‘Theory of Seeing’ by Władysław Strzemiński is a book first published in 1958 and reissued by the Museum of Art in Łódź. It is a collection of lectures on art history given by the artist before he was dismissed by the communist authorities from the School of Fine Arts for failing to adhere to the canons of socialist realism.
A guide to art and good architectural space
In the book, the author summarized theoretically his artistic activity and aesthetic reflection. His theory starts from the assumption that our image of the world is constantly evolving, the ways in which we look at it are changing and growing, and this is decisively influenced by external conditions: historical experience, cultural and social background.
“In the process of seeing, it is not what the eye mechanically grasps that is important, but what a person realizes from his seeing,” claims Poland’s most important avant-garde artist.
‘Theory of Seeing’ is the fruit of Strzeminski’s long reflection and an extraordinary testimony to the theoretical consciousness of an artist who permanently influenced the development of visual arts. It is a work that teaches how artistic perception changes over time, explains the relationship between the evolution of society and changes in art, and is a book that links art education with art history.
