Posted on 06/16/2002 3:34:48 PM PDT by vannrox
"...The art of painting, one of the greatest traditions in all of human history has been under a merciless and relentless assault for the last one hundred years. I'm referring to the accumulated knowledge of over 2500 hundred years, spanning from Ancient Greece to the early Renaissance and through to the extraordinary pinnacles of artistic achievement seen in the High Renaissance, 17th century Dutch, and the great 19th century Academies of Europe and America. These traditions, just when they were at their absolute zenith, at a peak of achievement, seemingly unbeatable and unstoppable, hit the twentieth century at full stride, and then ... fell off a cliff, and smashed to pieces on the rocks below.
Since World War I the contemporary visual arts as represented in Museum exhibitions, University Art Departments, and journalistic art criticism became little more than juvenile, repetitive exercises at proving to the former adult world that they could do whatever they damn well wanted ... sadly devolving ever downwards into a distorted, contrived and contorted notion of freedom of expression. Freedom of expression? Ironically, this so-called "freedom" as embodied in Modernism, rather than a form of "expression" in truth became a form of "suppression" and "oppression." Modernism as we know it, ultimately became the most oppressive and restrictive system of thought in all of art history..."
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I went to MOMA in February, saw the Warhol soup cans. A sloppy copy of someone else's art (the package designer's) gets to be called fine art because of a boorish attempt at mockery, is all I saw. Warhol couldn't even take the time to get the lettering right, which I found insulting (I used to do lettering professionally).
Anyhow, all I could think of while looking at the "Warhol" soup cans was, "What a jerk!"
Try believing in yourself for 50 years or so with little support from the outside world (and a lot of criticism) ...Its harder than it looks.
Museum of Modern Art hangs Matisse’s Le Bateau upside down for 47 days
I loved arguing with with art teachers while in college. I am very pragmatic but have and odd sense of humor I could come up with something weird enough to make them happy.
If you're ever in Pittsburgh, you can safely skip the Warhol. Go the the Aviary or the Phipps Conservatory instead - you'll have a much better time.
You have got that right, Woofie!
Modern art is deconstruction. Each school explored one element to the detriment of others. Impressionists studied light, cubists studied volume etc. Historically, art was comissioned by patrons who supervised the execution to their standards. It was not individual expression. Today, many fine artists work in all kinds of ventures and we are surrounded by their art and it pleases us. The art gallery scene is a cruel hoaz, like all government supported ventures, it seems to me. Often, too, it seems the artists are mocking both critics and viewers.
I’ve seen nothing (recently, since, say, the 1914-1920 era) that I would buy.
And, frankly, I do think my taste is better than that of highly “trained” art critics who praise what an elephant paints with a brush and canvas as “art”....
And yes, while I agree that a Picasso might be expensive, I wouldn’t want any of his stuff in my living room either. Modern designs? FL Wright’s designs are generally just plain and most are not ugly, but unattractive.
Abstracted bump for later
So is it “art” if my ironwork sells a few thousand dollars every month, with each client enjoying his or her custom stairway, rail, ladder, gate, or armillary sphere, recommending my designs to their friends and neighbors?
Who’s more successful? An artist who gets the government to buy his or her sculpture for 25,000.00 once, or a welder who gets 45,000 to 85,000 per year?
!
Mark
Robt., I’ve seen the occasional abstract piece with some aesthetic oomph, but most modern art I find infantile. As for music, I don’t go to concerts anymore, but what I’ve heard on the radio of neoromanticism (or neotonality if you prefer) has had too much minimalism in it for me. Given a choice betwen minimalism and country music, I’d kill myself.
Lord Leighton. Exquisite.
It's helpful to have someone challenge our assumptions about what is and is not good art. I especially enjoyed the point that he made about the spiraling cost of works of modern art. Then again, a fool and his money...
That said, Fred Ross is wrong to say that modern art is solely the province of talentless hacks and deviants.
Take for example the work of Mr. Chuck Close:
Photo of an ugly guy, right? Not really.
It's impossible to see at this resolution, but the portrait is a pencil and airbrush reproduction of a photograph that Chuck Close took of himself in his bathroom mirror.
It's easy to remember "Christ Piss" and forget or fail to discover some of the better artists of the modern age.
.....the so-called Art Establishment plays along with the charade....
Having convinced a world of art investors that the only real value is in the new age art, be it painting or sculpture or even jewelry, the establishment has created a market for gold plated lead.
Geeze, there’s a local estate auction in a few weeks that features 200 “ modern art “ paintings. I have no idea if they’re worth five cents. I’ll be attending for some other items. I wish I knew more about the artists.
.......Remember, those who can’t paint, teach....
I have a different take..... those who like eating regular teach.
There are lots of MFA’s who can’t sell enough to make ends meet. The refuge is the school. They aggregate with others promoting the school and the party line while churning out MFA’s for which there is no hope.
The work can be quite good but the return on the time is inadequate to buy groceries. I once heard the department head ask “What’s the difference between an artist and a Domino’s large pizza? The pizza can feed a family of 4 “
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