#art, Now You Tell Me…

(«Picasso in Monument Valley, Utah/Arizona»/2024/Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)

Greetings folks! Hope y’all are having a smashing good summer! Now I know many of you are on holiday or thinking about it, and I am too, for sure, but work, what we call in Spain «faena» never really stops, does it? Well, maybe for you…

In any event I’ve some questions for you:

I have fully expressed who are my favourite painters, musicians and dancers, as well as my favourite album, my favourite movie, my favourite food and favourite drink. If you do not recall, or know what these things are, I will tell you…

  1. Picasso is my favourite painter, heads and shoulders above the rest.
  2. The Beatles are my favourite, superior to all the rest.
  3. Nureyev over the others is my favourite dancer.
  4. Revolver by The Beatles is my favourite album.
  5. Mary Poppins is my fave pic.
  6. Grilled Yellowtail is my favourite food (with tostones…do you know what tostones are? No? Ask a Cuban from Miami. 😁)
  7. Wine is my favourite drink (besides water, naturally)

SO NOW IT IS YOUR TURN.

Tell me what are your favourite things. In part two (coming soon) I will tell you my least favourite things and I will ask you about yours.

PLEASE PARTICIPATE IF YOU ACTUALLY READ THIS POST

cheers

#art, Thinking About Art School at Uni?

(«The Model»/Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)

As a fine arts graduate myself, I think I can proffer a valid opinion. If you are thinking about enrolling in art school at uni, I would suggest that you think about it two or three times before committing.

Now I know that you are going to ask me why? And I will tell you. First, think about the fact that your professors…for the most part and as a general rule…will not be functioning, professional artists. They graduated and entered the ranks of the docents immediately. They never worked their art as a profession. They exhibited mainly in university galleries. They do not know how to sell their work. And let’s face it, the job of an artist is to sell art. So how can these professors, with only academic, theoretical experience teach you how to live off your art as a pro? The reply is short and sweet, they cannot.

Two, most of the docent staff follows the pied piper that leads them to whatever is the flavour of the month, or of the year. Most of the time they try to steer you towards what they have been taught to like. For example, when I was in art school they would talk to me about the great surrealist painter Joan Miró and the great Frida Kahlo. I, naturally, thought they were right and for a while I actually admire those two whom I now know they are the worst artists I can think of. Why did not they simply open my mind to great art and let me decide who I like or who is good? They do not because they were taught that way. They follow the piper and sing his melodies, nothing more.

Three, they make you waste too much time on things that you might not want or even like. The art field is quite large and the artists choose which path, or which modality they want to specialise in. So why do they have to be wasting time with others that are not going to serve them well. Yes, I know, you will say that an artist should have knowledge of everything to be well rounded. And I agree, but spending one year (first year) drawing with pencil a classical form when what you want to do is create abstract oil paintings, to me is a waste of time. Why not guide students according to what they prefer. If I want to be a pastel painter I should be taught all about that medium, composition and colour theory, rather than teaching me how to mix oil paints.

Conclusion? I would look for a private academy, maybe even start with an online one. And one that would allow me the freedom to choose and develop as the artist I want to be. I do not want my professors wasting my time, especially with bullshit like conceptual art…

CHEERS

#art, ¿El arte evoluciona? –

(«Evolución» Francisco Bravo Cabrera/Derechos Reservados/All Rights Reserved)

Las palabras de moda (más o menos) a veces confunden a la gente y mira que a la gente les encanta usarlas. Aquí una de ellas, «evolución». Los expertos…ah los cabrones expertos…dicen que la evolución es la selección natural que elige al más apto para las condiciones dadas, cambiándole la forma a las especies para que así puedan vivir en un nuevo habitat, o en un nuevo planeta, que se yo… Yo, por supuesto, digo que no son más que gilipolleces. Dicen que el hombre moderno (Homo Sapiens) evoluciono de un simio, o sea, de un mono. Pero entonces hemos de-evolucionado porque los monos estan mas aptos para vivir en la Tierra que nosotros. Son más fuertes, resisten mejor el clima, no se les quema la piel con el sol, no sufren de problemas en la columna vertebral y no necesitan tantas cosas como las que necesitamos nosotros. Sus comunidades se autogobiernan, no tienen Ministerio de Hacienda ni parlamento ni un presidente. Tienen su jefe mono y a tomar por culo con todo lo demas. Venga, se han cagado en sus madres los expertos porque no saben ni lo que dicen.

Ahora me preguntaras ¿El arte ha evolucionado o no? Pues claro que no. Desde las primeras pinturas rupestres halladas en las cuevas a los decorados y pinturas de los egipcios, romanos, mayas, aztecas, chinos, indios, japoneses, etcétera, el arte es arte, se presenta como fait accompli, cosa completa, que no cambia, o sea totalmente evolucionada. El arte no tiene necesidad de evolucionar para que la historia del arte pase de etapa en etapa.

Si nos aferramos (tontamente diría) a la definición de los «expertos» también tendríamos que concluir que no evoluciona porque el arte no ha desarrollado aletas para nadar ni alas para volar, ni pies ni cabeza. Los estilos han cambiado, por qué no, cada época ha desarrollado el suyo, pero eso no quiere decir que los de las épocas anteriores han desaparecido o que ya no tienen valor. Tío vete a una subasta de Christie’s (o Sotheby’s) para veas lo que pagan por un cuadro del renacimiento.

El arte es y siempre ha sido un producto completo, no uno en vías de desarrollo o en vías de evolución. La evolución no existe, es otra tontería que te han metido en la cabecita para que no pienses y te piensen. Es el cachondeo de los expertos con nosotros los prosaicos.

Os dejo un vídeo de arte muy antigua para que me digáis si es arte completa o si le falta evolución.

(2021)

GRACIAS

#art, Mikhail Vrubel

(Portrait of Vrubel by Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)

This Russian painter and sculptor was most certainly a very odd gentleman indeed. According to his friend and colleague Konstantin Korovin, «Once he sold a wonderful drawing of Don Juan from ‘The Stoned Guest‘ for three rubles…and bought for himself white kid gloves. After putting them on once, he threw it with words: «How vulgar»…

Vrubel was born in the Russian Empire in 1856. He was a very prolific artist, specialising in theatrical design, illustration, painting and sculpture. He sort of led the way towards Modernism in Russia and was definitely considered a symbolist painter. But…

In the 1880’s he studied in the Imperial Academy of Art… Then he moved to Moscow and painted «The Demon Seated«, in my opinion, a phenomenal painting…

(The Demon Seated/1890/Public Domain)

And «The Demon Downcast«…

(The Demon Downcast/1902/Public Domain)

Tragically, from 1903 to 1906 Vrubel was suffering severe mental illness. His health was greatly affected and he grew quite weak. His physical and intellectual activities were totally compromised. His illness was thoroughly debilitating, leaving him blind and for the last four years of his life he basically just existed because he was still breathing.

Yet, I find him an extraordinary painter, both in style and technical abilities. These are some of my favourite of his paintings:

(Virgin and Child/1884/Public Domain)
(The Swan Princess/1900/Public Domain)
(Self-Portrait/1905/Public Domain)

Vrubel died in 1910 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

So, what do you think?

CHEERS

«51», A Poem by Francisco Bravo Cabrera Now at Spillwords.com

I raise my arms to touch the blessed air that gives me life,
and I feel its heaviness…

Filled with music, thoughts, ambitions, and prayers,
I ask for compassion.
I have many faults, but with these faults I was born and
yet, I ask forgiveness…

I open my eyes wide to look upon the resplendence of the sun,
and I know that you desire sincerity…

(please follow the link to Spillwords to finish reading «51», thank you!)

Spillwords.com presents: 51, poetry by Francisco Bravo Cabrera, a poet who uses words, music and paints on a canvas …

Source: 51, poetry by Francisco Bravo Cabrera at Spillwords.com

#art, Does Art Evolve?

(«Darwin-Mono-Evolucionando»/Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved/Derechos Reservados)

People like to use words that they think have special meanings and that clarify their arguments, but in effect they are simply mis-employing terms. One is «evolution.» According to the muckety mucks, namely one Charles Darwin and his parishioners, man evolved from a monkey that decided one day that he would walk on two legs, stop eating bananas and instead of living in the trees, moved to suburbia. Well, mister brilliant scientist, you missed the boat because monkeys (like most animals on Earth) are much more adapted to life on this planet than we (Homo Sapiens) are. For one, they do not need governments, they do not pay taxes, they do not suffer from sunburn and they do not have spinal maladies like a lot of us men and women of the world. So if we take your theory with a grain of salt, we can logically deduce that we we are the de-evolution of a monkey. Imagine that!

And what about art you are asking? I will tell you. Art has never evolved. Art, since the first rupestrian paintings in the caves to Egyptian, Roman, Byzantine, Arabic, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Aztec, Maya, Navajo, has existed completely and fully. It has not grown flippers, lost legs or gained wings. The idea of art evolving is ridiculous at best and at worst a lie perpetrated by those who would like to control art history. Ancient art, Renaissance art, and the art of every epoch throughout history has changed, as it should. Developing new styles, new techniques, new paints, new brushes, new canvases etc, does not mean evolution. Each period in art history has its art and it is still as valid today as it was when mande and if you don’t believe it go to an auction at Sotheby’s or Christie’s and see what people are paying for such masterpieces.

Here I leave you with a short video of art that is as precious (and as complete) today as it was the day it was done. No evolution required. The painter, the artist, or the sculptor needs to grow with the times, capture the spirit of his time and work with it. That is how art develops.

(2021)

CHEERS

#art, #poem, #photography, FEATURES by VALENCIARTIST: Isai Martinez

(Isai Martinez/foto de su propiedad)

Bienvenidos a FEATURES by VALENCIARTIST. Para participar como protagonista de esta serie, si eres poeta, escritor, o practicas cualquiera de las bellas artes, solo tienes que responder a esta entrada del blog con tu correo electrónico y te mandaremos toda la información.

Hoy os presentamos a un artista e ingeniero mexicano que nos deleita con unas fotografías urbanas fenomenales: Isai Martinez.

EN SUS PROPIAS PALABRAS:

Soy Isai Martínez, nací en Guadalajara el 27 de mayo de 1980. Tuve una infancia feliz en un ambiente modesto, sin lujos, con carencias. Sustituí la falta de juguetes con imaginación. Fui alumno destacado, sobre todo en matemáticas, hasta que la Ingeniería me retó de más, la concluí y después mi camino se fue hacia la Capacitación de empleados en una enorme empresa. En el arte soy aficionado desde hace veinte años, me gustan los poemas, los cuentos y, últimamente, dibujar y la fotografía casual urbana… Sueño con la paz entre los hombres y eso siembro con mi familia que consta de mi esposa y dos princesas.

LA ENTREVISTA:

1) ¿Como creas y practicas tu arte?

Al transitar por la ciudad suelo contemplarlo todo, esas cosas pequeñas y hermosas, esas imágenes e instantes que no se repetirán, es entonces que con un celular tomo la fotografía que representa la emoción de haber está ahí. Más tarde juego con los efectos digitales para darle más carácter a cada imagen.

2) ¿Crees que los artistas tienen alguna responsabilidad con su país, con su pueblo, con su comunidad, y hasta donde la deben llevar?

Definitivamente, no es algo exclusivo de los artistas, todos tenemos dicha responsabilidad; sin embargo al tener el don creativo el alcance es mayor que el ciudadano cotidiano: es el de transformar la realidad, por una mejor.

3) Te sientes amenazado por la IA?

No. Por ahora.

LAS FOTOGRAFIAS:

(Tomada por y propiedad de Isai Martinez/D.R.)
(Tomada por y propiedad de Isai Martinez/D.R.)
(Tomada por y propiedad de Isai Martinez/D.R.)

PARA QUE SIGIÁIS EN CONTACTO CON ISAI:

Redes sociales:

WordPress

funguskingdom.wordpress.com

Pinterest

https://pin.it/7GSGuqMcr

#art, If a Tool is Available…

(«Owl No.2″/Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)

If a tool is available…in art or in anything else…use it! This is a concept, a way of life, that I learned years ago in the military, and doing that has been quite useful for me. In art one does not have to fear the advancements in technology. On the contrary. A good artist is a good searcher, and if one searches one will find. I am sure that many of the vanguard artists of the early XXth Century would have loved to experiment with all the innovations available to us. So, just like the synthesiser did not do away with real instruments or musicians, AI will not do away with artists. Just like digital art has not done away with the real canvas or the real palette. I enjoy digital art as much as «real» art.

Check out these digital works from this year at Omnia Caelum Studios Valencia and tell me what you think…

#art, Should there be Censorship in Art?

(«Manzana dentro»/Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved)

Should there be censorship in art? Yes. What!!! Let me explain. I think that there should be no censorship in art at all, except when it comes to illegal acts. If your «art» (conceptual art) is beating up an unfortunate in the street to take his money to buy the wine for your gallery’s vernissage, you have not created «art», you have committed aggravated strong-arm robbery and you should go to jail. If you abuse of animals or any other living thing to «create» art, then you have not the right to do so. It should be censored and you should be punished. But anything else, no matter how tasteless it might be, as long as it is legal, should not be censored.

What do you think?

Is showing a nipple (in a painting or in art photography) on Instagram something wrong? Is it immoral? Or if you post your art (nudes) on YouTube, are you offending the general audience? Classical paintings can be shown as they are, but modern ones that I paint, or you? If we post them on social media they get censored! Incredible!

What do you think?

CHEERS

#art, Does Art Evolve?

(«Darwin-Mono-Evolucionando»/Francisco Bravo Cabrera/All Rights Reserved/Derechos Reservados)

People like to use words that they think have special meanings and that clarify their arguments, but in effect they are simply mis-employing terms. One is «evolution.» According to the muckety mucks, namely one Charles Darwin and his parishioners, man evolved from a monkey that decided one day that he would walk on two legs, stop eating bananas and instead of living in the trees, moved to suburbia. Well, mister brilliant scientist, you missed the boat because monkeys (like most animals on Earth) are much more adapted to life on this planet than we (Homo Sapiens) are. For one, they do not need governments, they do not pay taxes, they do not suffer from sunburn and they do not have spinal maladies like a lot of us men and women of the world. So if we take your theory with a grain of salt, we can logically deduce that we we are the de-evolution of a monkey. Imagine that!

And what about art you are asking? I will tell you. Art has never evolved. Art, since the first rupestrian paintings in the caves to Egyptian, Roman, Byzantine, Arabic, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Aztec, Maya, Navajo, has existed completely and fully. It has not grown flippers, lost legs or gained wings. The idea of art evolving is ridiculous at best and at worst a lie perpetrated by those who would like to control art history. Ancient art, Renaissance art, and the art of every epoch throughout history has changed, as it should. Developing new styles, new techniques, new paints, new brushes, new canvases etc, does not mean evolution. Each period in art history has its art and it is still as valid today as it was when mande and if you don’t believe it go to an auction at Sotheby’s or Christie’s and see what people are paying for such masterpieces.

Here I leave you with a short video of art that is as precious (and as complete) today as it was the day it was done. No evolution required. The painter, the artist, or the sculptor needs to grow with the times, capture the spirit of his time and work with it. That is how art develops.

(2021)

CHEERS