Our epoch is a time of tragic collision between matter and spirit and of the downfall of the purely material world view.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the conflict between physical existence and spiritual understanding in modern society.
Wassily Kandinsky's statement highlights a significant struggle in contemporary times, where a clash between materialism and spirituality occurs. He suggests that as society evolves, there is a growing recognition of the limitations of a purely materialistic worldview, indicating that humanity must seek to balance physical needs with spiritual fulfillment.
In practice
In a discussion about the importance of spirituality in today's materialistic world, this quote can be used to highlight the ongoing conflict.
The true work of art is born from the 'artist': a mysterious, enigmatic, and mystical creation. It detaches itself from him, it acquires an autonomous life, becomes a personality, an independent subject, animated with a spiritual breath, the living subject of a real existence of being.
The artist must have something to say, for mastery over form is not his goal but rather the adapting of form to its inner meaning.
With cold eyes and indifferent mind the spectators regard the work. Connoissers admire the "skill" (as one admires a tightrope walker), enjoy the "quality of painting" (as one enjoys a pasty). But hungry souls go hungry away. The vulgar herd stroll through the rooms and pronounce the pictures "nice" or "splendid." Those who could speak have said nothing, those who could hear have heard nothing.
The sound of colors is so definite that it would be hard to find anyone who would express bright yellow with bass notes or dark lake with treble.
The more abstract is form, the more clear and direct its appeal.
All methods are sacred if they are internally necessary. All methods are sins if they are not justified by internal necessity.
We pity in others only the those evils which we ourselves have experienced.
A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading.
Confirming an intuitive sense I've always felt for the interconnectedness of all things, this doctrine has provided me ways to understand the intricate web of co-arising that links one being with all other beings, and to apprehend the reciprocities between thought and action, self and universe.
Memory runs along deep, fixed channels in the brain, like electricity along its conduits; only a cataclysm can make the electrons rear up in shock and slide over into another channel. The human mind seems doomed to believe, as simply as a rooster believes, that where we are now is the only possibility
God, I am trying to recover my faith. Please don't abandon me in the middle of this adventure, I prayed, pushing my fears aside.
Each side tries to legitimize their aims by appealing to history, sometimes selectively choosing episodes and other times just by inventing history.
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