Comments on: Coming to terms with contemporary art http://blog.hecker.org/2009/07/19/coming-to-terms-with-contemporary-art/ Trying to unite civility and truth in a few long blog posts Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:12:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: hecker http://blog.hecker.org/2009/07/19/coming-to-terms-with-contemporary-art/#comment-890 hecker Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:38:54 +0000 http://blog.hecker.org/?p=834#comment-890 Gerv, my apologies for mischaracterizing your position. For what it's worth you're correct, "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living" is in fact a pretentious title; that may be part of the point. (Though to be honest a lot of artwork titles are pretentious.) However I disagree with you regarding IKB. If we're going to accord art status to monochromatic works (which I think we should, and certainly the art world has accepted them as such), then I think IKB qualifies, especially given its status as the personal expression of Yves Klein. Gerv, my apologies for mischaracterizing your position. For what it’s worth you’re correct, “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” is in fact a pretentious title; that may be part of the point. (Though to be honest a lot of artwork titles are pretentious.)

However I disagree with you regarding IKB. If we’re going to accord art status to monochromatic works (which I think we should, and certainly the art world has accepted them as such), then I think IKB qualifies, especially given its status as the personal expression of Yves Klein.

]]> By: Gerv http://blog.hecker.org/2009/07/19/coming-to-terms-with-contemporary-art/#comment-883 Gerv Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:12:04 +0000 http://blog.hecker.org/?p=834#comment-883 As the colleague in the discussion in question, a clarification or two: I said some contemporary art wasn't art, and that the title of the shark work was very pretentious. I didn't say the shark wasn't art. I remembered the title because I'd been having exactly the same conversation with someone else by email a few days before and had looked it up at the time. Although I admit the title is sticky - but only because of its pretentiousness. And the art is iconic. My example of stuff which wasn't art was the copy of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Klein_Blue" rel="nofollow">International Klein Blue</a> hanging in Tate Modern. Having said all that, I am quite happy to concede your point that art appreciation and criticism is a skill to be acquired. Gerv As the colleague in the discussion in question, a clarification or two: I said some contemporary art wasn’t art, and that the title of the shark work was very pretentious. I didn’t say the shark wasn’t art. I remembered the title because I’d been having exactly the same conversation with someone else by email a few days before and had looked it up at the time. Although I admit the title is sticky – but only because of its pretentiousness. And the art is iconic.

My example of stuff which wasn’t art was the copy of International Klein Blue hanging in Tate Modern.

Having said all that, I am quite happy to concede your point that art appreciation and criticism is a skill to be acquired.

Gerv

]]> By: The Juicer http://blog.hecker.org/2009/07/19/coming-to-terms-with-contemporary-art/#comment-882 The Juicer Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:49:05 +0000 http://blog.hecker.org/?p=834#comment-882 Nice post Frank, very lucid. I love Art, in all forms. To me expression in any form is beautiful. And I guess, I am biased in that sense. But yes, at times I do feel challenged when viewing and apprising contemporary works of art. I would love to read more from you on this topic, you have touched upon it in a very relatable manner (oh that's not a word!:D). I will be checking out 'But is it Art?' right away! Nice post Frank, very lucid.

I love Art, in all forms. To me expression in any form is beautiful. And I guess, I am biased in that sense. But yes, at times I do feel challenged when viewing and apprising contemporary works of art. I would love to read more from you on this topic, you have touched upon it in a very relatable manner (oh that’s not a word!:D).

I will be checking out ‘But is it Art?’ right away!

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