Martin Rice on thu 11 apr 02
The discussion of postmodernism seems to have moved to a discussion of
things that are beautiful and the place of beauty in art, one of the oldest
discussions ever since humans began making art, which means almost ever
since there were humans on earth.
Fortunately there is never a true, permanent consensus of what is beautiful
and what is not. The oldest, and most disparaged of cliches such as "beauty
is in the eye of the beholder" and "I don't know much about art but I know
what I like," which imply a fearful relativism are, in fact, quite true.
Art is a classic dialectic: what's popular today (the thesis) is confronted
by its negation (the antithesis) and eventually there's a new, temporary
consensus (the synthesis). And this dialectical process continues
infinitely.
Postmodernism, as was modernism, as was realism, as was romanticism, as was
classicism (working backward through time) is "just another movement" that
was once an antithesis and then thesis.
As far as postmodernism is concerned, "this too shall pass." But I believe
that all new movements are to be welcomed because they bespeak change, and
without change...well, I wouldn't want to live in a world without change,
would you?
As far as we, the artists are concerned, we continue to change our styles,
our subjects, and our minds as we move through our creative lives. If we
don't do that, then more often than not all we are are hacks.
So rather than decry the ugliness and meaninglessness of postmodernism,
understand that this is just one more stage in the continual dialectic of
art, and work to make original beauty that corresponds to your own
conception of what beauty is.
Thanks,
Martin
Lagunas de Barú, Costa Rica
www.rice-family.org
Brian Molanphy on fri 12 apr 02
martin wrote, in part:
'...the place of beauty in art, one of the oldest
discussions ever since humans began making art, which means almost ever
since there were humans on earth.'
human beings have been on the earth for millions of years. the oldest known
object which is conceivably (not definitely) a work of art is about 70,000
years old. i think it is a bit of yellow rock with scratches.
brian
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