Recent art that you liked

I think it depends on how it impacts the viewer and if the skill/craft supersedes the impact of the art. If it does, it almost becomes unnecessary, or maybe "unnecessary" is the wrong word, but it can take away from that impact of being moved by the art. It is then just more impressive than the impact or message. But beauty is always in the eye of the viewer, and that line between craft and art (if there needs to be one) is in them (the viewer). This is of course separate than the judgement on what is "good." Being moved by a work of art has nothing to do with that, but in my book, that is what makes a successful work of art.
 
"So does the same question apply to this?"
What John said - plus there was no photography around at the time - so no one said "it looks like a photograph". And for many/most/all of those chosen as subjects it was based not so much on being beautiful but being wealthy, or being a prototypical servant/peasant, or being related to the painter.

The problem imo with painting things of established beauty is the same as painting something maudlin or sentimental - the viewer's reaction is pre-packaged and the only thing novel left to observe is "looks like a photograph".

It is a movie where in the opening scene the villain runs over a baby's head with a garbage truck followed by 90 minutes of revenge porn.
It may be satisfying to watch, beautifully made but we leave the theater a little dirtier than when we came in, with the sense of having been manipulated, played to our base instincts - and $15. less in the pocket.
 
All good points ^.

Craft in the service of art is better than craft alone. A perfect photorealist landscape is boring compared to any of the impressionists.

Art is not merely about duplicating beauty. Beirstadt did not merely copy. He accentuated and dramatized.

And yeah, that simile is a little rough. But the point is valid. :)

Van Gogh's irises are more beautiful - and more importantly, better art - then any photorealistic painting of irises.
 
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The whole "mere copying" versus "expression" debate is really just one more iteration of the "what is the real purpose of art?" debate. It is not a question that interests me much. Art can and has been used for many things, and I am perfectly happy to let people decide for themselves what they do or don't like.

Saw these two by a local artist on a gallery's Facebook page:

Ronel Lourens - Year of the Rat I Oil on canvas 40 x 30 cm.jpg

Ronel Lourens - Year of the Rat I Oil on canvas 40 x 30 cm

Ronel Lourens - Year of the Rat II Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 cm.jpg

Ronel Lourens - Year of the Rat II Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 cm


I have no idea whether it is "real art" or "mere illustration," but I like it. :)
 
I'm not sure why I like this right now. I guess it cheers me up.

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Pregnant woman with cell phone.

Paritosh Sen (Bengali: পরিতোষ সেন) (October 18, 1918 – October 22, 2008) was a leading Indian artist. He was born in Dhaka (then known as Dacca), the present-day capital of Bangladesh. He was a founder member of the Calcutta Group, an art movement established in 1942 that did much to introduce modernism into Indian art.

Sen pursued his artistic training at the Academie Andre Lhote, the Academie la Grande Chaumiere, the Ecole des Beaux Arts, and the Ecole des Louvre in Paris. Upon his return to India, he taught first in Bihar and then at Jadavpur University. He also taught art at The Daly College at Indore during the late 1940s.

In 1969 he was the recipient of the French Fellowship for Designing and Typeface and in 1970 he was awarded a Rockefeller Fellowship. Sen has exhibited widely both in India and abroad, including the Calcutta Group exhibition (1944), London (1962), São Paulo Biennale (1965), New Delhi Triennale (1968, 1971, 1975), Sweden (1984), and the Havana Biennale (1986).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paritosh_Sen
 
William Turner
-Dawn-in-the-Valleys-of-Devon
William-Turner-Dawn-in-the-Valleys-of-Devon.jpg


Not what I usually think of Turner but wow what a gorgeous painting. A little friendlier than the usual Turner. I just found this one. I need to research more of him, he made thousands of paintings. Interesting to see how he tackled the crepuscular rays. They are one of the most beautiful things in landscape paintings but the hardest to get across in a believable way. Even when they are real they look fake. I had them show up recently during a plein air session and I forgot them for a minute and then they were gone and I never got them in the painting. I know, next time take a photo.
 
William Turner
-Dawn-in-the-Valleys-of-Devon


Not what I usually think of Turner but wow what a gorgeous painting. ...
There is William Turner often known as William Turner of Oxford or just Turner of Oxford (1789 - 1862) and then there is the more famous Joseph Mallord William Turner RA (1775 - 1851)
 
There is William Turner often known as William Turner of Oxford or just Turner of Oxford (1789 - 1862) and then there is the more famous Joseph Mallord William Turner RA (1775 - 1851)


Well I'll be........ yes that one is Turner of Oxford. This website https://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/ has it under Joseph Turner! No wonder it doesn't look like one of his. But I found out that the above painting is a watercolor.

Thanks Claude
 
I came upon this artist yesterday:

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The artist, Amani Lewis, appears to employ digital manipulation of photographs including digital collage. I'm rarely intrigued by CGI... but I like the colors, I'm reminded of some of Romare Bearden's "real" collages, and they give me some ideas for projects with my older students. I like the last one of these the best.

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In a completely different vein, I came upon these two medieval Spanish frescos (of a dragon and a lion). These works and others like it had as much or more influence on Picasso as the oft-cited African art.

Dragon and Lion.jpg


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Honestly, Picasso might have been the first Post-Modern artist in the sense that he absorbed lessons from the smorgasbord of art history. His Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, for example, shows influences from Cezanne, El Greco, Egyptian art, early Greek art, African masks, medieval art, and probably more.
 
In a completely different vein, I came upon these two medieval Spanish frescos (of a dragon and a lion). These works and others like it had as much or more influence on Picasso as the oft-cited African art.

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Honestly, Picasso might have been the first Post-Modern artist in the sense that he absorbed lessons from the smorgasbord of art history. His Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, for example, shows influences from Cezanne, El Greco, Egyptian art, early Greek art, African masks, medieval art, and probably more.
I saw the pictures before I read your post and thought - a modern take on hieroglyphics -cool idea. As Medieval frescos not sure what to make of it - other than artists stealing from artists stealing from artists ad infinitum.
 
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