xt7mw6696d6b https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7mw6696d6b/data/mets.xml  Thomas Merton 1963-11-09 This letter is from collection 75m28 Thomas Merton papers. archival material 75m28 English  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Thomas Merton correspondence Letter from Thomas Merton to Victor Hammer, November 9, 1963 text Letter from Thomas Merton to Victor Hammer, November 9, 1963 1963 1963-11-09 2023 true xt7mw6696d6b section xt7mw6696d6b __f_.
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ABBEY OF GETHSEMANI

TRAPPI ST. KENTUCKY

Nov 9, 1963

Eear Vicyor

I shudder at the thought of attempting a long didactic poem on art. Yet
who knows, someday it may happen. I generally end up doing what I never exoected
to do, and I suppose that is a very good thing. However, I am firmly resolved to
do anything but this at the moment.

Of coursebone could approach the subject of art as a way of "knowing" and
seeing. Ybu sometimes cannot see a thing at all unless you take pains to make some—
thing like it. A.nd yet not like it. Nothing gets to be known without being
changed in the process.

As to saying "what is art", well, I don't think there is much chance of
making any sense out of the question if'one is looking for a pure essence. On the
other hand the question is not without meaning. It is a matter of communication,
not of discovery: not of defining the thing and getting cnmmand over it, but of
clarifying one‘s own concepts and conveying what one means, or does not“fiean.‘

After all, one has to be able to say that abstract expression is not art, and
I think that clarifies most of what needs to be said about it, both for—and against.
That is precisely what is "for" it: that it is not art, though it seems to be.
I know this statement is scandalous, and I think the ambiguities are bad ones in
the long run ( it should not pretend to be art, which in fact it does). T do not
think that throwing paint on canvas and saying "this is not art“ merits twenty
thousand dollars. It is too obvious. However, even the obvious has its place.

If I write a long didactic poem on art it wil.l certainly not be about this.

Best wishes to you both, always,
With all blessings,

7/1/14-

I :eei thinking about the »haker project, and wonder what Carolyr thinks of the
ar 10 e.