Jordan Post 3

I recently read an interview on abstract artist, David Reed. I was at first confused because this particular artist had an interest in both the Baroque era as well as contemporary art. He would take inspiration and obsess over Baroque (drapery, lighting, figures etc..) while stating that "new art" must be made, and in order to make new art it must be "radically reinvented". I thought what is this guy some kind of walking contradiction? I thought of him as open minded but wondered.. what is the content?

I gained a lot of interest and appreciation when this artist explained that his interest for Baroque art was simply a strong personal interest, the people close to him explained Baroque in such a way that it brought the whole movement to life for him. (I could relate with the many times I have been inspired greatly and personal interest is VERY important in art, no matter what it may be)

He believed in making 2 parts in a painting that always came together (which reminded me of how we will be working with quite a few parts for this drawing). He claimed the lighting from Baroque was natural and from the heavens, while the lighting from most of todays art is more straight forward, artificial and enhanced. He explained he could never do Baroque art because the figures, environment and brush strokes can not be brought from the past, but they are elements that are ongoing and continually new.

This interview was very uplifting for me. Reed explained that he finds there is so much more that could be done and you can indeed have much different art from your contemporaries.  Starting to get overwhelmed about this contemporary content I am CONSTANTLY thinking about, this interview made me think how perhaps when your trying too hard to be contemporary, that is when your not being radical and reinventing. 

In his own way Reed is making contemporary art. He is surprised more artists of today don't dig from the past to inspire their work. By not working from just todays world and coming about with new ways of thinking (even inspired from the past) his way of thinking is still strong in content and new. As Reed brought up, I think it is wise to focus on new ways to go about figure, environment and mark making because these these are things that are always ongoing and new. Another admirable point Reed made is not that he is trying to shoot down any sort of ideas, but just wants to experiment and see how far his ideas could take him, which is what I intend to do for this project.

The Last Judgment by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel (1536-1541) 

This disturbing self portrait of artist Michelangelo's skin being held by Saint Bartholomew is believed to be depicted because of his contempt for being commissioned to paint. I admire the morbid feeling the painting gives off, however I would like to change the content. I am thinking of ways to transfer the beauty of this fresco into a drawing of my own.