On Art

And so...

The conversation started with a discussion of a documentary film. It features some ex-trucker lady relating the purchase story of a supposedly Jackson Pollok piece of art. The woman is a vigorous smoker with an 8th grade education, who loves gambling and knows nothing of art. She got the painting unknowingly for $5 at a thrift store and is now, having learned of its value is declining offers of as much as $20 million.

Now we have critics analyzing it: "I'm looking for the cracks in the, in the paint, and the way the paint is applied. That is, layering of one color on top of another. Makes me uncomfortable. This stuff, it just doesn't, this doesn’t look like a Pollock. Doesn't feel like a Pollock, doesn't sing like a Pollock, doesn't fail like a Pollock" – Ben Heller

While others argue otherwise. Setting the possible value of the piece as high as $100 million.

I find this revolting.

Yes, I consider myself and art lover. I enjoy the modern and the abstract, though appreciate the classical form, technique and craft. but I find is grose that $20 million is not enough for her. I find it even more concerning that someone is willing to pay that much or more for something, that is no more than paint and canvas though it may be a creation of a recognized artist.

Yes I love art and consider it valuable. One can argue that it gives a people their identity and is a source of pride. Heritage, history, landmark. Sometimes even a period in time. A definition and expression of a country’s dynamic and soul perhaps.

What comes to mind when you think of Moscow? Probably the golden onion top churches. London? – The Big Ben. Egypt and the pyramids. Great.

But at the same time could you argue that we often go too far with this fascination with art? Especially considering the larger more important problems at hand. And why do we never think of what it may have cost to create it?

St. Basil’s Cathedral, the very one in Moscow was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible and built between 1555 and 1561. Legend has it that on completion of the church the Tsar ordered the architect, Postnik Yakovlev, to be blinded to prevent him from ever creating anything to rival its beauty again. That is just one person, think of how many may have died during construction. How many were enslaved at the time.
What about the Great Pyramids that we all so marvel at the sight of. Though we are always uncertain about those times, there were most likely quite a few slaves involved in the construction of the temples.

Naturally there are many examples such as there tough out history. What impeccable amount of time, calculation, resources, labor spent on structures. That are…art? Heritage? Identity?

At the same time you have unrest in the lands, people starving or dying of sickness. But now they have an identity. It is so easy to fuel the herding instincts. We always need to be part of a group to be united and to have an enemy, since nothing unites us more than an enemy and the struggle against him.

You have an identity and a people. Then you have a patriot. One who loves and defends his or her own country. An enemy was always easy to find. If they don’t attack first, point your finger. Go!

Ok, I realize this is wrong to say. But really then what about the Palm Islands in Dubai, costing billions of dollars, do they make Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum a great artist? Or is it just a business project to attract tourists?

Anyway, all I am trying to say is that we have strange value systems. And it seems that our perceived abilities and freedoms such as the purchasing one often constrict our perceptions and lives more so than they should. But where that “healthy balance” is I have no idea.

I mean look at me, I just invested $70 in a bunch of short film collections when I could have spent it satisfying the basic needs of myself or others…

This all means nothing, I guess that’s what blogs are best for.