How to sum up an age? Critical Realist thought’s on Art

Post-Modernism

Ideas in Post-Modernism are beginning to show huge cracks in its integrity. A very innovative, all encompassing philosophy is not as exciting, shocking or profound as it once was. Its processes are becoming a little dry. Post-Modern ideals in art are clutching at straws to keep a wide audience / society, really interested in what is being produced. The tabloids ridicule and the broadsheets mostly take the middle ground. Only individuals speak there minds. The elitists gather round each other for support, clinging to notions of grandeur and to preserve there precious hold on the commodity which they run. Unfortunately the artists are in the grip of the gallery owners. These people hold the real power when it comes to showing works of art. This in turn helps persuade what is being produced in the art schools and studios at present, which is mostly a futile attempt to keep the last embers of the Post-Modern BBQ burning.

Concerned with what has not yet been deemed art, the Post-Modern thinking artist will conceive of a notion of concept. Something which has not been witnessed before as “a work of art” The process of “one hit wonder art” is ever present in the cultural East End hub. This concept art will always have a limited amount of ways that its form’s and values can be shown. Once achieved the artist has to think of new concepts to create. Well “what’s wrong with this” you might say. “Nothing at all” I declare. All I’m saying is that I think we are fast approaching the end of what can be put together to create ideals in Post-Modern art. Post-Modern art is not as interesting or shocking as it once was. Because we have possibly witnessed its ideas at there most powerful.

I find lot’s of work at present is bland and gimmicky. I saw a show recently where black canvasses had throwing darts pushed into the edges of the frame. The work by Luke Gottelier at the Kate Macgarry gallery left me feeling insulted. It’s a perfect example of how Post-Modernism is wavering. Its existence is poor. It communicates nothing except its desire to be accepted at a piece of contemporary art. It does do this though because no one else before has places throwing darts on the edge of a entirely black canvas ( to my knowledge ). It’s visually unstimulating and conceptually dry. I could go as far as saying its existence is for the artists own sense of ego, he or she wishes to be seen as an artist.

Another show springs to mind were blank walls are shown to us apart from a number of cards with ideas on them. Such as “solid gold ball floating in otherwise empty space”. We are then meant to visualise and create a show using our imagination. I can just about accept this for its “this has not yet been done before” status. One of the artists Stuart Tait says “It’s hard to come up with an original Idea”. I think he has highlights my point quite well. The show “Exhibition to be Constructed” was at the Custard Factory, arts centre Birmingham.

At present, in AA Galleries on Vyner St, we are presented again with another show of blank white walls in a gallery. When me and my friend entered the space we were encouraged to read the accompanying leaflet. I forgo this and headed straight into the deserted space. Seeing a hole in a door to my left I presume, if I look through this I will be treated to an interesting surprise. Nothing, just black. I pull the door to reveal a store cupboard. Unsurprised and feeling that I can use this show as an example in this essay, I read the leaflet. I’m told that the exhibition has been made by a Martian named GRUSFMVMSFVM-X3 and that because the work is in the 8th dimension we are asked to approach the work with caution and patience, as the manifestations of the work can cause the viewer pain. I do feel pain, and it is from the exhibition.

Post-Modernism is seen as: Playfully stylistic. Inherent of any specific meaning. Culturally cocky, a celebration of irony. It can also bee seen as a reaction to objective or scientific truth as well as progress. It could be associated with a party animal. Its wild crazy antics leave it quite untamed. But with any debauchery comes consequences. The headstrong animal becomes to drunk on its own success and vomits on the path of progress. Eventually it has to go into rehab to recreate a life which is less self-destructive. I propose a look into the ideologies of the philosophies of Critical Realism. Critical Realism according to the Oxford dictionary of philosophy states this is a term which “applies to a doctrine reconciling the real objective nature of the world”. This term has been dated back to around 1916 and has been more widely used since the 70s. Primarily as a term opposed to thoughts seen typically as Post-Modern. It has had an impact on the social sciences as well as academic philosophies.



Critical Realism


An artistic sense of Critical Realism would be to create a set of values in which our own personal beliefs do not affect our judgment, but form the basis of these values, because we have lived in this world and have experienced it. Here we can build upon our ideas through attaining knowledge and hopefully wisdom. This will be the art work itself. This process might change our initial notions and give birth to new thoughts. Hence to be critical of our reality.

Art work itself will have an inherent meaning. To visually communicate something about human existence and the planet we live on. It could have social and political tones, as well as comment on psychological states. Work would be filled with connotations, metaphors and similes to create a vibrant visual language. Critical Realism strives for clarity and simplicity.

My aims come out of a deeper want for knowledge and understanding. Inspired by philosophers as Alain de Botton and John Gray (Author of Straw Dogs, Thoughts on humans and other animals). As well as socially and politically minded artists such as Leon Golub and Philip Guston (Guston dipped in and out of this way of thinking) this fuelled my passions and gave me the tools to initiate an artistic sense of Critical Realism.

David John Beesley

21, 10, 2007