Heidegger's Origin of the Work of Art: Truth and Interpretation

Introduction: Heidegger's Ambition

Martin Heidegger's The Origin of the Work of Art is no less ambitious a project than an attempt to discern the very source of art itself. In this complex work, he investigates the relationship of art, the artist, and truth, and discusses the interpretation of art in terms of a circle with many layered dimensions. First published in German as Der Ursprung des Kunstwerkes, the text formulates some highly complicated and thought-provoking ideas about the role art plays in society and the nature of art as such.

In Heidegger's analysis, the relation among work (interpretation), artist (the interpreter), and art itself — understood as the tradition created in the relation of world and earth — is deeply complex. His account resists reduction to any simple formula, demanding instead a patient engagement with each of its interlocking concepts.

The Thingy Character of Art and the Critique of Thingness

Heidegger argues that art is unique in its ability to reveal the truth, or the "unconcealment," of what is otherwise hidden. He observes that works of art have a "thingy" character, and that modern ideas of defining a thing are derived from our everyday use of tools and equipment. For example, the Greek concept of a thing as a substance, or the more modern idea of a thing as matter with form imposed upon it, are fundamentally flawed in Heidegger's view.

He turns to a work of art to expose the limitations of these conventional accounts. In his celebrated analysis of Van Gogh's painting of what appears to be a common pair of peasant boots, he argues that the painting ultimately reveals the entire world of a peasant who walks upon the earth — a depth of disclosure no mere description of material and form could achieve.

World and Earth: Strife as Artistic Revelation

Heidegger then explores the relationship between world and earth as it relates to art, artist, and work. His conception of world is tied to the totality of human existence. As Ross observes, "a world is the setting of human existence; it is the boundaries of our thought." We experience the strife of world and earth through art. Ross further notes that "the opposition of world and earth is a striving between the revealing character of the world and the concealing nature of earth."

When we look for a thingly structure in a work of art, Heidegger argues, we see the work merely as equipment — something with a useful purpose adorned with artistic quality. In doing so, we fundamentally misunderstand the purpose of art. What is required instead is a looking into the origin, the authentic nature, of art itself.

Conclusion

The Origin of the Work of Art provides an invaluable look into the meaning of art itself. Although the text is difficult, Heidegger's analysis of the circle of interpretation alone makes the reading worthwhile.

Works Cited

Heidegger, Martin. The Origin of the Work of Art.

Ross, Stephen David. Art and Its Significance: An Anthology of Aesthetic Theory.