For whom do you paint? One should primarily paint for oneself, in the same manner as a composer composes to satisfy his own standards, as a scientific and mathematics researcher and creative thinker or philosopher reflect and work to satisfy his own high standards. One does not paint, think, research so as to satisfy the standards, perceptions and likings of another, but because one must do it. The work of the philosopher, composer, creative thinking scientist and serious painter is not haphazard but proceed in a systematic and logical manner. This does not imply that the painter proceeds rationally (or merely rationally) or by mathematical logic. Much of his work probably are following some kind of subconscious or pre-conceptual form of 'thinking, reflection and reasoning'. But he will not merely manufacture a work of art to please others, be it curators, critics, gallery owners, etc. His work will proceed in some kind of systematic manner, developing insights, techniques, forms, structures (of perception and aesthetic thinking), composition, forms, etc he already explored and discovered. In this way it can be said that he builds on ideas, insights and other things that he already has explored and discovered. Every artist, similar to each person, has (or is?) a complex set of aesthetic ideals, ideas and notions. These things form part of the individual's mindset and frame of reference. many, if not most, of these things are sub-conscious, so that the individual is not even aware why s/he has certain 'aesthetic' and other choices, preferences, attitudes and values. An individual's aesthetic ideals will play a leading role in many things s/he likes and dislikes, for example the clothes s/he wears, the way s/he dresses, decorates the house and much else. In the case of the artist 'aesthetic ideals' are more subtle and highly developed than that of most 'ordinary' people. The aesthetic ideals of the artist, especially the most creative ones, will continually develop, change and be modified. These are the things that constitute the artist's aesthetic mindset and vision, that play a part in structuring the aesthetic decisions he makes and the standards that guide these decisions and determine the choices he makes when creating a work. If we were to pose the question for who does the artist paint, or create in this context, the answer will be: for himself. For his/her own aesthetic vision, to express and realize his own aesthetic values, to concretise his own aesthetic standards and to make visible or give form to his own aesthetic mindset as it is and functions at that present moment. In other words, the artist paints in terms of his own aesthetic ideals, to express them and to make them tangible. In this process his mindset, aesthetic vision, ideals and frame of reference will themselves most likely be transformed, modified and developed. This does not imply that the artist is insular or fabricate these things in isolation as he works in terms of the socio- cultural norms of the discourse of (Western, etc...) visual art in the genre of painting. He merely makes variations on, extends, explores and develops those socio-cultural aesthetic leading ideals, values, norms and attitudes. 4th

May 2015, ulrich