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Kevin Callahan

9 Years Ago

David Hockney's Take On The Current State Of Art

Thought some will find this interesting. I will post this without comment (yet).

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-16578438

If the link is not live you may need to copy and paste.

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Fab article! Thanks Kevin.

Love that he blames the lessening of importance of figurative art, on, "the one-eyed monster".............and too much "official" enamour of "conceptual art"....

Historically....in his thought context, one would have to stop evolution!

Instant gratification, emptiness, the sound-bite....all rule now!


I'll keep plodding on......sigh. Loving your recent sketches,Kevin.

 

Ronald Walker

9 Years Ago

Very interesting! I have to agree with Hockney on most points!

 

Suzanne Powers

9 Years Ago

I think he is right in that we probably need to get back into balance. One art is not more important than another, when we as humans become enthusiastic about something new we tend to go overboard. We swing wide to one side and then to the other, which I believe is normal for us.

 

Kevin Callahan

9 Years Ago

Thanks all. While I am a serious Hockney fan, having once written an internet article about his new landscapes, I see his point, but don't buy the whole cow. Maybe a glass or two of his milk, perhaps. I did get to visit the gallery in NYC where many of his multicolored landscapes were on view. One must keep in mind that in a changing world, Hockney too is trying to stay relevant.

 

Suzanne Powers

9 Years Ago

Interesting Kevin that you feel he is trying to stay relavent, I guess he feels pressure like the rest of us. Interesting, I would have thought he wouldn't care about the trends I have to admit I don't know a lot about some of the well known contemporary artists. I have just started to appreciate more contemporary work as my art has developed over the past year.

 

Kevin Callahan

9 Years Ago

Hockney is now 77 and came to prominence in the early 1960s so he has earned his place in art history. While I do see his point about representative art, (after all that is mostly what I do) I still believe there is something to be learned in the conceptual works being done today. Yes, many border on silly. And some need further discovery to grasp. No easy answer? Gasp! Still, we must always go forward thinking with fresh eyes.

 

Lawrence Supino

9 Years Ago

thanks for article, Kev
btw...conceptual art started to gain acceptance in the same decade his work did. ;)

 

Suzanne Powers

9 Years Ago

Thanks Keven for the short bio. I am just now seeing the relevancy of conceptual art, no matter what we may think it has a positive effect one way or another and filters down (up?) to the rest of us. Yes, I agree you need to keep an open mind because everyone and everything together makes the difference and keeps things interesting and fresh.

 

Roseann Caputo

9 Years Ago

Although he has some points, as Kevin said, I don't buy the whole cow.

 

Kenneth Agnello

9 Years Ago

I don't know why it is that figurative, expressionist, social-conscience, political, psychologically-entrenched, or landscape and realist art need to be "explained" in the face of conceptual, minimalist, or mixed-media presentation. It's almost like there is a competition out there, and the figurative artist--whatever his deviance--needs to "apologize" for following the tradition of mankind--that which believes in communicating and interpreting the natural world, even if through twisted, personal lenses. Has the conceptual scene--which defies real criticism because most critics are afraid to attack it--escalated so far to the forefront? I cringe when I think that only that art which removes itself from real world involvement has with robotics replaced the human nerve and emotional system. Let me leave now; I have another painting that reeks of human life to complete.

To Vivian, whose involvement I always enjoy--your commentary is brief and sensibly right-on, but I want to offer you some sharks teeth to bite into the nonsense that pervades out there; you're scholarly diplomacy is articulate and mother-wrapped--I look for more bite! God bless you,one our best! Ken

 

Robert Wagner

9 Years Ago

I like Hockney

 

Thank you, especially, Kenneth, and to think, I didn't even notice you watching me, lol.
To address the 'mother wrapped' ISSUE directly...........due to previous experience of getting my teeth caught in the trap, I am here in forum STRICTLY on sufferance....and so, I wrap very carefully in double entendre, to perhaps occasionally get seen but not hurt..............Cheers, Vivian

 

Kevin Callahan

9 Years Ago

I love Hockney, but as a father whose son just earned his MFA, I see the new world of art through, perhaps slightly different eyes. Which means, I can not totally reject the new that I find a bit baffling, but worth considering.

 

Roseann Caputo

9 Years Ago

Kevin, what are your slightly different eyes seeing? Anything in particular that intrigues you?

 

Kevin Callahan

9 Years Ago

There is a recent movement to make art social. Not like the work I create, that goes inside a frame. My son in San Fran has created an art site that has recovered an abandoned lot that had only needles, condoms, and homeless and turned it into an art garden. They hold classes and work details that include children, people from Silicon Valley and myriad others. This is among other things out there in the "art" world these days. It makes me rethink art for sure.

 

Viktor Savchenko

9 Years Ago

Figurative art is clearly derived from real object sources (by using different tools like camera,for example), and are therefore by definition representational.
David moves to the nature is reminder of importance of observing and printing life around us.

 

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