Posted on 08/29/2005 4:49:19 PM PDT by Republicanprofessor
Excuse me, but are we being "mooned" by one of those paintings?
Sorry for the intensity of the recent posts. Had to make up for lost (vacation) time before the school year begins.
I hope there is some humor and politics in this essay to lighten the (sometimes intense) theory.
Let me know if you want on or off this ping list.
BTW, good discussion about the nature of postmodernism. I never quite "got it." Your essay helps.
I guess that's one way of looking at it.
I also like your scream quotes: especially the Democratic party patch.
Glad the interpretation of Postmodernism helped you "get" it. This is a very personal and biased view of mine. But I guess since there is no "true" history, so there is no "true" definition of Postmodernism.
class #9: Pop and Minimal Art http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1470726/posts?page=2
class 8: Pollock and Abstract Expressionism: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1468241/posts
class 7: American Modernism: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1440373/posts
class 6: Surrealism: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1427099/posts
class 5: Cubism: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1427099/posts
class 4: Expressionism: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1424087/posts
class 3: Cezanne and van Gogh; http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1419876/posts
class 2: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism; http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1414727/posts
class 1: Realism: Manet and Homer; http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1410117/posts
Don't apologize to me for anything. Your posts have been wonderful and every bit was worth reading. If you do any more of these, please don't cut back.
If you do any more, list the links to your other threads. It'll help more people find them. Thank you! I have not only learned fromm the info, but your prose is smooth reading.
These images don't really give the real feeling of being before a work by Turrell (who is one of many great contemporary artists that I haven't had a chance to discuss yet). I saw one of his works at the Whitney in NYC. It looked like a colored wall, but you could put your hand through it, and then it was all light and presence. It was quite a (non-sectarian) spiritual experience. He is now working on a crater in the southwest: Roden Crater.
I saw one of his pieces (rooms) at the Indianapolis Museum of Art in the early 90's(?).
I stood before the "painting" for a long while trying to understand the unusual, luminous quality it had. One of the museum security told me that this was the only painting in the museum we were allowed to touch. Even standing with a foot of the work I couldn't tell that it wasn't a painting at all.
Of course, as I leaned in to touch the piece my hand past the point where it should have come in contact with mass. It was momentarily disorienting.
Only disorienting for a moment? I still remember that odd (and even enlightening) experience. It was just as you described. I'm so glad that someone else has had that experience!!
Now, I just drove (rather quickly) through Indiana to get back to New England after our trip west, so I didn't have time to study the landscape much (and I was also totally absorbed in a book on CD....it made the trip go so much faster.) But what I'm increasingly interested in is the varying quality of the landscape from state to state, and region to region. Can you tell me what differentiates Indiana from the other states of the union? Do you know any artists who have captured what you feel is quintessentially Indianan (is that the right adjective)? And could you even say that Turrell has caught some of the abstract essence of the American landscape, or does he seem to represent the western sense of space and light more than that of the east?
Probably too many questions, but they are worth a try.
Any readers, ask the same of your state and let me know what you are thinking.
You're right about the postmodernism. No originality.
A bunny with a pancake on it's head has more substance.
I did get a bit of a kick fron the gold plated urinal copy from the dada era. :o) Two peas in a pod.
http://www.dada.com/
Thanks for this series.
This may sound like an odd request, but it's "arty". I hope in the future you will do an essay on famous illustrators from the Golden Age of Illustration and beyond.
I always loved Constantin Alajalov's Saturday Evening Post covers. They were so stylish and interesting to me, a little girl. Maxfield Parrish also intrigued me. There were other magazines and books illustrated by these deft and stylish artistes. I'd love to see some of their famous works again here so we can all have our memories happily refreshed.
These masters were in a class all by themselves and I miss their illustrative genius on the art scene today.
Leni
I cannot answer your question. But I know where you an find the answer.
In South central Indiana, about 30 miles east of Bloomington on Highway 46 there is a town called Nashville. Nashville is the artistic capital of Indiana (at least in the south.) Lots of galleries and lots of local artists. If the definition of Indiana can be found on paint and canvas (or other media) it can be found in Nashville.
Nashville is a great place to visit. Lots of antiques and artsy things (paint, blown glass, metal work, wood work etc) and great food.
Nasville started as an artists colony way back when. Apparently the best known member was T. C. Steele. (Not being an art history type I never heard of the guy but he has his own state historical site.)
They provide more historical info as well as galleries of the original members and newer members of the colony
Hope you do more.
Thanks for your kind words about this series. That's why I continued....nice words and comments like yours.
That's a good idea for another "lecture," but I know less than you about the great illustrators. Sorry, it's just not something that's covered in colleges. They are "just" "illustrators."
I don't know why illustrators get such second-rate status. Perhaps it is because they don't always go to a deeper level of meaning. But I think sometimes they do. And they are certainly much, much better than postmodern drivel.
Is this an image you are referring to by Constantin Alajalov?
My suggestion for a thread like this is to begin it on your own, or continue it here. Give us images and comments on the ones you like. I know other FReepers will jump in. We've discussed Norman Rockwell in another thread.
Do you know how to include images? They have directions under FR, but if you write again I'll give you a clue (but they may do it better). It's really quite easy once you get the hang of the HTML.
I'll be writing and commenting. I just may do only a few "lectures" per term.
John, thanks for you kind words. I'm so glad you've learned something. I realize you have your taste (and collections) pretty well established by now. But I'm glad now that you know why you don't like much modernism.
Thanks also for the Indiana information. It looked like I missed a nice area as we zipped through and stayed in Richmond. That was the only spot on our trip where we stayed in a neon strip, that could have been anywhere, and did not explore at all. There was just no time. Now I know where to explore next time.....
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