Chris, I live in No-man's land,between borders. Though born here from umpteen generations ago on my mother's side and Mexican on my Father's side. Saying "Mexican" is the same as saying American. Mexicans come in all Nationalities just like Americans. I'm between borders culturally a combination of both very diverse cultures in themselves, so I think i reflect all of them. Something like this is what I usually state when I exhibit. I might have sent this one before. THE NATURAL SPEAKS THE VISUAL LANGUAGE UNDERSTOOD BY ALL Subject matter in art with timelessness and universality is an important ingredient to me. In the visual arts, as in all arts, no one likes aesthetic restrictions, though some of us may unconsciously or unknowingly impose them on ourselves. Aesthetics with universality, communicates in the visual timeless language of ones soul. it's those natural relatively unchanging things, forms, colors and symbols common to all the villages in the globe. Every region and village on earth has its art that explicitly expresses its generational cultural identity, also some, who try to reach beyond, expressing things transcending cultures and generations in a manner that does not compromise their meaning, but extend that meaning and understanding of one's own culture to every one else. I have worked from this philosophical position with comfort for most of my career. I strive to express the essence of the subject matter that I feel touches concerns of sensibility and universality meaning in me and hopefully also in others . The attempt, is not to shock, but to acknowledge the essence of the familiar by adding a touch of unfamiliarity to It's ordinariness, exploring emotions never quite sensed the same by me. Creating a design without a relation to anything, but with a significant "presence" within its unity, that often reveals the strength of the symbolic message it represents. At least, hopefully it would be understood similarly yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Armando (mando) baeza On May 31, 2008, at 6:29 PM, Chris Miller wrote: > It may be depressing to contemplate the "lack of imagination" among > those who > make pieces that are identifiable by nationality -- but I don't > think this is > a new trend. > > Italians/French/German etc. people seem to look at human bodies in > a certain > way -- and despite years of similar academic training -- and a > similar canon > of recognized art museum masters -- artists of those nationalities > can't help > but express their national differences. > > Even if they TRY -- as exemplified by this statement (c. 1932) > published by > Chicago sculptor, Marvin Marr Albright (the twin brother of Ivan > Albright - a > Chicago icon) > > > > > "As to whether my art is American or Chicagoan: what pray tell me, > have those > terms to do with the muscles in a man's stomach ? A man may be a > Jew from > Jerusalem or a Negro from Africa or a Frenchman from Paris, but if > his work is > Jewish in spirit or Negro or French it is nothing -it is small and > narrow and > very limited. The only spirit worth striving towards is the spirit > of God, the > spirit of the universe, the spirit of truth. And this is to be > found by > observing nature in her infinite yet harmonious forms,not by aping > your > incoherent human beings." > > > And yet -- when I look at his work: > > http://www.ilovefiguresculpture.com/masters/american1/albright.jpg > > > ...I can't help but thinking: aha! - this is the work of an > American Jew! > > (and despite his obscurity relative to his more famous brother and > father, > he's my favorite artist in the family) > > > > > > > > > > > ********************* > > I've always been mildly dismayed at an aspect of this conformity. The > "rebellious" youth has so often adopted modes that differ -- in a > rejecting > way > -- > from their parents or their societal opposites, and I've always > understood > that. > But the modes are so often exactly the same as everyone else in > their gang. > I've sensed it hasn't always been merely a desire to stand by the > gang -- it > was very often simply a lack of imagination. If it's true -- what > you say > about figure sculpture in Europe -- I find that depressing. > > > > ____________________________________________________________ > Click here to find the rental car that fits your needs. > http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/fc/ > Ioyw6ijmhQ3ExJlYLCfgDwJdYvJ4rK > ycNyiISei2TdIdf6TvdhBmVO/
