I'm glad that when I opened up my American Artists book
today that the American Artist I'm going to write about is
John Sloan.
Never heard of him.
John Sloan was born in 1871 in Pennsylvania - and started his
career in painting there. But when he moved to New York City
at the age of 33 people made fun of his art so because he was
smart he started basing his work on his new surroundings.
Debra Mancott - the author of 50 American Artists You Should
Know and the book that I am basing my essays of American
Artists on - writes this about John Sloan:
Sloan immersed himself in the life of his adopted city,
reveling in subjects that encapsulated the raw energy of
modern urban life. He painted blowsy (?) hairdressers
in their shops,working girls out on the town, carousing
drunkards, and raucous crowds on election night.
She goes on to say that Sloan had a genuine feeling for
the working people.
I googled John Sloan and under images the only painting
that spoke to me was one called Three Cultures - painted
by Avi Levin.
Having seen many of John Sloan's paintings on google -
I can only say that he was a Real Artist who lived a nice
fullfilling life before dying at the age of 80.
His "Profit, Interest, Death" triangle painting express Sloan's politics rather clearly. And THAT is why his art is "bad". It has nothing to do with "technique" and everything to do with the "subjects selected" for representation (ala Maplethorpe).
ReplyDeleteThe "common man" isn't a bad theme, until it vilfy's the "uncommon" one. And THAT is what John Sloan's art is intended to do. What starts out as mere "social realism" degenerates into "socialist realism".
And art should glorify and exalt certain values, "mediocrity" NOT being one of them.
We are ALL Americans, even "bankers". And contrary to Leftists propaganda, bankers are NOT evil and should NOT be demonized and used as propaganda in a class warfare struggle.
JC - This is where we always part ways - symbolically speaking of course.
ReplyDeleteFor I am NEVER into an artist's policial views -
at least up until now - but rather I just see if I can connect with his work.
I respect your comment and I hope you will continue to speak out because I like to get comments : ].
thanks jc
I do find that rather funny, that you are NEVER into an artist's political views.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, art was "invented" to impress political views upon the subject, from the grand scale of the Great Pyramid and Parthenon, to the altar at Pergemon, to the Ziggurats outside of Bagdad. All were "politically" motivated.
Seems to me that you may be overlooking the artist's intended message.
Dear Joe Conservative,
ReplyDeleteFrom whence I come, everyone in America is a Bleeding-Heart Liberal. That being said, if you can't demonise Bankers and use them as agitprop in a class warfare struggle who can you demonise and use?
Oh and Maplethorpe(sic) is spelled 'Mapplethorpe'. Curious you would know of him and his 'works'. You're not a homosexual are you? Not that there is anything wrong with that.
...who can you demonise and use?
ReplyDeleteThose who's functions in a society are NOT REQUIRED if it is to survive? Like homosexuals?
btw - Got any beer in your frig, aquarius?
ReplyDeleteSome pharmakoi for the Thargelia, I would hope.
ReplyDeleteThersites,
ReplyDeleteHomosexuals are most definitely required in society. Who is going to design our interior living spaces for us?
Stanley Kowalski,
I'm a girl, silly. I do not drink beer.
Say hi to Stella for me. Avoid that Blanche tart, she's a real nutter ya know?
Joe Conservative,
Expiation to appease the gods? I thought we were engaging in class warfare here. Nonetheless, I vote for the caucasoids Brad Pitt and Colin Firth - they sho is ugly!
Speedy - Of all the paitings I have done - and they are Legion - only one has a 'message.'
ReplyDeleteAnd that is my paitning 'Alien Christmas' of which you can see the beauty on my Art Blog.
: ]
When I painted Alien Christmas I didn't have a message in mind - but now I see that I was the messenger - and the message is the Universal Mind of God.
Stanley - Welcome back.
ReplyDeleteBy the way - I welcome all inter-blog discussions - since I assume I don't have to take part in them unless my name is mentioned.
Speedy - Of all the paitings I have done - and they are Legion - only one has a 'message.'
ReplyDeleteAnd that is my paitning 'Alien Christmas' of which you can see the beauty on my Art Blog.
: ]
When I painted Alien Christmas I didn't have a message in mind - but now I see that I was the messenger - and the message is the Universal Mind of God.
"......I didn't have a message in mind - but now I see that I was the messenger - and the message is the Universal Mind of God....."
ReplyDeleteSo the medium is the message then?
Aquarina - The message is anything that the Sender of the Message wants it to be.
ReplyDeleteThe medium is what we use to deliver the message.
In art - my meduim is Acrylics. I would not think of trying to deliver a message in any medium than that.
Mediums come in all shapes and sizes - and no medium is any more important that any other medium.
The most important part of the medium is:
the receiver
or in some cases we call it the
audience
Who is going to design our interior living spaces for us?
ReplyDeleteThen I guess we don't need any women, if we've all got homo's designing our home interiors (Xenophon, "Oeconomicus").
I'm a girl, silly. I do not drink beer.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes you believe that all the drinks in your frig have to be for your consumption?
...and what's wrong w/nutters, especially tarty ones?
I thought we were engaging in class warfare here.
ReplyDeleteWhat, the 99% aren't a "class"?
Now Thersites - I didn't delete your comment in spite of the derogatory term 'homo'
ReplyDeletebecause you normally make comments that look like I have intelligent people reading my blog.
But let's just be kind to each other - ok?
settle down Ther
Stanley - That Kirk Douglas - he was mean to her.
ReplyDeleteSlapped her right across the face.
Anyone doing that to me will pay bigtime.
but still think of the makeup...
oh never mind
JC - about class warfare:
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't have to be about warfare - but rather about just having 'class.'
And having class means knowing who you are - and what you really want to be.
Some folks don't mind being poor - it's just simpler that way. And that's fine.
But some folks do mind being poor - so let's make sure that if they want to better themselves in order to make more money so that they can live a better life - then well I think we should do that.
How you may ask:
By making our Education system better - so that poor kids can be better educated. And by making sure that college is an avenue that anyone can drive down - if they so wish.
See JC - it doesn't always have to be about Warfare.
But whatever it's about - it always should be about Fair~Honest~Doing The Right Thing.
you know stuff like that
Making our education "system" better? To what end, a more efficient "division of labour"?
ReplyDeleteAnd don't mediums only come in one size? Medium?
Dearest Stanley Kowalski,
ReplyDeleteBYOB my friend.
Nutters are fine, except the ones who have always depended on the kindness of strangers.
Dearest Joe Conservative,
The 99% are not a class, they are mere fodder for the new era - "Neo-Serfdom" I like to call it. We in the 1% have a heavy burden which we must bear - similar to the late 19th Century "White Man's Burden" but different. It is easy, though, convincing the unlettered and innumerate masses to continue to 'elect' the very folks who keep them, the thralls, well, enthralled as it were.
Dearest Sue Hanes,
Kirk Douglas?
For those folks who are smitten with the various mediums and the messages, may I suggest you 'google' or 'bing' the name: Marshall McLuhan
ReplyDeleteThere's only one message in this medium... buy a bigger parlour wall (Bradbury, "Fahrenheit 451").
ReplyDeleteI suppose we can all thank Edward Bernays for that. G_d save us from the "spectator" culture of "passivity".
ReplyDelete...now where did I leave MY camera?
Ther - I like that really cool video.
ReplyDeleteI don't get it.
But I really like it.
~~~
Fahrenheigt 451 - is that the one with Michael Moore?
Aquarina - Kirk Douglas was in the video on Stanley Kolawski's Blog.
ReplyDeleteMichael Moore directed/wrote Fahrenheit 9/11. Ray Bradbury, the "evil" founder of the "Scientology" religion wrote Fahrenheit 451. ;)
ReplyDeleteAbso - You tryin' to trip me up?
ReplyDeleteEverybody knows that it was L. Ron Hubbard that founded Scientology.
after he got tired of writing science fiction novels and thought one day hey i just got an idea for a really cool new religion for celebrities - and they can spend all their money on it - but you know what abso? I've heard that Scientology has some good basic Foundations on how to live a good life. But I'm not into Scientoloty - cause I'm a 'Christian.'
they got me when i was a kid