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Changes in the form of Art

yourwhitespace — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:25:56 +0000

Each generation is at some point in revolt against the standards of its fathers; each work of art derives its appeal to contemporaries not only from what it does but also from what it leaves undone. The term Post-Modernism was introduced into the discussion in 1975 by Charles Jencks, a young architect who was tired of the doctrine of functionalism, which was identified with modern architecture. To be “shocking” had been accepted as a sign of originality and it is the nature of things that, like functionalism, the application of playful forms can be sensible or frivolous, according to the talents of the designer. This naturally translated itself into the canvas art scene but not all artists today who enjoy the right to diversity would accept the label of “Post-Modern”. It is better described as “an altered mood” rather than a new style. Perhaps it is always misleading to think of styles as following each other like soldiers on parade. It is more generally recognised that artists have the right to go their own way.

In recent years artists have taken up the medium of photography for the creation of novel effects that has previously been the preserve of painters. Thus David Hockney has enjoyed using his camera for multiple images somewhat reminiscent of Cubist paintings and abstract art such as Picasso’s picture of “Violin and Grapes” of 1912. His famous portrait of his mother was a mosaic of various shots taken from slightly different angles and also records the movement of her head. One might expect such a combination to result in an incoherent jumble but the portrait is certainly evocative. After all, when we look at a person our eyes never stand still for any length of time and the image we form in our minds when we think of a person is always composite. It is this experience which Hockney has somehow captured in his photographic experiments. It looks as if at the present moment, this conciliation between the photographer and the artist will increase in importance in years to come. To be sure, even painters of the nineteenth century made a good deal of use of photographs, but now the practice is acknowledged and widespread in the search of novel affects.

What these recent developments have brought home is that there are tides of tastes in contemporary art and abstract art no less than there are tides of fashion in clothing or decoration. It is undeniable that many of the old masters whom we admire and indeed many styles of the part failed to be appreciated by very sensitive and knowledgeable critics of former generations. This is certainly true. No critic can be entirely unbiased, but it is wrong to draw the conclusion that artistic values are altogether relative. Granted that we rarely stop to look for the objective merits of works or styles that have failed immediately to appeal to us, this does not prove that our appreciations are entirely subjective. We can recognise mastery of art, and this has little to do with our personal likes and dislikes. You may like Raphael and dislike Rubens, or the other way around, but should recognise that both were towering masters in their own right.

Abstract Art – the debate

yourwhitespace — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:39:25 +0000

It is often said that the term “abstract art” is not very well chosen, and replacements such as “non-objective” or “figurative” are more appropriate. However, what matters is the work of art and not its tag. It maybe that Kandinsky’s first experiments at colour music were not a complete success, but it is understandable the interest they aroused. Even so, it is unlikely that “abstract art” could have become a movement through Expressionism alone. To understand its success and the whole transformation of the artistic scene in the years before the First World War, we must turn to Paris. For it was Paris that Cubism originated and where abstract art has its modern roots. This was a movement which led to much more radical departures from the Western tradition of painting than even Kandinskys Expressionist colour chords.

Yet Cubism did not set out to abolish representation, only to reform it. The Feeling of uneasiness created by the brilliant messiness of Impressionist “snapshots” of fleeing sights, the longing for more order, structure and pattern that had animated the illustrators of Art Nouveau with their emphasis on “decorative” simplification no less than such masters as Seurat and Cezanne.

So, as the ideas grew out of expressionism and aimed at a kind of painting that would rival music in expressiveness. The interest in structure aroused by Cubism raised the question among painters in Paris, in Russia and soon also in Holland whether painting could not be turned into a kind of construction like architecture. The Dutchman, Piet Mondrian wanted to build up his pictures out of simplest elements: straight lines and pure colours. He longed for an art of clarity and discipline that somehow reflected the objective laws of the universe. For Mondrian, like Kandinsky and Klee, was something of a mystic and wanted his art to reveal immutable realties behind the ever-changing forms of subjective appearance.

Art Copyright

yourwhitespace — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 12:07:36 +0000

So you are an internationally acclaimed artist with an entire back catalogue of published work, an agent, a publishing house and a lawyer all earning from your work? It is in everyone’s interest to protect and maintain ownership.

If only that was the case. And even if you had some of the above protecting those rights could still prove difficult. Costs alone are prohibitive. It’s a quagmire of issues. An onerous burden that should not be under estimated.

I have now lived and worked in China for two years and am fully aware of the thriving industry of ‘copying’ western art. But you would perhaps be surprised to learn that it is driven not by the struggling Chinese artists who are just trying to earn a living…rather it is the western agents and retailers who want cheap imitation canvas art and look alike products.

It is argued that by merely making some small alteration to the design or colour, the issues of copyright are avoided and we enter a completely grey area of ownership. This may well be true and it certainly makes the case for protecting the image rights that much harder to prove. But it is not always clear cut.

Time and consideration have allowed me to come to the conclusion that it is material costs and access to cheaper production methods that is the real advantage of China. By maintaining confidentiality and using talented artists not copyists there are real benefits.

The Chinese economy is currently witnessing unparalleled growth and the domestic art market reflects this. Newly accumulated wealth and disposable income is being invested into up and coming Chinese artists with Beijing and Shanghai being the dominant focus. It is both dynamic and exciting.

This has no bearing on what can only be described as the copyist enclaves that exist in other major cities and it is here that the area of copyright gives most cause for concern.

But how big is the problem? It is difficult to say. One has to remember that every student of art is encouraged to copy as part of the learning process and it can come as no great surprise therefore that an industry of copyists has evolved. It appears that every art form has the potential to suffer from copyright issues – from abstract art to contemporary art – no artform is safe.

The irony is that the biggest market by far for most of this work is the US who also happen to have the most lassiez faire attitude towards litigation as well as the loudest voice claiming foul play!

My conclusion is that sometimes it is better to let it go…copyright laws don’t fill you with confidence and certainly for an artist it is dubious that they will afford you much protection. They say the rich get richer. I think they were referring to lawyers.

Is Art Original?

yourwhitespace — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 12:05:11 +0000

There is something of a realization when an artist can admit that his work is derivative, for in truth there is an argument to say that creating something new is unlikely. ‘It has all been done before’.That is not to undermine the originality of a particular piece but more to do with the recognition that someone has already gone down a particular route. And it begs the question ‘is art original’? This question can be posed to all types of art including abstract art and contemporary art as well as more tranditional art forms.Perhaps the originality comes from the artist, who while exploring a well trodden path actually manages to move it on or develop it.It is a natural tendency for any artist to experiment with differing styles or subject matters. It helps broaden their experience and goes some way to making a break from their trademark strokes or imagery. What is it that makes a ‘Hockney a Hockney’ or a ‘Hirst a Hirst’?But many of these experimental pieces will never see the light of day. Francis Bacon’s studio after his death is tantamount to this. It was full of un-catalogued and non recognizable works which in itself was intriguing.Artists have always ‘borrowed’ ideas, even if they have never acknowledged the fact. It is as rife today as it was during the Renaissance period and is a way of both learning and developing skills as much as experimentation with different forms of art like abstract art.The real art or originality comes from the way in which it is expanded upon, pushed and applied.Installation art has for some time now been of particular interest to me. It is not something that I personally produce but whenever I feel my sight or visual senses being stimulated by a construction that somehow manages to relate to the space that it is set within, I feel that the artist has achieved something new.And it is then that art becomes original. It has evoked a response. It has connected.

Art lovers increasingly buy from the Internet!

yourwhitespace — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:29:38 +0000

There’s no hiding the phenomenal growth of sales on the web. And it’s not just the big boys such as Amazon, e-bay etc. There is now a huge array of companies providing really good quality products at a fraction of the cost of the high street. But can this revolution translate to purchasing art. Initially there seemed a reluctance for Joe Public to buy artwork from their home PC, perhaps understandably as its difficult to get a “feel” of a piece.However, over the last year there has been an emergence of some excellent contemporary art sites that have really raised the bar when it comes to the supply of good, original and well finished pieces. These new sites offer excellent contemporary art from around the world using a range of new materials and forms such as Perspex, as well as the traditional canvas oils and giclée. Although it is still fair to say, it remains difficult to tell how good the quality is until you see it “in the flesh” so to speak, once you have found one of the new generations of suppliers, the rewards are great.

The art is creative, the materials and finishing second to none and often delivered to your door the next day. What is more, it’s really allowing the art lover accessibility to better work due to their affordability. Some sites promote art you can to pay only £250 that you cannot get at over £1000 on the high street.

So, how can you tell what site you should consider? Here’s a quick guide:

Ensure the site is easy to navigate with good quality images of the pieces. You should be able to blow the image up at a touch of a button.
Are there clear details about the company, where they are based and who is behind them? Are they easily contactable over the phone? Good ones will allow you to ring them 7 days a week.
Do they allow refunds of the purchase price if you change your mind?
Do they say who the artists are?
Can you read testimonials from previous customers?
Are they based in the UK?
Do they offer a secure server when paying with a credit card for safety and peace of mind?

The internet revolution is coming to the art world, so if you like contemporary or abstract art and they can tick all the above, then it must be worth a try!

Unshackling the creative arts!

yourwhitespace — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:29:40 +0000

Until recently, genuinely new and fresh contemporary art in Europe has been inhibited by the limitation of expensive materials and processes that create unique art forms. Clients have had to have a six figure salary, with kids in private education, or in possession of a very flexible credit card to afford the best.However, in the last year, artists and designers, unhappy with the prohibitive costs in Europe have started to migrate to China, and not only in search for cultural influences and inspiration. China has developed some really excellent and unique processes like. The best and most desirable materials, for example Perspex, are available at a fraction of the cost of the UK. This has unshackled the artist’s imaginations, allowing more creative and abstract thought and deed.

New awe inspiring contemporary art is allowing the artist to strive, and achieve, exciting and fresh ideas and enabling good original art at affordable prices to fulfil the dream of widening their works accessibility. This means that work that could cost several £1000’s in a gallery is now accessible for a few hundred pounds.

Critics have tried to point out the distance involved may mean slower delivery, but the artists with an entrepreneurial flair are shipping their work and holding in the UK, allowing clients to order off the net and get the piece they desire next day to their home. Even commissions are now popped in the post in Shang Hai on a Wednesday, and delivered to the client’s door for the weekend!

Incredible, this new trend is giving more freedom to artist imagination as well as bringing good contemporary art within the grasp of affordability, allowing an increasing number of art lovers to experiment with the originality in the home.

The world is certainly shrinking fast and the opportunity it throws up continues to amaze!

The Art of Truth

yourwhitespace — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:22:34 +0000

Painting is no longer about representation, it is about inspiration. However, painting today is too focused on the creation of the “new” rather than the creation of the “true”. The 20th century was infatuated with new painting styles and materials, which has led to a focus on the mode and medium of expression rather than the message being expressed. After one-and-a-half centuries of innovation, with so many art taboos shattered, with so much of the field colonized and long-inhabited, the search for the new is becoming increasingly shallow and repetitive. Creating the new, purely for newness’ sake, can bring academic significance but offers little long-term weight. Truth and beauty, on the other hand, have longevity — they affect the viewer and the resonance of that experience lingers for a long time. All three need to be combined to create contemporary art, abstract art or any other forms of art that has impact as well as freshness.

What is truth? Like everything in contemporary art, abstract art and other forms of art, the concept of truth is completely subjective and people will define their own truth. Truth is not simply honesty, but also an emotion or expression that has a deeper, more powerful effect on the viewer.

So many works today are trying hard to be innovative but are inescapably derivative. They are “neat” and “funky” rather than emotional and hard-hitting.

Is it not true to say that we now live in an era of disposable art to match our reality TV? More difficult is the struggle to create something greater than ourselves, something that can outlast ourselves. The imperative of being better, making better, expressing better drives you on. And just as we hope for brilliance in ourselves, we like to touch it as well, whether in a conversation, reading a novel or staring at a canvas.

There are still more Cezannes, more Dostoevskys, to come. We will spot them more by their truth and their beauty than by their passing trend.

Art And Originality

yourwhitespace — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:22:00 +0000

Human nature wages a battle between individuality and originality on one hand, and community and “fitting in” on the other. And where does it get us? Often – trouble. Creating, pursuing originality, is often a destructive process. Every scientist, contemporary artist, entrepreneur – anyone chasing their bold dream – is inherently making obsolete what came before. And as we all know, it sure adds difficulty to our lives. You can always spot a trail blazerÖhe is the one with arrows in his back!

The debate of whether original thoughts still exist has gone on for centuries and one can but wonder if we are just rehashing what we’ve collectively forgotten. It’s a fear that resonates among many artists, especially painters these days because we’ve run the full range from purely representational to purely abstract art.

But we cannot for one moment assume that we have done everything that there is to do. It’s a much safer bet that we are continually going to be tossed on our backs by something new.

Originality and individuality cannot exist without its opposite.

Keith Haring, the late pop artist, wrote “No artists are part of a movement unless they are followers. And then they are unnecessary and doing unnecessary art. If they are exploring in an ‘individual way’ with ‘different ideas’ the idea of another individual, they are making a worthy contribution, but as soon as they call themselves followers or accept the truths they have not explored as truths, they are defeating the purpose of abstract art, contemporary art or any style of art as an individual expression – Art as art.”

You can say something old in a new voice, and you can say something new in an old voice. Originality still exists in art and painting, although it is getting tougher. Originality exists in something as simple as your signature. Too often we close off our creativity by over-thinking and seeking approval. Yes, we are social creatures, we need approval, we need community. But to those of us who are hard-wired to seek our own path, you have to remember to put aside the comments of fashion and the criticism of the establishment.

The Art of Opinion

yourwhitespace — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:21:28 +0000

The question was recently posed whether people should feel guilty for calling a piece of artwork “bad”, as if the notion of passing judgement on such an intangible and subjective item was not only impossible but wrong.

Abstract art, Contemporary art and most other forms or art is now an open field. Common opinions of bad and good often are directed by the fashions of the times and art is now clearly a subjective thing.

However within the world of art, there is a troubling trend. Many people have become scared to say, “I think that is good or that is bad.” Viewers go into galleries and say, “I don’t know what I like. Please tell me what is good. But how it is possible for people to abdicate their own opinions. The truth is many people are intimidated by the over-intellectualization that has gone on among critics, to the point where the real art is in the written prose of the reviewers’ essays instead of the particular piece they are reviewing. Even worse are the viewers who are influenced by the pseudo-politically-correct “open-mindedness” attitude that scares them from passing judgement or are uncomfortable with the uncertainty in art.

The truth is that good merely means “I like” and bad means “I dislike”. The abstract art, contemporary art and other art worlds require the concepts of subjective good and bad, because that is what drives the desire for improvement and the hard work that goes with it. Without judgements, we would be surrounded by mediocrity.

We need to be comfortable with the terms good and bad, and also understand their meanings and limitations. We need to be accepting of others’ opinions, and be willing to listen and possibly change their own. Opinions, shared ideas, and discourse drive progress and keep great art flowing forth.

Robert Henri in The Art Spirit, 1923

“The man who has honesty, integrity, the love of inquiry, the desire to see beyond, is ready to appreciate good art. He needs no one to give him an art education; he is already qualified. He needs but to see pictures with his active mind, look into them for the things that belong to him, and he will find soon enough in himself an art connoisseur and an art lover of the first order.”

Welcome to the yourwhitespace.com blog!

yourwhitespace — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:13:04 +0000

Welcome to the new yourwhitespace.com blog, here you will be able to find interesting articles about the world of art, abstract art, contemporary art and also general news about yourwhitespace.

We hope you find all the resources useful and that you will check back often.