contemporary realism
Ross Green
> The Excluding of Realism:
> The Whitney Museum, New York City, has shown a pronounced
> bias in its overview of American Art. It has consistently neglected
> an important force of contemporary American Realist painting as
> evidenced in their biannual exhibitions. [clip]
"Contemporary American Realism" -- What is that? Are you trying
to say it's a 'movement'? Who are its major painters? Are you talking
about the kind of paintings that are for sale at your local shopping
mall art gallery?
Our country is sliding into a cultural coma, and your 'solution' is to
focus on realism, America's *weakest* artistic tradition. Sorry, that
doesn't sound very promising.
Besides, most Americans are already totally biased *in favor of*
realistic painting--If anything, we need to encourage more public
respect for expressionist, abstract, progressive, and eccentric art
in general.
> We feel that all forms of American art should be exposed to the
> public. [clip]
Sure, but the Whitney is a private museum, and they have every right
to set their own policies. (There are hundreds of galleries across the
country that openly discriminate against abstractionists and other
progressive artists.)
Why don't you open a large, alternative space? Make your own
museum. If your movement succeeds, eventually you'll get into the
Whitney.
> The present interest in a new Post modern Realism is sought after
> in droves by young people eager to use contemporary life, history
> and the tradition of the Old Masters as their sources of inspiration.
> There is an appetite now for painting and sculpture that draw from
> the power and meaning of the Old Masters in a new contemporary
> dualism. [clip]
"Contemporary dualism" could also just mean recycled aesthetics,
and the reproduction of hackneyed motifs. The quaintly historical
view of the Renaissance is that the old masters derived their
inspiration from antiquity, but that's not true: their greatness really
came from their total involvement with the art (and science) of their
own day, and from the fact that they were constantly INVENTING,
and DEVELOPING, their arts --The Renaissance was the greatest
*avant-garde* movement of all time.
What does your 'movement' offer that is truly NEW?
> To give a true overview of present day American painting the
> Whitney has to overcome its significant neglect of this movement
> as a major development in art.
"... a major development in art"?? Those are simply words; can you
back them up with facts? Could you recommend any books or
articles expressing the views of your 'movement'? Is there a
manifesto?
> There will be a protest held on Friday, September 29th at the
> Whitney Museum in New York.
So how was the protest? Did anyone show up? Was there a counterprotest?
The Whitney Biennials are indeed something of a joke... so adding
some neo-Realist silliness to the mix might not be such a bad idea
after all.
-Ross
=========================================================================
The anonymity of the industrial paint-job is the desire. --E.C. Goossen
=========================================================================
monty Kane
: and the reproduction of hackneyed motifs. The quaintly historical
: view of the Renaissance is that the old masters derived their
: inspiration from antiquity, but that's not true: their greatness really
: came from their total involvement with the art (and science) of their
: own day, and from the fact that they were constantly INVENTING,
: and DEVELOPING, their arts --The Renaissance was the greatest
: *avant-garde* movement of all time.
: What does your 'movement' offer that is truly NEW?
Newness by itself is not worth much. Past art and tradition are
resources; renaissance artists drew upon those resources as well as upon
the inner resources of invention and innovation. In fact, all artists draw
upon those resources, consciously or not, admittedly or not.
Which is not to say that strict realism - art whose only aim is
the reproduction of pure optical information - is not mostly slavish and
dull...
: back them up with facts? Could you recommend any books or
: articles expressing the views of your 'movement'? Is there a
: manifesto?
A manifesto does not some artwork make.
Ross Green
> lib...@uvsc.edu (Ross Green) wrote:
>> What does your 'movement' offer that is truly NEW?
> Newness by itself is not worth much. Past art and tradition are
> resources; renaissance artists drew upon those resources as well as
> upon the inner resources of invention and innovation. In fact, all
> artists draw upon those resources, consciously or not, admittedly
> or not.
Monty, a couple of points: 1) When you quote someone, please use
their name (otherwise no one knows who said what). 2) If you're
going to state the obvious, try to build some sort of argument.
3) I didn't say "newness by itself"--straw man arguments are boring.
>> back them up with facts? Could you recommend any books or
>> articles expressing the views of your 'movement'? Is there a
>> manifesto?
> A manifesto does not some artwork make.
You're just snatching a few lines out of context and refuting them,
which is easy...and pointless.
Most art movements have had theoretical/critical writings to back
them up. I was just looking for something to read.
Heather Yewall
>Most art movements have had theoretical/critical writings to back
>them up. I was just looking for something to read.
Hi There Y'all,
There are a couple of relevant articles in the October, 1995
issue of Artnews beginning on page 136.
Ping M. Wang
orgaizations, portrait artists, and the opportunity for attend the
exihibition or art show and art fair for portrait artists. if any
information as above is available, please send to my e-mail. Thank you.
Wang.