Reign of modernism will end in 21st century, critics contend

The Art Renewal Center ^ | Originally printed on Sunday the 29th of October, 2000. | Robert McCain

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[exDemMom]

I have two published scientific papers which include figures, aka "art", according to the journal's instructions to authors. Yes, I was very surprised to learn that not only am I a scientist, I am also an artist.

The reason I bring this up is that the painting (ahem!) you reproduced here closely resembles some of my art. Imagine a row of 4 or 5 horizontal black lines of varying intensities evenly spaced, like dashes, across that painting. That is my art. Gallery opening TBA.

[tictoc]

a display by some modern artist who is allegedly some sort of genius.

Dollars to Donuts, it was Joseph Beuys, generally considered in the art world Germany's greatest artist in the second half of the 20th century.

Chair with Lard (1963) Joseph Beuys

[MattAMiller]

Maybe it's because I don't have much in the way of formal art history education, but I always end up agreeing with everybody in these debates. I've modern art that I liked, that I thought I got on some level. Then I see some good old fashioned representational art and wonder why nobody does that anymore.

[Bonaparte]

No, no, no -- now this is art! =:0

[Sam Cree]

"Luckily, there was a beautifully-printed flier for visitors, explaining why this worthless crap was supposed to be so brilliant. I never would have known otherwise."

Those kind of fliers are a sure sign the art sucks, IMO. I was recently at the art museum in Syracuse with my daughter. It had some truly beautiful paintings, but there was one, in a place of honor, that seemed unusually crappy and obtuse. Of course, it was the only one there that had a large printed poster next to it explaining all about how it was fighting for social justice and all the other leftist causes.

Lucky it had the note, nobody would have necessarily even known it was art otherwise, much less that it stood for a lot of crap, too.

[Sam Cree]

"Then I see some good old fashioned representational art and wonder why nobody does that anymore."

During the 60's, and I don't know how long after that, the art world, as represented by academia, actively discouraged representational art. They wanted everything to be "cutting edge." Only problem is that what is "cutting edge," or to put it more prosaicly, "in style this year," is usually out of style a year or two later.

In times past, artists strove to make their work timeless, which is why the best of it survives and is revered today.

That's the way I see it, anyway.

[oyez]

artsyfartzy bfl

[oyez]

At lest it was beeswax and pollen. Some artists get away with body fluids and religious icons.

[oyez]

Tell me about it.