This essay predicted much of what we have seen since. Amazing foresight ! All the manners around artistic work, all the shallow self rewarding, self entitlement that surrounds Fine Art are seen. For serious artists and collectors, the most dangerous aspect of the SoHo- International- Art School contemporary art is well identified : "the artist who is working to bring a stylish shallowness to the heritage of the New York School’s first generation." The legacy of SoHoism is promulgated by faux-artists, social media, promotions, inclusion, and an " I'm OK, you're Ok" acceptability. A trendy stylish shallowness is based on accepting values and works that should be questioned. //
Artists do need to measure themselves against the highest production of the past. The dedications, meanings and intents within our efforts should stand up to the Masterworks of the past, or else we are those clown entertainers for the tourist shows. All of us need to be tougher on ourselves, more demanding of our production.//
To follow on your text about meanings and interpretations, Carter, assessments of values can and should be directed upon the contemporary arts: For example, irony and caustic criticisms of society are of value, social propaganda does have some merits, realism and naturalism often carry these sub-texts and are worthy contributions, historical representations do have memorial values, wonderful compositions and decorations are not wholly worthless, spiritual and inspirational works trigger penetrating interpretations and discussions, Metaphysical works bring contemplation of supreme thought to mind. //
All of us should be compared and evaluated upon past masters. It is invigorating, because our humanity continues, or struggles to continue, within a very different and fast changing world culture. As artists, on guard for the SoHo Effect, we can aspire through our works to bring meaning, perception,and revelation to our unique time. We can create masterworks as our past masters did.
This is fascinating to read for someone who was not there, but arrived later!
This essay predicted much of what we have seen since. Amazing foresight ! All the manners around artistic work, all the shallow self rewarding, self entitlement that surrounds Fine Art are seen. For serious artists and collectors, the most dangerous aspect of the SoHo- International- Art School contemporary art is well identified : "the artist who is working to bring a stylish shallowness to the heritage of the New York School’s first generation." The legacy of SoHoism is promulgated by faux-artists, social media, promotions, inclusion, and an " I'm OK, you're Ok" acceptability. A trendy stylish shallowness is based on accepting values and works that should be questioned. //
Artists do need to measure themselves against the highest production of the past. The dedications, meanings and intents within our efforts should stand up to the Masterworks of the past, or else we are those clown entertainers for the tourist shows. All of us need to be tougher on ourselves, more demanding of our production.//
To follow on your text about meanings and interpretations, Carter, assessments of values can and should be directed upon the contemporary arts: For example, irony and caustic criticisms of society are of value, social propaganda does have some merits, realism and naturalism often carry these sub-texts and are worthy contributions, historical representations do have memorial values, wonderful compositions and decorations are not wholly worthless, spiritual and inspirational works trigger penetrating interpretations and discussions, Metaphysical works bring contemplation of supreme thought to mind. //
All of us should be compared and evaluated upon past masters. It is invigorating, because our humanity continues, or struggles to continue, within a very different and fast changing world culture. As artists, on guard for the SoHo Effect, we can aspire through our works to bring meaning, perception,and revelation to our unique time. We can create masterworks as our past masters did.
Thanks for the reissued essay. !
I shoulda bought real estate!