The Modern Art Idiocy, page 4

Originally posted by Dock9
reply to post by DangerDeath

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Half an hour or so ago, I came across an article which claimed Rothko used cheap/inferior paints

It's to be wondered how restorers in the future (near future?) will be able to restore them

You know, I did that too. And most of what I did would not pass museum criteria because of cheap paints, and paint getting through canvas or paper. But, when you paint, you don't really ready yourself to paint a masterpiece and take care of every dot, when you paint 10 or 20 paintings in one magnificent out of the body trance and everywhere around you are remains of your strokes, on the floor, walls, ceiling, your face and clothes...
Besides, paints are very expensive, and not everybody can afford them, especially those who like to experiment a lot.

reply to post by Skyfloating

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It's the something of the celebrity phenomena I suppose, although it's slightly more complex in that there is a kind of academic angle of historical significance with Fine Art/Contemporary artists such as Rothko, and his pace in that Greenberg fueled academic debate...

These are now relics of their own kind of celebrity, and made by a celebrity. The light was shining on him and them at that point in history, and they were highlighted. Now, 50-60 years later their celebrity happens to have snow-balled and stuck, like say a Marylin Monroe, sometimes it doesn't, like a , now what was her name???

reply to post by Skyfloating

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Look up 'Abstract Expressionism' in Wikipedia and they have Section 'Abstract Expressionism and The Cold War' - looks like it would give you a few starting points.

Were it not for their (govt) intervention, I believe Paris and perhaps UK based artists may have established or remained far more significant in the 'accepted' view of Western Fine Art's development, aesthetically and intellectually, than they ended up, or at any rate the transition does appear to have been accelerated and to some extent forced. In the process, especially with Abstract Expressionism, Patrick Heron, and others, thinking of some of the St Ives Group of artists, never quite achieved, or cought up with the level of global fame/impact that their US 'fans' achieved thanks to their initially more successful global PR.

Originally posted by Titen-Sxull
reply to post by Skyfloating

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I like the first one, it reminds me of a pause button

Buwahahahahahha


Well Art taste is subjective.
I wish I could find a "Stop" button though.

reply to post by Dock9

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I'm glad you brought Newman into this.

Cool cats and copycats:

Within 72 hours of the National Gallery of Canada reporting that it had purchased Voice of Fire, a huge abstract painting by American artist Barnett Newman for $1.76 million, the media, the public and the government went ballistic.

www.carleton.ca...

I remember my own indignation when this painting, commissioned by the USA for a show at Expo 67 in Montreal, was bought for such an outrageous price. It lacked the sensitivity of a Rothko and did nothing for me whatsoever. I saw it as a cheap rip-off.

I can only wonder what he thought of it before his death in 1970.

Rothko, Gottlieb, Newman, Solman, Graham, and their mentor, Avery, spent considerable time together, vacationing at Lake George and Gloucester, Massachusetts, spending their days painting and their evenings discussing art.

en.wikipedia.org...

So... did Newman 'sell out' by using Rothko's style and obvious acceptance? I do. And, further to that, did the American government encourage Newman to paint this knock-off? I do.

Such are the ways of the monied on the pains of the needy.

On paint quality, it should also be remembered that it sucked for the major portion of the 20th century and that the best paints came in little tubes at exorbitant prices. That's why many used the big cans of it one bought from the local corner store.

Even today, a little tube of acrylic will cost in excess of $20, so producing an image on a 10x25 foot canvas, framed, might cost well in excess of $1000 to produce in those much (m)aligned 'plastic paints', let alone oils. The temptation to buy a few $10 cans of cheap exterior latex has got to be fairly great. Today, those paints are good quality, but in the past, there would be bubbles forming and flakes peeling off over time.

I always use top quality acrylics, but, holy crap... it's pricey to keep a good variety of shades.

Don't even get me going on brushes, panels and elbow grease.

sp




[edit on 14/2/10 by masqua]

reply to post by Skyfloating

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"Good point - especially considering that "bright colours" are no longer anything new; they are commonplace. "

Indeed, one of the best values of owning a Rothko might be the wall poster copyright income potential. I think they're pretty popular and have been for a good 30 years. They're a popular choice because of their simplicity and colours, which buyers find easy to place in modern decors (e.g Ikea-dens).

The owner of the original art work usually holds ownership of the copyright and therefore anyone seeking to display publicly, or reproduce in any way, the original ought to negotiate with them, or expect possible litigation. [KAH-CHING ££$$££$$$!]

[edit on 14-2-2010 by curioustype]

reply to post by Skyfloating

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Please, could someone out there help me and show me what exactly Im missing?

If this is a genuine enquiry, then I'll try, but I've never been that good at explaining artistry. For my own part, I tend to take the easy cop out & also arrogant position that if you dont get it, I wasn't talking to you. I'll have to finish reading the thread whilst I get some thoughts together, but I can give you some idea about Rothko now.
Looking at his work on a screen or in a book does not give any idea at all of the impact of the work. To appreciate it, you've got to sit quietly in front of the massive originals & let your eyes & mind relax. They aren't swatches of colour at all, but rather small blobs of various hues which when seen together take on a hazy overall colour. This is very much like the way we see things in the natural world. Even manmade objects have shadow & light reflections, so their colour is not uniform. At the same time, the paintings are a flat plain & have rectangular shape. So they have both natural & unnatural form, hence being derivatives of surrealism; are reduced to the most basic elements, hence cubism; & are depictions of emotional states without recogniseable form, hence abstract.
This may sound argumentative, but I dont mean it to be, its just the best way I can think of to make the point:
Anyone could have done that. You as a child, right? But you didn't, did you? You may have scribbled on a piece of paper some random colour, but Rothko chose his hues for a purpose.
From what you've posted about meditation, Sky, I'd bet that you could easily fall as much in love with Rothko's work as I have. You just need to see the originals in a space where you can choose to sit close enough that they fill your vision & not be distracted by other visitors. Your eyes pan out like you're looking at the horizon & there's a feeling to each of them. Seriously, its magical.

Yes I have to agree some it is crap and any 2 year old could do better.

This is what I would spend money on Pro Heart my all time favourite painter

On the 16th September 1989, Little Joseph Willoughby died suddenly at only seven months of age. His death has been established as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, previously known as Cot death.

Little Joseph was the Grandson of the famous Pro Hart, both pro and his wife Raylee have been deeply affected by this tragedy. Joseph was the second child of Craig and Julie Willoughby
(Son-in-law and Daughter) of Pro Hart.

On the morning of his grandson's funeral, Pro went into the desert to reflect, and while there picked a bunch of Wildflowers for his daughter to place on Joseph's grave.

However at arriving home following the funeral, Julie was still clutching the array of wildflowers. It was then her father caringly took the flowers to be put into water, but was moved to make a lasting epitaph for Joseph.

So on taking the flowers, he then, overwhelmed by grief, locked himself in his studio, and set about capturing the life, Colour and Movement represented in the flowers. This painting has become a form of memorial to Joseph's memory. Joseph's painting is a refection of the abstract feelings that come with such tragedy, yet offer hope through the use of vibrant colours and unrestrained application of the paint.
Josephs painting : Josephs Painting

www.prohart.com.au...
eckermannart.com.au...



Olga Fox – Watercolour, gouache, gold leaf paintings based on myths, legends, literary illustrations and religious traditions encompassing ethnic cultures and styles. Educational books specialising in natural history/science.






And off the modern art topic, I would choose: Mark Fox –

1.Writer and illustrator of educational books.
2. Landscape, portraits and wildlife in oils and water colour.
3. Illustration work for books or other.

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