The Visible and the Invisible: Jean-Luc Marion on the Artistic Phenomenology

Abstract

Jean-Luc Marion, as a renowned phenomenologist today, transcends painting from the realm of aesthetics and, through a series of fundamental inquiries into painting, images, and issues such as idols and icons, rearticulates phenomenology's overcoming of subjectivity. This article will reflect on Marion's artistic phenomenology, focusing on the visible and the invisible and describing painting, idols, and the most visible from the perspective of givenness. Particularly noteworthy is that painting is no longer seen merely as the intentional object of the viewer; it transcends the ordinary object to become an idol. The idol evokes more gazes while also concealing itself beneath the subject. Contemporary painting rebels against dependence on nature, showcasing more possibilities. From Impressionism to minimalism, artistic creation breaks away from pure visibility, attempting to operate autonomously from intentional subjects and move towards the icon.