The Modern Art Idiocy

Just to turn away from papal art collectors and the Vatican City secret art vault for a bit... I completely spoiled a carefully prepared birch panel with dark green splatters of poorly mixed paint. Gobs of Pyrole Red, Raw Sienna and Quinacridone Crimson lightly stirred into Phthalo Green were flicked from a fully loaded brush onto a virgin white surface.

Yes, folks, I'm dedicating a work of art to this very thread and it's well on the way to completion. So far, it has taken almost a week to sand, add more hues, sand again, plop more paint here and there, let it dry hard and sand it again. Tedious? No. I'm loving it. It's a blast... so refreshing. I hope it takes a month to finish and then will hang on my walls for sure.

FREEDOM!!!

And to all those who can't understand why, don't worry, you'll never have to see it.

reply to post by masqua


I understand :-)

it's mesmerizing

have fun

I'm kinda hoping you will let us see

reply to post by Spiramirabilis


I was going to come in here and mock most modern art as I do find it (for the most part) to be a scam lacking any left brain inspiration and the equivalent of soap opera.

However I will divert from a lengthy rant about the minor importance of color theory and simple geometric relations and proceed (finally!) to complementing Masqua on a few of their pieces.

Pareidolic Fire - well done, well done.

Nazca Sorcerer - oh snap it looks like he just encountered the active side of infinity

Climbing into the Underworld - I do enjoy the symbolism but I can't help but feel the spiral is supposed to conform to phi . . . you right brainers!

Sorcerer - there is not nearly enough purple in this picture, or am I missing something?

Now I find this modern art to be more my taste. Nostalgia, something old, something new, unexpected, ohhh and HARDWARE, ehem excuse me got carried away there.

Myst book plays Myst, doesn’t transport you to other ages
hackaday.com...

We shouldn’t have to remind you, but back in the early 90s one of the most popular computer games was Myst. Despite having the gameplay of a PowerPoint presentation, Myst went on to become one of the best-selling video games of all time and the killer app that made a CD-ROM drive a necessity rather than a luxury. [riumplus] loves Myst, and after 6 long years he’s finally completed his homage to his favorite game. It’s a replica of the in-game Myst book that is able to play every game in the Myst-iverse.

The build started off by searching for the same book used as a model for the book object in Myst. It’s a 135-year-old edition of Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, Volume LIV, Issue 312 from 1877. In keeping with the in-game assets, [riumplus] made dies for the spine and cover, embossed the word ‘MYST’ on the book, and filled these letters with 24-carat gold paint.

Inside the newly hollowed-out book [rium] added a very small x86 motherboard running Windows XP on a 32 Gig Compact Flash card. This tiny computer is able to run every Myst game ever made on a very nice touchscreen display.

reply to post by masqua


You're dedicating a work to this thread?
You do realise that, in the spirit of my beloved Conceptualism, that alone - that act of intention - already qualifies as ART?

Well done.

reply to post by SplitInfinity


I admire the passion of your kind soul.
(Even though I may have a few quibbles regarding details.)

The multiverse/God part, however, opens an interesting (seeming) paradox.
IF a universe exists, then God - perceived as the ultimate creative force - could not possibly NOT exist.
Not in a universe, ANY universe, that exists.

I'll end here, because I would absolutely hate to derail this thread, such as it is.
But this was interesting.

Originally posted by FriedBabelBroccoli
reply to post by Spiramirabilis

 

I was going to come in here and mock most modern art as I do find it (for the most part) to be a scam lacking any left brain inspiration and the equivalent of soap opera.

It's true. I'm really stuck on creating from the right hemisphere of my lump of gray jello.

Pareidolic Fire - well done, well done.

Thank you

Nazca Sorcerer - oh snap it looks like he just encountered the active side of infinity

The idea here is that the surface of the water represents the thin demarcation between the sensual world and the underworld. The Sorcerer has been made a sorcerer by illness and the crocodile which took him into the underworld will be his guide. This is not an original work since the symbol actually exists, but I was fascinated by the idea enough to recreate it. In the African continent, the San People had the same idea, but they used spears to denote sickness as a way into the spirit realm.

Climbing into the Underworld - I do enjoy the symbolism but I can't help but feel the spiral is supposed to conform to phi . . . you right brainers!

If you look again, you will see that phi is represented in the two sections- the ratio between the sensual world and the underworld. Had I made the spiral phi, it would (to me) be much less dramatic.

Sorcerer - there is not nearly enough purple in this picture, or am I missing something?

The Sorcerer is also not original, but exists in a cave in France and was possibly painted 30,000 years ago. The insect people below, who are climbing the lines leading to the strange therianthropic creature above, are the creation of the San People and are likely to be even 10,000 years older. The cave is represented as a background and, had I put more purple in the piece, I'm afraid it might have lost it's mysterious cavernous effect. Therianthropy rocks my world.

Speaking of purple... do you know what you get when you put a die-hard Republican and a die-hard Democrat into a blender? That's right, you get royal purple.

Now I find this modern art to be more my taste. Nostalgia, something old, something new, unexpected, ohhh and HARDWARE, ehem excuse me got carried away there.

Myst book plays Myst, doesn’t transport you to other ages
hackaday.com...

I'll def look into this more.

reply to post by ArMaP

You are right in that SOME of the money is used for the specific Church that the money has been collected from but as the massive number of church closings have shown...even some churches that have brought in enough money to cover their own expenses but not enough to pay money to the area Diocese which keeps some of that amount of money then sends the rest to the Vatican or if Protestant...to their overall leadership.

People have protested and become very angry especially with the Catholic Diocese in parts of the U.S. where churches have been Forced to close even though some of these churches have raised enough money to run on their own collections. Split Infinity

reply to post by trollz


My IQ is WAY higher than yours.... whatever. despite what you may think due to my keyboard not being able to keep up with my typing. TBH I couldn't give a damn about your crappy signature or profile pic. But I digress....

Our problem seems to be a bunch of people going to a UNIVERSITY to 'LEARN' how to make art. When you look at history, the 'masters' all learned from other masters; not TEXTBOOKS. So we have GENERATIONS of artists learning from books and professors rather than learning from 'real' experience. Art has now become something for the 'trained elite' rather than the 'common man'. Which is pathetic; art should be a shared and common universal language. Not something that basically boils down to word salad that only someone with 'training' can understand. This is utterly reprehensible.

Originally posted by SymbolicLogic
reply to post by trollz

 

My IQ is WAY higher than yours.... whatever. despite what you may think due to my keyboard not being able to keep up with my typing. TBH I couldn't give a damn about your crappy signature or profile pic. But I digress....

What exactly in that message has prompted this ad hominem, especially the part about the "IQ"?

And Trollz - regarding the prices: money is a currency to assign value in this social game that we are all, to some degree, involved in. No more, no less; and the monetary price of pieces of art - or "art", whatever - is simply the value those pieces are assigned within that same social game. Most of those who are willing and able to pay those prices are aware of it and enjoy the game. Some even enjoy the fact that it IS a game.

reply to post by FriedBabelBroccoli

I didn't realize this was actually a reply to one of my posts until just now reading through this page - thought it was for masqua. I have no idea what this has to do with the post you replied to :-)

I enjoyed reading the diversion part of your post

I was going to come in here and mock most modern art as I do find it (for the most part) to be a scam lacking any left brain inspiration and the equivalent of soap opera.

I see the need or desire to mock modern art as a total giveaway



But, you should really give it a go - you might as well. This is the thread for it. I wonder if you can come up with anything new...

reply to post by SymbolicLogic


Hurdles

(love that word)

I've known competent, successful artists who, after many years of education in the field, have had their work honoured by an appreciative public. The one I most like to trot out is Rudolf Bikkers, not only because I know him on a personal level, but also for the quality of his work. Yes, he's well educated in the art of printmaking, calligraphy (among a myriad of other accomplishments), but it is his fine brushwork with acrylics that most impresses me.

I've also known some who, after a great deal of further education, have either never pursued nor become accomplished in the field. I've met competent, successful artists who never went beyond grade school as well.

The point I'm trying to make is that it doesn't really matter.

What makes an artist, whether educated or not, is diligence to their own developed technique. One could look to successful styles and try to emulate those who have become famous, but it would not stand as original art for long before it is exposed for what it is. As much as one admires the work of Van Gogh, to copy his style would be immediately apparent.

And, in my opinion, IQ has zero to do with creativity. It's not what appeals to the public that matters as much as what the artist themselves feels is 'right' on a gut level as they are doing the work. It's instinctual, not cerebral.

I'm working on a painting right now which is dedicated to this thread. In my mind is a loosely structured idea of representational colour and form, but that's it. There is no concrete deliberation included in the piece whatsoever and I'm focused only on what appeals to me.

What my IQ is is anyone's guess. I don't know, nor do I care. I remember vaguely taking a test in public school, but I was neither serious about answering the questions or what the goal meant for me personally. I figured that if it was designed by 'officials', it follows that the questions were tainted by the politics of academics (who change their stripes constantly)

reply to post by masqua

The point I'm trying to make is that it doesn't really matter.

Years ago my sister found a painting at a yard sale. Unsigned - no clue who did it - Cubist/Picasoistic style

Absolutely amazing - I covet that painting :-)

She spent some serious money having it framed - the painting cost her about 5 bucks

This is the thing about art - it doesn't matter

Originally posted by SymbolicLogic
Our problem seems to be a bunch of people going to a UNIVERSITY to 'LEARN' how to make art. When you look at history, the 'masters' all learned from other masters; not TEXTBOOKS. So we have GENERATIONS of artists learning from books and professors rather than learning from 'real' experience.

My sister didn't learn how to make art during her 5 year's university course, she learned techniques, art history, anatomy, etc., with not many textbooks (none of them in ALL CAPS ) but with lots of practising.

She was already an artist.

reply to post by Skyfloating


Yeah, I can't believe it. Thanks for sharing this.

I am a good drawer. If I would draw things like that, with pencil, how much do you think my drawing would be worth? Zero. But for a reason or another, when it comes to paint, then all the laws change, and you just gotta stamp the label "modern art" on it and Voilà, it's a masterpiece.

Ridiculous.

reply to post by swan001


Yeah... as if it would be the artist to whom all the money would flow.

Perhaps a few, like Picasso, who were still alive while the collectors and art dealers got into a feeding frenzy, have had the benefit of their popularity. Most never do, since the fact of their demise has put a finite number on their works and, suddenly interest is spurred to corral as much of it as possible for resale.

reply to post by masqua


I agree.

Nice painting. I see some tribal influence, not sure but looks native american. Is that a site which enable people to expose their arts?

reply to post by swan001


You mean the weird alien in my avatar?

Originally posted by masqua
reply to post by swan001

 

You mean the weird alien in my avatar?

No, I visited your signature. I saw your paintings!

I am also looking for a site to expose my art.

Originally posted by swan001

Is that a site which enable people to expose their arts?

It's provided by WordPress.com. Worth looking into if you're interested. I just changed over from a Google site a few weeks ago. Find the new platform easy to work with.

Originally posted by masqua
reply to post by swan001

 

Yeah... as if it would be the artist to whom all the money would flow.

Perhaps a few, like Picasso, who were still alive while the collectors and art dealers got into a feeding frenzy, have had the benefit of their popularity. Most never do, since the fact of their demise has put a finite number on their works and, suddenly interest is spurred to corral as much of it as possible for resale.

The usual margin - or commission - for art galleries is 40 %.
(I thought I would throw in this piece of information, as it is relevant at this particular point of the discussion.)

My sister didn't learn how to make art during her 5 year's university course, she learned techniques, art history, anatomy, etc., with not many textbooks (none of them in ALL CAPS ) but with lots of practising.

Exactly.
None of the painters or sculptors I've known learned their art - or even their craft! - from textbooks.
No art academy I know uses many textbooks at all, except for the subject of art history.

But a thorough knowledge of art history is necessary, not only as a source of indirect inspiration, but also in order to make your work relevant to today's public. If you want to transcend something - arguably one of the main hallmarks of any true art - you have to know - and know well - what exactly you're transcending, and how.