Art, like most everything that survives, evolves. From the beginnings of the twentieth century we have seen a real mutation. The reductionism, that began with Cezanne, non-objective subject, complete with the return to the two dimensional space where painting actually exists was a giant step. Coupled with the effects of technology, especially photography and digital media it continues the rebelling against and assaulting of preconceived definitions of art.
H.H. Arnason in History of Modern Art describes the effects of the spreading hysteria of the first World War and the profound reaction of the Zurich Dada’s as, “...making a critical examination of the traditions, premises, rules, logical basis, even the concepts of order, coherence, and beauty that had guided the creation of the arts throughout history and remained central to the enterprise of high-minded, utopian modernism.”
The destruction of conventions as a reaction to the brutality and nihilist attitude that ebbs in and out of our world history is well documented.
The twenty first century has given artists the same reasons to react, change and reinvent as a necessity for relevance, continued growth and existence.
There are many reasons to be a painter. It can be recreation to your life or the world, a desire to master techniques and skills for personnal satisfaction, the need for expression, not really understanding why, just the need to create or any combination of the above.
George Santayana said, “An artist is a dreamer consenting to dream of the actual world”.
I have found that intuitively forming concepts of our contemporary culture and our society, much more interested in masking itself in appearances than in truth, tend to require a darker palette and vision.
The rant is almost over. Final thoughts (nothing original)from your peer well into the autumn of his life.
Don’t be afraid of taking chances; nothing new comes at the ends of paths well traveled. I don’t agree with the concept of there's nothing new. Nam June Paik didn’t either. I understand it’s not likely but it will never happen if people stop trying or worry about looking foolish. You can look foolish without trying so there is not much to lose i.e. I am actually thinking about posting this rant.
Try again, fail again, and fail better (That’s from a book title that’s better than the book) but there is a lot of truth there. Art doesn’t always need truth but it always needs the critical examination of rules and relevance. Saying that I am grateful for a room full of classmates and an instructor who my intuition tells me will be remembered for their influence and patience!
The rant is over....for now.
