Rift and Disharmony: Focillon's Conception of Relation between Art Rift and Disharmony: Focillon's Conception of Relation between Artand Environment

Abstract

The study focuses on Focillon's conception of event, above all as one of an effective intervention in the contact between the development of art as a life-form and the development of the environment in the broad sense. The study points to Focillon's assumption that mutual interventions between art and the environment cannot be described as determinations.

The development of art, along with the development of the environment may be described as a formal transformation, as part of the forms of life. The study indicates, however, that, from this point of view, the question arises as to the difference between artistic development and social development, that is, the question of the status of the "rift and disharmony", about which Focillon speaks in connection with the relation between art and environment.

The study offers a solution to the question in stressing the difference between an isochronic and a fluid conception of time. The study wishes to bring out he innovativeness of Focillon's thought, especially the closeness of this thought to the considerations of some post-structuralist authors.