The Act of Making: Art as a Process of Engagement with Reality

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Art is never simply a product; it is a process. The act of creation—whether through painting, sculpture, performance, or installation—is itself an interaction with the world. In the studio, on the stage, or in the space between an artist and their materials, something happens. There’s a conversation, an unfolding. What we call "art" emerges not as an isolated artifact but as a gesture toward the world. It is the result of this engagement, of a deeper questioning of the forces, ideas, and elements that shape reality.

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This process is not just about creating forms or representations; it’s about challenging the artist to engage with the fabric of reality itself. The artist's tools—brushes, chisels, words, light, sound—are channels through which they attempt to make sense of the world. Each brushstroke, each line carved in stone, each note struck in a composition, is a small rebellion against the static, the already known. Art, in this sense, becomes a way of exploring and confronting the unknown, of questioning the very assumptions we hold about reality.

In the act of making, the artist is engaged in a dialogue with the world. This dialogue is not passive. It is an active interrogation. The materials, the medium, and the technique are not neutral. They impose limits, suggest possibilities, and, in their way, challenge the artist’s conception of what is possible. The making of art, then, is not merely a process of crafting; it is a way of encountering reality and bringing something new into existence. The artist works with these constraints, yet in doing so, pushes against them. Each act of creation is an attempt to capture something that cannot be fully grasped—a moment, an emotion, a thought, a perception of the world.

But it is in this struggle to capture and convey that art reveals its deeper potential. It becomes more than just a reflection of reality—it becomes a way of engaging with and questioning the nature of that reality. This is where philosophical realism enters the conversation.

 

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Philosophical Realism: The Artist’s Encounter with Objective Reality

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Philosophical realism suggests that there is an objective reality that exists independent of our perception of it, that reality is not just a construct shaped by subjective viewpoints or cultural narratives. For the artist working within this framework, this means that the act of making is an act of discovery, a means of connecting with a world that exists outside of our personal or cultural biases. Art, from this perspective, becomes a way of representing the world as it truly is, rather than how we imagine or want it to be.

This process of engagement is fundamental. The artist, in embracing philosophical realism, moves away from the idea that art is merely a form of expression or a mirror of personal subjectivity. It shifts toward the idea that art can serve as a tool for uncovering deeper truths about the world. It becomes a way to illuminate the complexities of reality, to present the world with all its contradictions and nuances, and to challenge us to confront what we have long taken for granted.

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In this sense, philosophical realism requires a kind of intellectual humility from the artist. It demands that the artist step outside of the self and engage directly with the material world. Rather than imposing preconceived ideas or values onto their work, the artist must listen to the world, engage with it on its terms, and reflect it honestly. This doesn’t mean that the artist becomes a passive recorder of the world, but that they take on the responsibility of presenting it truthfully, without distortion, and without a hidden agenda.

For example, when an artist chooses to represent a landscape, they are not merely painting what they see. They are engaging with the world as it is, not as a beautiful, idealized space, but as a dynamic, evolving environment that has been shaped by natural forces and human activity. The rocks, the trees, the sky—they are not just symbols or decorations. They are elements of a world that exists independently of the artist, with its own history, its own laws, and its own complexities. In depicting this world with rigor and honesty, the artist allows the viewer to encounter a reality that might otherwise go unnoticed.

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Art as a Challenge to Perception: Redefining Reality through Representation

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Philosophical realism, in this way, does not simply present reality—it challenges us to see it differently. It encourages us to question the assumptions we carry about the world. The artist working within this mode is not simply reproducing reality; they are inviting us into a dialogue with it. They are asking us to reconsider our understanding of what is "real" and to engage with the world in new and transformative ways.

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Take, for instance, the work of artists like Lucian Freud or Anselm Kiefer. Freud’s intensely detailed portraits of human figures offer a raw, unidealised depiction of the human form. They present us with bodies marked by time, wear, and vulnerability, not as objects of beauty but as embodiments of lived experience. Kiefer’s vast landscapes, often filled with burnt fields and decaying structures, evoke a sense of history and ruin, pushing us to confront the legacy of human destruction. Both artists, in different ways, engage with the world not as it is idealized or idealistic, but as it is real—gritty, messy, and full of contradictions. They are working within a tradition of philosophical realism that insists on confronting the uncomfortable truths about the world.

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In this sense, art becomes a mirror of the world, but it also becomes a force that pushes against the limits of perception. The more an artist engages with the world in a direct, unflinching way, the more they challenge us to look more deeply, to question what we know, and to engage with reality on its own terms. This engagement with the world, guided by philosophical realism, is not just about representation. It is about transformation.

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Shaping the Future through Realistic Engagement

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But it doesn’t end with just presenting or reflecting reality. Philosophical realism, when embraced by the artist, holds the potential to shape how we understand our place within the world. By revealing the deeper structures of the world, by showing us the complexity beneath the surface, art can alter the way we engage with our environment, our society, and our future.

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This is the ultimate promise of philosophical realism in art: that it can move us from passive spectators to active participants in the world. Art does not simply show us the world; it challenges us to engage with it in a way that is more mindful, more aware, and more attuned to the reality that exists beyond our limited perspectives.

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In this sense, art—and the act of making—becomes not just a reflection of the world, but a force that reshapes the very way we experience and understand it. Philosophical realism provides the tools for the artist to engage with reality in a deeper, more nuanced way, while also offering the potential to alter how we view and interact with the world.