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| MacDonald-Wright. Conception Synchromy, 1914 |
This review by Jerry Saltz of the "Inventing Abstraction" show at the MOMA is right on. He gives a frolicking run through the developments that led to abstraction in Western art from 1910-1925. His main criticism of the show is that abstraction was not "invented" in 1910:
"Yet even with much to love, there’s something demented, even dangerous about this show... Abstraction wasn’t invented in the West in those years...[It] is there in the caves."
I saw the show this week and was bowled over by so many amazing works of art, but similar to Saltz, I felt that the language framing the show was oversimplified and gave too much credence to White men. I'm sure these artists were exposed to abstract art that was made in other non-Western cultures. For example, Picasso owed a great debt to African masks and basic abstracted human forms in African art in general. The show is definitely worth seeing, but take the history with a grain of Saltz.
Check out this amazing interactive graphic of the artist network:
Inventing Abstraction at MOMA
New words:
demented; synonymous with mad, crazy, insane, lunatic, daft
to take something with a grain of salt; to view something skeptically, to not take something literally
To be honest, this article is really so hard for me to understand it totally. But from these artists works I can realize that abstract art concept need to absorb different element from other artists's work. Good artists need to think more about the culture background, history, color, shape and main idea. It is a good way to criticize other's work and learn from it. Then find another area or space to create it.
ReplyDeleteI think Saltz was very risky is his article because he is touching art history.
ReplyDeleteThe abstraction exhibition at the MOMA let the audience know there is another way to experiment that kind of art. Also the criticism of this art begging could be a little be shocking for some artists.
Even though people believe in the first "theory" of abstraction is important to take a look of the dissertation explained in the article. May be false may be true but is something to think about.
Definitely I want to go and see the show that way I can understand better the critic and learn about abstract art.
You're right! This show and even the interactive graphic on the MOMA's website shows how artists absorb and process each other's ideas. If you see the show, try reading the article again. It might make more sense then!
ReplyDeleteThe article was difficult. Based on my reading, it was the thinking about the beginning of abstract art works. I am interested in part that the comparing the wall papers and abstract works in the beginning parts. Also, analysis of changing art trend is really helpful to me. Breaking the works adjusting the perspective is a kind of revolution in art area in 20th century. Abstract works are not easy to recognize what they mean. There are a lot of attractive elements of works including color, composition, and the way of display.
ReplyDeleteMy background is totally unrelated with fine art, even I am very interesting to learn. Picasso is the only artist I know in abstract panting industry. When I saw his works, I have to read the comment beside the panting. However, after reading the comment, I can feel the glamour of abstraction. Abstraction makes people have more space to imagine. I can feel the mood, the sense , and the expression from artist. It is totally different from realistically.
ReplyDeleteThis article is hard to read and understand. However, I learned a point from this article:If you wanna read through the abstraction, you should use your inner sense. To see, to feel, to absorb...
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