Art is Unique Visual Communication

All great artists have had something important to communicate and generally, they communicated it in a way that is unique.

Last week, visiting galleries in Manhattan, I observed many works by artists who have been well taught how to communicate. Some managed to seem unique. Unfortunately, they had little to say. 

Part of the work of being an artist is one's development as a human being.

By nature of the job, artists must to some degree explore the unknown. That takes courage. It also takes some wisdom, which generally is learned over time, to focus on what is worthwhile in life.

In art school, even the best ones, students are taught how to create art to express what they have to say. There are no classes in art school for depth of soul, understanding, wisdom, etc.

Each artist has to find his or her unique “voice.” Voice differs from style. Style can be imagined as being like one's handwriting. Certainly handwriting can be unique and expressive. When one has something to say and expresses it with a unique style, then one is creating real art.

To make a point one has to have a point of view, and one needs to be able to present and defend it so that its “truth” is successfully communicated.

In an argument, between two people with differing points of view, the person who cannot adequately present his idea, or who has little to present except for wanting his own way, often begins yelling, calling names, even making threats. If one has little to say saying it louder, bigger and with great drama may make it seem important, and certainly for a bit it does get attention.

I've seen a lot of art recently that was created on a grand scale. There seems to be some art world idea that if an artist creates a work that is huge like Guernica or the Water Lilies, then the artist must have a great deal to say.

Sure, Picasso's Guernica and Monet's Water Lilies are chockablock full of ideas and expression. The grand size is necessary for the ideas behind them. However, both artists also painted many, many smaller works. Size does matter because it can help express the idea(s) of a work and sometimes smaller is better.

Imagine Vermeer's The Girl with a Pearl, blown up on a large scale proportionately, where the height is six feet. Such a size would destroy the delicate intimacy of the work.

Apparently, many gallerists, dealers and collectors are convinced that a large painting is worth more than a smaller one. Somehow a large painting must be important. Not necessarily true. A small heap of garbage is not made valuable by adding more trash to the heap. 

October 24, 2006