Wall Street Journal on Classical Realism

[dashinvaine]

An article on the revival of Classical Realism as a possible antidote to 'Novelty Art' (by Roger Kimball) may be read here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121201421777227483.html?mod=at_leisure_main_revi ews_days_only

[RyerOrdStar]

It's about damn time.

[Viridis]

I agree. I find most abstract/conceptual art annoying at best. If we're now in a shift back to realism and actual technical skill instead of BS, I'm all for it.

[Xeon_OND]

Novelty art is exactly the same kind of art that the stray dog over there in the alley can make when it has tummyache.

Abstract / contemporary art can kiss my arse! :assspank:

[dashinvaine]

Amen to that. Conceptualist bullshit usually manages to be lame, boring, depressing, trashy, cynical, false, vile, insulting and annoying all at once. It's a gross insult to the great artists of the past that our age pretends to value this abysmal nonsense. It its beyond shameful that this stuff has been promoted by influential critics and galleries and rammed down students' throats at art college (where some poor misguided souls enrolled under the illusion that they might learn about drawing and painting!)

I'm certainly a proponent of figurative and narrative fine art, and its overdue restoration to the artistic mainstream. I have reservations concerning the self-imposed limitations associated with pure 'classical realism', however. The doctrine of truth to nature tends to preclude the mythic and fantastical element, and curtail artistic expressiveness.

[Maxine Schacker]

We just need to remember that technique is not the end in itself - it's the handmaiden to invention. The point is to find the means to express your vision. To do that one needs to explore all the expressive potential of the medium. There is not one truth.

While I agree about the emptiness of most "modern" art I also frequently see meaningless, if visually accurate, representational painting.

[Elwell]

"Classical Realism" is no more exempt from Sturgeon's law than anything else, perhaps even less so.

[dashinvaine]

I have a similar maxim: 100% of the time, it's better to go straight to bed than to argue with someone on the internet.

[Flake]

But.. that's why they invented the internet.

[Viridis]

But.. that's why they invented the internet.

I thought the internet was invented for porn. :O

[Anid Maro]

I thought the internet was invented for porn. :O

Now now, why can't the internet be for both porn and argument?

777468

Boucher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Boucher), artist or petty pornographer? I suspect many of these 'awful' modern artists would vote for pornographer.

[Flake]

Now now, why can't the internet be for both porn and argument?


I like the way you think.

There's plenty bandwidth for both these days after all..

[Viridis]

Bah. Everybody knows classical art was just an excuse to paint naked ladies anyway. ;) That's why the ladies weren't allowed to do it.

[Psychotime]

Now now, why can't the internet be for both porn and argument?

777468

Boucher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Boucher), artist or petty pornographer? I suspect many of these 'awful' modern artists would vote for pornographer.

What's pornographic about it? If it was a joke, I don't get it.

[Anid Maro]

In Boucher's time, critics of the Rococo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rococo) art style would bash it for being trite and sometimes 'pornographic'. Their primary clients were the French royalty and nobles, most of whom vanished (e.g. died) during the French Revolution. Post revolution the frivolous Rococo style was out and a more serious (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoclassicism) style was in.

Oh, and yeah I was making a joke. :)