I finally read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." Can not run a tune-up any time soon, but really impressed me in terms of what I do, that is, painting in the tradition of "classic". The author, Robert M. Pirsig distinguishes beauty "romantic" as the aspect that affects the senses, the beauty "Classic", coming out of a harmonious order of the parties.
representation of artists, like myself, were often made to feel "the streets" because they are not "cool" andspontaneous, we can not throw paint around like a guerilla (or gorilla). We are not "romantic" from the definition above. The book taught me to have my own value rational, traditional method and provides a reconciliation of these two approaches. Obviously there must be a balance. I'm not here to invalidate the sincere efforts of all of my colleagues splatter-painting. What must be present in any artistic endeavor, however, is an authenticity, the presence of something calledquality.
Pirsig argues that quality is actually what creates our perception of reality. It is not just a response to the "reality", an opinion, as we have been taught to believe in the school. This is a pre-intellectual awareness. Have you ever wondered why the first thing that pops in our head when you look at a work of art is "like" or "I do not?" It is an emotional response. First there is understanding there is awareness and attraction to quality.
John Singer Seargent of Monaco-likedevotion to create a perfect, spontaneous eloquence in every shot is an example that comes to mind. As a portraitist, I can appreciate the effort, work and rework that went to create the appearance of spontaneity in her work better. It would never occur to most of the display of a Seargent as basic structure and the "science" has gone in making his paintings. There was a huge undertaking to find the balance between the classical and romantic beauty. These diametricallyopposite approaches are clearly reconciled to the work of creative genius as a Seargent.
Sure you can say that quality is "Whatever You Like". But it is also true that what a genius "like" contains a world of experience that informs his every scribble.
Juxtaposed in my reading room is another great book for artists, published by Kitchen Prairie Press, called "Alla Prima, Everything I Know About Painting" by Richard Schmid, too, is a masterful painter. Two questions arise as I readthese books in tandem: you can be a good painter and not a good artist? And the other: you can be a great artist and not be a good painter? Schmid does not have anything profound to say about his subjects. It 's just a delight to watch. And 'his sensitivity and expressiveness in paint that makes his work deeply. He masterfully observes what is important and essential and comes down on the canvas with a stylish authority. Apparently, he works in the world of appearances, whichsecond Pirsig makes him a "romantic". But he does his paintings with depth of understanding and skills that can only be described as "classic." Schmid makes this romantic / reconciliation Classic look easy. But he is an artist? Absolutely. AND 'the romantic / classical reconciliation that makes it so.
I know many who say no, he's just a glorified clerk. If this can be said of many realists working today, can not be said of Richard Schmid. I'm pretty bored withthose artists who bang away at the paint splatter and random stabs of color, lowering the nose to those who took the time to get under the hood, so to speak, and learn the craft of painting. On the one hand, art is "what you want it to be." But it needs to be much more. Otherwise, why all the fuss? Schmid says, "'looseness' should be the way it appears in a painting, not as it has done." What 's funny how critics accuse them of having artists representativenothing deep or profound to say, what makes a beautiful landscape painting really tell us to be human?
On the other side of the chasm, representationalists abstract or conceptual artists acknowledge a similar lack of depth. If, for example, is the art to drag a piece of wood behind a car and then hung on the wall? We are asked to accept that it is not the piece of wood, but the experience it represents. But is it art? Sure, why not?
In short, great art has to create its ownuniverse, one in which the artist has fully invested himself / herself. This is where art lives or dies. The shock of that instant gratification of appearance combined with an understanding of the underlying structure and meaning is almost zen experience when it comes to creation and enjoyment of art seriously. It 'also great for riding and maintaining motorcycles.
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