I've touched on this subject before but thought I would revisit it in light of recent events. Art. And just what is art ? I can only offer my opinion and viewpoint. I have a rather simplistic view of art. I like my art to immediately depict what I'm looking at. Simple as that. It should at least vaguely resemble an object. And therein lies my limitation. Art does not,to me, represent an idea. That's what prose and poetry are for. Ideas are just concepts not physical objects. Andy Warhol and soup cans. To some masterpieces, to me paintings of soup cans. Picasso. A troubled man who drew troubling pictures.
You see the trouble I have with all " symbolic art " is first you have to buy into it. I know you are supposed to be so much more intelligent and sophisticated if you do, but I don't. I have looked at the work of DeKooning and others and see nothing more than paint splatters. The artist could tell me what he thought it was but I'd have to disagree. Problem there is, as the Artist I could call it anything that came to mind. To me the whole deal falls into the category of the Emperors new clothes. Maybe people are seeing things that just aren't there. I make no claims for superior intelligence but I just don't see it.
In my opinion the whole deal is just a bunch of nonsense. Just because they demand millions of dollars for these works doesn't make it art. I'm not saying people can't enjoy them, quite the contrary. If you see something in them and enjoy it more power to you. There are those that will tell me I'm just an ignorant hick and know nothing of art. Some truth to that statement I suppose. I'm certainly not an art critic. My opinion is that they are just trying to convince themselves or others how sophisticated and smart they are. If I spent that much money on something I would too.
And that is my opinion on that subject. Take it for what it is. If I have any ideas or concepts to share I'll do it with my writings or just tell you. And even then the meaning can be misunderstood. I just like things to be clear. Art to me is a picture or a drawing. Perhaps a sculpture. It should not require an explanation about what it is supposed to be.
You see the trouble I have with all " symbolic art " is first you have to buy into it. I know you are supposed to be so much more intelligent and sophisticated if you do, but I don't. I have looked at the work of DeKooning and others and see nothing more than paint splatters. The artist could tell me what he thought it was but I'd have to disagree. Problem there is, as the Artist I could call it anything that came to mind. To me the whole deal falls into the category of the Emperors new clothes. Maybe people are seeing things that just aren't there. I make no claims for superior intelligence but I just don't see it.
In my opinion the whole deal is just a bunch of nonsense. Just because they demand millions of dollars for these works doesn't make it art. I'm not saying people can't enjoy them, quite the contrary. If you see something in them and enjoy it more power to you. There are those that will tell me I'm just an ignorant hick and know nothing of art. Some truth to that statement I suppose. I'm certainly not an art critic. My opinion is that they are just trying to convince themselves or others how sophisticated and smart they are. If I spent that much money on something I would too.
And that is my opinion on that subject. Take it for what it is. If I have any ideas or concepts to share I'll do it with my writings or just tell you. And even then the meaning can be misunderstood. I just like things to be clear. Art to me is a picture or a drawing. Perhaps a sculpture. It should not require an explanation about what it is supposed to be.
I don't care what kind of 'art' it is...if it appeals to me, I like it, I can appreciate it.I do prefer a piece that looks like something I can recognize, but a bunch of dribbles of paint on a canvas is no more art to me than the floor that wasn't protected when someone painted some shutters or furniture. I guess I'm uninformed and ignorant. Ya think?
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