Art as a means of knowledge

 

From the Forest of Imagination to the Garden of Knowledge
Motto: "Imagination is more important than knowledge" (Einstein)

Experience generates knowledge. As Leonardo da Vinci said: “Knowledge is the daughter of experience.”

From the book Amazonia (1991) by Salo – Pyhälä, a powerful image of the Kayapo Indians’ garden has been etched into my memory. At first glance, it appears to be a jungle. However, the information provided by the book reveals that it is, in fact, a garden designed to mimic the rainforest. The cultivated plants grow intermixed, protecting each other from the sun, wind, and rain. The knowledge that the image depicts a garden with numerous species confuses the viewer. At the same time, its visual nature takes on entirely new dimensions. From apparent chaos arises the beauty of knowledge. Knowledge consists of the purpose of the cultivated plants and the conditions required for their cultivation. In the book’s image, a Kayapo Indian stands amidst the subtly organized rainforest, which provides everything they need in life: food, shelter, materials, medicine, and so on. Over their history, the Indians have refined and utilized numerous plants for food and medicinal purposes. The Indians’ knowledge is a history of experience.

A different perspective on knowledge came from my grandmother, who repeatedly reminded me in my youth and when making life choices with the phrase: “Knowledge is power.” For her, the knowledge gained through education and study represented true and objective understanding of the world, which she believed was the key to success in life. To her, knowledge, intelligence, and reason were nearly synonymous. This emphasis on the power of knowledge led to a materialistic and technocratic worldview, where knowledge is based on exact natural sciences, immutable natural laws, and mechanistic models, viewing nature primarily as a functioning machine at humanity’s disposal.

In contrast to the technocratic worldview is an empathetic, emotionally based approach to knowledge. I quote Leonardo da Vinci again: “All our knowledge begins with feeling.” Oscar Parland, a physician and writer, discusses in his book Knowledge and Empathy (1991) a form of non-objective knowledge based on an empathetic and interpretive examination of our environment – an approach that is well-suited as a foundation for art.

Another researcher who delves into the transmission of knowledge and the background of human actions is neurologist Oliver Sacks. In his book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (1998), he writes about his studies, revealing pre-human memories and landscapes within people – knowledge of our distant past that is difficult to align with a rational and empirical worldview. Sacks writes about the inner narrative of humans, whose continuity and meaning form our lives. This narrative is our identity, constantly and subconsciously shaped through our perceptions, emotions, thoughts, actions, and speech.

A third researcher I reference to illustrate the multidimensionality and contradictions of the concept of knowledge is cell biologist Rupert Sheldrake. His theory is based on morphic resonance – nature’s memory – where the internal information of cells is encoded. According to Sheldrake, all activity in nature, including human behavior, is based on morphic resonance and its fields, which arise from repeated behavioral patterns of species. Morphic fields encompass both the past and the present, enabling us to utilize knowledge linked to our evolutionary history. Thus, knowledge is not, in a narrow sense, absolute or objective – the sole truth – but rather repeated habits and customs developed over time. According to Sheldrake, even so-called laws of nature are subject to such evolution. Seen this way, nature is a network of all species, where humanity should work together with nature as one participant.

How has knowledge or consciousness helped the human species? We have destroyed most of our environment, driven many animal and plant species to extinction, and had a catastrophic impact on climate change. We are also the only species that has systematically exterminated millions of our own kind. Through research, we have uncovered the fatal consequences of our actions. However, we have also flown to the moon, uncovered the composition of the universe, and studied the history of nearby planets.

As I sit at home, the latest issue of the magazine Stars and Space lies before me. It contains information on the first fractions of a second of the universe and the possible ancient seas of Mars. On the other side of the table lies Alan Weisman’s book The World Without Us (2007), whose findings recount the horrifying history of humanity. The diversity and contradictions of knowledge nearly overwhelm the mind.

Let me attempt to summarize everything written above: Knowledge can be multidimensional, rooted in past experiences, and shaped by human thought and emotion, forming a worldview of experiential consciousness. It is also the result of research in various scientific fields – empirical and tested knowledge about our environment.

According to the Modern Finnish Dictionary, art refers to those activities and products through which humans attempt to evoke in others the emotional impacts they have experienced themselves using perceptible means. From this perspective, art is a tool for unveiling emotional knowledge. However, art has a broader significance than merely being a tool.

Fr. Schlegel expressed it thus: “Only one who has their own religion, their own personal concept of the infinite, can be an artist.” Thus, art is a way of perceiving the world – a subjective, creator-driven vision. The foundation of art always lies in the multidimensional, emotionally constructed worldview of the human mind, ultimately based on experiential knowledge and instinctive "seeing."

Art and its societal significance are often emphasized in ceremonial speeches. These speeches place a visionary and responsible mantle on art’s shoulders. Art is seen as representing the creativity and open-mindedness inherent in us all and is considered an inseparable part of a community’s fundamental functions and needs. The everyday reality following such speeches, however, often looks different. The possibilities and significance of art are overlooked, and it is relegated to the role of mere entertainment.

Does emotional experience and "seeing" provide knowledge about the world and its understanding? Referring to everything above – yes, it does. However, the knowledge (experience) offered by art requires the courage to adopt an inner, creator-centric approach. It demands an open mind, bravery in interaction, a willingness to fail, and a readiness to engage in seemingly useless acts to discover new perspectives. An example of such open-mindedness could be the well-known physicist and Nobel laureate Richard Feynman, whose interests spanned many areas of life, from cracking safes to drawing nude models.

Art has many possible and important roles. It entertains, critiques, takes a stand, and influences societal issues, opening up new perspectives overall. New perspectives often emerge from bold juxtapositions and unexpected encounters and experiments. For example, a discussion with an astronomer can provide an artist with concrete knowledge about the essence of infinity. Understanding it may, however, be a fleeting experience – a realization of feeling.

Art offers, in the realm of knowledge, an irrational way of perceiving the world. Art is a workshop for free thought and associations, where all experiences, memories, and emotions form the basis for understanding and knowledge. The pathways to knowledge offered by art – emotion and empathy – are just as essential for addressing fundamental questions as any other model. Art appeals to a holistic worldview, where everything influences everything else, and human activity, our narratives, are part of a broader field of knowledge (of being in nature).

January 2009
Markku Hakuri
Visual Artist
Professor of Environmental Art