It's amazing how many bad artists there are out there. But perhaps I sound a little harsh, believing as I do in the concept of The Lazy Artist.
Hey, I even think Picasso grew lazier as time went by. One morning he probably woke up in 1907 and said to himself "That's it! No more working and agonizing over these paintings. The heck with perfecting the art form. It's time to paint as badly and easily as a kindegartner. There are enough fools out there that will be willing to pontificate about my mastery of art, if I schmooze the right people and act as avant garde as possible."
Now, there's no doubt that Picasso pioneered in some areas, such as cubism. But he didn't master them as beautifully as, say, Tamara de Lempicka. Picasso may have introduced the medium, but others became expert in it. Picasso occasionally returned to drawing well, but he usually settled for the simplicity of modern art. (Incidentally, my former icon (the girl in green) which was a favorite of many of you was painted by Lempicka).
Andy Warhol is a classic example of a terrible artist who always took shortcuts, but was an excellent showman.
Some poor artists who would dearly love to be eccentric enough to be taken seriously include:
1) A man in the 70s who painted by dipping worms in paint and throwing these poor creatures (writhing in agony) down onto canvas so they could create a "painting". Apparently I didn't take him seriously enough, because I can't remember his name.
2) Tampon Art. 'Nuff said.
3) The Museum of Bad Art displays items created by many artist wannabes. Their narrative embellishments echo what many critics say of the more popular "pop" non-artists and are absolutely hysterical.
4) Truly crappy art for bathrooms.
5) "Conceptual art" which is probably the laziest artform of all, because it takes zero creativity and no mental energy is expended. This includes covering islands with pink fabric, lining a cathedral ceiling with yellow umbrellas (you can have that idea for free!), etc.
To the right is a picture by/of Harriet Stockman, who is notorious for her "conceptual art". Gee, never woulda thought to do THAT. What an artist. I'm hoping for bubblegum up her butt, next. I'll bet she's got a real sense of humor, too.
Now, I've heard some people say that when you view art that is this bad (they like to call it "modern" or "challenging") you learn to appreciate the subject of the art and view it from a different perspective. Hahahahahaha! I mean, *ahem*, of course it serves that purpose.
I believe that writing is an art form. Others have agreed with this viewpoint, and that's how the Beatnik movement began (which seems to have evolved into rap music). One sterling example of a Beatnik poem comes from the movie "So I married an Axe Murderer": Click here to listen to 'Hard-Hearted-Harriet' .
Since I would like to consider myself a serious artist, I will now attempt to translate my words into a modern art form, just as many others have tried (such as e.e. cummings). I will build from my post from yesterday:
i went an saw my peeps rosie a coupla days ago.
.....she
..........jest
...............bought
....................herself
.........................a new crib.
rosie be a funny chick and she's a real trash talker. i was really looking forward to givin her the }}}}} fly by {{{{{
i got to the front door -*- rang the doorbell -*- and then noticed
a
....1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
........legged
............freakish critter
................hangin out there.
when rosie answered the door -*- i tole her -*- YO! check out this spyder. i think it might be a nasty mofo and you might wanna...
Thank you, thank you. I am taking my bows and leaving the stage. Please hold your applause to a minimum.
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20 comments:
Here! Here! Master Kraut is in the house!
I've seen a lot of art that I wouldn't pay a dime for that sells for thousands. I've seen some art that was given away for free that I consider priceless. It is evidently the name that counts.
Mom was fairly accomplished with water colors and the sketch pad. She had lots of interesting comments on art. One of the best was "Just because its expensive does not mean its good" This was while I was lost in a beautiful piece of 16th century art called "The Rug Merchants" I learned a lot that day
Mallory, your mother was oh! so right. The same admonition could be applied to vehicles, as well.
Ed, thanx! cuz i roll like that, see?
The modern art world is all about what you say about your art, the actual piece itself being almost irrelevant. It's a shell game, really, played out among investors, gallery owners, artists who participate, and a few hapless buyers who get sucked in (along with their extra cash).
In the end, just do your art thing, and just forget about selling it. If you worry more about the buyer than about the work, are you really an artist, anyway?
I agree with you so much about weird art. We have this painting in our National Gallery in Canada and it is called "The Pillar of Fire" and it is a huge big thing with a red stripe down the middle of the canvas. Pricetag: Over a million dollars... I don't get it.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Scott
I work on consignment for this art gallery in NY ...and when I attend the exhibits, the same 'tear you down make you feel like a little piece of shit' type of people are all in your face trying to belittle you with their 'art talk', or lack there of. I used to enjoy painting, drawing, photography and other aspects of the art world--until I started working at this gallery. Left a bad taste in my mouth.
Some artists would win prizes that I'm like, "My little 3 yr old niece could have done better than that!" I guess "I don't get it"... Which makes me a 'bad artist'---in some people's minds.
Writers are definitely similar to artists. They are artists in my eyes. Their best work seems to trickle out when they are at an emotional extreme; whether it be a depression state of mind or an extreme high of excitement in their lives. Ever notice that? (I'm sure you have...)
So wit' dat...I found dis' post to be da' fizzle shanizzle yo! Peace out~!!!
Applauds you
You might be interested in the Turner Awards, a highly respected British award and cash prize that is given yearly to an artist apparently for creating the most bizarre work of art that the stupid old public won't be able to understand. Previous winners include "The Lights Going On and Off," which was a room wherein the lights would go on and off, and another offering which was a cow and a calf cut in half and preserved in formaldehyde. I'm not making this up.
On a somewhat related (but not exactly) note, when I have gone on dates or with friends to art museums of any kind, I have found myself warning the person I'm going with that I might break out in laughter at the stuff we see. I just seem to find humor in so much serious art, especially modern art, and find it even funnier how people scratch their chins academically and say "hmmm" and offer up some sort of high-falootin' interpretation of what they are seeing.
I contend that sometimes there was no implied meaning in the making of some of that stuff... the artist was just having some fun and is laughing all the way to the bank at the academics.
I know what art I like and don't like, but I can't tell the difference between "good art" and "crap art." I have seen some art, and I want to think I could have done the same if I had accidently dumped over a can of paint and tried to fix the canvas afterwards.
Very few people possess true artistic ability. It is therefore both unseemly and unproductive to irritate the situation by making an effort. If you have a burning, restless urge to write or paint, simply eat something sweet and the feeling will pass. ~Fran Lebowitz
I wish more people listened to Fran.
Leesa, I think art can be measured by this: how easy is it for the common man to reproduce it?
Dancewriter, oh, we'd have fun in some of the local museums here...
Grant, Oh I am interested! Thanks so much for pointing the way!
Deb, fer shizzle! you dig where i'm goin, boo!
Scott, you know, it's funny: the higher the pricetag, the more people value something. I think I'll start pricing my toenail clippings.
Reverberate, I don't think so. I think that (despite wordy protestations from the esoteric elite) everyone knows good art from bad. See what I said to Leesa above.
Daveawayfromhome, If you worry more about the buyer than about the work, are you really an artist, anyway? A very good point!
I won't even go INTO the "sculpture art" that can be littered around some U.S. cities. If *I* could think up something that weird, or if it resembles scribbles in my class notebook, then I don't exactly consider it very great art. Just an eyesore.
I have a degree from a very prestigious art college. I earned my degree with blood, sweat and tears, and I grew and matured as an artist in ways I never would have thought. Producing "real" art from your soul is agonizing work.
I work in accounting now because the pay is better. Much better.
When in school I had one of those sayings pins that stated, "Art is anything you can get away with". I was just being droll then, but as I've gotten older and been in the real world, it's a little too true to be funny.
writing is an art form? holy crap, i am in deep trouble. if word of this gets out people will expect something from me. keep this just between us, ok?
Haha...very good post! I agree. Some people just adore artwork done by a particular artist just because of his name. I think there is so much of it out there that looks like a kindergartener did it.
I think the one by Harriet Stockman looks like vomit splashing back in her face!
I think your translation of modern art is awesome! Honestly, that sounds the same as what some people are getting paid the big bucks for...amazing!
I will just stick with my favorite ~ the impressionist, Claude Monet.
Loved this post. :)
I've wondered about Picasso. When he was in his late teens, he could draw like Michaelanglo - and then he "discovered" cubism. I can't help but wonder if he was laughing at the art world . . .
I like my stuff simple. If I like it, I like it. I don't want to have to be talked into the fact that the brush strokes are masterful, and the composition is tantalizing, and the lighting is sensational. If after 5 minutes of staring at it, I still don't get it, I'm probably never going to. I will admit, sometimes a piece grows on me after repeated viewings but most of the time I walk through our art galleries going huh?
Same thing in literature for me. I loved Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird". It is a novel that you can read on your own and be moved by it. I hated Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye". I never read it in high school so I thought I should. Picked it up a few years ago and can't see what all the fuss is about. It's touted as this American Classic with all this symbolism and I'm sure that I would have gotten more out of it if I had had daily discussions on it but I was bored by it. Miller's "Death of a Salesman" has a ton of sybolism as well but I didn't need a discussion group to like the story.
That last part was pure, artistic genius!
I think a lot of art sucks!
I've seen some sculptures that are horrid.
We have a piece of art that hangs in our Federal Building that looks just like a painters drop-cloth. As a matter of fact there is a funny story behind it, as a janitor in the building thought it was just that and threw it away just before opening day. They had to retrieve it from the dump because untold thousands of dollars were paid for it.
I like art that tells a story, and has real objects that I can identify in it. The paint can across the canvas is not art to me... just a drop-cloth that wasn't thrown away.
Art, like so many other things in life, is in the eye of the beholder. The stuff that looks like any kid could do it? Definitely not my idea of art. But I suppose it must appeal to someone!
Im more for impressionist myself. And one exception: Wassily Kandinsky. He was incredible!
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