Comments on: A Debt Of Gratitude To The Subject http://artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html a multi-disciplinary dialog Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:06:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: shoreacres http://artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-160577 shoreacres Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:54:44 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-160577 Good day to you, Wonderful essay. I quoted a bit from it in my current WordPress blog. I'm quite new to blogging and don't quite understand trackbacks and all that yet, so I just wanted to leave a note of appreciation for your piece and let you know that I have linked to you. Best regards. Good day to you,

Wonderful essay. I quoted a bit from it in my current WordPress blog. I’m quite new to blogging and don’t quite understand trackbacks and all that yet, so I just wanted to leave a note of appreciation for your piece and let you know that I have linked to you.

Best regards.

]]> By: Marc http://artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-75046 Marc Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:09:08 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-75046 I quote from "the new art the new life, the colected writings" a 1942 notition from Mondrian : "painting has no direct value when it is not in direct relationship with the actual surrounding reality. For men of the city the whole city life must reflect in it. Methaphysic painting has not this direct relationship. Being too far off leads to misinterpretation and misunderstanding". You seem to have at least one "great master" on your side here. I quote from “the new art the new life, the colected writings” a 1942 notition from Mondrian :

“painting has no direct value when it is
not in direct relationship with the actual
surrounding reality.
For men of the city
the whole city life must reflect in it.
Methaphysic painting has not this direct
relationship. Being too far off leads to
misinterpretation and misunderstanding”.

You seem to have at least one
“great master” on your side here.

]]> By: Richard Rothstein http://artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7206 Richard Rothstein Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:33:06 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7206 I'm not a fan of big, grand and sweeping. I very much enjoy the intimacy of details. While I admire the craftsmanship of the Sistene chapel ceiling, I find it overwhelning and somewhat unpleasent--kind of like when Americans shout at foreigner imagining that very loud English will be more easily understood by the less fortunate. I would likely never produce a photo larger than 2 or 3 feet in width or height. I’m not a fan of big, grand and sweeping. I very much enjoy the intimacy of details. While I admire the craftsmanship of the Sistene chapel ceiling, I find it overwhelning and somewhat unpleasent–kind of like when Americans shout at foreigner imagining that very loud English will be more easily understood by the less fortunate. I would likely never produce a photo larger than 2 or 3 feet in width or height.

]]> By: June http://artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7158 June Mon, 26 Feb 2007 04:03:37 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7158 Richard -- what a great title. And wonderful photos, too. It's grand to see someone celebrate their world. I must say that I agree with Steve about multiple viewpoints having the possibility of being equally good. And are you photographers reading today's NY Times magazine about Wall, the photographer who does set-ups for his images, produces them in huge form (6 x 8 feet, for example) with a light table behind? What do you think? I remember, was it D.? who did the brushy bushes photographs and was making them larger than the normal size. Would you like to go even bigger? How big do you produce yours, Richard? Richard — what a great title. And wonderful photos, too. It’s grand to see someone celebrate their world.

I must say that I agree with Steve about multiple viewpoints having the possibility of being equally good.

And are you photographers reading today’s NY Times magazine about Wall, the photographer who does set-ups for his images, produces them in huge form (6 x 8 feet, for example) with a light table behind? What do you think? I remember, was it D.? who did the brushy bushes photographs and was making them larger than the normal size. Would you like to go even bigger? How big do you produce yours, Richard?

]]> By: Steve Durbin http://artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7135 Steve Durbin Sun, 25 Feb 2007 21:56:11 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7135 Richard, I agree that subject is crucial, but I don't believe (and I don't think you do either -- correct me if I'm wrong) that there is a unique something that "the subject is revealing." Rather, that depends also on the grammatically implied someone to whom the subject "is revealing." A dozen photographers and a dozen painters could stand at the same spot and make different images that are all great. I love your pictures and I think they're well chosen to show responses to the same aspect of your fabulous subject as Mondrian's painting. Whom I adore by the way, but I don't have time for even my first argument with Karl now. Something to return to later. Richard, I agree that subject is crucial, but I don’t believe (and I don’t think you do either — correct me if I’m wrong) that there is a unique something that “the subject is revealing.” Rather, that depends also on the grammatically implied someone to whom the subject “is revealing.” A dozen photographers and a dozen painters could stand at the same spot and make different images that are all great.

I love your pictures and I think they’re well chosen to show responses to the same aspect of your fabulous subject as Mondrian’s painting. Whom I adore by the way, but I don’t have time for even my first argument with Karl now. Something to return to later.

]]> By: Karl Zipser http://artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7128 Karl Zipser Sun, 25 Feb 2007 20:00:55 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7128 <em>Is great art simply a great record and is mediocre or failed art produced when the artist fails to understand and accurately represent what the subject is revealing?</em> Yes, yes. But you should replace the word "record" with "representation." It gets more complicated when you paint from your imagination, but you are still right. And don't think that abstract art is not representational at its core, because it is. Is great art simply a great record and is mediocre or failed art produced when the artist fails to understand and accurately represent what the subject is revealing?

Yes, yes. But you should replace the word “record” with “representation.”
It gets more complicated when you paint from your imagination, but you are still right. And don’t think that abstract art is not representational at its core, because it is.

]]> By: birgit http://artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7120 birgit Sun, 25 Feb 2007 18:50:23 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/02/a-debt-of-gratitude-to-the-subject.html#comment-7120 What I loved about Richard Estes' painting were the many shades of gray that he portrayed in his cityscapes - different colors of concrete. Back in my days of admiring R. Estes' work, I lived in Cold Spring Harbor on the lush North Shore of Long Island. Driving towards Manhattan through Queens, I searched and reveled in the multitude of grays in its skyline. Your photographs, like R. Estes' paintings, show reflections from different media. But there also is a difference. Your photographs are powerful because they show Manhattan in its bold colors. What I loved about Richard Estes’ painting were the many shades of gray that he portrayed in his cityscapes - different colors of concrete. Back in my days of admiring R. Estes’ work, I lived in Cold Spring Harbor on the lush North Shore of Long Island. Driving towards Manhattan through Queens, I searched and reveled in the multitude of grays in its skyline.

Your photographs, like R. Estes’ paintings, show reflections from different media. But there also is a difference.

Your photographs are powerful because they show Manhattan in its bold colors.

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