Mukařovský's article provides a comprehensive overview of key concepts in his model of structural aesthetics, and of the relevant terminology. It emphasizes the central role of the dynamic relations between the elements constituting a structure, an approach that differentiates his concept of structure from that of holism, for which a structure consists of a closed unity. The essay also explores concepts of semiotic analysis, likening a work of art to a linguistic sign, which mediates between the author and the perceiver. It discusses the dynamic functions of art, which can be aesthetic, intellectual, political, and social, and how these functions change over time and are influenced by external factors. Mukařovský underscores the active role of art in society, influenced by Marxist thought, and its participation in shaping societal values and ideologies. Additionally, the essay addresses the living tradition of artistic conventions and norms, which transcend individual creations and contribute to the structure of art. Mukařovský's essay stresses the dialectical nature of the relations between the individual work and the structure of which it is part, aligning his own structuralist theory of meaning with Marxist cultural and historical theory.
Jan Mukařovský (Mon,) studied this question.