Resumen de Art and history: exploring the counterchange condition
Part of a symposium on the relation between art and history. The writer explores some challenges and opportunities provided by what he calls the counterchange condition in non-European art history. He explains that a classic example of this condition is formalism, pointing out that one cannot offer a credible interpretation of this European theory without implying claims about art theory outside Europe. He proposes an alternative approach that recognizes the counterchange condition and also attempts to benefit from it. He argues that the historical and conceptual parameters of an artwork cannot be framed adequately within the limits of only one cultural tradition but must be developed dialectically in comparison with related artworks in other cultures, when such can be found. He concludes that recognizing that the persuasive power of a concept derives from its heuristic value is essential for cross-cultural studies and the formation of truly useful historical concepts.
