Much has been written about “The End of Art“ throughout the last decades by Hans Belting, Arthur C. Danto and Donald Kuspit to name a few art critics. However, what does it really mean “Art or Art History has come to an End"?
Considering human beings have this innate need to express themselves and love to create, there is a very slim chance of “Art” not going to play a vital role during the centuries to come. So what is ending? I believe what will end or change is the way we look at “Art” or better, how we define what “Art” really means to us as creators and as a society. We may even have to use a different term for this new vision and by doing so, enabling us to grow beyond the current disintegration to usher in this new period “After Art”.
What is coming to an end can symbolically be seen as the trimming of a wild branch, shooting up from the main stem of the tree of creativity. The tree had been growing steadily for many generations, when its connection to the basic human values started to disintegrate during the beginning of the last century by growing a wild shoot. Many well known artists were involved to bring this wild growth into being. Resembling the original tree at first it looked immensely promising. Although as time passed and after closer observation, it appeared to grow faster and faster, recently producing exaggerated seeds that have no substance to ensure continuation. This has sapped the original tree of water and nutrients, ultimately damaging and weakening the structure of the mother tree and stunting its healthy growth.
My first encounter with the "Wild Branch"!
I came to a rude awakening when I was subjected to an official educational training in the arts in 1968 upon entering a German institution as an undergraduate student. My vision and dream to become an artist who uses nature as a guide, to develop a high level of skills and knowledge about this craft was nullified in an instance. In those days art history classes were narrowed down to pop-art lectures, and painting classes to doodles and action painting. Last but not least, to paint realistically was a sure way to be dispelled from the institution. I was certainly not the only student dissatisfied with the established values and the prevailing ideologies at that time.
Endings are followed by Beginnings! Reconnecting with the Source!
Much has changed since 1968 and after several years of applying my visionary abilities as designer for the fashion industry, my deep-seated vision to take my place in art history could no longer be suppressed. Then in 1983, it did not matter any more whether current culture was on the same wavelength with my perception of the future. It was the beginning of my love affair with painting, followed by many years of studies at museums, readings to broaden my knowledge and much self-training to refine my skills and to recapture the techniques of the old masters. By 1992 a small number of institutions, training in the traditional arts, had emerged in the US and I decided to complete a Masters of Fine Art in 1996 to have the credentials to teach on a graduate level, thus coming full circle. At last I found peace with myself and the world of art.
Fortunately, today I am not the only painter, sculptor or “artist” with a clear vision of this original “Tree of Creativity”, which in its everlasting although diminished recognition, has its strong roots anchored in human values and traditions. The "New Old Masters" or what ever art critics may call the painters and sculptors who are embracing the path "After Art", there is new life and a clear vision without an adherence to outworn notions.
It is reassuring and interesting to realize, "There are no Shortcuts in Nature"!
Yes “Art” the wild shoot is slowly changing. A time of refined pruning is about to happen upon “The World of Art”. Parallels to the “Wild Branch” are to be found in all our troubling crisis which are surrounding us in every aspect of life at the current moment and reaching far across the seas. The trimming has started and a new positive creative vision is slowly emerging. Ultimately the tree of creativity will recover to its full strength as human beings are sure to continue to use their skills to express their many thoughts and emotions to find meaning as long as they walk the earth.
By Marlies Ihmels
Febuary 22, 2009
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