"Conceptual Bullsh*t"

I've been told from an arty forum I frequent that I don't "get modern art" and that I attack certain artists simply because I "don't understand them and their feelings"

And so, after a heated debate on one forum... I open it to you blog readers/stalkers... ;)

I feel that I'm rather open to modern art actually... there are a good few artists that I like, Anthony Gormley for example (Before he went all popular and sold out) Richard Long's series of walks is very clever.... but.... in some cases is 'modern art'... art?


I HATE Damien Hurst... I'm not afraid to admit that, he's not an artist, he's a performer, there's a difference....

Its not just the fact that he doesn't actually lift a finger and do any of the work himself (He has a studio of hired help for that I mean duh! he might strain a finger if he paints a dot....) but the fact that he associates everything that "he" does with some big long winded conceptual bullsh*t about what the art means...
Bearing in mind he's been quoted to say: "I've stopped worrying about what art is. If it's in an art gallery on the wall or the floor, it's probably art." (*cough* d*ckhead *cough*)

To me art = A skillful application of media with some thought behind it.

His preserved shark and diamond encrusted skull MIGHT have an idea behind it (that's a stretch) but to me it just sounds like just another quick way to get attention without working hard at it or showing a skillful application (which in turn opens the door for others to forget about any technical skill and try to get a ride through the art world on ideas alone).

Its like the scrap book of ideas that all artists have, only instead of creating a "final piece" the scrap book pieces are on show instead...


Tracey Emin falls into that catergory too I feel....



This is apparently one of a series of paintings about her abortion in 1990
Now to me that seems to me that it really is a pre-final piece. If that...

Example:

A recent exhibition... four artists... one called Ian Jacob produces this for the theme "Alternative Pembrokeshire"



Called:
N 51° 44 • 954’
W 004° 53 • 996’
Study 1

(All of his paintings have coordinates, not just the exhibition ones... )

Now this artist is a retired marketing exec... what better than an artist who can spin?! He talks about the inner depths to his works. I don't quite see it myself, and I'm quite liberal minded (I would like to think anyway). If it was left as is, I would probably just say its a bit ugly art, but with the whole blah attached to it, its a little bit hard to swallow....

David Light on the other hand says that his art doesn't need explaining beyond the fact that he's trying to display a location. That you can look at the whole area of a location and not be limited to one specific view.

Beyond that? Thats entirely up to the viewer. Its their experiences and understandings that make the painting what it is for them.



David Light's new works can be seen on his blog. Ian Jacobs is available on West wales arts centre

(btw westwalesartscentre I quite like Sonya's works too... they're the mountains portrayed in feminised forms)

I'm all for new expression and new representation of art... but where's the cut off for what is art and what's just sketch book folly?

Another rant... I do seem to have these every so often don't I? hehe

So until next time
ttfn

Nic

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