From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Tue Mar 16 2004 - 13:17:04 GMT
Leland,
> Platt Holden wrote:
> >What I had in mind were the artifacts of Quaker-Shaker life here in the
> >U.S. such as chairs, chests, baskets, barns, buildings etc. which exhibit
> >a distinctive aesthetic style marked by harmony, elegance and simplicity.
> As long as you keep in mind that words like "harmony", "elegance" and
> "simplicity" are pasted on post-hoc. The same goes for good rhetoric. The
> rules are pasted on after the writing is complete. The fact is most of that
> furniture and those buildings were built by true craftsmen, who had a
> direct connection with Dynamic Quality. Calling Quaker/Shaker construction
> a 'style' is demeaning the work that they did. I think it is the profound
> lack of 'style' in Quaker/Shaker construction that makes it so appealing.
Words, rules, etc. are always "post hoc" if you mean by that, "after
direct experience." My use of the word 'style' wasn't meant to convey that
the Quakers followed a style manual in their work but to distinguish their
products from similar ones produced by others. The 'style' of a Shaker
chair is unique and instantly recognizable.
> > "Simplicity" is indeed the mark of the Quaker style, widely imitated by
> >modernists. I like your phrase "manifestation of God" because I believe
> >great art to be a "manifestation of Dynamic Quality." I know it's
> >misleading to connect God and DQ, but sometimes I just can't help myself.
> The only reason it could be misleading to use 'god' in place of DQ is that
> the word 'god' is frought with meaning that has been applied (again)
> post-hoc. Personally, I don't have a problem with the word 'god' any more
> than I have a problem with the word 'artichoke', and I can't fathom why
> others do.
A word like 'God' carries a lot of baggage. Asked to define God, people
will give you a lot of different answers. Not so with 'artichoke'
Platt
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