META-ART Meta-art is the school, the movement, the type of art that I create. It has, of course, a lengthy tradition and background from the Western tradition of Fine Art and more specifically the genre of painting. The ‘meta’ refers to the fact that it is a consideration of, a thinking about, a reflection on art, or in this case, painting. The philosophical field I am investigating and writing about is meta-philosophy. I have written a lot about this area and have included endless sources, discussions, articles, books, references, encyclopaedia articles, bibliographies, explanations, university courses and much else on the topic of meta-philosophy. To understand more about the ‘meta’ aspect in general and more specifically the philosophical part see my articles on that idea. Either on my personal philosophical site : https://sites.google.com/site/philosophyphilosophizing/home, or on Academia.edu https://independent.academia.edu/UlrichdeBalbian or on Philosophical Papers http://philpapers.org/profile/342710 https://www.google.com/search?q=Authentic+in+your+art+ulrich+de+balbian&sa=N&biw=1366&bih=589&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ved=0ahUKEwiyld7N4rHQAhXJK8AKHUc2Dq84ChCwBAgY I reflect on, think about and deal with philosophy in my meta-philosophy articles, as far as my art is concerned, I became aware that I do not merely paint, that I am not only interested in art and painting as such, but that I explore these things, that I investigate them and that I reflect on them. Therefore my type of art is meta-art. The ‘art’ part of this notion refers to my practical art work. I realized that it is post-modern, relativizing many things, being sceptical of most things taken for granted (in this case concerning art and painting) and that my painting is based upon these notion. Other ideas that are expressed through my art, unintentionally, as I do not intentionally attempt to create a new school or movement, are ideas such as post-minimalism, the minimalistic aspects of my work. This concerns the colours I use, the colour combinations, the forms, the composition, the techniques being employed and much else. Another aspect of my work is a concentration on and a highlighting of the process/es of painting, in other words process painting. These then are the notions that will assist in the explanation of meta-art. It is not something cerebral, something that I try to do, but something that gradually, naturally and automatically developed during the many decades that I have been painting. Painting for the creative, original, serious artist is not about making ‘nice’ pictures, nice images, but it is about being authentic and true to oneself. The artist does what he has to do, what he must do – concerning the colours employed, the paint, techniques, forms and other structures, he does what he must do at that moment. It is as if he has no choice in the matter, tapping from, expressing and realizing that what comes from the deepest layers of his consciousness and sub-consciousness. I have written on this authenticity here https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/0_2ySTeoi8hXCT9wNuwdiycB?trk=prof-sm among more than 2000 other articles on art. Painting = 5 Golden Rules | ulrich de balbian | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/painting-5-golden-rules-ulrich-de-balbian Nov 28, 2015 - Painting = FIVE Golden Rules Here are five golden rules for the socio-cultural ... (1) The artist is totally, completely and absolutely authentic (and .... Lack of email etiquette Please tell me people at your work are not sending ... https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/painting-5-golden-rules-ulrich-de-balbian Painting = FIVE Golden Rules Here are five golden rules for the socio-cultural practice or the activity of painting when it is exercised in the Western Tradition of Fine and visual art and more specifically the genre of painting. These rules concern the artist as a whole, his Self, constructions of reality, social relationships, values, norms, attitudes, emotional and intellectual development, beliefs, etc. These are things he will get in order during his life time, for as Socrates is alleged to have said, "an unexamined life is not worth living". He will obviously question himself, his pre-suppositions and assumptions concerning all aspects of existence. It is in this totality of his existence that the subtlety and complexities of these rules should be interpreted, understood and individuated by each person. (1) The artist is totally, completely and absolutely authentic (and increasingly so) in his entire being and all areas of his existence. (2) S/he is unintentionally and naturally original and unique in his approach to and understanding of reality (internal and external realities), the discourse of art, the socio-cultural practice of Fine or Visual Art and painting. (3) S/he is naturally and intentionally questioning, reflective and aware of the subtle problematics of all things, phenomena and situations. (4) A work of art makes one, clear statement. (5) The real aim of a work of art is to be, subconsciously so, an emotional punch, a KO through and as 'feeling'. 1) He should learn to be authentic in all areas of his existence, he must endlessly question and examine himself, his Self, and entire existence. With this refined and highly developed skills of self-examination, that have become second nature to him and/or be applied sub-consciously all the time,  he should approach his artist reality. This exercise will assist him to become increasingly truthful to himself, both in his entire existence and all aspects of his being and obviously in his artistic practices. 2) He will increasingly become unique in all areas of his existence and obviously in his original artistic work. This most definitely  does not mean that he will use or abuse art to shock, merely attempting to attract attention and become in/famous. For an artist to be original it is essential that he explores and develops many aspects of the discourse and processes of painting, for example techniques, different media, supports and the structural or formal aspects of painting (such as color, composition, form, etc.) 3) His painting and his attitude towards painting will reveal that he, similar to creative thinking and questioning individuals in all socio-cultural practices and specialized discourses (for example, philosophy, natural and social sciences, visual and performance arts, mathematics, theology, composition of music, etc) and all areas of daily existence (for example parenting, work, leisure, relationships, beliefs, etc), investigates and explores phenomena and do not merely accept them on face-value, or the way they are constructed, perceived and understood by his time and place - his culture  and sub-culture, class, age group, personality-type and other socio-cultural, psychological, biological and human factors. In other words he will be experimental, explorative and questioning and able to interpret and translate everything as problems, by systematic, logical and controlled problematization or problematizing. He will continually and constantly have a reflective, questioning and open frame of mind and reference towards all aspects of existence and his own artistic practices. He would deal in depth with the formal and structural aspects of his work (and all aspects of his existence, for example the re/construction of his external environments as well as his inner worlds) be it in painting itself (for example the exploration of certain aspects  of painting by working in series), drawing, installations, performance, photography, videos and other new media. 4) Every single one of his paintings will make one, clear statement. This point and the next point (5) are really the different sides of the same coin. In fact all 5 points are merely different perspectives on or views of the 'same' object, for example perceiving a house (and architectural plans of it) from the front, the top and the different sides. 5) All socio-cultural, personal, structural and formal aspects concerning a painting will work together in unity, or disunity (some aspects of the work might be 'slightly off' and intentionally so) with the single purpose and sole aim to convey an 'emotional or feeling-based' punch or KO. This, is the real aim and overriding purpose of every work of art - the pre-conceptual,(conceptually) ineffable, emotional, feeling expression or 'message' it conveys, expresses and communicates. In my case to be true to myself, to be authentic in my existence and all things I do, including specialized socio-cultural practices such as philosophy, art, theology etc implies that I do and must create in a meta- or reflective manner. That I must think about and carefully consider in a philosophical manner what I do, how I do it and why I do it. Therefore when I do philosophy, I do meta-philosophy, when I am involved in art or painting, I create meta-art, etc.