Good one… You got me… ahhg… in the heart… ahhhh… dying. Let me see if I can reason out this logic. Because I think abstract art is easier to do than realism, it means that I am criticizing myself considering my profile is abstract in nature. Think about that one for a second…Lets say my profile is “abstract”. So are you saying because more work is involved in realism, the effort to type my real name and such is more of a challenge, meaning that I should not have an alias because typing those words is easier? What I am criticizing is the effort involved in abstract art… connecting it to your argument, it takes just as much effort to type my real info as opposed to made up crap. So basically… you lose.
Why do you think Abstract Art is not popular here?
Shaidar
#82
I don’t see why any art genre/style needs to be seen as an enemy, whether it be abstract, conceptual or realism. Art is fundamentally about expression and all art genres can happily co-exist together. No need for abstract to destroy realism, or for conceptual to destroy everything. Everyone is an individual, from the artist to the viewer. Some artists are drawn to conceptual art, as are some viewers. Whilst some artists and viewers prefer realism. I don’t see the point in labeling other forms of artistic expression as wrong and of lesser value.
helicopterr
#83
As illustrated by my outrageous commment, I was not really being serious when I say conceptual art is the enemy, just that what the dude of dissing was not abstract art but conceptual art. The fact that I term conceptual art intellectual masturabtion is because all the stuff I have seen coming out of it has never felt genuine, relying rather on adhereing to some theme ( feminism, reference to some movement, gender roles, sexuality). I understand what they are trying to say and understand that they made some cool point (ever read Walter Benjamin and his age of mechanical reproduction and you will know what I mean by that), but I am just not stimulated by that sort of thing.
Shaidar
#84
Yeah, exactly 
I agree. There is a difference between not being stimulated by something and making rash judgements on an entire genre/movement. One can personally and subjectively not be stimulated by something but can still appreciate that it exists and has value to some people.
yogert909
#85
----> Mrpeanut2
You are too concerned about what is easy and what is difficult. as if holding a volkswagon over your head was the best art.
If you reread what I wrote, you might see that I was only pointing out that you are what you are what you are criticizing. :lightbulb
reflectedfight
#89
Abstract art is NOT art. Full stop. Abstract art and its ideals ruin the CRAFT of painting and drawing. Im fed up of seeing scribbles, dods of paint, shitting in jars etc. The sooner that all the shitty tutors and teachers, that have not mastered traditional drawing and painting skills, are kicked out of thier positions of power the better for everybody involved. This abstract and conceptual crap was especially bad in the UK, just have a read of Richard Williams frustrations in the “Animators Survival Kit” of trying to find grads and young students who DIDNT have folios of nude photos and collage.
I tip my hat to all the students and teachers and pros and amatuer artists who have the balls and the guts to stand up and say that they want to draw and paint well - and must go through all the hurdles and trials that it takes to gain a mastery of the crafts of painting and drawing!
GOTgraphic
#92
But not so opened that the brain falls out.
I think thats one concept that needs to be brought up more in all the art schools and colleges, that the possibly that there may indeed be “bad art”.
While “taste” and personal preference are subjective, beauty is not (beauty is only in the eye of the beholder so far as the beholder tolerates defect). Beauty can be measured and quantified, learned, mastered and propagated.
In many instances it does. In others where the artist is actually attempting to create something that may fulfill a degree of beauty I think it may be apt to take advantage of the skilled and talented.
That abstract art requires work is partially due to the fact that it requires the viewer to provide a tremendous amount of input to make sense the viewing process and why its worth beholding and spending one’s time with. Thus the piece takes rather than gives. I think that is the biggest problem that abstract art has and why so many people get upset with it. Most often art is thought of as something that uplifts, beautifies and gives back to people. When the art is not doing those things it will always breed contempt and confusion.
All this talk of abstract art and no mention of George L.K. Morris? American, 1905-1975. He wrote for the Partisan Review (which journal fostered to a degree, communistic views and was continually threatened throughout its history and is now defunct. Its a really great read in the art sense, but be VERY leery of the political and social rants voiced). Morris also founded the American Abstract Artists! The AAA has done some amazing things concerning art, everyone should study their history and accomplishments. I like a lot of Morris’s work. He had some wild ideas, but he and his colleagues had loads of money and therefore did not have to rely on public patronage for support (which enabled them to create and do whatever they wanted). They were instrumental in establishing the “art gallery” to better promote and removed modern and abstract art from the public so as to give it a home.
I think abstract art has a valid place in many societies. At best and as far as it concerns a viewer removed from the creation and the creator, its more about decoration and emotion. At worst its either a creation for art’s-sake, mockery, ridicule and or ignorance. Other than that its something that concerns mostly the creator.
Been avoiding this thread for a while out of fear that the worst was going on (not that its any redemption that I participated). Interesting discussion though! I appreciate the candid and honest replies.
cshanks
#93
everyone has gotten off the point. “Why do you think Abstract Art is not popular here?”. This website, this forum. Its not a general discussion about whether or not abstract art is a legitimate artform. I don’t think anyone would argue that.
Mrpeanut2
#94
So you’re saying abstract art is crap… i see… i see. And it should be obvious to those who are supporting abstract art, do it themselves. They are merely defending themselves, less so the genre.
Hugh-Jass
#95
positions of power? how do you even know that they haven’t mastered traditional skills?
In music you don’t need to be a technical virtuoso to make good music but most people would like to be sometimes but if you aren’t do you just give up?
this reminds me of debating musical genres… but art and music cover such a huge range of everything… and technique is so ridiculously varied… anything is fair game.
While I can understand you are fed up …there is bad art in any style but that doesn’t necessarily invalidate it as art.
pooping in jars sure it’s bad art In my opinion…I personally don’t care for most conceptual art…
I appreciate your opinion but I personally would simply draw a distinction between good art and bad art in any genre or style… and even if it’s considered good or bad and you do or don’t like it, that’s part of our own personal experience … but I wouldn’t go so far as to write off abstract art as not art because you don’t like it… or don’t get anything out of it, because there are people who do get something out of abstract art.
I don’t think it takes any balls or guts to say you want to do anything well- that’s a fairly normal desire/pursuit for anyone… most of my professors were fairly abstract or “modern” in their personal approach to art but they taught the fundamentals that you are calling CRAFT, and they did it well.
I’m startled overall in this entire thread how people are very quick to write off an entire movement…and confuse and meld conceptualism (and just about anything that came after 1950) into it as well ( my most unfavorite conceptual piece “seedbed” ). People reacted this way when the impressionists emerged. It seems to me that many are reacting more to the “modern art scene” and all the snobbery and elitism that is or isn’t percieved to be there…
People don’t seem to be directly addressing the original question in this thread
Mrpeanut2
#96
These threads always end up blocked. No one is going to change anyone else’s opinion. Some people think abstract art is BS(me), and others don’t. Give it a rest and go eat some pancakes. Damn penguins…
ashakarc
#97
Well, unfortunately they get blocked because of dismissive and negative comments like the one you’ve posted earlier. Don’t take me wrong, I respect your difference in opinion, but you have to realize that negative comments always attract negative responses, which results in flaming the discussion with unnecessary jargon.
Let’s keep the discussion away from good and evil and maintain objectivity.
bt3d
#98
This is surely a very difficult topic to discuss, because it becomes very fast a discussion about ‘what is art and what not’. I like it very much to read the different point of views as long as the people explain what’s going on for/in them when viewing (in this case) abstract art. But I agree that the original question is a little bit lost.
ashakarc: thank you for the nice comment. It wasn’t my intent to point to this work in context with this discussion (I simply was to lazy to edit my profil for this thread Anyway, thanks.
Best
Tim
PSR
#99
Wow, things have become somewhat adversarial.
Anyway, I have found some images that will hopefully help keep the discussion interesting and constructive:
PSR
#100
Imagine how someone form the 15th Century would respond to the above images, even the 19th.
What I’m trying to illustrate here, is that abstract art reflects where we are cognitively. In the way we understand nature.
I’m not saying that that is what abstract is all about. But it is, interesting to note. That the scientists who created these images. Have looked to the aesthetic provided by Abstract Art, in their use of false colour and the general presentation of these images.