Thursday, May 22, 2008

Art...........who likes what?


My intention today was to write about Bhutan but my blogging buddy, Steve at http://www.steveinmexico.blogspot.com/ with a blog called "Same Life - New Location" asked the titillating question, "What is your favorite piece of art?" My initial answer was folkart, Haitian art and everything I have..........(Those who know me know my house is FULL of all kinds of art and sculpture. .BUT the question kept running through my head all day and I have to admit....."PAST TIME" is my favorite piece of art. Why? Probably because every time I look at it I see something different and I can come up with all kinds of stories about the art. I NEVER tire of looking at it and I have owned it for over ten years. I had it crated and brought to Mexico while holding my breath that it would make it here as it is about 5 ft x 5 ft. It covers a wall in my living room.
The artist, John Dawson, www.johndawsonart.com is prolific and so talented in every medium. His thought process while doing his series on "time" was that although lots of things change, life goes on and people in their inner core, do not change. Hence in this painting is the Renaissance woman, the baby, the couple whose faces are smudged out and the Raggedy Ann and Andy for whimsy. He also believes that in America we put way too much emphasis on physical beauty and most times "smudges" the face.
I love to see people's reactions to the painting. Some only see one thing, the woman's breast. It never occurred to me that that would be the focal point for some until a woman was introduced to me a long time ago when I lived near NASA south of Houston, and she said, "Oh you're the woman who has the nude hanging in her living room". I swear I had to come home and look at the painting in a whole different way...............
So, as the woman in Steve's office thought the piece of art that he loved was "Ugh", I'm sure some will think the same of my favorite..........but isn't that what life is all about - "each to his own"?

6 comments:

Steve Cotton said...

I have had several conversations recently about the "purpose" of art. If an object affects me in some way and causes me to perceive the world differently, that is the start of art. (Of course, it is also the start of a head cold.) Even people who respond that something is ugly are responding to the work. I like the piece you posted, Babs. I have several pieces in my house that are designed to cause reactions. I am not certain how many will accompany me to Mexico.

Babs said...

Well, if and when you get to San MIguel and see all the "stuff" I have you'll be amazed to know that I only brought a few paintings and the rest has been acquired since I got here - which is half the fun! Mixing the "new season" of your life with the "old".......Really when I moved all I brought was books,art and photo lbums........I have a harder time letting go of old books then anything!

Islagringo said...

Geez, I never even noticed the boob until you mentioned it. She was just a piece of the whole until then.

I notice you still do what I used to do, that is type out the whole link. Do you know how to use the hyper link function in Blogger? I just got taught and it is so easy!

Babs said...

No Wayne, cause I don't know what kind of "template" I have and so I don't know how to do it....I'm really, really ignorant about this computer stuff - I also tried to add links - paid someone 200 pesos to help me (who is a computer guru) and that person couldn't figure it out.......geez, it is VERY frustrating. HELP!

picklesandroses.blogspot.com said...

Well, that is my favorite piece of yours for sure. Dawson's work is stunning and unforgetable...isn't that what art is supposed to do? Gee, I never thought about the nude. Those are probably the same folks who caused the ruckus over the Starbuck's mermaid. To recall Tom Robbins in Another Roadside Attraction..."The function of the artist is to call attention to what life does not."

Babs said...

GREAT quote Kay. Yes, well Nassau Bay was not exactly a "creative" world" was it? I'll never forget the time someone asked me what I did for a living and when I said I was an interior concept designer and they said, "Oh so you sell mini blinds?" One of the greatest things anyone EVER said to me, Kay - I'm sure you've heard them ALL with your wonderful art!