“ artistic intellectual laxative for the mentally constipated ”
In the last two decades we have seen Art propel itself with an array of conceptual presentations. With anything and everything being considered as serious mediums for the contemporary artist. From second hand beds stained with body fluids, to retired jet fighters exhibited upside down or tatty old linoleum imported direct from a working class slum area, all as reminders of our Western civilization that is violent, decadent, morally corrupt and consumer crazy. Diamond embedded human skulls are proudly displayed to show us how our entire culture is preoccupied with money, wealth and bad taste. The more shocked we are the better for our own humanity. 


Art should be like take-away food. Made effortlessly, cheap and easy to digest and gives a feeling of disgust that will repeat itself at the most unwelcoming moments. A sort of artistic intellectual laxative for the mentally constipated.


The object of Post Modern Art, so we are told by Academic Art Theorists is:- 
To reflect the banality of society and to make it aware of its shallow values. Post Modern Art should present itself as a soundboard for human negatives to ensure that we never make the mistakes of past generations. 
Those political movements that led nations into two world wars that almost destroyed us all. 
Social Nationalism being seen as the devil on the shoulders of everyone. And that it must be exorcised at every opportunity. Art must guard society against becoming Philistines or Ludites. 


No one can disagree with that. Although I do object to the implication that I couldn't reason that out for myself. Especially as it is now over 78 years that any normal decent human being took National Socialism dogma as a viable or serious political system. And that today, in the Western World at least, most of us can read, write and think for ourselves. 

Are Post Modern Art Academics not being a tad arrogant in their assumption that it is 'They ' that should be the ones to take up the mantle of protectors of a civilized contemporary society? Isn't it time to reconsider the elite position of Post Modernism and strip away the veils of the claims of the holy high morals that it says it represents? 

Why can’t we make a critic of Post Modern Art and Artists ? 
The fear of being labelled an anti modernist perhaps, or worse still, a cultural moron?


I for one will stick my neck out and propose that today- Art is a business - nothing more, nothing less. And good luck to them that have made their fortunes by signing up with the rich capital city galleries that put their theorized art inspired offerings into the limelight of the mass media. I salute you ! OK, I admit with two fingers, perhaps.... but why shouldn't an Artist be given the same monetary rewards that the financial investors in our modern society receive? After all, its about time that Artists were treated with respect (by way of money) isn't it?


Well, maybe, I mean I could disagree and perhaps think thats not quite right, pure art morality speaking wise. Don't get me wrong I don't want to wag my moral finger at you personally, there is nothing wrong with earning a few quid. We all have to pay rent and eat., but I do question the actual basic authenticity of most of the current crop of the acclaimed Post Modern Artists. 

In short I feel that many of them are just full of the proverbial bull. And indeed I think that most of them have been schooled to ensure that they understand they are in a business. And that they will be expected to make money. Thus ensuring that they follow the current theoretical art thinking and the modus operandi of the status quo. I like to call this - Modern Art Theoretical Compliance or M.A.T.C for short. Its a sort of invisible manifesto thats worth its weight in gold.
A dogma constantly defined by Modern Art Conceptualists. And by art journalists who write about it on the web in their daily blogs.


An artistic personal belief system - is frowned upon these days it seems. 

If the absolute truth be known, the Art World hasn't changed that much over the last two centuries. And the 'ism's and the culture media elites still rule the roost. Even the art scene on the www is controlled by them (and Google of course).


They tell us: “there is nothing that hasn't been already done in painting or nothing more that can be achieved” they say repeatedly. I guess it was ever since that crazy Russian who painted a white square on a white background back in way back when took painters seriously,that the absolute was reached and since then all painters have fallen into that black (or white) hole that he created. Or so it is said.
As Marcel Duchamp once stated in a TV interview, "I found painting boring." All Academics worldwide have clapped their hands in agreement ever since. "One must question todays painters authenticity" ..leading art journalists spout at every opportunity. Sure, you will see the occasional painter being heralded as a cutting edge modernist. But probably only because one of the 'elite' galleries have a collector in mind that needs a painting for his summer house in a far off Caribbean island. Therefore they promote that specific artist to large public galleries or other national institutions, to jockey up the selling price.
For example, the most Paintings that are sold for big money today are bought by the new rich folk of Russia. In the Art Business, as in all businesses, its who you know, not what you want show, (sic: sell, if you know what I mean - wink wink, nudge nudge). 

Joking aside- Painting (as a contemporary Art form) is truly dead, but only in the minds of the them that “can't do it” as Damien H. once said, or more accurately those that can't see artistic values, beyond money. 


The best advise I can offer to any young or a new graduated brain washed art student starting out today is: Don't ask stupid prices for your originals. Listen to yourself and only yourself if you want to hear the truth about your own Art.

Try and create a job where Art plays a leading role in it and enables you can pay your rent and order a take-away-pizza in between trying to create an Art that has authentic feelings and means something to you and only you.
Above all, don't take yourself too seriously, you'll end up ridculed- eventually.
If nothing else, you should die happy, not rich or famous- who needs that? 

Commenti 5
buon lavoro Francisco
In the last two decades we have seen Art propel itself with an array of conceptual presentations. With anything and everything being considered as serious mediums for the contemporary artist. From second hand beds stained with body fluids, to retired jet fighters exhibited upside down or tatty old linoleum imported direct from a working class slum area, all as reminders of our Western civilization that is violent, decadent, morally corrupt and consumer crazy. Diamond embedded human skulls are proudly displayed to show us how our entire culture is preoccupied with money, wealth and bad taste. The more shocked we are the better for our own humanity. 


Art should be like take-away food. Made effortlessly, cheap and easy to digest and gives a feeling of disgust that will repeat itself at the most unwelcoming moments. A sort of artistic intellectual laxative for the mentally constipated.


The object of Post Modern Art, so we are told by Academic Art Theorists is:- 
To reflect the banality of society and to make it aware of its shallow values. Post Modern Art should present itself as a soundboard for human negatives to ensure that we never make the mistakes of past generations. 
Those political movements that led nations into two world wars that almost destroyed us all. 
Social Nationalism being seen as the devil on the shoulders of everyone. And that it must be exorcised at every opportunity. Art must guard society against becoming Philistines or Ludites. 


No one can disagree with that. Although I do object to the implication that I couldn't reason that out for myself. Especially as it is now over 78 years that any normal decent human being took National Socialism dogma as a viable or serious political system. And that today, in the Western World at least, most of us can read, write and think for ourselves. 

Are Post Modern Art Academics not being a tad arrogant in their assumption that it is 'They ' that should be the ones to take up the mantle of protectors of a civilized contemporary society? Isn't it time to reconsider the elite position of Post Modernism and strip away the veils of the claims of the holy high morals that it says it represents? 

Why can’t we make a critic of Post Modern Art and Artists ? 
The fear of being labelled an anti modernist perhaps, or worse still, a cultural moron?


I for one will stick my neck out and propose that today- Art is a business - nothing more, nothing less. And good luck to them that have made their fortunes by signing up with the rich capital city galleries that put their theorized art inspired offerings into the limelight of the mass media. I salute you ! OK, I admit with two fingers, perhaps.... but why shouldn't an Artist be given the same monetary rewards that the financial investors in our modern society receive? After all, its about time that Artists were treated with respect (by way of money) isn't it?


Well, maybe, I mean I could disagree and perhaps think thats not quite right, pure art morality speaking wise. Don't get me wrong I don't want to wag my moral finger at you personally, there is nothing wrong with earning a few quid. We all have to pay rent and eat., but I do question the actual basic authenticity of most of the current crop of the acclaimed Post Modern Artists. 

In short I feel that many of them are just full of the proverbial bull. And indeed I think that most of them have been schooled to ensure that they understand they are in a business. And that they will be expected to make money. Thus ensuring that they follow the current theoretical art thinking and the modus operandi of the status quo. I like to call this - Modern Art Theoretical Compliance or M.A.T.C for short. Its a sort of invisible manifesto thats worth its weight in gold.
A dogma constantly defined by Modern Art Conceptualists. And by art journalists who write about it on the web in their daily blogs.


An artistic personal belief system - is frowned upon these days it seems. 

If the absolute truth be known, the Art World hasn't changed that much over the last two centuries. And the 'ism's and the culture media elites still rule the roost. Even the art scene on the www is controlled by them (and Google of course).


They tell us: “there is nothing that hasn't been already done in painting or nothing more that can be achieved” they say repeatedly. I guess it was ever since that crazy Russian who painted a white square on a white background back in way back when took painters seriously,that the absolute was reached and since then all painters have fallen into that black (or white) hole that he created. Or so it is said.
As Marcel Duchamp once stated in a TV interview, "I found painting boring." All Academics worldwide have clapped their hands in agreement ever since. "One must question todays painters authenticity" ..leading art journalists spout at every opportunity. Sure, you will see the occasional painter being heralded as a cutting edge modernist. But probably only because one of the 'elite' galleries have a collector in mind that needs a painting for his summer house in a far off Caribbean island. Therefore they promote that specific artist to large public galleries or other national institutions, to jockey up the selling price.
For example, the most Paintings that are sold for big money today are bought by the new rich folk of Russia. In the Art Business, as in all businesses, its who you know, not what you want show, (sic: sell, if you know what I mean - wink wink, nudge nudge). 

Joking aside- Painting (as a contemporary Art form) is truly dead, but only in the minds of the them that “can't do it” as Damien H. once said, or more accurately those that can't see artistic values, beyond money. 


The best advise I can offer to any young or a new graduated brain washed art student starting out today is: Don't ask stupid prices for your originals. Listen to yourself and only yourself if you want to hear the truth about your own Art.

Try and create a job where Art plays a leading role in it and enables you can pay your rent and order a take-away-pizza in between trying to create an Art that has authentic feelings and means something to you and only you.
Above all, don't take yourself too seriously, you'll end up ridculed- eventually.
If nothing else, you should die happy, not rich or famous- who needs that? 

Denis Taylor. Painter, Writer and Art Critic
Studio 5
Ekerodsvagen. Angelholm. Sweden 

website: http://artstudiosweden.wordpress.com/
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