I got to thinking today, (which always leads to trouble of some kind), about the fine arts. You know, the highly perfected & theoretically sound works that are destined for greatness. The reality is that very few people can make a living doing truly unique and imaginative work – most art has to be “commercial”, which is deemed to be of lesser merit and worth than the ‘fine art’ produced by purists.
Another aspect of mainstream art that is clearly obvious is the continued absence of people of colour, people with a disability, and women. I can’t help but think that NFTs are the next iteration of exclusion, and of the Dutch Tulip Bubble.
What do you think? Art is always about eliciting a reaction! Please share your reaction in a comment.
Art through the ages
In antiquity it is said that
Polygnotus depicted men as nobler than they are,
stretching the truth stroke by stroke
on canvas.
And Pauson drew them as they stood,
revealing the flaws and scars
needed to understand us.
But each found their way to
the wine and fruits
of a slave picked harvest.
In modernity we have seen
Warhol a recreational liar
convince us the mundane could be rare.
And Pollock, maligned genius
or someone who just didn't care?
Each found their way to
white gallery walls
and covers of Vanity Fair.
All the colours spilled
onto board and smeared into shapes
to convey hidden messages, truth
Don't speak to me
in a language that
most people think that they do.
For I cannot connect with
the ancient or modern
and all they exclude.
Angele Toomey Poetry 