12 ms·

Some artists are disappearing from society to let their work speak for itself

40 points by prismatic 7y ago

jmkd 7y ago
Based on the title I cynically prepared to dissect this article for adhering to one of three common fallacies about interpretation: 1. All artwork speaks for itself 2. A work of art has only one meaning 3. The artist determines the meaning of the art. But it does a reasonable job of avoiding these traps. The quote about artist David Hammons sums it up nicely "he is simply too private to talk about where his work comes from, that doing so would feel like a bodily violation.' Like many artists before and since he is indirectly saying that he doesn't know why or how his work is created, or what it really means, because if he did he would be a critic or curator, not an artist. He is putting artwork into the world, not anything else.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- Melting_Harps 7y ago
  Isn't Banksy the epitome of this type of artist? His work is highly sought out because he is as elusive as a public artist can be, giving him an allure and a sense of mystique. Whereas his predecessors were often starving artists, who often fall victim to alcohol/drug abuse, whose work is seldom appreciated until they die. Lest they 'made it' and were ordained by Church or State, that is. I'd say beyond just artistic freedom, it also seems to give them a monetary incentive to operate this way. I don't know enough about the Art World to comment on the works themselves, but given the amount of talent seen on just deviant art since its inception, I hope most follow this model and we can see more artists get recognized for their work. This does remind me of a series I saw that was quite moving on the BBC that I wish they'd reboot on modern artists, its called the Power of Art: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QwQ2kUQDnY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QwQ2kUQDnY Sidenote: That's my favorite episode (Jacques-Louis David) of the series, and its worth the entire watch: but @41:14 onward it shows what Art and Artists is often reduced to when control rests in the hands of the aforementioned 'dignitaries.'
  - lowdose 7y ago
    Banksy took Warhol to a new level, who did the same with Picasso before.
  - op03 7y ago
    I have no clue what is interesting about Banksy and know people who buy his crap who have no idea either. It's become a social status thing. If disappearing and being elusive is the criterion I pick Bill Waterson.
    - nicoburns 7y ago
      If they're buying Banksy's work, then they've missed the point. It's supposed to be public and seditious. Whether you think it deserves the level of fame it has is a matter of opinion, but there's definitely something to be said for putting witty political messages in prominent public spaces.
    - lioeters 7y ago
      I enjoyed reading about his withdrawal from public/celebrity life. His actions and works speak for themselves, and I imagine his choice to be "elusive" says a lot about his experience in the industry, how society treats its artists and artworks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watterson#After_Calvin_and_Hobbes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watterson#After_Calvin_an...
    - coldtea 7y ago
      >I have no clue what is interesting about Banksy and know people who buy his crap who have no idea either. For one, it's distinctive and iconic. Second, in 2020, it still has an element of social commentary, whereas most "modern art" is abstract BS. Third, it's not academic wordy social commentary (like some other art aspires to), but something plain folks can appreciate. So, lots to like.
      - itronitron 7y ago
        "every time I think I've painted something slightly original, I find out that Blek le Rat has done it as well, only twenty years earlier." >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blek_le_Rat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blek_le_Rat
- amelius 7y ago
  > All artwork speaks for itself Well, sometimes. At other times it is just a snack. https://globalnews.ca/news/6269261/banana-art-taped-to-wall-eaten/ https://globalnews.ca/news/6269261/banana-art-taped-to-wall-...
lftherios 7y ago
satoshi
- bitxbitxbitcoin 7y ago
  Code can definitely be art - complete with imitations and people taking advantage of the disappearance to claim authorship.
rq1 7y ago
I don’t and definitely never understand “modern art“. Am I blind? Is there something wrong with me?
- growlist 7y ago
  God forbid any artist get recognition for painting beautiful pictures that are popular with the general public. Where would that end!? Joking aside it's the same with architecture. Horrific demoralising modernist/post-modern abortions that are forced on the general public against their wishes, who, when they are asked, say they prefer traditional architecture. Speculate away as to why this hideous crap is forced on us by metropolitan trendies.
  - lqet 7y ago
    You might be interested in the Dom-Römer-Project in Frankfurt [0], where they re-build a major part of the old town center, using reconstructions or houses build in a "traditional" style. There was an extremely ugly and unfair discussion between the advocates of the project and modernist architects, which basically ended in the modernists accusing the former of facism and populism - which is completely absurd. This is the building they demolished for the project: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Technisches-Rathaus-Frankfurt_2007_LWS0780.jpg/1920px-Technisches-Rathaus-Frankfurt_2007_LWS0780.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Te... It is still lauded by some as a masterpiece, which either means that I have zero architectural understanding, or that they are using different metrics to measure architectural quality. The Dom-Römer-Project was and is a huge success. For me, the lesson is that if you want to avoid architectural controversies outside the world of renowned architects (meaning if you want to general population to like a building), build traditional. It's as simple as that. Another thing I really like about the Dom-Römer-Project was the enthusiasm of the people who build it. It makes a huge difference if you are a carpenter and you are just inserting pre-made doors into a modern building, or if you have to actually build a classic timber frame [1], which you might only heard of during your apprenticeship. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom-R%C3%B6mer_Project https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom-R%C3%B6mer_Project [1] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Haus-Zur-Goldenen-Waage-2018-Ffm-830-833.jpg/800px-Haus-Zur-Goldenen-Waage-2018-Ffm-830-833.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Ha...
helsinkiandrew 7y ago
If only every artist, actor, musician, tv personality, would/could do this.
- stronglikedan 7y ago
  I'd be happy if they just stuck to their art. So much of it is ruined once they open their mouths.

40 points by prismatic 7y ago

jmkd 7y ago

Based on the title I cynically prepared to dissect this article for adhering to one of three common fallacies about interpretation: 1. All artwork speaks for itself 2. A work of art has only one meaning 3. The artist determines the meaning of the art. But it does a reasonable job of avoiding these traps. The quote about artist David Hammons sums it up nicely "he is simply too private to talk about where his work comes from, that doing so would feel like a bodily violation.' Like many artists before and since he is indirectly saying that he doesn't know why or how his work is created, or what it really means, because if he did he would be a critic or curator, not an artist. He is putting artwork into the world, not anything else.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
Melting_Harps 7y ago
Isn't Banksy the epitome of this type of artist? His work is highly sought out because he is as elusive as a public artist can be, giving him an allure and a sense of mystique. Whereas his predecessors were often starving artists, who often fall victim to alcohol/drug abuse, whose work is seldom appreciated until they die. Lest they 'made it' and were ordained by Church or State, that is. I'd say beyond just artistic freedom, it also seems to give them a monetary incentive to operate this way. I don't know enough about the Art World to comment on the works themselves, but given the amount of talent seen on just deviant art since its inception, I hope most follow this model and we can see more artists get recognized for their work. This does remind me of a series I saw that was quite moving on the BBC that I wish they'd reboot on modern artists, its called the Power of Art: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QwQ2kUQDnY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QwQ2kUQDnY Sidenote: That's my favorite episode (Jacques-Louis David) of the series, and its worth the entire watch: but @41:14 onward it shows what Art and Artists is often reduced to when control rests in the hands of the aforementioned 'dignitaries.'
- lowdose 7y ago
  Banksy took Warhol to a new level, who did the same with Picasso before.
- op03 7y ago
  I have no clue what is interesting about Banksy and know people who buy his crap who have no idea either. It's become a social status thing. If disappearing and being elusive is the criterion I pick Bill Waterson.
  - nicoburns 7y ago
    If they're buying Banksy's work, then they've missed the point. It's supposed to be public and seditious. Whether you think it deserves the level of fame it has is a matter of opinion, but there's definitely something to be said for putting witty political messages in prominent public spaces.
  - lioeters 7y ago
    I enjoyed reading about his withdrawal from public/celebrity life. His actions and works speak for themselves, and I imagine his choice to be "elusive" says a lot about his experience in the industry, how society treats its artists and artworks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watterson#After_Calvin_and_Hobbes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watterson#After_Calvin_an...
  - coldtea 7y ago
    >I have no clue what is interesting about Banksy and know people who buy his crap who have no idea either. For one, it's distinctive and iconic. Second, in 2020, it still has an element of social commentary, whereas most "modern art" is abstract BS. Third, it's not academic wordy social commentary (like some other art aspires to), but something plain folks can appreciate. So, lots to like.
    - itronitron 7y ago
      "every time I think I've painted something slightly original, I find out that Blek le Rat has done it as well, only twenty years earlier." >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blek_le_Rat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blek_le_Rat
amelius 7y ago
> All artwork speaks for itself Well, sometimes. At other times it is just a snack. https://globalnews.ca/news/6269261/banana-art-taped-to-wall-eaten/ https://globalnews.ca/news/6269261/banana-art-taped-to-wall-...

lftherios 7y ago

satoshi

bitxbitxbitcoin 7y ago
Code can definitely be art - complete with imitations and people taking advantage of the disappearance to claim authorship.

rq1 7y ago

I don’t and definitely never understand “modern art“. Am I blind? Is there something wrong with me?

growlist 7y ago
God forbid any artist get recognition for painting beautiful pictures that are popular with the general public. Where would that end!? Joking aside it's the same with architecture. Horrific demoralising modernist/post-modern abortions that are forced on the general public against their wishes, who, when they are asked, say they prefer traditional architecture. Speculate away as to why this hideous crap is forced on us by metropolitan trendies.
- lqet 7y ago
  You might be interested in the Dom-Römer-Project in Frankfurt [0], where they re-build a major part of the old town center, using reconstructions or houses build in a "traditional" style. There was an extremely ugly and unfair discussion between the advocates of the project and modernist architects, which basically ended in the modernists accusing the former of facism and populism - which is completely absurd. This is the building they demolished for the project: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Technisches-Rathaus-Frankfurt_2007_LWS0780.jpg/1920px-Technisches-Rathaus-Frankfurt_2007_LWS0780.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Te... It is still lauded by some as a masterpiece, which either means that I have zero architectural understanding, or that they are using different metrics to measure architectural quality. The Dom-Römer-Project was and is a huge success. For me, the lesson is that if you want to avoid architectural controversies outside the world of renowned architects (meaning if you want to general population to like a building), build traditional. It's as simple as that. Another thing I really like about the Dom-Römer-Project was the enthusiasm of the people who build it. It makes a huge difference if you are a carpenter and you are just inserting pre-made doors into a modern building, or if you have to actually build a classic timber frame [1], which you might only heard of during your apprenticeship. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom-R%C3%B6mer_Project https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom-R%C3%B6mer_Project [1] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Haus-Zur-Goldenen-Waage-2018-Ffm-830-833.jpg/800px-Haus-Zur-Goldenen-Waage-2018-Ffm-830-833.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Ha...

helsinkiandrew 7y ago

If only every artist, actor, musician, tv personality, would/could do this.

stronglikedan 7y ago
I'd be happy if they just stuck to their art. So much of it is ruined once they open their mouths.