Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Rambling Observations on Modern Art
(I found this snippet of thought I had written when responding to a friend regarding an essay on Modernist art. Since it's "the holidays" ...and Christmas season, I've been rather slack on posting anything so this may fill in some space).
Have a Happy Whatever!
...Superbly written and damn insightful (I think). Positions such as his are often refuted with the implicit suggestion that any condemnation of modernist expression can only be a position taken by philistines who lack "open-mindedness.". I've always taken the stand that things of substance are not relative, that genuine quality and depth can be quite real - and, more often than not - obvious.
I certainly wouldn't write off some of the great contemporary works. A lot of modern architecture in particular is amazing (often due as much to technological advancement). But...the guy who wrote the essay covered things in ways I could never effectively argue but instinctually know to be obvious. So much of the modernist mindset seems more inspired by self adulation over its contempt for substance than any real attempt to depict new levels of beauty, tragedy, or anything in between. It's as if they're simply flipping the world off and think they've made a profound comment on existence. Framing the Virgin Mary in excrement as one artist did (usually referred politely as "dung" as if that makes it less shitty) really isn't all that impressive I think. If the artist desired certain colors and textures, certainly mud would have sufficed. And, it can't be one of those phony "truth to power" gimmicks considering that self-censorship is the rule of the day when critiquing more volatile and aggressive belief systems ("truth to power that also keeps you safe" perhaps)...
p.s. re: the recent shooting tragedy. 'Absolutely horrible. Nothing can be said beyond that.
