Art You Hate: Which famous artist DON'T you get? Which artists whose work you utterly hate?

They're over with the crackers.

Osso, Andy certainly was a conceptual artists. The conceptual point of his Brillo boxes provided the philosopher Arthur Danto with a lot of professional mileage.

Yes, I agree, Edgar, "Being different does not equate to being good". One should be "unique" only in the sense of "authentic" or "expressive", but not different for its own sake. I can imaging--indeed I've witnessed--the phenomenon of painters painting images that are intentionally unlike anything else but not expressive of that artist and lacking in aesthetic value.

I see I managed to not even give the link to the NYer abstract on George Condo (that's Condo, not Curry, Currin, or Kondos, osso) -

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/01/17/110117fa_fact_tomkins

A friend of a friend intentionally set out to do some cutting edge work similar to some that had been recently reported but not yet the strong new thing, and, yep, got hers snapped up for a "new artists" show at LA County Arts Museum...
let that be a lesson, as in ride the wave..

I think I'll promote my art by labeling myself a 70 something emerging artist.

That would make a good headline, eh?

O.K., forget it.

Agreeing with both of you -

fun to reread this thread.

One of my design teachers who was into computer graphics way before most of us (I'm still a comp graphics fool) sent me a page where he (or maybe someone else, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was him) played with the idea that the Mona Lisa was a self portrait.

Where did I hear that before?

This is a tangent, since I don't hate this fellow's work - I post since I was referencing him before and totally messed it up.

Follow up on George Condo, whose name I finally figured out on the third try -

his sketches of spain (ref Miles) - etchings at the Jack Rutberg gallery

http://www.jackrutbergfinearts.com/

Clipping from the announcement -


Los Angeles, CA - Works by the influential and provocative contemporary American artist George Condo are the highlight of Jack Rutberg Fine Arts’ summer exhibition, with an opening reception Saturday, June 18, 5:00-8:00 p.m., and continuing through September 3, 2011.

“George Condo: a collection of etchings” at the Rutberg Gallery follows the recent retrospective exhibition, George Condo - Mental States at New York’s New Museum, labeled “sensational” by The New York Times art critic Holland Cotter. That major exhibition, organized by the Hayward Gallery, will travel to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam (June 25–September 25, 2011); Hayward Gallery, London (October 18, 2011–January 15, 2012); and Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt (February 23–May 28, 2012).

Works in the Rutberg Gallery exhibition reveal an intimate - and for many - a surprising aspect of Condo’s work, displaying a more distilled aesthetic, rooted through great draftsmanship and line. Condo is typically known for bold paintings so brash as to be referred to as gonzo artificial realism. “Artificial Realism” is the term the artist uses to describe his works, which by turns are meditative, wry, irreverent and fantastical, reflecting Condo’s now-iconic surrealistic mash-up of Old and Modern Masters.

In the Jack Rutberg Fine Arts exhibition, Condo merges, through a series of works entitled “More Sketches of Spain - for Miles Davis,” his admiration of Spanish masters along with his profound admiration for the music of Miles Davis, whose own jazz masterpiece album recording was entitled “Sketches of Spain.” In these works from 1991, large-scale sheets and smaller works on paper executed in etching and aquatint, Condo employs an eloquent Picasso-like line with masterful draftsmanship and bravura, giving sly reference to Picasso, Dali, Velazquez, etc.

In Condo’s paintings, references to Miles Davis have been a long source of inspiration. One such example is Condo’s major painting in the Eli Broad collection entitled “Dancing to Miles” exhibited at the 1987 Whitney Biennial.

Born in 1957, George Condo had early associations with other avant-garde artists of the eighties, such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, as well as many of the avant-garde artists in Europe. His engagement with literary figures such as Allen Ginsberg are notable, as well as a collaboration with writer William Burroughs. Condo’s continued interest in music is underscored in varied ways, and took a provocative turn when he collaborated with rap star Kanye West, who commissioned Condo to create his “banned” cover for the recent chart-topping album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” Condo’s impact upon artists of the last decade is particularly profound, as evidenced by his being the major influence of such significant contemporary painters as John Currin, Cecily Brown, Lisa Yuskavage, etc.

The Jack Rutberg Fine Arts exhibition of Condo’s works - entitled “George Condo: a collection of etchings” - is complemented by an accompanying large group exhibition of modern and contemporary paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture, featuring works by a number of the gallery’s roster; among them the contemporary artists Jordi Alcaraz, Ruth Weisberg, Jerome Witkin, Patrick Graham, and the estates of Francisco Zuniga, Reuben Nakian, and Hans Burkhardt. A number of new acquisitions include works by Ben Shahn, Pablo Picasso, Mark Tobey, George Nama, Claire Falkenstein, Karel Appel and others.

“George Condo: a collection of etchings” and “Summer Group Exhibition: paintings, prints, drawings, & sculpture” opens with a reception Saturday June 18, 5:00-8:00 p.m. and continues through September 3, 2011. Jack Rutberg Fine Arts is located at 357 North La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday. For additional information on the exhibition, telephone (323)938-5222 email: [email protected]


Well, there, he influenced Currin, so I'm not completely out to lunch, only half way.

I dunno, probably an old saw that I missed, but amusing. (Aren't they digging her up as we speak?)

I am repulsed by the images by Geo.Condo and John currin. It's not a valid criticism of their work, just an expression of my taste.

I like Mondrian, I think both Bacon and Duchamp were geniuses, I find Pollock interesting.

I don't get Rothko.
It tells me nothing.
It bores me.

Not disagreeing with most of what you've said, fbaezer, though I'm rather partial to Rothko, myself ....

But I'd be really interested if you could say more about considering particular artists as geniuses.
From your own perspective, what sorts of qualities would the works of such artists possess?

Bacon, I find his de-composition of bodies truly amazing... it gives me the feeling that all modern life is decaying, melting into non-alive things. And sometimes, the horror grimaces in the character's faces tells me they do understand what is happening and why.

Duchamp is a bit more complicated. Love his provocateur pieces: art is in the eyes of the beholder. Think of The Great Glass. It's a reaction towards and against modernity at the same time. He's also full of irony. And instead of painting "things", he depicted ideas: the eyes are turned inside, into a subjective inner world. With Duchamp art becomes a gesture, irrational and free.
Actually, I find a bit odd that some pieces by Duchamp are in museums. It's an irony within an irony.
(Oh, and I find his alter-ego Rrose Selavy quite intriging)

Thanks for responding, fbaezer.

Yes, I completely agree with what you say about Bacon & Duchamp.
Particularly Duchamp. I think his impact on twentieth century art was incredible. His ideas about art remain fresh & challenging to this day.... he was/is still a giant of the art world.

But I was curious about your thoughts about the artist as genius.
And what you meant by that.
I would put Leonardo in that category, probably because he is one of the most extraordinarily & prolific artists/creators who ever lived. He was a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer. (Had to check Wikipedia for the complete list! )
I can't think of any other artist that comes anywhere near his achievements.
And I was wondering how we might define a more contemporary artist's contribution as being in some similar higher league of achievement.

But perhaps I'm being rather pedantic about definitions & words here?
Yes, I probably am.

Interesting that you use Leonardo as an example, msolga.

The concept of the "artist as genius" originated in the Italian Renaissance. Before da Vinci, artists were considered menial craftsmen. Leonardo was quite well known during his lifetime. By stressing the intellectual aspects of art and creativity, the universally-admired Leonardo originated the public status of the “artist as genius.”

To be honest, Eva, I couldn't think of another artist I could put in the same "genius" category (as Leonardo).
Who would we say were the artist geniuses of the 2oth/21st centuries?
I can think of a number of artists who I admire enormously for their achievements (like Picasso, Duchamp & a few others) , but I wouldn't use that term to describe them.
Perhaps such things are decided by art historians, the passing of time & the artist's place in the development of art movements following his/her contribution?