the concept of culture in the work of Ladislav Hanus (1907–1994) from the perspective of the Central European Christian thought of the 20th century. It systematically uncovers the anthropological view of Hanus in the context of Catholic theology, personalist philosophy, and religious philosophy of culture. It presents man as an integral spiritual‑physical being oriented toward the transcendent, which realizes itself in relation to the human and divine „You.“ Hanus’ dynamic, anthropological understanding of culture and integral human person offers a personalistic model presented in theological‑philosophical categories. It points to the possibilities and importance of their implementation in elementary human manifestations.
The article discusses folk beliefs and narratives about supernatural beings in Virumaa, one of the regions in north-eastern Estonia. The region under discussion is situated in the area where cultural currents from the West and East intermingle, revealing common features with Germanic and Eastern Slavic traditions, with a noticeable Finno-Ugric substrate. Attitude towards forest fairies is rather neutral; according to the beliefs of indigenous forest belt peoples they often help humans. The water spirit is not always supposed to be hostile but is presented as the ruler of waters and protector of fishes. The beliefs held in the Russian villages in the area of Lake Peipus, on the other hand, feature the water spirit as a demonised, aggressive spirit. The latter is also true about the barn spirit, who tortures the cattle it does not like. By the end of the 19th century mythological fantasies, for example, legends of especially hostile beings – the plague, nightmares, and dog-faced plunderers – in active narrative tradition faded away. Two aetiologies have been presented about the werewolf: a human being either turns into a wolf or is bewitched into one. Imagery of the dead spirit has been rather persistent and even today memorates about experiencing it are narrated.
This paper attempts to exhibit similarities between an idea of abstract art by Wassily Kandinsky and Kazmir Malewicz and Pavel Florensky’s theory of ornament. The article is based on Florensky’s book Анализ пространственности и времени в художественно-изобразительных произведениях which hasn’t been translated into Polish yet. It also refers to theoretical works of Russian artists which are revealed above. According to Florensky the ornament is not just a decorative element but it appears as a representation of arrangement and structure of life. This kind of art, in his opinion, was not appreciated by people from art environment, especially abstractionists. Presentation of ideas by Pavel Florensky is the leitmotiv of this paper which appears as an opportunity for Polish receivers to become acquainted with Russian philosopher’s original interpretation of, so called, decorative art. It also leads to the question if decorative art should be included what could be referred to as non representational art.
Aspects of Ferdinand de Saussure’s linguistic theorizing that have exerted a profound influence on the development of modern linguistics include his view on the relation between form and meaning/function. Indeed, the very relation underlies his concept of linguistic sign. The signifying-signified dichotomy appears to be a point of departure for a number of current theoretical paradigms. This paper attempts to point to the fact that de Saussure’s conception of the link between form and function has inspired the treatment of this relation in two modern approaches: generative grammar and construction grammar. It seems that the notion of phase, crucial to the derivational mechanism in the most recent version of Chomsky’s (1995, 2001, 2008) generative grammar, i.e. the Minimalist Program, and the concept of construction in Goldberg’s (1995, 2003, 2006) construction grammar elaborate on de Saussure’s perspective on form and meaning/function. Obviously, both modern approaches go beyond de Saussure’s conception and differ from one another due to distinct theoretical and methodological assumptions.
The article discusses liberature in the context of its mathematical qualities. In this trend which inextricably connects the textual and physical layer of the work, each element in the book is expected to be created according to a certain formula which should bring a holistic piece of literature. After 1999, a great number of mathematically-oriented works have appeared which are strictly liberary. In the presentation, I base on the theoretical idea behind liberature when discussing Zenon Fajfer’s liberary work Ten Letters (Pol. Dwadzieścia jeden liter). This innovative piece is analysed mainly from the point of view of geometry and play with numbers, which is visible already in the title: the ten-letter phrase “ten letters.” Mathematical qualities are indicated on various layers of the piece: the physical, the textual, and the visual, but especially in its form. The game of numbers is found not only where it is obviously visible and essential to understand the message, but also in places which might not have been intended. Liberature is analysed as literature but at the same time, it is shown not to be literature, and in this respect, to be mathematical at the core.
The reality of an entity is that of the world between people, the world ruled by form. Although Form enslaves us, makes us spurious, it is the only way we can express ourselves. The world of people is a prison. Michał Paweł Markowski presents Gombrowicz’s world as dark, perverted and complicated. Jerzy Jarzębski writes about twelve possible interpretations of the world in Kosmos, a text treated as Gombrowicz’s philosophical commentary.
This essay is about the essay, a form (as Adorno called it) of thought alive that is partial in the two senses of the word: subjective and fragmented. Thinking as social, performative, and always un-finished; as dialogic. Through the mythical figure of Cassandra, who could foresee the future but was cursed to be never believed, I tried to “figure,” make a figural shape for the thoughts on the indifference of people towards the imminent ecological disaster of the world. At the invitation of Jakub Mikurda of the Łódź Film School to come and make an essay film, within one week, but with the participation of many great professionals, I was able to create, at least in the first draft, the essay film IT’S ABOUT TIME! The ambiguity of the title suggests the bringing together of my thoughts about time, in relation to history in its interrelation with the present, and, as the exclamation mark intimates, the urgency to do something. The former is enacted by a tableau vivant of Cassandra’s lover Aeneas as Caravaggio’s John the Baptist, with a contemporary painting by David Reed shifting over it; and by interactions with two paintings by Ina van Zyl. The urgency is presented in many of the dialogues, quoted from various sources, especially Christa Wolf’s novel Cassandra. I argue that “thinking in film,” with film as a medium for thought, is what the essay film’s foremost vocation is. Through a reflection on “thought-images,” which I see as the result of “image-thinking,” I also argue for the intellectual gain to be had from “essaying” thought artistically.
In his documentary Declaration of Immortality, Marcin Koszałka intentionally refers to the style of Wojciech Wiszniewski. Visual creativity is strongly exposed here, both in the style of fi lming and the presentation of the hero. Th e main character in the fi lm, Piotr Korc zak, reminds of the monument-like heroes from Wiszniewski’s fi lms, like protagonist from Wanda Gościmińska. A Weaver Koszałka fi lmed the scenes in the Potocki Palace in Krzeszowice in the manner of Wiszniewski’s long tracking shots. Visual creativity in Koszałka’s and Wiszniewski’s fi lms encompasses the staging, precise frame composition, and their intentional artifi ciality, which does not nullify the documentary their nature. Form in the works of the directors of Primer (Wiszniewski) and Declaration of Immortality (Koszałka) interacts more or less with the spirit of Stanisław Witkiewicz’s art. Koszałka, like Wiszniewski, ‘dismantles’ reality, exposing the illusion of cinema to present a guru of mountain climbing (Korczak) as a ‘hostage of immortality’. Th e lonely hero from Wiszniewski-like staged scenes in Declaration of Immortality is presented as an ‘outgoing star’ whose fame has passed, giving way to alienation or a sense of failure. Th e tension from Declaration of Immortality emerges from the contrast between the way of fi lming (heroic style), and the meaning of particular scenes. Th e cinema of Wojciech Wiszniewski includes symbols, metaphors, and allegories. Th is artistic conception goes well with Marcin Koszałka’s concept of cinema, which – since the making of Existence (2007) – has become more and more symbolic, incorporating Baroque-like formal ideas based on strong contrasts to evoke ‘cognitive discomfort’ in the viewer.
This paper attempts to illustrate a process of analysis that will hopefully open a path to more complete and useful definitions of sign and symbol. It applies a form-content analysis to the metaphysical properties of these two concepts. The objective is to locate criteria necessary and sufficient to derive formal definitions for these terms. Wittgenstein’s concept of “forms of representation” is analyzed and applied to the topic. Criteria are outlined that determine the appropriateness of the sign and symbol to be applied as labels. Criteria of definition are then developed using gesture, metaphor, and several other example types to illustrate the use of the criteria in distinguishing between sign and symbol. The structural organization of these two concepts proved to be especially complex and led to what some readers may find somewhat obscure. It is not our intention to be purposefully obscure.
The article is a discussion of the work of Joanna Grądziel-Wójcik: Zmysł formy. Sytuacje, przypadki, interpretacje polskiej poezji XX wieku. The author combines many research perspectives, which results in many revealing insights regarding Polish poetry of the 20th century. They are derived from a careful analysis of poetic statements placed in a wide field of historical, social and metaphysical problems. The author of the review pays particular attention to Joanna Grądziel-Wójcik’s style and to her sensitivity to semantic and figural strategies, whose interpretation leads to surprising historical and literary conclusions.
Normally, the sequences of graphic language devices function as “building material” for morphemes and words. Nevertheless, these sequences sometimes (especially in literary texts) occur in defamiliarized forms. The paper describes how the defamiliarized sequences of graphic devices are used in several texts written by Czech authors and how they can be interpreted by recipients. A specific way of use of graphic devices can represent the intellectual level of a character, evocate the course of spoken utterances, reveal the conventionality of orthographic rules, etc.
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