Dix- 'The Object is Primary'

Otto Dix, “The Object is Primary” 1927 reprinted in reprinted in Art in Theory: 1900-2000. ed. Harrison and Wood pp. 408

“In recent years, one catchphrase has motivated the present generation of creative artists. it urges them to “Find new forms of expression!” I very much doubt, however, whether such a thing is possible. Anyone who looks at the paintings of the Old Masters, or immerses himself in the study of their works, will surely agree with me.
As I see it, at any rate, the new element in painting lies in the extension of its subject area, an enhancement of those forms of expression already present in essence in the Old Masters. Tor me, the object is primary and determines the form. I have therefore always felt it vital to get as close as possible to the thing I see. ‘What’ matters more to me than ‘How’. Indeed, ‘How’ arises from ‘What’.”

Dix avoids questions of form, but rather looks to art as a way of revealing new objects in the world. For Dix, effective art uses conventions of self-expression as a way to examine objects not previously seen, the expansion of critical examination through art onto new issues. Art is a space of revelation to the world, rather than personal exploration/introspection – the “object is primary” potentially means that what is seen by the viewing public is primary to what the author tries to see.