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The Forum > Article Comments > The visual arts today > Comments

The visual arts today : Comments

By Peter Sellick, published 28/1/2015

Abstracted to distraction, artists shouldn't complain when no one sees the point in their pieces. Their fault lies in them.

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An interesting piece, Peter, thanks.

I and my 18 year old daughter visited GoMA here in Brisbane recently, where there is a significant exhibition of some Japanese artworks which are neither lacking in skill nor impenetrable. I found some to be not to my own aesthetic taste for minimalism and some not very stimulating, but found myself standing and contemplating some of the pieces for a fair old time. My daughter was similarly affected by some pieces, although it was interesting that only a couple of them seemed to appeal to both of us.

We then walked back through the QAG and I'm afraid I couldn't get much out of what was there. Technically skilful perhaps and the explanatory notes sometimes made clear the connection between what the artist was trying to accomplish and the work, but it didn't connect with me.

So, what does that all mean? Not sure really. I'm also not sure though that your linking of artistic transcendence to a numinous mystical interpretation of God is justified.

It seems to me that the human capacity to experience transcendent beauty and even more, to pass the experience on, is sufficiently rare and wonderful that it stands alone as something worth celebrating.
Posted by Craig Minns, Wednesday, 28 January 2015 11:24:20 AM
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This is probably Peter's best essay, especially as it does not include any of his usual nonsense about "Jesus".
But what we call realist art (which everyone presumes to understand) is itself the product of a very restrictive ideological construct which originated with the emergence of perspectivism. The principles of which were formally described by Leon Battista Alberti.

This seemingly solid, socially constructed world-view, began to break down in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by various artists who in one way or another began to intuit the paradigm busting implications of the beginning to emerge science and theory of Quantum Physics/Reality. As distinct from the ruling paradigm of Newtonian/Victorian materialism and its seemingly solid "objective" world.
This fascinating books describes the process:
http://www.artandphysics.com

Meanwhile this essay has some congruence with some of the ideas re the nature and purpose of the traditional artist (and art) featured in Peter's essay; http://aboutadidam.org/readings/art_is_love/index.html

This reference provides an introduction to his Divine Image Art.
http://global.adidam.org/books/transcendental-realism
As does this reference too:
http://global.adidam.org/books/world-as-light
Posted by Daffy Duck, Wednesday, 28 January 2015 11:45:24 AM
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Oh I don't know?

Perhaps things like Blue Polls and a little tin lids finger painting fetching a fortune, may point the blame in a very different direction?

Oh I say dahlink, isn't that abstract just divine, or just the work of sheer genius?

I mean, it didn't take to much genius to flick paint at a canvas, let it dibble down till it dried, and then take the taxpayer for what? A mill?

I have an idea, I could dibble some paint directly from several tubes to create a rainbow like effect on a 12 x 12 canvas; and then allow a dozen or so puppies to try their luck staying upright on it; chasing a ball, before it dries.

I could call it my abstract extract of an unrepeatable one off, psychedelic puppy paraphernalia, and put it on you tube, for say, fifty mill?

And what's the bet some daft dill using other people's money wouldn't cough up the ready?

I mean come on, how can you possibly blame the artists for the Chardonnay sipping and presumptuous arty worlds' absolute rank stupidity/toffee nosed snobbery?
Rhrosty.
Posted by Rhrosty, Wednesday, 28 January 2015 1:02:47 PM
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It is unfortunate that most of us are allergic to the word "God". It has a much broader reference than the being that we no longer believe exists. Rather, God refers broadly to Being itself. Roger Scrunton, the Oxford Philosopher, regards all art as religious in that all art reaches for the transcendent, the unseen, the truth below the seen reality.
Posted by Sells, Wednesday, 28 January 2015 1:24:20 PM
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Hi Peter, are you able to expand on that definition? I think your point was interesting, but perhaps the definition doesn't add a lot to understanding.

I haven't read much of Scrunton's work, you've piqued my interest, thanks. Have you had much to do with Simon Blackburn's work? There are some interesting videos of his available on You Tube, but I haven't read his books yet. I'll look them and Scrunton up later in the week.
Posted by Craig Minns, Thursday, 29 January 2015 6:37:41 AM
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"I have heard artists say that the market for art has collapsed. They relate how major galleries have closed and how hard it is to make any kind of living producing art."

Perhaps you shouldn't believe all that artists say.

"The collapse of the art market is but a symptom of a general malaise in culture..." etc, etc, wiffle waffle God. The trouble is that there is no collapse in the art market according to this site, and they should know:

http://www.aasd.com.au/ -- Australian Art Sales Digest

"2014 may not have been the most brilliant year for Indigenous art but, as we reach the middle of the second decade of the 21st century, more people are collecting art now than ever before - and this is certainly so of Australian Aboriginal art."

"Turnover of art at auction in Australia rose modestly from $103.73 million in 2013 to $106.18 million in 2014 in a year which could have been an annus horribilis."

I understand you are hired to be credulous, Peter, but maybe you should put that on hold when talking to your artist friends.
Posted by Jon J, Thursday, 29 January 2015 6:56:03 AM
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