If a modern artist pukes in the woods how much will an art gallery pay for it?
My Mom took me to the St. Louis Art Museum regularly from a very early age- the first time I recall being wanting to see an Egyptian mummy I heard they had, but found it disappointing. But by the end of the trip I had found something that has forever stuck in my head, a painting called “The Captive Charger.” It’s a beautiful painting and in person will knock you out... though as a kid I thought it was weird to have a horse with a jaguar or leopard skin on it being led away by American Indians.
On another visit - still a grade schooler- I was captivated by a painting by George Caleb Bingham. On one wall there was this huge painting [well, it seemed huge to me] called “The Jolly Flatboatmen In Port.”
As it happens there was an exhibition of his work there this month and one of the components of the exhibit is for kids- there’s pencils and tracing paper and graphite paper which they or parents can show children how to use, so the kids can trace out a copy of their choice of one of his sketches for themselves.
There’s also a downloadable app of the exhibit so people can read up on pieces they like.
Needless to say the St. Louis Art Museum has a much more mature view of having children in art museums than the guy in this article, though they of course would be quick to chaten any parents as irresponsible as these that let their kids destroy art. Some children are after all, future patrons, even if others are future felons.
“My 5-year old could do that.”
What people don’t realize is that the best abstract artists have excellent drawing skills, a finely honed sense of composition, and a deep understanding of the workings of color. Most abstract artists have the ability to draw a perfectly rendered rose or a realistic portrait, but they choose not to. Instead they choose to express their creativity by creating a visual experience that is more free and unencumbered by the weight of objects.
...afew years ago I witnessed a father watch his 6 year old son slide down the left front fender of a 32 ford coupe at a local cruise night. The car is very deep cherry red...beautifully maintained and
expensive. The moronic father stood there,within three feet,grinning like a hyena on crack,...after a few loud Yo’s...hey’s..and WTF’s..the father grab the kid and walked off
with an attitude...and yes some scratches from those little metal brass like buttons on the pockets...
My guess....they don’t have neighborhood cruise nights in Mexico
I often visited the Rothko Chapel in Houston, I admit that it took a few visits to get it, but once I did I really liked it.
their paintings are spatial arbitrarily related juxtapositions of color that are representations of the disintegrated mode of thought
The first thing that people should remember when railing against “modern art” is that, as a trend, it died in the 70’s. It has given way to conceptualism, postmodernism, AND a revival of traditional painting.
Conceptualism is likely something that will still annoy those that don’t care for “modern” art but you aren’t likely to participate in it. If you aren’t participating in the conversation then your voice can be safely ignored as irrelevant. If you want to join the conversation learn some theory and some history because it’s mostly a philosophy and critical theory now. It’s not so much elitist as it is difficult for new comers. Like Magic: The Gathering after ten years of expansions. You COULD learn all those rules and buy hundreds of cards but only if you are REALLY tuned into the game.
Just let it slide by as the geekery of no concern to you that it is.
Postmodernism is a short run that, in the end, really only helps move us past modernism in a different way than conceptualism. It’s sort of a mid-wife to what comes next. It plays with materials and ideas as well but ultimately leads to a reaffirmation of painting itself as the preferred method of art creation for artists. Charles Saatchi even said as much and announced that his galleries would begin selling off to their Tracy Emin pieces in favor of actual paintings.
So begins a new period of renaissance in painting. Kinda. Sure, It’s going to stray into subjects you probably don’t like. It’s going to treat things tenderly you think should be handily harshly. It will treat what you consider obscene as typical. Because postModernism has taught these artists than no viewpoint is monolithic they will do all that AND work that you love.
So stop worrying that past movements that you don’t care for are still represented in museums of past movements. Get over the devotion that you think is undeserved. Go live and join the RIGHT NOW that probably has a lot you like.
When my son was about 8 we took him to a Piccaso exhibit. About half way through he came to me and said, “Dad? I don’t think he’s done with these yet.”
Very perceptive and exactly what I have always thought.
Later we went and watched the Blue Angles practice for Fleet Week. Much more fun.