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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

zu sich selbst befreit

English translation:

liberated to be itself

Added to glossary by Catherine Winzer
Jan 30, 2012 18:00
12 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term

zu sich selbst befreit

German to English Art/Literary Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting modern art
I am translating the description of an exhibition that documents the history of "konstruktiv konkrete Kunst".

"Wie sie [die konstruktiv konkrete Kunst] ihre Galeristinnen und Galeristen, Sammlerinnen und Sammler und die Kunstkritik begeisterte, dokumentiert die von einer Publikation begleitete Sonderschau, indem es wichtige Galerien und deren Arbeit mit dieser Kunstrichtung vorstellt. Interviews und Bild- und Textdokumente erzählen von entscheidenden Situationen in der Auseinandersetzung mit dieser ***zu sich selbst befreiten*** Kunst."

The text ends here, so I don't have any further context.

I wondered about "art that is freed for itself", but I'm not completely happy with it. I'd be grateful for any help.

British English, if possible.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +2 liberated to be itself ((& variants of same essence - to follow its own laws / whims.. ) ))
4 +2 self-liberated / self-liberating
3 +1 liberated for itself
2 +1 which has found its own feet
3 having liberated/liberating itself from previous conceptions
3 -1 liberated from itself/went beyond its own limits

Proposed translations

+2
32 mins
Selected

liberated to be itself ((& variants of same essence - to follow its own laws / whims.. ) ))

This is in the vein of that quote (Carl Andre?) re. art being about art and everything else being about everything else - the liberation from having to be 'about' anything but its own drama within/on its surface/support (in 2-D work), for example. Ultimately the liberation of art from an obligation to 'portent' ( as in C19 or the end-of-C19 to 1970s dread of it - history painting... in that sense, narrative... illustration... ) towards the abstract.


Peer comment(s):
agree philgoddard : "Liberated to be itself" doesn't really fit the context, but I like your other suggestions. "Ploughed/plowed its own furrow" is another possibility.
11 mins
Thanks, Phil, wasn't quite comfortable with the actual wording in isol'n -though e.g. '*an art* liberated to be itself' still doesn't jar to me. Best /S.
agree Helen Shiner : Yes, liberated from within to express itself freely - and greetings, Stephen./Or rather 'liberated from within to just be what it is' with no further intent necessary, as you say.
38 mins
Thx, Helen; very best to you too.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks, everyone, for your answers. I liked Stephen's the best."
-1
6 mins

liberated from itself/went beyond its own limits

escaped its own boundaries
went beyond itself
Peer comment(s):
neutral philgoddard : Wouldn't that be "von sich selbst"?
34 mins
Hi Phil, yes, you're probably right.
disagree Lonnie Legg : See Phil.
6 days
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+1
1 hr

liberated for itself

I think the contrast here is with the regular collocation of "befreien von" ("freeing from"). Here, rather than a freeing 'from', we have a freeing 'into' or 'for', i.e. not a liberation away from the object, but towards and into the object.
Peer comment(s):
agree Stephen Reader : Very much with your explanation
4 hrs
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+2
1 hr

self-liberated / self-liberating

Another variant. The impetus comes from within the art itself to free itself from external constraints of any kind. This is Modernist abstraction taken to its extremes.

See also the Tate's definition of Minimalism, for instance: http://www.tate.org.uk/collections/glossary/definition.jsp?e...

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Note added at 1 hr (2012-01-30 19:20:49 GMT)
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Another suggestion: this art liberated from within
Peer comment(s):
agree philgoddard
1 hr
Thanks, Phil
agree Stephen Reader : And very much with yours
4 hrs
Thanks, Stephen.
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+1
2 hrs

which has found its own feet

just an idea
Peer comment(s):
agree Stephen Reader : W/ your backgr'd perception; not sure re. the wording, as a pre-modern (or earlier, pre-Impressionist) descriptive art could also be said (sorry to be pedantic!) to be self-confident. So opening the wider contempl'n of earlier, Ren. 'libs'. Oh dear...
3 hrs
Thanks for the agree Stephen, despite all the reservations!
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8 hrs

having liberated/liberating itself from previous conceptions

such as abstract art, which it is to be distinguished from as well

alt.: forming a conception in its own right
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