Abstract Art - why talk about it if you don't get it.

[i-need-a-martini]

I volunteer at a regional gallery and get to meet some wonderful, weird and wacky people.

But the ones that get up my goat are the ones who say "That looks like something a 5 year old would do." and expect me to agree with them.

And whilst we have a lot of community exhibitions that are amateurish enough (so perhaps the comment may be fair enough), the comment is usually reserved for iconic artists in major travelling exhibitions who are extremely well known.

Does anyone here like abstract art? And if you really hate it, why?

[***super_nova***]

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@cosmosgrove wrote:

This thread has reminded me of a moment I experienced about 15 years ago. My sons kindy was learning about recycle, reduce & reuse, the teacher had asked for us to bring thing that had been reinvented/reworked in someway. I bought in this and sat it on the table with all the other things laid out. While looking at the other things one of the grandfathers sidled up to me pointed to my mask and commented 'that's not art, it's just rubbish'.

It took me aback at first as anyone who makes/paints/creates stuff knows there's a little bit of yourself in everything you make. But then I just laughed, told him I made it and it was just a bit of fun to do. I think he was a bit lost for words, but I also think he missed the whole premise behind the piece. It was whimsy, it was during a time I was making things out of wire, beads and found objects, it was made in response to a request from a friend for a small exhibition and was to complement other items. It was fun to make, it has made people smile and to this day I'm still quite fond of it.

I'm sure many of you will think that it's just rubbish as well and that's fine, afterall I like Duchamp's bicycle wheel, I like the composition, simplicity and tactile response to it.  And you know what, over one hundred years after creating that piece, here we are still discussing it. I can only dream that something I create or paint will still be getting discussed/debated over in that time!

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Love it 🙂

[i-need-a-martini]

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@youcandoityoucandoityoucandoit wrote:

Just curious, is that comment split 50/ 50 between men and women?

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No. Now that you mention it, it is 100% men. Women do iffer opinion or make critical comment but it is usually men who make the dismissive "5 year old" comment.

I'm not sure what that means. I'll have to think about that.

[youcandoityoucandoityoucandoit]

Its curious, isnt it?

Look forward to your thoughts..I will have a ponder too...

[lloydslights]

I found another example of that comment only this morning.

http://boingboing.net/2015/05/15/exquisite-rothko-masterpiece-s.html

Artist Mark Rothko's 1954 painting Untitled, (Yellow and Blue) was sold to a lucky bidder last night for only $46.5 million. According to Sotheby's catalog copy, "few 20th-century masters have inspired greater awe and reverence in their followers than" Rothko.

One of the comments following the report of the 8foot high artpiece :

Art can speak to you on many levels. But your average person will have a greater appreciation for art in general if they know the WHY behind it. Other wise all you get is "my 5 year old can paint like that".

DEB

[i-need-a-martini]

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@youcandoityoucandoityoucandoit wrote:

Its curious, isnt it?

Look forward to your thoughts..I will have a ponder too...

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Dare I say it but perhaps it is sexism thing?

It's usually women guiding through the exhibition. All the curators for this show are women. Most of the people in the tour are women.

Maybe this is just their way of hiding the embarrassment they feel at women being more knowledgeable than them??

I dunno...

[i-need-a-martini]

Or are women more open to new ideas and concepts?

Perhaps women think more before they speak?

I dunno...

[cosmosgrove]

Haha, I mentioned to a work colleague yesterday that two ot the things I miss about living in the city are the cinema and visiting art galleries. My work mate told me that she has never been in a gallery in her life and when she sees the 'art' that shows like The Block use she usually thinks 'a child could paint that'.

I told her about this thread and 'that's why I don't go to galleries' was her response. I'll now make it an aim to invite her to an exhibition one day, I don't think she knows what she is missing out on.

[youcandoityoucandoityoucandoit]

Mmm, interesting..

Maybe for males its also something to do with wanting to appear knowledgeable, but mocking is the knee jerk and first reaction.

And for women, perhaps they are willing to be absorbed by a work of art, to discover what their particular response is, and perhaps they are more willing to experience a work of art again and again before passing judgement?

I understand what you are saying re more guides, more curators and more visitors are women, but more- maybe even most, of the art that is being exhibited and talked about (even here) is produced by men.

And the majority of the biggest art collectors in the world- ie, the ones spending all those millions- are men..

Charles Saatchi

Eli Broad

Leon Black

Stephen Cohen

Donald Rubell

Glenn Fuhrman

Apparently it was 62% in 2014...

Makes you think.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

maybe it's because women are more gullible? 

[i-need-a-martini]

Or that men are more stupid?