Dynaverse.net
Off Topic => Ten Forward => Topic started by: Jack Morris on February 24, 2006, 07:39:04 pm
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http://news.yahoo.com/photo/060224/ids_photos_en/r3926949721.jpg;_ylt=AjToXLJG7OzBQuj9z_cmDQrK.nQA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3bGk2OHYzBHNlYwN0bXA-
Looks like a painting of a swamp cooler A/C filter to me. ::)
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If you stare at it long enough, the chick in the picture will go home with you.
That's the purpose of art.
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Much of modern art (and music) is b.s.
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As opposed to non-modern art that's nothing but pictures of Jesus.
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Hey know, Ed Harris is a great artist. ;)
Seriously Pollock was a huge Drunk and drug fiend back in his day. If you get the chance to see the movie about him though, It's kinda Interesting.
Stephen
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As opposed to non-modern art that's nothing but pictures of Jesus.
What's wrong with that...
... unless you're a fundie...
... like me.
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[url]http://news.yahoo.com/photo/060224/ids_photos_en/r3926949721.jpg;_ylt=AjToXLJG7OzBQuj9z_cmDQrK.nQA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3bGk2OHYzBHNlYwN0bXA-[/url]
Looks like a painting of a swamp cooler A/C filter to me. ::)
Pffft... uncultured barbarian!
Obviously you must penetrate the layers of the image to find it's true meaning.
It isn't a landscape with easily identifiable subjects and objects, it makes you work to find the true beauty and genius of the artist.
Go back to your shallow, lazy pretty pictures and leave the "hard" stuff to those willing to appreciate it.
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I guess if I took a hit of acid I would be able to see the "true meaning" of his art. :rofl:
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I guess if I took a hit of acid I would be able to see the "true meaning" of his art. :rofl:
Ya, might help.
Was playing devil's advocate with tounge firmly in cheek defending that "art".
Got no doubt it took him a long time... big canvas and a lot of paint... but... umm.. why?
Although it is one of those paintings I'd probably sit in front of for an hour zoned out staring at it... abstract stuff does that to me.
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I guess if I took a hit of acid I would be able to see the "true meaning" of his art. :rofl:
Ya, might help.
Was playing devil's advocate with tounge firmly in cheek defending that "art".
Got no doubt it took him a long time... big canvas and a lot of paint... but... umm.. why?
Although it is one of those paintings I'd probably sit in front of for an hour zoned out staring at it... abstract stuff does that to me.
\
It still annoys me that museums and governments will bay big money for stuff that looks like my kid drew in kindergarten. ;D
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I guess if I took a hit of acid I would be able to see the "true meaning" of his art. :rofl:
Ya, might help.
Was playing devil's advocate with tounge firmly in cheek defending that "art".
Got no doubt it took him a long time... big canvas and a lot of paint... but... umm.. why?
Although it is one of those paintings I'd probably sit in front of for an hour zoned out staring at it... abstract stuff does that to me.
\
It still annoys me that museums and governments will bay big money for stuff that looks like my kid drew in kindergarten. ;D
Heh, back in the 80's the fed canadian government paid 1.8 million for a painting... it was a canvas divided into 3 equal verticle lines, two red with a blue in the middle... hmm, gimme a tape measure, some tape and I'm pretty sure I could replicate it... wonder how much the forgery would be worth.
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You know, the painting reminds me of something, way way long ago, in a town far far ....erm about 90 miles north of me, I had my 9th grade Prom. I had a Tux shirt that looked alot like that , but with alot more color.
Stephen
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Modern art sucks anyways. Robert Maplethorpe may you rot in hell..
20th century art sucks. 21 century art will be WORSE!
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Looks like a road map of Monmouth County.
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if i remeber correctly 60 minutes did a story where they had group of children paint and the found some lesser know works of famous artists, Pollock was one of them, and had group of so-called and self-described art experts see if they could tell the difference.
it was an experts fiasco. 90% of them got none of them right and the other 10% were wrong 90% of the time. one young lady art expert saved face, in my opinion when told of her mistakes, said these kids have great potential.
my limited intelligence was amused for days...
i was educated by my father and mother that "true" art's purpose is not to gain fame or fortune for the artist, it isn't for shock or awe. It is to inspire others to "attempt" reaching newer and BETTER heights for humanity. I shudder to think what a crucifix in a bottle of urine or a portrait of the virgin Mary done in elephant, dog and human feces would inspire someone to do.
also why is it the christian religion that this is done to??? what would muslims do if someone made toilet paper with the Qu'oran written on it?? We already know what they would do over a cartoon portraying Muhammed with a bomb for a turban.
16 dead in Afghanistan, 180 dead in Myanmar.
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If it is something I can reproduce by slinging paint at a canvas, then it is not art. Calling it art demeans real art. It really is a shame that stuff like that ends up in a gallery. I can go to my local library and see 200 works done by local unknown artists that have 1,000,000 times more talent than that painting. There is no expression of anything exhibited here.
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Gazing the horizon, around his feet, or into the heavens, man is surrounded by the beauty and majesty of creation. The re-creation of this beauty on canvas is art. The rendering above is from someone looking inward and seeing the condition of his soul.
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Gazing the horizon, around his feet, or into the heavens, man is surrounded by the beauty and majesty of creation. The re-creation of this beauty on canvas is art. The rendering above is from someone looking inward and seeing the condition of his soul.
Fedman, You Rock.
Stephen
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To me art is a form of communication. Anything which cannot be understood without an explanation from the creator is not art. (Which is why I always failed poetry classes).
The art may say "look at this magnificence animal/view" or 'here is what I saw". It may say "laugh", "smile" or "cry". It can even say "here is a pleasant pattern to look at". But art always communicates.
That so called painting says nothing to me. If it was hung upside down or sideways would anyone even be able to tell? Even the artist?
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Check our modeling forums, boys. Ship_Rods, among others there, are artists! They don't have to be Trek ships, or any ship; these guys just know how to use a computer to turn out beautiful things.
Modern art, modern music?... Emperor's new clothes, mostly underwear.
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Mapplethorpe, wasn't he the dude that took weird pics, like with one dude with a long bullwhip coming out of his arse like a tail?
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All these years I have been throwing away my furnace filters and now I find out I could have gotten rich selling them as art. :smackhead:
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The worst part is that our tax money is paying to support a large portion of this..... 'art'.
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Ah yes, "Giant hairball", by Spot.
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Re: They call this crap art?
« Reply #21 on: Today at 03:24:44 AM »
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All these years I have been throwing away my furnace filters and now I find out I could have gotten rich selling them as art.
******************************************************************************************************
:rofl:
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Most forget that some of the most brilliant minds walk the thin line between genius and insanity, some stumble back and forth between the two realms- places most of us 'average' folks only dream of visiting.
I don't particularly like that painting, but I think Neiman and Picasso are masters. Maybe this guy is, maybe he isn't- but art is subjective.
Thats the real beauty.
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Plus one and so true Malak, I highly suggest you people rent "Proof" with Gywneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins, new release on DVD, and shows exactly what Malak is talking about.
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Oooops, I meant to say SIR Anthony Hopkins, a title well deserved, IMHO.
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Damn! That means my wonderfull art piece "Bloody tampons on canvas" isn't art?!?!
It took me all month to make it! Well, most of that time was spent waiting..
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I have a standing opinion, if I can do it, ITS NOT ART.
Art is a skill. modern art is skillkess junk.
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thgis is my favorite artist!!! how dare you make such a judgement. he invented the abstract-expressionist movement in the us. he became famous in the 50's and influenced deKoening, picasso (to some extent) and a host of other painter in the day. abstract was dying and needed new life. he gave it that life. you say " this is art?" well, i feel the same way about realism. take a picture!. if you don't like it, don't look at it. to judge it like you did is very ethnocentric!
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I can't wait to see "Bloody tampons on canvas". Pics please!
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:rofl:
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WoW such opinions on great things (above art not included)
For you that have bad opinions of todays Art.
Picture 1 (http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/4291/worldly4ie.th.jpg)
Picture 2 (http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/4681/femalestudy27yh.th.jpg)
Picture 3 (http://img429.imageshack.us/img429/1792/untitled65fl.th.jpg)
thats just 1 person.
but you history people should know
DaVinci= first person to design Airplanes/Helicopters
and the First to Diagram the Human body inside and out. (apparnetly he was the village doctor and carved up the dead to diagram the body.)
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thgis is my favorite artist!!! how dare you make such a judgement. he invented the abstract-expressionist movement in the us. he became famous in the 50's and influenced deKoening, picasso (to some extent) and a host of other painter in the day. abstract was dying and needed new life. he gave it that life. you say " this is art?" well, i feel the same way about realism. take a picture!. if you don't like it, don't look at it. to judge it like you did is very ethnocentric!
What the heck??!!
I make judgements on it because that's what you are supposed to do with art. It's put out there to be looked at and judged.
This piece I judge to be crap. It looks like it was made by a funnel cake machine that went awry. How does that make me ethnocentric? I haven't a clue what the ethnicity of the artist [sic] is.
-S'Cipio
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thgis is my favorite artist!!! how dare you make such a judgement. he invented the abstract-expressionist movement in the us. he became famous in the 50's and influenced deKoening, picasso (to some extent) and a host of other painter in the day. abstract was dying and needed new life. he gave it that life. you say " this is art?" well, i feel the same way about realism. take a picture!. if you don't like it, don't look at it. to judge it like you did is very ethnocentric!
That is fine and dandy, my only point is, if you like that stuff, you support it. Don't force us all to support it thru government taxes.
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Right on Bear! ;D
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That is fine and dandy, my only point is, if you like that stuff, you support it. Don't force us all to support it thru government taxes.
That goes double for PBS.
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As soon as there is no more tax dollars going for sport's, I'll back the removal of tax dollars for art.
Stephen
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That is fine and dandy, my only point is, if you like that stuff, you support it. Don't force us all to support it thru government taxes.
If you do not have cable or satellite PBS provides a nice alternative to the dreck that is most of commercial television. The amount of money that PBS receives is minuscule compared to what is flushed down the toilet that is called Social Services.
That goes double for PBS.
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If PBS has what the public wants they should have no problem supporting themselves.
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Jackson Pollock was a pioneer of abstract expressionism. You don't like his work, don't look at it. But just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's "crap".
What's amazing is that alot of people that call abstract, "crap" are often the same kind of people that hang a Frank Frazetta poster and call it "art".
Pollock was an incredibly creative person and broke new ground. I like his work. His influence on abstract art is undeniable. Not all of his work is the paint drip/mixed material variety. Most well-known abstract artists began their career in realism and are extremely skilled renderers. Artwork's purpose is to invoke emotion and feelings and be a mechanism of expression of the artist and I'd say after reading a few responses on this thread he succeeded admirably. You want to advance society "forward" and "inspire"? Try engineering or propaganda or become a self-help circuit speaker. Personally, I think most "message" art is vain, pretentious and vacuous.
I've drawn and painted and done photography all my life. I'm a professional graphic designer, painter and photographer. When I was younger I used to think abstract was crap. That is until I actually was forced to try abstract by a wise painting teacher in art school. It was there I learned the finer aspects of color, form, contrast and scale. Abstract art is far harder to execute successfully than people imagine.
I'm often reminded about the group of house painters that claimed they could "do" a Picasso because they "painted". Think abstract's easy? Let's see some that you've done. If anyone here thinks that they could "do" a painting that would be equal to Pollock, put it up. Try doing a search of Pollocks work and take a look at other forms of abstract expressionism before you condemn the man's work as crap. I bet almost everyone could find something they like in abstract expressionism given an open mind and a willingness to overcome their prejudices.
I actually wonder how many here actually knew about this very famous and influencial artist before they heard of him on this thread.
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If PBS has what the public wants they should have no problem supporting themselves.
PBS has what commercial broadcasting (and for the most part cable) lacks- ART
Think back a few years... who had Monty Python, Dr. Who, Red Dwarf, The Young Ones ???
ONLY PBS
I'll gladly support them (I already do) but if the Govt. want's to put part of my taxes toward public television I'm all for it. Exposing the uncivilised masses to culture is a worthy enterprise IMHO. Anything has got to be better than the crap they play on the radio, broadcast on TV, and push on cable subscribers.
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Okay, I'll give you a nod, Stump.
Your impassioned defense of abstract art does ring true. However, there are too many artists who have not truly mastered these nuances and tonalities in the interplay among color, texture, form, etc.
Further, there are those, whether they have or not mastered to any degree these finer skills of fine art, presume then to issue sociopolitical messages, resulting in something sort of like a Sharon Stone press conference, that is to say, something rambling, incoherent, puerile, and often offensive, across a broad spectrum of people.
Don't like Frank Frazetta? What wrong with high school geek pin ups? What, you think we put up Einstein posters? That's for wannabes.
Given that you are immersed in the world of art with a definite opinion on things, what do you think of Alphonse Mucha?
Jackson Pollock was a pioneer of abstract expressionism. You don't like his work, don't look at it. But just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's "crap".
What's amazing is that alot of people that call abstract, "crap" are often the same kind of people that hang a Frank Frazetta poster and call it "art".
Pollock was an incredibly creative person and broke new ground. I like his work. His influence on abstract art is undeniable. Not all of his work is the paint drip/mixed material variety. Most well-known abstract artists began their career in realism and are extremely skilled renderers. Artwork's purpose is to invoke emotion and feelings and be a mechanism of expression of the artist and I'd say after reading a few responses on this thread he succeeded admirably. You want to advance society "forward" and "inspire"? Try engineering or propaganda or become a self-help circuit speaker. Personally, I think most "message" art is vain, pretentious and vacuous.
I've drawn and painted and done photography all my life. I'm a professional graphic designer, painter and photographer. When I was younger I used to think abstract was crap. That is until I actually was forced to try abstract by a wise painting teacher in art school. It was there I learned the finer aspects of color, form, contrast and scale. Abstract art is far harder to execute successfully than people imagine.
I'm often reminded about the group of house painters that claimed they could "do" a Picasso because they "painted". Think abstract's easy? Let's see some that you've done. If anyone here thinks that they could "do" a painting that would be equal to Pollock, put it up. Try doing a search of Pollocks work and take a look at other forms of abstract expressionism before you condemn the man's work as crap. I bet almost everyone could find something they like in abstract expressionism given an open mind and a willingness to overcome their prejudices.
I actually wonder how many here actually knew about this very famous and influencial artist before they heard of him on this thread.
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Okay, I'll give you a nod, Stump.
Your impassioned defense of abstract art does ring true. However, there are too many artists who have not truly mastered these nuances and tonalities in the interplay among color, texture, form, etc.
Further, there are those, whether they have or not mastered to any degree these finer skills of fine art, presume then to issue sociopolitical messages, resulting in something sort of like a Sharon Stone press conference, that is to say, something rambling, incoherent, puerile, and often offensive, across a broad spectrum of people.
Don't like Frank Frazetta? What wrong with high school geek pin ups? What, you think we put up Einstein posters? That's for wannabes.
Given that you are immersed in the world of art with a definite opinion on things, what do you think of Alphonse Mucha?
Gee thanks for the "nod" :D
I like Mucha's work. His work highly influenced illustrative fantasy art, but his original work had a huge influence on illustrative art in general. His talent is obvious. His work helped define the genre of Art Nouveau which is primarily illustrative in nature.
I guess what I'm trying to say is art is wide ranging and diverse. I appreciate all art, but I also appreciate art that pushes the limit and boundries of what's regarded art. Contemporaries hated Picasso, Monet, Mozart, Van Gogh. There is such a thing as crap art, but Pollock? We used to joke in art school that we drank too much and pulled a Pollock but it was a joke. This guy pushed some serious bounds. He's perhaps not my favorite abstract artist but as an artist that has piddled in abstract, I'd hardly call him crap. I'd hang one of those in my living room without a moments thought.
Frazetta is a book illustrator. He's a fine illustrator. Fine art? I'd say no.
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Pollock and Picasso don't give modern art a bad name, it is the hacks who have little artistic talent and hide in the genre, smugly, who make it such an irritable art form.
They are like rock singers who can't carry a tune, so they just crank the amps higher and scream.
I also loathe "protest" art. If you don't like something, get a sign and march. Don't throw piss on a crucifix, because that isn't art, it's just a juvenile fit gesture.
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I call it.... "Fed On A Stick".
Regards,
Fed the artiest
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Gee thanks for the "nod" :D
I like Mucha's work. His work highly influenced illustrative fantasy art, but his original work had a huge influence on illustrative art in general. His talent is obvious. His work helped define the genre of Art Nouveau which is primarily illustrative in nature.
I guess what I'm trying to say is art is wide ranging and diverse. I appreciate all art, but I also appreciate art that pushes the limit and boundries of what's regarded art. Contemporaries hated Picasso, Monet, Mozart, Van Gogh. There is such a thing as crap art, but Pollock? We used to joke in art school that we drank too much and pulled a Pollock but it was a joke. This guy pushed some serious bounds. He's perhaps not my favorite abstract artist but as an artist that has piddled in abstract, I'd hardly call him crap. I'd hang one of those in my living room without a moments thought.
Frazetta is a book illustrator. He's a fine illustrator. Fine art? I'd say no.
Okay, then Mucha shouldn't really be considered fine art either (I don't), even if I really love his style. In fact, I'd say that as illustrators, Mucha is way, way ahead of Frazetta... oh, and I was really kidding about Frazetta; I always thought his stuff was "okay", but not all that impressive (I mean check out the rather incorrect anatomies of his axe and mace wielding slabs of beef; even DC and Marvel superhero pencillers was more proportional.)
And in the end, only what endures is called classic(al); yeah, this is a truism, but it must first be true!
People are sooo fickle that I suppose a lot of people, across different spans of time, must appreciate it in order for it to be considered "good art". Let's see how Neal Adams/Dick Giordano or even Jack Kirby hold up after a couple of centuries.
*EDIT*
Where are my manners? Stump, +1 for good, well thought out posts. Artists who play SFC! Cool!
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I call it.... "Fed On A Stick".
Regards,
Fed the artiest
That you think a digital scribble that does not contain a single aspect of art or design is representative of "art" shows how little you understand it.
This is an excellent example of someone trying to demonstrate how Pollock is "crap" while showing exactly why it isn't "crap". Pollocks work shows a deep understanding of materials, color theory, contrast, scale and perspective. His work invokes feeling and serves as an expression of the artist.
You think it's "easy". It is not.
What's funny is I actually think that would be an interesting piece were it constructed in neon. It would take a great deal of work and talent to execute and would be nice as a large piece in an 8 to 10 foot range. At that point it would be "art". Right now it's a digital doodle.
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I call it.... "Fed On A Stick".
Regards,
Fed the artiest
Well.... I like it.
;)
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I call it.... "Fed On A Stick".
Regards,
Fed the artiest
Well.... I like it.
;)
With that title I have to like it. But I wouldn't call it art. ;)
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I call it.... "Fed On A Stick".
Regards,
Fed the artiest
Well.... I like it.
;)
A man with a keen eye........
We avant-garde trail blazers are so misunderstood and unappreciated......... ;)
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What's the Klingonese abbreviation for Robert? Ka-bob.. ;D
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I was an artist in HS. I even took art all 4 years (along with ceramics and 4 years of wood working) but had to give it up because Mom wanted me to get a job or go on to higher edjumakasion. *Sigh* So I got a job as a picture framer then got married then had kids. Time for drawing? pifft! Ahh well sometimes I still get bitten by that bug and HAVE to sit down and doodle.
IMHO Pollack just doesn't do it for me. Now Monet, he's a Master! Most of his works give me a sense of calm and quite a few of his works give a feel of movement. Like if you blinked the picture would be the same yet shifted and when you moved it moved too. I love that.
BTW, ALOHA everyone! Ta DA! I'm back at least for a little bit . . . ;D
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If I were near Philly, I'd really want to catch this exhibit.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - In a series of self-portraits he painted to document the progressive ravaging of his brain by Alzheimer's disease, William Utermohlen disappears before our eyes - and his own.
The works shortly after his diagnosis convey terror and isolation. Those feelings later give way to defiance and anger. Then shame, confusion and anguish. Then, in the shadowy final pair of portraits, little more than afterimages of a creative and talented spirit whose identity appears to have vanished.
The Philadelphia native, whose richly detailed figurative paintings have been shown and sold at galleries in New York and throughout Europe, undertook a series of self-portraits at the onset of his diagnosis. More than a dozen of the portraits are on display through April 30 at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, to commemorate Utermohlen's life and the centenary of Dr. Alois Alzheimer's 1906 discovery of the disease.
"It's so important that these be seen," said Dr. Rhonda L. Soricelli, chair of the college's division of medicine and the arts. "It's important for families, for physicians, and for the public, because of the huge amount of fear in our society about Alzheimer's disease."
Utermohlen, 73, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1995. From then until 2000, when he lost his lifelong ability to paint and draw, he rendered himself in oils and pencil and his doctors studied how and when certain abilities were lost.
The huge oil on canvas "Blue Skies" (1994-95) shows the artist sitting at a table, gripping the edge as if to avoid being sucked out of a gaping skylight above his head.
In "Self Portrait I" (1996), Utermohlen stares himself down with both anger and fear, painted in riotous yellow and orange, his chin jutting forward but his eyes trying to hide their panic. A pencil rendering from that year shows his loss of spacial awareness as he tries to draw a human figure for his doctors but can't figure out the proper placement of the arms and legs.
As the months and years progress, the paintings take on a primitive style, though Utermohlen told his doctors that it was not his intention to do so.
In his last attempt with a paintbrush, in what has been titled "Erased Self Portrait" (1999-2000), Utermohlen tried over and over again to recreate his likeness. The small canvas shows the rudimentary shape of a head, and blurs of paint where the features should be.
"It's really a metaphor for what's going on in his brain," Soricelli said. "It's just heartbreaking to look at."
Alzheimer's disease eventually robbed Utermohlen of his ability to communicate and he now lives in a London nursing home. But his desire to chronicle his illness in visual terms has proven valuable to researchers, said Dr. Anjan Chatterjee of the University of Pennsylvania, who studies the effects of brain damage on visual artists' output.
Instead of simplistic left-brain vs. right-brain ideas about where creativity exists, "when people produce art they're really using very different parts of their brain and the different components work together in final product," he said.
In a 2001 study in British medical journal The Lancet, researchers said Utermohlen knew that his renderings were spatially inaccurate but he did not know how to fix them. They were heartened that Alzheimer's did not dampen Utermohlen's desire to create - despite destroying his lifelong artistic skills.
"It tells us something about the creative process ... how people in compromised circumstances can continue to produce art even when other conduits are blocked," Chatterjee said.
Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Utermohlen trained at the city's Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. His schooling was interrupted by two years in the Army and he graduated from PAFA in 1957. He went to Europe on the GI bill that year before enrolling at the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford, England.
Except for a brief teaching stint in the 1970s at Amherst College, Utermohlen has lived in London since 1962 - the year he married his wife, art historian Patricia Utermohlen. His work has not been shown in his hometown since his school days, when his friends knew him as Willie.
"He developed to such a degree, he just grew and he just got better and better," said Daniel Miller, chair of graduate programs at PAFA who trained alongside Utermohlen. "The tragedy of having that removed from you is so horrendous."
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Now this is art! ;D
27. Chilean Schoolgirls
Ifilms. ;D
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If I were near Philly, I'd really want to catch this exhibit.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - In a series of self-portraits he painted to document the progressive ravaging of his brain by Alzheimer's disease, William Utermohlen disappears before our eyes - and his own.
The works shortly after his diagnosis convey terror and isolation. Those feelings later give way to defiance and anger. Then shame, confusion and anguish. Then, in the shadowy final pair of portraits, little more than afterimages of a creative and talented spirit whose identity appears to have vanished.
The Philadelphia native, whose richly detailed figurative paintings have been shown and sold at galleries in New York and throughout Europe, undertook a series of self-portraits at the onset of his diagnosis. More than a dozen of the portraits are on display through April 30 at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, to commemorate Utermohlen's life and the centenary of Dr. Alois Alzheimer's 1906 discovery of the disease.
"It's so important that these be seen," said Dr. Rhonda L. Soricelli, chair of the college's division of medicine and the arts. "It's important for families, for physicians, and for the public, because of the huge amount of fear in our society about Alzheimer's disease."
Utermohlen, 73, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1995. From then until 2000, when he lost his lifelong ability to paint and draw, he rendered himself in oils and pencil and his doctors studied how and when certain abilities were lost.
The huge oil on canvas "Blue Skies" (1994-95) shows the artist sitting at a table, gripping the edge as if to avoid being sucked out of a gaping skylight above his head.
In "Self Portrait I" (1996), Utermohlen stares himself down with both anger and fear, painted in riotous yellow and orange, his chin jutting forward but his eyes trying to hide their panic. A pencil rendering from that year shows his loss of spacial awareness as he tries to draw a human figure for his doctors but can't figure out the proper placement of the arms and legs.
As the months and years progress, the paintings take on a primitive style, though Utermohlen told his doctors that it was not his intention to do so.
In his last attempt with a paintbrush, in what has been titled "Erased Self Portrait" (1999-2000), Utermohlen tried over and over again to recreate his likeness. The small canvas shows the rudimentary shape of a head, and blurs of paint where the features should be.
"It's really a metaphor for what's going on in his brain," Soricelli said. "It's just heartbreaking to look at."
Alzheimer's disease eventually robbed Utermohlen of his ability to communicate and he now lives in a London nursing home. But his desire to chronicle his illness in visual terms has proven valuable to researchers, said Dr. Anjan Chatterjee of the University of Pennsylvania, who studies the effects of brain damage on visual artists' output.
Instead of simplistic left-brain vs. right-brain ideas about where creativity exists, "when people produce art they're really using very different parts of their brain and the different components work together in final product," he said.
In a 2001 study in British medical journal The Lancet, researchers said Utermohlen knew that his renderings were spatially inaccurate but he did not know how to fix them. They were heartened that Alzheimer's did not dampen Utermohlen's desire to create - despite destroying his lifelong artistic skills.
"It tells us something about the creative process ... how people in compromised circumstances can continue to produce art even when other conduits are blocked," Chatterjee said.
Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Utermohlen trained at the city's Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. His schooling was interrupted by two years in the Army and he graduated from PAFA in 1957. He went to Europe on the GI bill that year before enrolling at the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford, England.
Except for a brief teaching stint in the 1970s at Amherst College, Utermohlen has lived in London since 1962 - the year he married his wife, art historian Patricia Utermohlen. His work has not been shown in his hometown since his school days, when his friends knew him as Willie.
"He developed to such a degree, he just grew and he just got better and better," said Daniel Miller, chair of graduate programs at PAFA who trained alongside Utermohlen. "The tragedy of having that removed from you is so horrendous."
Oh wow! Do they have a virtual museum? I really would love to see this. My grandfather went away like that and there is a chance that one day I too will say the long good bye. How horrifying to be trapped like that KNOWING that you can't do what you once could with ease! How sad and how brave.
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I was an artist in HS. I even took art all 4 years (along with ceramics and 4 years of wood working) but had to give it up because Mom wanted me to get a job or go on to higher edjumakasion. *Sigh* So I got a job as a picture framer then got married then had kids. Time for drawing? pifft! Ahh well sometimes I still get bitten by that bug and HAVE to sit down and doodle.
IMHO Pollack just doesn't do it for me. Now Monet, he's a Master! Most of his works give me a sense of calm and quite a few of his works give a feel of movement. Like if you blinked the picture would be the same yet shifted and when you moved it moved too. I love that.
BTW, ALOHA everyone! Ta DA! I'm back at least for a little bit . . . ;D
When I was a kid, 8-10 yars old, I had an Aunt who got me hooked on Ceramics. Fast forward about 15 years. Denise and I had just maried, We where living in AZ , and had our first litter of Puppies. She had bought me one thing I always wanted, A ceramic Chess set.
The pups grew.
They Grew some more.
We went to the store.
When we got back, there was Shredded paper all over the place, and they had consumed over 60% of the pieces, and 3/4 of the board by the time we got back.
Ironicly, My wife is wanting to get started again with Ceramics, and the last remaining pup ; Gruntie Gentle, had a few pups about 4 weeks ago.
Stephen
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OK.
Now some genuine art for this thread.
The artist?
Momma Fed.
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Sorry, Ralph Nagel rules!
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I was an artist in HS. I even took art all 4 years (along with ceramics and 4 years of wood working) but had to give it up because Mom wanted me to get a job or go on to higher edjumakasion. *Sigh* So I got a job as a picture framer then got married then had kids. Time for drawing? pifft! Ahh well sometimes I still get bitten by that bug and HAVE to sit down and doodle.
IMHO Pollack just doesn't do it for me. Now Monet, he's a Master! Most of his works give me a sense of calm and quite a few of his works give a feel of movement. Like if you blinked the picture would be the same yet shifted and when you moved it moved too. I love that.
BTW, ALOHA everyone! Ta DA! I'm back at least for a little bit . . . ;D
When I was a kid, 8-10 yars old, I had an Aunt who got me hooked on Ceramics. Fast forward about 15 years. Denise and I had just maried, We where living in AZ , and had our first litter of Puppies. She had bought me one thing I always wanted, A ceramic Chess set.
The pups grew.
They Grew some more.
We went to the store.
When we got back, there was Shredded paper all over the place, and they had consumed over 60% of the pieces, and 3/4 of the board by the time we got back.
Ironicly, My wife is wanting to get started again with Ceramics, and the last remaining pup ; Gruntie Gentle, had a few pups about 4 weeks ago.
Stephen
*Snicker* Soooooo do you have a sinking feeling of De Ja Vu?
I spelled that wrong didn't I?
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Impressive. Commercial? Sure can be!
OK.
Now some genuine art for this thread.
The artist?
Momma Fed.
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Impressive. Commercial? Sure can be!
OK.
Now some genuine art for this thread.
The artist?
Momma Fed.
A God given talent that descended from my maternal grandfather's side.
Though I can't find any.
Turns out it's still there. My nephew has some of it.
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Nurture it! Such precious gifts shouldn't lay fallow!
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Nurture it! Such precious gifts shouldn't lay fallow!
Are we talking about bewbies again?
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Not me, sir.
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i coulda swore i put up some Art, that was actually art..
Maybe i should Post the art with the bewbies!