I guess I will have to admit it - I am an art addict. For me, just the process of looking at art in a gallery or museum engages me in a deep way. I look at the works of other artists, and it is like reading a letter that was addressed to me. Even when the art is as plain as day, it can do the job it was sent to do. Artists have intent, and they want to connect.
Cathleen Chaffee, PhD
at
The Memorial Art Gallery
speaking on Minimal Art
Cathleen Chaffee, PhD. gives a good lecture at The Memorial Art Gallery on the trend toward minimal art in the 1960's and 1970's. At the top of her welcoming screen it says: "The spare and shocking developments in abstraction" and she then goes on to show examples from a series by French artist Alphonse Allais with witty titles that for a viewer in 1882 must appear like some kind of joke, except that is not how things worked out in the long run.
Kazimir Malevich, "Black Square" 1915
Malevich wasn't making a joke when he presented his all black painting to the public in 1915. However minimal art can seem to be funny if you are not aware or involved with art at all - it can seem like the ne plus ultra of the artistic conceit - like there is no there, there! I like to think of the trend towards minimalism as a form of meditation - and I think I remember that the late Agnes Martin said something to the effect that geometry can be seen to be in the service of the spirit.
Agnes Martin at work
Listening to a long talk on the artists associated with Minimalism, you begin to see that this is a long range trend, and we have yet to really grapple with it. For many - it is an acquired taste, and for others it may be just right. Some artists stress that the trend towards minimal art was a kind of political stance against vulgar commercialism. What minimal art had were strict rules that artists seem to follow- mainly about what not to show: no anecdote, no kitsch, no model posing.. instead there were limits and repetitions. The things that were left out of minimal art are whatever the artist thought was superfluous. Get things down to the bare necessities and deal with it.
It is that time again! 6 x 6 , 2017
at RoCo
Right down East Avenue after the lecture, I venture into The Rochester Contemporary Art Center for my first look at 6 x 6 , 2017. Step right up and buy some art. Help yur local art center. At this show there is something for everyone - and the price is right.
Purchase your favorite at 6 x 6
This is truly a democratic approach to an exhibition of myriad artworks. Probably the sculptors feel slighted as there is not much in the way of dimensional works. Maybe there will have to be a 6 x 6 x 6 show next year.!!!
Memorial for Edith Lunt Small
She passed away recently and will be missed....
So, go over to RoCo and support your local artist, you just might come away with something that might change your life!
