Scale

This week I thought I would post a little about scale. Scale, or the size that an artist decides to work with, is one of the first choices he/she will make when beginning a work.

Of course the image above is just for fun, because we are clearly not talking about that kind of scale.

In a recent discussion with a friend, my acquaintance mentioned one of my works and described it as large. The dimensions of the piece in question is 30" X 22". This is by no means small, but compared to my other works it is significantly smaller. I didn't say anything, but in the back of my mind I was thinking "Hmm...that's actually a smaller image." This got me thinking about my works, the sizes they are, and why I generally paint in large scales.

To answer these questions I think it's important to understand the way I work. For the most part I paint in watercolor. I like the freedom and ease of the medium, but I also like the nature of using water to paint. I like the drippy, sloppy, runny quality of the brush and paint. Frequently I will intentionally hang my paper on the wall as I work in order to get the drips of water to flow more fluidly. This effect is enhanced in larger scales. I have done this with smaller works, but often the paint just blends together. With a smaller scale the resulting image still contains the free flow of water, but lacks individual droplets.

This explains a little of why I like to paint on large surfaces. I think there are other factors, but I don't want this post to be overly long. I will therefore stop with what I have said. What do you think? What scales do you work in? What are the scales of some of your favorite works of art? Do you think they would still be effective if they were created smaller or larger?

Art News: Theft and Death

I have been in the process of moving. This has meant that there was not a lot of time to think about the blog. So, for this posting I'm going to direct you to two recent news items involving the art world.

On Tuesday July 5, 2011 a Picasso drawing was stolen from a gallery in San Francisco. The full story can be read here. I'm not sure what can be done about art theft. It seems to be an ongoing problem. One of my favorite paintings (The Scream) was stolen a few years ago, and was eventually recovered. This is often the end result. I'm not sure why people would want to steal these items, as there is virtually no re-sale option, and it also robs the public of an opportunity to see art, but it does seem to be an ongoing issue.

This week also saw the death of artist Cy Twombly. I was not a fan of his work, and I often used it my "Is it Art?" game when teaching. However, his contribution to the art world has been recognized, and it is sad to see another artist go. The full story can be read here.

I welcome your comments, which could be used for future blog entries. So feel free to discuss these items, or even previous posts. I'll see you next time.

"Who Shot Rock and Roll" Opens at Birmingham Museum of Art

The photography exhibition "Who Shot Rock and Roll" opened at the Birmingham Museum of Art this weekend. This show features rare, behind-the-scenes, and unique photographs of the history of rock and roll from the 1950's through the present. This show originated at the Brooklyn Museum in New York. It traveled to Birmingham from Columbia, SC. It will continue to travel through 2012. More information can be read here, here, and the BMA show here.

The show is excellent. I don't like to admit it, but I can be an art snob. Photography is one medium that I can not really get into, and I'm not one to seek out celebrities (especially rock/pop stars). But this show trumps all of that. There is something for everyone. It really is an amazing exhibition. Reviews far better than I could report are found here, and here.

This was my first experience working at a museum with the development of a major exhibition. There is a lot of work that goes in to producing these shows. It is not limited on one curator, or one department. The entire museum staff undertakes duties relating to the exhibition. It is truly a team effort, and I think the staff at the Birmingham Museum of Art came together to present an exhibition far beyond what was required. The show is as much about presentation as content, and the Birmingham Museum of Art adds to the entire experience.

Art Basel

Image courtesy of Flikr swissestetix


One of the worlds largest international art fairs took place this week in Switzerland. Art Basel, as it is called, brings together artists, galleries, collectors and dealers for one show that highlights contemporary art from around the world. More specific information can be read here.

An article in the Huffington Post stated that sales for this year have been very good. It stated that these profits could be an indication that the art world is in an economic boom. A link to the full article can be read here.

As I was reading these articles I reflected on something that crosses my mind periodically. Why is art traded at such high prices? With the dollar amounts discussed in these articles, the art could be treated as an investment opportunity, rather than as a means of cultural expression.

When I taught art appreciation and art history, I used to tell my students that the monetary value of art was arrived at based on the one-of-a-kind uniqueness of each piece. I also explained that the name of an artist added a brand to the work, and often added to the price. While I think these statements are true, I believe they only answer part of the question.

That said, I'm not entirely certain what should be added to the answer. Part of me thinks that art is traded at high prices because people are willing to pay high prices. I do not like this line of thought however, because it would seem to add to the elitist attitudes so often associated with the art world.

Art is a form of communication meant to be expressed and interpreted by all. I have written about the barriers of the official "art world" before, and the thought that some art is worth obscene amounts of money adds to these divisions. These divisions distract viewers from the message communicated by the artist and reinforce works produced simply for the sake of making a profit.

Art Fair at Aldridge Gardens

I attended a local art fair in Aldridge Botanical Gardens this weekend. It was very hot, but it was worth the visit. I have written about local art fairs before (click here), and I still think the prestige level of these types of exhibitions is probably not the best. However, there is a lot of amazing work that gets shown at these affairs, and many of the artists represented could outshine "established" artists.

As I was walking around, I was struck by the variety and creativity of the artists present. There was an artist that was selling stained glass, but she was not using the traditional stained glass methods. She had fastened glass to the surface of old windows, and then cemented the colored glass particles in place with grout. It looked amazing! Very innovative as well.

I ended up purchasing a small print from an Alabama Artist. His name was Maurice Cook. His paintings were fabulous! More can be read about him here and here. The print is pictured below.

I really enjoyed myself, and I got some interesting ideas to try in the future. As I stated in the previous posting about local art fairs, you never know who will show up to these events, and what will be inspired from being present.

Flap about Pope Sculpture

The posting for this week is about a newly created sculpture that depicts former Pope John Paul II. The sculpture is quite modern, with very few features and a simplified form. Apparently it has caused an uproar, and the Vatican has labeled it "ugly." The full story can be read here.

To me this is a case where those who have ordered the art did not give much thought about the art. It is similar to the story of the Tilted Arc. Too often when the art is in the planing phase, those who ordered the art are not really listening to what the artist has proposed. I think this is particularly true for public art.

That said, I could go either way on this sculpture. I do not think it's great, but I also do not feel it is complete garbage. The lack of an identifiable face is not a new concept. When I was in art school, one of my fellow students never painted facial features. He stated that this allowed the viewer to define who the image depicted. Pope John Paul II was very popular, almost a people's pope. As a pope for the people I think it's appropriate to leave the face blank.

Salvador Dali

Now that I have completed my graduate program (see here and here ), and graduated, I can get back to posting here with regularity. Last week was Salvador Dali's birthday (May 11). Salvador Dali was a prominent painter in the surrealist movement. While I was never a huge fan of his art, it is interesting and worth examining. As an undergrad my roommate was huge fan, and had posters of Dali's artwork on the walls.

The notion of creating imagery based on the subconscious is not an easy feat. I have tried to do this a few times and have not been pleased with the results. I most recently tried to do this with my last painting. I found a piece of paper that had been scuffed. In these random markings I could make out elements of Greek architecture, and I decided to take this paper home in order bring out what I was seeing. As I was working other elements began to emerge, including a dancer, and an overgrowth of weeds. The image can be viewed below.

Although I do not like this painting, I am presenting it here in recognition of Dali and the surrealists. What do you think? You can comment on the painting, Dali, Surrealism, or whatever. I'll be posting again next week.