Subjective Aesthetics Contrast with the Theoretical Foundations of Pop Art according to Lawrence Alloway

Kant’s thoughts and his important book on beauty andaesthetics  -  Critique of Judgment  - should be consideredas one of the most important foundations of subjectiveaesthetics. Subjective aesthetics in Kant’s theorydistinguishes fine arts from useful arts by attributingcharacteristics such as non-functional, non-conceptual,and genius-based to fine arts. In this respect subjectiveaesthetics laid the theoretical foundations of modernart - developed in the late nineteenth to the first halfof the twentieth century- in the eighteenth century. Inaddition to modernism, which was directly influencedby subjective aesthetics, this approach also had a greatinfluence on the art of the second half of the twentiethcentury. The main feature of some artistic currents ofthat period such as Pop art is based on a critical reactionto subjective aesthetics. Pop art is a turning point of aradically different approach to art and the foundationsof the art world. Understanding the characteristics ofPop art is significantly based on reaction to subjectiveaesthetics, and it seems that without subjective aestheticswe cannot achieve a comprehensive understanding ofthe nature of some artistic currents in the second halfof the twentieth century, including Pop art. LawrenceAlloway is one of the most important theorists of PostModernist art. Alloway initially used the term Pop artto describe some of the artists’ works in Europe andAmerica; works that were different in themes andformal character from fine arts traditionally based onsubjective aesthetics. Opposing modernist elitism andany transcendental character for art, Lawrence Allowaysought to achieve a broad definition of culture and artbeyond subjective aesthetics; a definition beyond thelimits of fine arts, referring to all human activities. Inthis way, is removed the distinction between fine arts anduseful arts in Kant’s theory. In this article, we seek togain a more accurate understanding of the nature of Popart by considering Lawrence Alloway’s views - as themost important theorist of Pop art- and his thinking onKantian aesthetics. Finally, Lawrence Alloway’s theoryseems to consider art as functional and communicativesystem, in order to both respond to subjective aestheticsand to offer a different definition of art in general, whichis based on the system of functional communication. Onthis basis and regarding Pop art, it can be inferred thatthis theory does not agree with qualitative topics andanalyses of art. Because qualitative analysis dependson subjective aesthetics, it is the opposite of LawrenceAlloway’s communicative approach to art. FromLawrence Alloway’s point of view, qualitative valuesin art seem to neglect the achievement of a commonand equal field for all in art. For this reason, art as acommunicative medium is considered only as a platformfor providing information to the audience.