Read on Twitter
ERASING BEAUTY
Some of the earliest artworks of record are focused on the beauty of humanity.
Consider this self portrait from 30,000 years ago: The Venus of Willendorf. Carefully crafted and somehow made it to the modern age. It's amazing.
Some of the earliest artworks of record are focused on the beauty of humanity.
Consider this self portrait from 30,000 years ago: The Venus of Willendorf. Carefully crafted and somehow made it to the modern age. It's amazing.
SIDEBAR: I say self portrait because the distorted appearance of the figure is less likely the result of a sophisticated 2nd observer taking artistic license and more likely someone looking at their own body.
The photo here shows what I mean:
The photo here shows what I mean:
Then there are wonderful cave paintings like this one.
It's a beautiful testament to the humanity of the creators. What's more human than to say "I was here."
Tens of thousands of years later we stand witness to the lives of our forefathers.
It's a beautiful testament to the humanity of the creators. What's more human than to say "I was here."
Tens of thousands of years later we stand witness to the lives of our forefathers.
And this: Was it created by a shaman who understood the power of sympathetic magic & symbols to ensnare its representation? Was this done before the hunt to cause a good outcome, or done afterwards as a testament to their skill? Maybe it was a teaching tool.
Skill is there.
Skill is there.
Scroll back up and really take a look at that image.
It's rather sophisticated. The sizes of the animals, relative to each other, seems to be on the right track, if not accurate.
The bodies of the animals overlap. <<If I asked you to make a drawing YOU won't do this.
It's rather sophisticated. The sizes of the animals, relative to each other, seems to be on the right track, if not accurate.
The bodies of the animals overlap. <<If I asked you to make a drawing YOU won't do this.
Why is overlap important?
It's one of the main ways we use to understand physical space. "THIS overlaps THAT. THAT must be behind THIS."
The thing that's hidden must be farther away than the thing hiding it. (It's used extensively in Japanese wood block prints from the 1700's.)
It's one of the main ways we use to understand physical space. "THIS overlaps THAT. THAT must be behind THIS."
The thing that's hidden must be farther away than the thing hiding it. (It's used extensively in Japanese wood block prints from the 1700's.)
The main way that you, the viewer, understand the environment that the figures occupy is mainly through the intricate interplay of overlapping with the silk; the main visual element that flows through the image.
But I'm getting ahead of us.
But I'm getting ahead of us.
Let's look at the Egyptians.
Creators of the pyramids, and early proponents of many ideas that would later be picked up by religions across the world. (We'll get back to that.)
Main thing to notice in this one? The use of size to indicate importance.
Bigger = More Important
Creators of the pyramids, and early proponents of many ideas that would later be picked up by religions across the world. (We'll get back to that.)
Main thing to notice in this one? The use of size to indicate importance.
Bigger = More Important
If you had clever uncles growing up like I did, they might have taught you this lesson.
They showed me a nickel & a dime explaining that both were money and told me I could choose one to keep.
I picked the nickel! Big = more! My brother got the dime, and I got the lesson.
They showed me a nickel & a dime explaining that both were money and told me I could choose one to keep.
I picked the nickel! Big = more! My brother got the dime, and I got the lesson.
We seem to be hardwired to associate size with importance and prestige.
TallCEOsSmilingAndShakingHands.jpg
TallCEOsSmilingAndShakingHands.jpg
Now we move through time to the early 1,000's. One of my favorite periods because you get stuff like this.
Sure, it's absolutely riddled with religious context. (Just like the Egyptians.)
Like the Egyptians we have size = importance motif with a twist. The tiny baby.
Sure, it's absolutely riddled with religious context. (Just like the Egyptians.)
Like the Egyptians we have size = importance motif with a twist. The tiny baby.
That tiny baby is the single most important figure in the painting. In the religion.
In the world!
But let's get back to the work. It's tempura paint. The painting is made with egg yolk!
And this is where we take a detour through sushi country.
In the world!
But let's get back to the work. It's tempura paint. The painting is made with egg yolk!
And this is where we take a detour through sushi country.
Tempura Shrimp
Battered and fried which appeals to my Southern culinary sensibilities.
The shrimp is dipped in egg, rolled in bread crumbs & dropped in hot oil. Heaven!
The egg acts as a "binder" that helps the breading stick to the shrimp. Without it, the breading slides off.
Battered and fried which appeals to my Southern culinary sensibilities.
The shrimp is dipped in egg, rolled in bread crumbs & dropped in hot oil. Heaven!
The egg acts as a "binder" that helps the breading stick to the shrimp. Without it, the breading slides off.
Wait, I misspelled the paint. tempEra is the painting. tempUra is the food.
But they're both egg is what I'm getting at.
The artist would take the dry powder of the pigment and mix it in with egg yolk to create the paint.
Didn't think about that, huh? Making paint by hand?
But they're both egg is what I'm getting at.
The artist would take the dry powder of the pigment and mix it in with egg yolk to create the paint.
Didn't think about that, huh? Making paint by hand?
Paint starts as a dry pigment. This is the essence of its color. Maybe it's crushed sea shells or ground up mineral.
Might even be a heavy metal like cadmium (don't lick your paint brushes, kids!).
Then the pigment is added to the binder, the stuff that holds it together.
Might even be a heavy metal like cadmium (don't lick your paint brushes, kids!).
Then the pigment is added to the binder, the stuff that holds it together.
Turns out that the egg proteins are a fantastic binder!
If you've ever taken too long to rinse out your protein shake and it's impossible to clean? Same deal with these paintings.
In the case of the artist, they *want* that effect. That's how the paintings have lasted so long!
If you've ever taken too long to rinse out your protein shake and it's impossible to clean? Same deal with these paintings.
In the case of the artist, they *want* that effect. That's how the paintings have lasted so long!
Here we can start to peek into the science of art, and why artists through all of history had to be dialed into the physical act of creation from start to finish.
And now we hit the 1500's in all its glory with this crazy ol' coot. Leonardo da Vinci.
And now we hit the 1500's in all its glory with this crazy ol' coot. Leonardo da Vinci.
Part sketcher, part sculptor, part military defense contractor, part dreamer, and 100% left handed.
Look at his hatching and his penwork; you'll see it if you know what you're looking for.
Back to the idea.
Da Vinci was a man of Science(tm).
Look at his hatching and his penwork; you'll see it if you know what you're looking for.
Back to the idea.
Da Vinci was a man of Science(tm).
Now, about 100 years before da Vinci there was a remarkable advancement made in the world of image-making.
Perspective.
This is such a huge shift that you have a difficult time appreciating because you live in a world steeped in it.
But when it was new? WHOA.
Perspective.
This is such a huge shift that you have a difficult time appreciating because you live in a world steeped in it.
But when it was new? WHOA.
This is a painting by da Vinci that looks like it's real space. That is perspective.
They had unlocked the mathematical nature of space itself and could obey a couple simple rules to create remarkably lifelike environments.
Combine this with overlap and voila! SPACE.
They had unlocked the mathematical nature of space itself and could obey a couple simple rules to create remarkably lifelike environments.
Combine this with overlap and voila! SPACE.
And anything worth doing is worth doing well.
You want accurate space? How about I paint *so* accurately, it will fool your eye into believing it's real?
Like this trompe l'oeil work by Nicolas de Largillière titled "Two Bunches of Grapes," in 1677.
You want accurate space? How about I paint *so* accurately, it will fool your eye into believing it's real?
Like this trompe l'oeil work by Nicolas de Largillière titled "Two Bunches of Grapes," in 1677.
SKIPPING OVER ROCOCO, BECAUSE UGH.
Flash forward to this thing. What the hell happened?
Munch's "The Scream."
What is he screaming about? What's going on? Is this reality or a dream?
No clue.
Doesn't matter that the work no longer celebrates the best of what can be reality; it can be a nightmare now, too.
Munch's "The Scream."
What is he screaming about? What's going on? Is this reality or a dream?
No clue.
Doesn't matter that the work no longer celebrates the best of what can be reality; it can be a nightmare now, too.
(Yes, I'm aware of Hieronymus Bosch's "Hell" from the 1490's but I'm telling a story here, so please don't interrupt again.)
After Munch you get another painter on the scene.
Extra credit: Who is the painter I'm contrasting Picasso against?
Extra credit: Who is the painter I'm contrasting Picasso against?
Trick question! They're both Picasso.
Give yourself a pat on the back if you got that right.
Give yourself a pat on the back if you got that right.
And here's Duchamp's "Nude Descending A Staircase."
It's slices of time rendered in the same compositional frame. He's pointing to the multidimensional nature of reality that's ultimately beyond our scope of understanding.
Reality is a confusing mess!
It's slices of time rendered in the same compositional frame. He's pointing to the multidimensional nature of reality that's ultimately beyond our scope of understanding.
Reality is a confusing mess!
And you think 1) reality is confusing, and 2) Munch has something to scream about? 3) You ain't seen nothing yet.
Obligatory Dali because, well, look.
Obligatory Dali because, well, look.
It's around this time that artists shift from using their skills to champion the beauty of the human form, the power of reality, and appearance in order to go the opposite direction.
Just how far can we take this from "real" and still call it art?
Just how far can we take this from "real" and still call it art?
Pretty far if this sonnovabitch Rothko has anything to say about it.
Field paintings, they're called. You gotta get right up close and let the whole work fill your field of vision.
Now you're seeing that the idea of "it's all a joke" is creeping in.
Field paintings, they're called. You gotta get right up close and let the whole work fill your field of vision.
Now you're seeing that the idea of "it's all a joke" is creeping in.
And if you think it's all a joke, look no further than Duchamp's 1917 joke on the art world that nobody realized was a joke.
He submitted a urinal to an art contest. . . and it was accepted.
Art officially jumped the shark, man.
He submitted a urinal to an art contest. . . and it was accepted.
Art officially jumped the shark, man.
Untethered, art became a self-referential meta-critique on society and the effects of commoditization. Beauty is something we take, copy, and mass produce now, don't you know?
Today, if you're talking "Art" (said in my best nasally mockery of sophistication), you'll likely be asked:
"What's the concept?"
We don't care too much about the execution, or the work itself. What's the idea? What's the moralistic critique of the zeitgeist here?
"What's the concept?"
We don't care too much about the execution, or the work itself. What's the idea? What's the moralistic critique of the zeitgeist here?
Beauty is so passe. So 18th century.
Get with the program, man! It's all irony, meta-narratives, and contextual relativism!
We want our art to be ugly! Uglier the better! Can I pee on it? MARVELOUS.
Get with the program, man! It's all irony, meta-narratives, and contextual relativism!
We want our art to be ugly! Uglier the better! Can I pee on it? MARVELOUS.
This is the heart of modern art.
The destruction & dismantling of human achievement, celebration of beauty, and creating something worth while.
Now, if you're an artist, you're taken seriously the more you destroy.
Self immolation is so hot right now.
The destruction & dismantling of human achievement, celebration of beauty, and creating something worth while.
Now, if you're an artist, you're taken seriously the more you destroy.
Self immolation is so hot right now.
But I hold out hope for the creators of today & tomorrow.
As always, artists have been part craftsman, part technologist, and part imagineer.
Nowadays we have folks like @josiebellini and @coin_artist creating crypto work, and stuff you can find on @makersplaceco. It's *cool*
As always, artists have been part craftsman, part technologist, and part imagineer.
Nowadays we have folks like @josiebellini and @coin_artist creating crypto work, and stuff you can find on @makersplaceco. It's *cool*
And if you want to see what I find beautiful, you can check out some of my portraits that I've done on an iPad and tokenize with @makersplaceco on exhibit in my own #VR art gallery that I created in @cryptovoxels
https://www.cryptovoxels.com/play?coords=N@416W,41S
https://www.cryptovoxels.com/play?coords=N@416W,41S
And if you've gotten this far, good on ya! If you enjoyed it, maybe your feed would be a little more beautiful if you RT the first post in the thread so others can hear the message:
Beauty is a virtue.
# # # END TRANSMISSION # # #
Beauty is a virtue.
# # # END TRANSMISSION # # #
And for your RTing pleasure: https://twitter.com/the_pritchard/status/1288094013904617472?s=20
