50 years ago, the great Russian poet Boris Pasternak wrote:
To be famous ugly. But it raises up.
(Сontinuance. Part 1 here )
The artist must be unselfish and long to fame. Today we are able to declare that being anonymous is ugly. For artists, singers, poets, actors it is important to achieve success. That is whymodesty now looks ... strange. Nowadays in pictural art at all costs it´s necessary to achieve fame. This need pushes the artists, or rather those who consider themselves to be, to the incredible events and actions. The shortest way to success is a scandal. The blow-off In history was a the scandal with Malevich's Black Square.
Black Square, Malevich
Image Credit: theoutlook.com.ua
Where is the moment when the artist moved from the art to the market? When he began to do product but not work?
Fanatical worship to the art was appropriate to the great artists of the end of 19th - early 20th century. Almost beggars, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Korovin, Vrubel… they lived in poverty in the dark. There were patrons who bought their paintings. However, they did not think how to become fashionable, or knowingly create a scandal. Why? Because there were no public opinion about them. A public opinion creates goods. But as they were unknown, they were not rich.
That's when the work of art has become a commodity? How long did it take for the market to win the art?
It took about 3 centuries.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, the desire to get rid of the traditions has become the most important. Why it was necessary to break the tradition, to break with the past? Most likely, this gap has been dictated by the economic and social traditions, what is called the art market uprising.
Previously, artists were doing work against order. These orders were made not for further selling, but to perpetuate the faith, the city, or family heirloom. The artist was not free, there was the Inquisition. Nevertheless, masterpieces were created. There was no market. So the main task of the artist was to create a beautiful work that was not purchased as an investment, but for its beauty and excitement.
Robert Hughes, a modern critic, once said:
Robert Hughes
Image Credit: Quotesgram
"I am almost the last generation, who goes to the museum for just have a look at the work and not to ask how much it costs."
Today we are very interested in how much it costs.
How much costs a movie? How many millions did the picture make? If it is expensive, we are starting to believe that it is art. How did this happen?
There was a class of bourgeoisie, who wanted to live like aristocrats - with expensive furnishings, clothing, and artwork. But once there is a demand, then there will be a supply. At that moment began to appear new artists who could sell their paintings.
This arose primarily in the Netherlands. This is the first country where the bourgeoisie emerged.
"The tragedy had died with the development of the bourgeois world".
George Steiner, American critic
Before, the tragedy was an expression of the news of the world. People went to the theater to learn the news. From the bourgeoisie emerged press and tragedy died. There was drama.
It’s very important moment when the birth of bourgeoisie sums up under the way the artist creates. It demanded another painting, it demanded production. There were academies, solo exhibitions, prices rose. Grew academics classes which were valued pricy. However, there also were new artists who broke academicism. Which is to say broke tradition. The media was beginning to play an increasingly important role in the creation of the name. Which is to say began a manipulation of public opinion, which is still and perfectly works nowadays.
At the end of the 19th century, the French market has been very powerful. Greatest dealers of art appeared. One of the most greatest was Ambroise Vollard – a godfather of Impressionism and such artists as Sezanne and Picasso. He was an unknown man who came to France but got contacts and started to search for artists works.
Ambroise Vollard, godfather of Impressionism
Image Credit: Wikipedia
Once he was told that one artist named Sézanne wrote good works. He was not known to anyone, but Vollard find him and immediately bought 150 paintings at a cheap rate. A year later Cezanne became a star of avant-garde and French painting.
Vollard founded what is called "the law of the market" - buy low, sell high.
In this quest for novelty a tendency appeared: to be a new it’s needed to break with the old. From this point, probably, began the decline of the European art.
I love the picture in general. Those in front of which you can sit without trying to understand them. It's hard to look at picture, which requires 6 pages of text to explain that it’s a work of art. "Mona Lisa" does not require an explanation. "The Black square" of Malevich needs 6 pages of text. I do not want to explain, I just want to feel.
Art takes time because it requires contemplation. A contemplation close to the noise of the sea or to prayer.
A. Konchalovsky, Russian and American film director and screenwriter, social and political activist.
Thank you for being enthusiastic about art.
P.S. Will appreciate for showing my rude mistakes in English as for me it's foreign language which I havn't practice for ages...