painting notes
Mike Stengl
(town) scape photo, full of angles and shapes, large and small. Most
of the time I am a figure painter, inspired by the variety of emotions
and body types inherent to the human condition. Occasionally I am
caught by the sheer geometric makeup of manmade objects and am
motivated to paint something inspired by the composition of lines
involved when looking at architecture from certain angles. But the
painting of this sort of abstract I find challenging in a very
different way than the figure. The ability to lose and obliterate
borders in shadow or bright light is lost or made much less natural.
The entire painting's success lies almost solely in color for which
again I find there are many less clues. I have found helpful however
the process of turning the painting upside down or on it's side and
painting (similar to looking at a painting in the mirror) because as
an abstract I am solely interested in balancing space, color, shapes
and textures and not in saving or extracting heartfelt human
qualities. Losing the "city" feel when it is turned on end I am more
willing to blend and obfuscate borders and shapes that otherwise seem
too 祖oncrete' to 壮tructurally change'.
I am also a little amazed (disappointed, dismayed) at how much more
easily accepted the nonfigurative work is compared to the nude in
particular. I suppose this is also partial motive in attempting these
paintings...
Paul Mesken
wrote:
>I am also a little amazed (disappointed, dismayed) at how much more
>easily accepted the nonfigurative work is compared to the nude in
>particular. I suppose this is also partial motive in attempting these
>paintings...
I wonder about that. I don't think figurative work is necessarily less
accepted than non-figurative work (although the special case of nudity
might be something of a taboo for mainstream public in some cultures,
it seems that especially believers are quite appaled by the body they
were cast into by their God).
IMHO it might be the "intimacy of a stranger" that is unwanted by the
general public when it comes down to buying a painting to hang in the
living room. I don't know about the rest of mankind but I would feel
slightly uneasy about having a psychologically penetrating portrait or
nude in my living room of someone I don't know at all. Public figures
are no problem because they stand for something, a culture, policy,
etc. Family, friends or oneself wouldn't be problematic either because
these people are no strangers.
In figurative work there's a very subtle difference between (what I
shall call because of a lack of better terms) portraiture and
portrayal.
With "portraiture" I mean in this case that the efforts of the painter
are directed to pinning down a likeness of the individual. This
likeness can, of course, operate on many levels at the same time
(physical, temperamental, occupational, etc.) and it can be executed
in one of many styles. But in the end it's completely about the
individual. This is completely okay if the individual is known by the
buyer but what if we don't know the individual at all?
With "portrayal" OTOH I mean in this case that some aspect of (what is
popularly known as) the "human condition" is expressed. This might be
done in figurative work. Take this for example :
http://www.artnet.com/ag/fineartdetail.asp?aid=10701&wid=39410&page=4
This work (of Robert Longo) is not about the individuals (even though
I'm pretty sure photos have been used). It's about what they portray.
I'm not completely sure what that is but it must be quite heavy :-)
But whatever it is, it is expressed very explicitly (I believe this is
one of the required ingredients of a work of art : explicitness, it's
where the work draws its power from).
Suppose I make a nude portrait of myself and pour into it all the
technical skills at my disposal (not that that would make a big
difference :-) I would be carefull to go for a precise likeness and
express nothing else than that, much like a photo. Who would want to
buy that? It imposes a far too great intimacy upon the viewer with
someone they don't even know, a complete stranger. It isn't familiar
in any way because all it is is a photorealistic portrayal of a body
of someone they don't know. Technical ability will change nothing
about this.
But if I were to make a nude of myself, on his knees, in the mud of a
WW1 battlefield with death, decay and destruction all around, showing
the vulnerability of his naked human body set against the
technological terror that flows from it, with the eyes cast towards
the Heavens as if to ask "Where is God?" then the public might be far
more inclined to buy it.
Both paintings are nudes of the same person but the first one is about
the person (who nobody knows) and the second one expresses an aspect
of the human condition with which everyone is familiar.
The nudes of Lucian Freud might be portraits but they're more so
portrayals because they show us something about the human body (not
necessarily the best parts in the case of Freud :-) that we all can
relate to.
I believe it is this familiarity that is the important thing. In my
home town a lot of paintings are sold that are seascapes or ships (tug
boats, fisher boats, etc.). Of course, my town is a sea port and ships
are an important part of it. It's something the population is very
familiar with. We don't have that much paintings about dense forests
and stuff (I can't recall seeing a single one in a gallery). We don't
have that here. Interestingly, we also have a gallery in which
portraits are sold but they don't sell that well even though the
technical skill which went into it was great. Paintings of cows and
sheep (of which we also have a generous amount) sell better. To me it
is obvious : people don't want to buy paintings that are meaningless
to them and portraits or nudes of strangers (as opposed to portrayals)
don't mean anything.
Mike Stengl
> IMHO it might be the "intimacy of a stranger" that is unwanted by the
> general public when it comes down to buying a painting to hang in the
> living room.
agreed. i have found much the same, but i will go even farther and say
that a painting which is anonymous versus one that is more clearly a
protrayal of someone in particular has a longer 'shelf life', i.e.,
more people will find more interest in the painting for a longer
period of time. and i struggle with this, because there is so much
emotion and beauty in a face that it is easy to get lost in trying to
communicate (my feelings) about that personality. (also, i have been
accused of "blah, blah, blah, the breasts are in focus but the face is
ignored...") but i agree with you on all counts and am usually happier
with myself when i create that personal vision of a nonspecific
person...
Cliff D. Weller
says...
>
>I believe it is this familiarity that is the important thing. In my
>home town a lot of paintings are sold that are seascapes or ships (tug
>boats, fisher boats, etc.). Of course, my town is a sea port and ships
>are an important part of it.
This is only obliquely related to "painting" subject
matter, but I think it's a good story...
Real estate ads often contain references to "view
properties" or "properties with a view" for which
people are expected to pay more money than they would
for properties without a "view."
Now where I live, having a view means being on
an elevated building site where you look out over
vast expanses of landscape.
Contrast that to ads I've seen for million-dollar-plus
condominiums and apartments in Florida, where "having
a view" can mean that the unit is situated on the
upper floors of a high-rise with "views" out over
row upon row of other high-rises. The same can be said
of NYC, London or any megaplex city, where the view means
being able to see beyond the rooftops across the street
at an endless progression of rooftops.
Erik A. Mattila
Seems like a guy stuck out in the desert would appreciate rooftops.
Hey, put down that rock!
Erik
>
>
>
Cliff D. Weller
>Seems like a guy stuck out in the desert would appreciate rooftops.
>Hey, put down that rock!
>
>Erik
Had a family reunion the past few days for my
mom's funeral in El Paso. My oldest son, who lives
in Denver, "skirted" Santa Fe coming and going
and his sole comment was, "brown adobes as far as
the eye could see!" A sad and lamentable fact,
where once the "wide open spaces" were prevalent.
Hey - we at least had a "White Easter" in Ruidoso!
First time it's been this wet and snowy in seven
years. Historically year-around creeks that had been
bone-dry the past few years are presently "resurrected."
Appropriate to this Easter day!
Erik A. Mattila
> In article <40796511...@oco.net>, emat...@oco.net says...
>
>
>
>>Seems like a guy stuck out in the desert would appreciate rooftops.
>>Hey, put down that rock!
>>
>>Erik
>
>
> Had a family reunion the past few days for my
> mom's funeral in El Paso. My oldest son, who lives
> in Denver, "skirted" Santa Fe coming and going
> and his sole comment was, "brown adobes as far as
> the eye could see!" A sad and lamentable fact,
> where once the "wide open spaces" were prevalent.
My sincere condolences, Jack.
>
> Hey - we at least had a "White Easter" in Ruidoso!
> First time it's been this wet and snowy in seven
> years. Historically year-around creeks that had been
> bone-dry the past few years are presently "resurrected."
> Appropriate to this Easter day!
We had some good rain last week - just when I bought some plywood w/ no
place to put it in-doors. But the heat is back. Not summer heat, but
never-the-less hot.
Erik
>
>
Cliff D. Weller
>My sincere condolences, Jack.
Thanks Erik. Mom suffered mightily for the
past year, so it was with mixed feelings
that we children bid her adios. Thankful
her suffering is over, but we all sense the loss.
Flobby Bischer
I know it's just your notes, but many artists submit this sort of thing as
their artistic statement for grants and shows. YUCK!
The main problems are that it tries to include everything and ends up saying
nothing. And it uses ugly words like 'heartfelt' and 'obfuscate' that
really are meaningless to the readers.
I'd like to see it turned into a very clear statement.
Mike Stengl
s'funny cause i've always hated writing artist statements. trying to
describe with words, emotions and motivations for emotions, seemed
contrived and superficial at best, an impossible task at worst.
however and strangely enough, while painting the other day i happened
to basically feel like discussing with myself what i was doing and
feeling, what better place for such mental masterbation than here?
sorry you didn't like some of my words, i rather enjoyed typing
"obfuscate", doesn't often come up in conversation.
no clear statement forthcoming, tho perhaps more "YUCK!"s...
Dilettante
Jonsmind
> "Flobby Bischer" <blube...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news
>
> I obfuscate anything heartfelt.
>
> D.
I get heartburn, everytime I see the word "obfuscate"
Dilettante
>
> I get heartburn, everytime I see the word "obfuscate"
The antidote is to say the word transmogrify.
D.
cantueso
> while painting the other day i happened
> to basically feel like discussing with myself what i was doing and
> feeling, what better place for such mental masterbation than here?
> sorry you didn't like some of my words, i rather enjoyed typing
> "obfuscate", doesn't often come up in conversation.
of course. it would be just great if artists tried a little harder.
there is a really good art critic on the staff of the Herald Tribune,
but his name is hard to remember, something like Souren Melkian
the idea is not that painters should translate their paintings into
text, but that thery ought to try and say what painting is or ought
to be. some can´t remember great Goya who never learnt how to spell.
he did comment on some of his work, writing something like captions,
mostly sarcastic or even bitter. I´d think that some comments would
greatly increase the markets.
I have not yet read your text, because I have run out of time and am
in a hurry now, but will read tomorrow.
Joseph A. Bennett
Now I know where Bush gets his speech writers.
cantueso
> I have not yet read your text, because I have run out of time and am
> in a hurry now, but will read tomorrow.
and now I cannot find it. where is it? does the message that opens
this post refer to a text that is in another post?
Dilettante
> Now I know where Bush gets his speech writers.
Not here. He can't say any word over two syllables.
D.
Mani Deli
Well I can't disagree with the Dill on this.
No skill no art!
Tired of Modern Art? check http://www3.sympatico.ca/manideli/
cantueso
> >
> >Not here. He can't say any word over two syllables.
> >
> >D.
really? I have never heard him, but they say he has learnt how to say nucular.