Art, what is it?

Discussion of Joseph Campbell's work with an emphasis on the personal creative impulse as well as the sociological role of the artist in today's global community.

Moderators: Clemsy, Martin_Weyers, Cindy B.

Locked
KellyMoore
Associate
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2004 9:59 pm
Location: A Path to Nowhere
Contact:

Post by KellyMoore »

art is anything u can get away with as sayd by someone smarter than mee

kelly
http://www.kellymoore.net


damyon
Associate
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2004 5:35 pm
Contact:

Post by damyon »

Excuse me for my impatience, I am searching for the Campbell quote I know I either read or heard about what purpose of an artist.

After explaining how the ideas that are most difficult to explain are the closest to nirvana, god, universal consciousness, he goes on to say that the artist is the medium between the unexplainable and us.

If this quote is real and not a figment of my imagination, please pin it to the top of this discussion in order to make it the precipice of the conversation and easily found.

Thank you,
dativer, believing to be an artist

Vissi
Associate
Posts: 847
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 3:16 pm
Location: Symbol City, Deep In the Heart of the Sonoran Desert
Contact:

Post by Vissi »

Hello,

damyon wrote:
Excuse me for my impatience, I am searching for the Campbell quote I know I either read or heard about what purpose of an artist.

After explaining how the ideas that are most difficult to explain are the closest to nirvana, god, universal consciousness, he goes on to say that the artist is the medium between the unexplainable and us.

If this quote is real and not a figment of my imagination, please pin it to the top of this discussion in order to make it the precipice of the conversation and easily found.
There has been a long running discussion in the Wisdom Pool Forum regarding a Campbell quote describing artists as modern shamans. I'm not certain if this is the quote you refer to but several associates have quoted Campbell on the topic of artists and their function. Perhaps you might find the quote you're seeking.Artists as Modern Shamans

Peace, love, joy,
Dixie

creekmary
Associate
Posts: 654
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 1:13 am
Location: Oklahoma, USA

Post by creekmary »

It seems that visual art is what most people are thinking of. What about the other arts? It kind of changes the perception of the process, thinking of having to remove the "I" from singing or writing or dancing to try to convey a clear translation of flashes of ecstacy.

I agree with the one artist quoted complaining that everything fell apart when "I" got in the way. When you become "self" conscious instead of experiencing and attempting to convey that experience.

I think the transitory arts; singing, dancing, like the sand paintings that just blow away, require a strong dedication to art for the pure expression of the moment. It seems there would be less ego or pride in something that cannot be preserved or displayed past the moment. That only exists for that moment.

Susan

Psyche
Associate
Posts: 569
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2004 12:00 am
Contact:

Post by Psyche »

Hello Martin and all -- here are some new art sketches for mythic consideration!


Image


Image

p.
_________________


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Psyche on 2007-01-01 17:58 ]</font>

Dionysus
Associate
Posts: 476
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:07 pm
Location: Pittsfield, MA

Post by Dionysus »

On 2006-04-13 23:33, creekmary wrote:
It seems that visual art is what most people are thinking of. What about the other arts? It kind of changes the perception of the process, thinking of having to remove the "I" from singing or writing or dancing to try to convey a clear translation of flashes of ecstacy.



I agree with the one artist quoted complaining that everything fell apart when "I" got in the way. When you become "self" conscious instead of experiencing and attempting to convey that experience.

I think the transitory arts; singing, dancing, like the sand paintings that just blow away, require a strong dedication to art for the pure expression of the moment. It seems there would be less ego or pride in something that cannot be preserved or displayed past the moment. That only exists for that moment.

Susan
Hello all. New to the Forum. Second post. I run a small not for profit theatre in western Mass focusing on works which explore the human condition. Much of our discussion revolves around getting out of the way in order to let the words speak for themselves. I try to discourage "acting" and encourage an honest exploration of the soul of the character being portrayed. many actors feel that they have to "do" something. They have to "entertain" someone. To get them to relax, to let the text do itself is a real cjallenge. I relate it to the Taoist concept of "wu wei wu" - to do without doing. It is an amazing experience when an actor, building upon a firm foundation, is able to let go and let the character emerge. My theatre is a poor one amongst many well endowed theatres in my area. It is the ephemeral quality of this form which attracts me and many of my colleagues. The art only exists in the moment, like fog on the river. It can be a beautiful dance.

Bruce.

Dionysus
Associate
Posts: 476
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:07 pm
Location: Pittsfield, MA

Post by Dionysus »




"what the hell do I need a box for"?
Crayons?

You made my day with this. I laughed and laughed.

Bruce

Poncho
Associate
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2002 5:00 am
Location: Koh Samui

Post by Poncho »

Click HERE for Ha! Ha! :lol:


For something more sensible click HERE


Both links can take a little time to load completely so be patient.


:lol:
Image
Greetings from over the Silver Sea

Poncho
Associate
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2002 5:00 am
Location: Koh Samui

Post by Poncho »

In the post above, the second (sensible) link takes you to the pictures of the painter John White, who shows life among the Algonquians. The exhibition is at the British Museum.

Click HERE for an article in today's Daily Mail about the realities of life for John White in colonial America 400 years ago. Parts of it are not for the squeamish by the way ... although the Daily Mail is a family newspaper.

Anyway it is clear that John White had more skill as a painter than the so-called artists or BritArt and Turner Prize winners of today.
Image
Greetings from over the Silver Sea

Poncho
Associate
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2002 5:00 am
Location: Koh Samui

Post by Poncho »

If you are visiting London in September you may be in interested in an exhibition at Tate Britain on the Pre-Raphaelite painter, John Everett Millais.


For an article on the exhibition click HERE

Related to the article:


For a picture of JOHN RUSKIN

For a picture of MILLAIS as a young man

For a picture and biography of MILLAIS as an older man


For a picture of Millais' painting that became known as BUBBLES



For examples of Pre-Raphaelite paintings click HERE



Although the PreRaphaelites are a bit too sentimental and chocolate boxy for my tastes they were young men who made a genuine effort to make a difference and a contribution to British art unlike the socalled "artists" of BritArt today.
Image
Greetings from over the Silver Sea

Poncho
Associate
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2002 5:00 am
Location: Koh Samui

Post by Poncho »

BritArt strikes once more! Style over substance yet again :cry:

Click HERE

At the end of the article you can post your comments.

Is it art? I think that you can probably write your answer on the back of a postage stamp :lol:
Image
Greetings from over the Silver Sea

snake
Associate
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Feb 11, 2007 2:48 am

Post by snake »

Hello there folks...

One of my favorite 'what is art'...quotes:

"What is art? It is the response of man's creative soul to the call of the Real." --Rabindranath Tagore 

I value the approach my favorite teacher had...One of process....All ideas, constructs of what we think we should do is just the intellect getting in the way...It doesn't have to be 'pretty', or 'meaningful' or 'this' or 'that' or anything...what counts is if you really want to paint the color, or form or image...It's what feels alive to do in the present that matters...

It's how children create...before they are often stiffled...

****   

Clemsy
Working Associate
Posts: 10645
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2002 6:00 am
Location: The forest... somewhere north of Albany
Contact:

Post by Clemsy »

Hi Snake and welcome to the JCF Forums!

I was at an art gallery open house the other evening with Mrs. Clemsy to view the work of a local artist who we know. Chatting with her over a glass of Chardonnay, she told me the most difficult part of working her art is 'getting out of the way.' I was reminded of the advice given to a baseball pitcher: "Don't aim, just throw the ball."

She liked that.
Give me stories before I go mad! ~Andreas

A J
Associate
Posts: 425
Joined: Fri May 02, 2003 5:00 am
Location: San Antonio
Contact:

Post by A J »

Clemsy,

I heard a similar line on an audio CD by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, author of Women Who Run with Wolves. The CD was called The Creative Fire, and her words were that,"...all that you have to do to create is to stand out of the way."

She also said that the blocks that artists and writers have are sometimes a good thing, saying that the creative cycle begins with a "quickening, then a birth, then energy rising to a zenith; then entropy, decline, death" but that isn't a real end because after comes, "incubation. again quickening. birth, rising energy..."

So it seems that the more we push against that "entropy," the more we thwart the natural cycle. Even when we are so certain that "the something" we were working on was a really good something, in the long run, it's sometimes better to just let it go, and allow the "something even better" to germinate.

AJ
"Sacred space and sacred time and something joyous to do is all we need. Almost anything then becomes a continuous and increasing joy."

A Joseph Campbell Companion: Reflections on the Art of Living

Poncho
Associate
Posts: 769
Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2002 5:00 am
Location: Koh Samui

Post by Poncho »

Looks like people are finally beginning to rumble Damien Hirst and perhaps even to see the vacuousness of BritArt generally.

Click HERE :lol:

At the end of the article once again you can post your comments.



BTW George Michael is thinking of spending £50M on the diamond skull!!! Which just goes to show that these "stars" have more money than sense.

Click HERE


:lol:
Image
Greetings from over the Silver Sea

Locked