ART 101

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In times past the artist looked at something 3-D and did his best to depict it in 2-D. The cavemen did it on the walls of their humble abodes and Rembrandt did it...and very well.

But no artist worth their salt likes following rules, so there was experimentation. Some fell flat, some were much more exciting and pushed the limits.

 Let's suppose that the largest rectangle below is the universe as we know it. Society dictates what is and what is not considered art. I contend that it is the artist's job to expand the "EVERYTHING THAT IS ART" box. But for you conservative people, just because a new art form is created, it does not remove ANYTHING from the "is art" box. It just makes the box bigger. That's one reason that many artists aren't appreciated by their own generation. Their contemporaries just aren't ready for the expansion of the box.

 Van Gogh did it. The crazy bastard captured the imagination of the whole western world.
His work has been widely mimicked with less than stellar results.

Nicolas cage morphed with Van Gogh via a computer.

 I have mixed opinions about the use of the computer as an art tool. But I'm sure people said using the airbrush, rollers, stencils, etc, were all "not art" the first few times they were used. This next Van Gogh adaptation was done with lids....yes, lids.

And one more...

 Picasso has been adapted many times. This billboard reproduced one of his few murals and was erected by a museum...I like it. 

 And...

 Interesting this. The original was a political statement also. "Guernica" was bombed into submission by the Germans and Italians in the Spanish Civil War and made very clear the intensions of massive armies targeting civilians as a strategic necessity. Sad that.

The tomb in China of whole armies reproduced in clay seems like the model for this magnificent contemporary work.

 You see these hundreds of unique life sized statues were mounted on the sea bed. To see it you have to dive down.  I mean DAMN!!!!

One of the reasons for this Manet painting's fame is the expression on the barmaid's face....suggesting....."Hurry up, I got shit to do".  Her name is Suzon. My first daughter's middle name is Suzon. Coincidence? I think not.

 Now back up and squint at this image made out of paint chips like you get at Lowe's.

People nowadays like to use weird stuff to make art. This one was made out of dominos.

This one has no gray. The gray only looks gray because it has little tiny dots that the white areas do not. (Squint, fool!)

I like this, but I would have REALLY liked it if the letters spelled out a narrative. Imagine having to walk around it to "read" the story.

Clever this, but is it art? I'm not sure....but I doubt it.

Several times I have told you to prepare yourself for a whole lot of art made out of books. There are A LOT of books out there and artists love free stuff.

This is called an Art Installation. I like installations. They are meant to be temporary, yet make an impact....hard to do that.

 Here's another...

This is an installation that borders on "Performance Art".

 What would make this Performance (or Participation) Art would be the license and even encouragement of the viewers to change the channels, thus changing the colors.

The temporary nature of installations really, really, really, bothers some people. The installations artists always document with photographs.....therefore....is the art the interaction of the viewer with the art or merely an album full of clever photographs.

There is a whole bunch of what can only be called "Artistic Vandalism" going on all over the world. What with the economy being what it is, really creative people can't sell anything that is outside the mainstream......Soooooooooo.......break the law and have fun.

Here's one of the most famous (Bansky forgive me) of an artist that risks ARREST to "knit" everything from trees, to light poles to handrails. His local sheriff has stated publicly that he wants to find him or her and prosecute. PROSECUTE? JEEEEEEEZ!

Does the fact that a creation will only last for a few hours or a few days make it lesser art? I don't know. Personally, I have produced thousands, if not tens of thousands, of works of art and I like the notion that they will outlive me. That may be my ego, but imagining my great-great grandson touching and looking at something I made....well, what can I say?

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TALK ABOUT ART IMITATING LIFE!

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, with the help of 1,600 people, created more than one hundred million hand-painted porcelain sunflower seed replicas. This installation can be found in London at the Tate Museum.

 Through signage, patrons are encouraged to walk on, lay on, picnic on the "seeds".

 Unfortunately, the seeds were coated with a glaze that when walked on created a dust that will kill you.  Way to go China!

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Okay, the last couple gave you an idea of getting the viewers involved in the art. Sometimes the involvement of the viewer IS the art.

Is this art? God I hope so.

QUESTION: The above had to take a long, long time. Getting everyone in place, getting them naked, getting them in the same pose, etc. Now, what the fuck are you talking to the people around you about while you are waiting? Does anybody....ANYBODY...talk about another's genitalia?
"You've got a little curve there, buddy. Are you left handed?"
"Damn! I MEAN Damn!"
"You are Jewish aren't you?"
"Are those teeth marks?"
"Gay? Paaaaaaaaaah!..........why do you ask?"
"No disrespect, Ma'am, but what did they do with your penis after the operation?"
"No, I don't know what that rash is and please don't ask me to look at it again."

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One of my very own...

(BUT(T)......ANYTIME.....too subtle for you?)
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