Might we differentiate between technical skill, conceptual skills and aesthetic vision We seem to fall into this trap of believing that the production of art might depend on a single aspect rather than recognizing that the work of art is an assemblage in which one has to determine how they will use their various skills and to what end But then again what do I know - I live in an ethereal other world where thought is complex rather than simplistic - and the obvious is suspect Saul Ostrow Visual Arts and Technologies The Cleveland Institute of Art
> From: Derek Allan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: <[email protected]> > Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 09:09:50 +1000 > To: <[email protected]> > Subject: RE: The Fate of The Image > > I am not criticising skill as such. That would be silly. Great artists need > to be highly skilled. My point is that art is not *simply* skill (contra > what Alexei's summary of Ranciere seemed to be implying). > > Skill can be put to all kinds of uses. Cabanel was highly skilled. Even > some of his impressionist contemporaries recognised that. But they would > have given up painting rather than paint like him. > > Writers like J.K. Rowling, Erle Stanley Gardner, Agatha Christie, etc are > skilled in their way. But the only thing their books have in common with > genuine literature (i.e. art) is the printing press. > > DA > > > -----Original Message----- > From: William Conger [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sunday, 30 March 2008 1:11 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: The Fate of The Image > > I think skill is greatly undervalued. Enormous skill > is usually evident in great artworks in any medium. > Obviously, there are many different kinds of skill. > As for Derek's favorite artists to hate, they indeed > were skillful, but so was Van Gogh, or Matisse, or > thousands of others. Somehow, in the past 100 years > (blame Duchamp) skill of whatever type was > distinguished from honesty of expression (no one knows > what that is but it's broadly assumed) and thus any > artist who demonstrates high skill is regarded by some > hipsters to be dishonest, inexpressive, and > unoriginal, etc. This is a very false > distinction/separation. Skill is deeply interwoven > with all other (mysterious) features of genuine > artworks. Examining it is a good place to start > (perhaps the only place to start) in experiencing art. > > > WC > --- Derek Allan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Alexei >> >> So are you saying that art is nothing but technical >> skill of some kind? (My >> particular examples are not important. There are >> plenty of others.) >> >> DA > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.1/1348 - Release Date: 28/03/2008 > 10:58 AM > > > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.1/1348 - Release Date: 28/03/2008 > 10:58 AM > > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean.
