Between the Tao and the Instrument (Notes on Art and Design Theory)

Author: Li Xiangwei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: The texts in this collection primarily deal with decorative art, design art, and art education, representing some rational reflections on artistic practice over the years. Some of the texts have been published in domestic journals, with a time span of over a decade. For this collection, minor revisions have been made to some texts, while most remain largely unchanged. I have heard that Western philosophical tradition has a purely speculative metaphysical characteristic, while Chinese philosophical tradition tends to have a more practical rational inclination. As for the strengths and weaknesses of the two, I am unable to evaluate them; but when it comes to art philosophy (also known as "aesthetics"), I believe that no matter how metaphysical its pursuit may be, it still retains a practical characteristic. This is because art itself is an integration of the metaphysical "Dao" and the tangible "instrument." If one aspect is neglected, art would no longer be art. Based on my own experience, over the past 30 years, I have been reflecting on a short essay included in this collection, which I have titled "Between the Dao and the Instrument."