This is an orchid:
This is not an orchid:
I dislike this portrayal of orchids because it makes them look like 1) flowers cut off from their stems, unattached and removed from their biological functions and 2) formless blobs instead of pristine geometric structures
The way I see it, art can have only two purposes: adding aesthetic value to the world, or saying something. Art is a very inefficient medium for sending messages, language is far better. It takes a rare person to manage to say something with art that couldn't be better framed better with words. Even Picasso's Guernica would probably be better as an essay (although less influential, probably.) Because of this, artists should maximize for aesthetics. Brian Clarke fails at this. His art is ugly and uninteresting.
The way I see it, art can have only two purposes: adding aesthetic value to the world, or saying something. Art is a very inefficient medium for sending messages, language is far better. It takes a rare person to manage to say something with art that couldn't be better framed better with words. Even Picasso's Guernica would probably be better as an essay (although less influential, probably.) Because of this, artists should maximize for aesthetics. Brian Clarke fails at this. His art is ugly and uninteresting.
This painting (bottom) looks like something one might find in a hotel room or restaurant. Why should we classify it as high art? It's name is "Site Plan."
The one above it (top, formatting is problematic on this laptop) is titled "Is this a Dream?" Well, I certainly hope so.
The middle one is a "Self Portrait." Sorry, Brian Clarke, but your face is boring AF
LOL! benji you are so funny I loved reading this blog it made my day, you did a good job picking the images and your opinions are hilarious.
ReplyDeletethis is funny benji i like how you showed a picture of a real orchid and compared them. and I like how you called the last piece hotel art because it totally is hotel art
ReplyDeletethis is funny benji i like how you showed a picture of a real orchid and compared them. and I like how you called the last piece hotel art because it totally is hotel art
ReplyDeleteBenji, I love how funny you made this post, it really made it a fun read. I also agree with you about those looking like things you might see in a restaurant or hotel, because I swear I've seen stuff that looks exactly like those in places like those. The textures just feel dingy in that way. Although I don't think I agree with your opinions on how an essay might be better to capture a certain idea than art (it may well be, but I don't think an essay and an abstract piece of art can really be very comparable), although I really appreciate how you make it absolutely clear that the things you wrote aren't necessarily fact and that they are in fact opinions. Speaking of opinions, I agree with you that this art isn't particularly interesting or fun to look at, but you made it rather fun to read about, so maybe you are on to something with that thing about the essays after all, lol.
ReplyDeleteI love how you wrote this post with so much bluntness and honesty. I could very clearly see your opinions, and imagine you saying everything. But even if I didn't know you, the opinions are clear and valid. You talked about how the artist painted the orchids like they were unattached at the stem, not just stating that you disliked them.
ReplyDeleteP.S. ""Is this a Dream?" Well, I certainly hope so. The middle one is a "Self Portrait." Sorry, Brian Clarke, but your face is boring AF"" made me laugh out loud.