NationStates Jolt Archive

Do you draw more meaning from painters such as Rembrandt, Monet, Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, etc. and so forth or from propagandists? I look at paintings and feel empty, nothing. I can see technique, but never a message or feelings. I look at propaganda and see the technique, the skill, the meaning, (though I don't agree with it), I feel driven to create something greater. In short, I admire the propgandist over the painter.

That's why the USSR invented Socialist Realism.

That's why the USSR invented Socialist Realism.
I hear it's becoming all the rage in the Ukraine.

Do you draw more meaning from painters such as Rembrandt, Monet, Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, etc. and so forth or from propagandists? I look at paintings and feel empty, nothing. I can see technique, but never a message or feelings. I look at propaganda and see the technique, the skill, the meaning, (though I don't agree with it), I feel driven to create something greater. In short, I admire the propgandist over the painter.
Thats because you can understand the goal of the propagandist and the feelings and mesages within. You can see the goal of the propagandist, the effort involved and what they were striving for.

You see painting as simply color.

and that would be your Crappy Internet Personality Test(tm) Response(tm).

i agree too.

I get meaning from everyday life.

Do you draw more meaning from painters such as Rembrandt, Monet, Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, etc. and so forth or from propagandists? I look at paintings and feel empty, nothing. I can see technique, but never a message or feelings. I look at propaganda and see the technique, the skill, the meaning, (though I don't agree with it), I feel driven to create something greater. In short, I admire the propgandist over the painter.

hmm very intersesting point, hah I guess thee dictator that made the artist do the piece got his way.:p

I draw all my life's meaning from the random patterns that pigeon crap forms on the sidewalk. Yesterday, I saw this one that looked sort of like a spider, but with this black stuff in the center that looked like a fetus, and it made me think about the intimate connection between creation and destruction, violence and love, good and evil, crap and partially digested insects.

Do you draw more meaning from painters such as Rembrandt, Monet, Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, etc. and so forth or from propagandists? I look at paintings and feel empty, nothing. I can see technique, but never a message or feelings. I look at propaganda and see the technique, the skill, the meaning, (though I don't agree with it), I feel driven to create something greater. In short, I admire the propgandist over the painter. Erm, that's a really weird comparison. Classical paintings weren't exactly made to get people to go out and riot. And the propaganda you're talking about is pretty much a slogan in a fancy dress.

But to answer your question anyway, I definitely draw more "meaning" from classical paintings. Not from all of them, many just leave me cold.

But I have a visceral dislike and mistrust of propaganda - if anybody wanted to sell me on some idea, that would be the least advisable way to do it.

Does Art (notice the capital A) even need a message? Remember what Louis B Mayer said when asked about the message in his films, "If I want to send a message, I'll call Western Union." Of course, you can't even do that any longer because Western Union is out of the telegram business, but anyway ... Propaganda brings you a message nicely packaged, no ambiguity, you pretty much get that message right up front. Compared to figuring out Dali's The Persistence of Memory (the one with the melting clocks, is that what it's called?), piece of cake. I've always thought the message in the clocks painting was, "Salvador Dali is one wild and crazy guy and doesn't care who knows it."

Do you draw more meaning from painters such as Rembrandt, Monet, Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, etc. and so forth or from propagandists? I look at paintings and feel empty, nothing. I can see technique, but never a message or feelings. I look at propaganda and see the technique, the skill, the meaning, (though I don't agree with it), I feel driven to create something greater. In short, I admire the propgandist over the painter.

I agree, people often try to make me feel like a luddite though when I expess this opinion. I like how the creator is deliberately using the material to shape his society, instead of just comment on it for other commenteurs.

Erm, that's a really weird comparison. Classical paintings weren't exactly made to get people to go out and riot. And the propaganda you're talking about is pretty much a slogan in a fancy dress.

But to answer your question anyway, I definitely draw more "meaning" from classical paintings. Not from all of them, many just leave me cold.

But I have a visceral dislike and mistrust of propaganda - if anybody wanted to sell me on some idea, that would be the least advisable way to do it.
How about propaganda disguised as a classical painting (http://www.art-for-a-change.com/blog/images/aug2005/ivo_saliger.jpg)? :p
Ivo Saliger's "Das Urteil des Paris". I've always found it one of the most interesting examples of "art" at the time. I didn't think Greeks or their Gods would be so ... white... or that Paris would be wearing clothes from the late 30s...

Propaganda is meant to inspire and foster an emotional response. Art on the other hand is the manifestation of the creator's emotions. You're talking about opposite ends of the spectrum. Like graphic design, propaganda is done for a reason whereas art is simply done for the sake of creating art. If you find it easier to take meaning away from propaganda... well that's pretty much the point isn't it. It wouldn't be very effective if you felt nothing.

How about propaganda disguised as a classical painting (http://www.art-for-a-change.com/blog/images/aug2005/ivo_saliger.jpg)? :p
Ivo Saliger's "Das Urteil des Paris". I've always found it one of the most interesting examples of "art" at the time. I didn't think Greeks or their Gods would be so ... white... or that Paris would be wearing clothes from the late 30s...
That's not even "disguised", what with the blonde hair and the clothes.

That's not even "disguised", what with the blonde hair and the clothes.A bad disguise, perhaps, but it looks more like a classical painting than a "Buy war bonds" poster.

I hear it's becoming all the rage in the Ukraine.

"Girl Meets Tractor" is a perennial favorite.

A bad disguise, perhaps, but it looks more like a classical painting than a "Buy war bonds" poster.
Well, barely. The sheer incongruity of the guy with his smarmy hairdo and the Hitler Jugend clothes (yeah, not really, but that's what they reminded me of *shrug*) in that setting reminded me of the Haus des Lehrers (building in Berlin with 60's GDR propaganda) or 30's WPA murals much rather than of classical paintings.

Well, barely. The sheer incongruity of the guy with his smarmy hairdo and the Hitler Jugend clothes (yeah, not really, but that's what they reminded me of *shrug*) in that setting reminded me of the Haus des Lehrers (building in Berlin with 60's GDR propaganda) or 30's WPA murals much rather than of classical paintings.
If you judge by the thematics, yes. I know what you mean with those wonderful murals. They had a big one hanging over here not too long ago until they started renovating the building it was on :p

I hear it's becoming all the rage in the Ukraine.
LOL
:upyours: Ukraine

I guess I prefer art that actually defies "meaning." The symbolic serves only to restrict expression; words are a prison.

Hence it should be obvious that my favorite school is Abstract Expressionism, especially Franz Kline.