Why Art matters | Roland Augustine | TEDxDanubia
Summary
TLDRThe speaker shares a profound experience with Colombian artist Beatriz González, whose work confronts Colombia's civil war and violence. González's art, reminiscent of ancient cave paintings, covers a Bogota cemetery, symbolizing the countless victims. The speaker reflects on art's relevance, its power to evoke emotion, and its role in societal reflection and critique. They discuss the impact of commercialization on art's message and the importance of engaging with art to confront reality and challenge societal norms.
Takeaways
- 🎨 The artist Beatriz González uses her work to lament the violence and civil war in Colombia, drawing parallels between her art and the earliest known cave paintings.
- 🏛 González created a memorial in Bogota's central cemetery, covering empty niches with images that resemble primitive art, reflecting on the thousands of victims of Colombia's civil war.
- 🤔 The speaker questions the relevance of art today, pondering its impact on society's civility, humanity, and safety.
- 🖼 Art serves as a medium for storytelling, allowing artists to express and share narratives that resonate with viewers and provoke thought.
- 🔄 Repetition in art is crucial for reinforcing messages and imprinting them on our minds, as demonstrated by González's memorial and historical works like Goya's and Picasso's.
- 🌟 Art can be a powerful tool for confronting harsh realities and challenging societal norms, as seen in the works of Dora Salcedo and Christophe Buélle.
- 💰 The commercialization of art threatens its essence, as the focus shifts from the artist's message to the art's monetary and entertainment value.
- 🏛 Museums are bustling, but the experience of art is being compromised by the lack of quiet contemplation and the dominance of money and status in the art world.
- ⏳ Art requires time and attention, and in a fast-paced society, we must slow down to truly engage with and appreciate its depth.
- 🌐 Art transcends boundaries of race, class, gender, and nationality, encouraging us to look beyond our limitations and prejudices.
- 🚢 The artist's role is to challenge the status quo and societal complacency, as exemplified by Beatriz González's impactful memorial and the legacy of Robert Frost.
Q & A
What is the main subject of Beatriz Gonzalez's artwork?
-Beatriz Gonzalez's artwork primarily focuses on Colombia's long history of civil war, corruption, and drug trafficking, lamenting the unending violence in her country.
What did the narrator find striking about Beatriz's drawings based on newspaper photographs?
-The narrator was struck by the resemblance of Beatriz's drawings to the earliest known art, such as the Lascaux cave paintings in France, which are almost 20,000 years old.
What was the unexpected artwork that Beatriz created in the central cemetery of Bogota?
-The unexpected artwork created by Beatriz in the central cemetery of Bogota was covering each empty niche in a section of mausoleums, once housing the remains of over 9,000 people, with images she created using a simple, almost childlike pictorial language.
Why is art relevant today according to the narrator?
-According to the narrator, art is relevant today because it allows artists to tell their stories and our stories, reminding us of past mistakes and prompting us to confront reality.
What is the name of Beatriz's memorial in the central cemetery of Bogota?
-Beatriz's memorial in the central cemetery of Bogota is called 'Eros Anonymous' or 'Anonymous Auras'.
How does the narrator feel about the commercialization of art?
-The narrator expresses concern about the commercialization of art, fearing that the language of art is being marginalized and subsumed by its entertainment and asset value.
What is the significance of Francisco Goya's painting 'The 3rd of May' to Beatriz Gonzalez?
-Beatriz Gonzalez considers Francisco Goya, particularly his painting 'The 3rd of May,' as a significant influence and kindred spirit, as he also depicted violence in his artwork.
What is the impact of revisiting 'Guernica' on the narrator?
-Revisiting 'Guernica' helps the narrator confront the reality of war and violence, making them feel less numb to the ongoing issues in the world.
What does the narrator believe is the role of art in society?
-The narrator believes that art helps us look squarely into human failure, serving as a mirror to society's issues and prompting reflection and change.
What is the narrator's concern about the current state of art appreciation?
-The narrator is concerned that the experience of art has been compromised due to a diminishing attention span and the focus on entertainment value over the message the artist is conveying.
How does the narrator relate President Kennedy's eulogy of Robert Frost to the role of artists?
-The narrator relates President Kennedy's eulogy of Robert Frost to the role of artists by highlighting how artists, like Frost, bring an instinct for reality and challenge society against self-deception and easy consolation.
Outlines
🎨 Art as a Reflection of Social Struggles
The speaker recounts their visit to Bogota to meet Colombian artists, focusing on Beatriz Gonzalez, whose art addresses Colombia's civil war, corruption, and drug trafficking. Initially uninterested in her drawings based on disturbing photographs, the speaker later connects them to the earliest cave paintings, recognizing their profound significance. Beatriz's memorial project in Bogota's central cemetery, where she covered empty niches with images, deeply moved the speaker. The speaker ponders the relevance of art today, questioning its impact on society's civility and humanity. They reflect on their role in a New York art gallery and the commercialization of art, emphasizing their faith in art's purpose in the modern world. The narrative concludes with a reflection on the power of art to confront suffering and the importance of preserving Beatriz's memorial as a testament to Colombia's history.
🖌️ The Power of Art to Confront Violence
The speaker delves into the relevance of art in addressing political violence, referencing Francisco Goya's 'The 3rd of May 1808' and Picasso's 'Guernica' as influential works that depict violence directly. They discuss their personal connection to these pieces, visiting them annually and finding them grounding. The speaker also mentions Andy Warhol's 'Electric Chair' and the work of Colombian sculptor Dora Salcedo, who uses art to signify loss and suffering. They argue for the necessity of controversy and debate in art, criticizing the commodification of culture and the diminishing attention given to art's language and meaning. The speaker calls for a return to a deeper engagement with art, emphasizing its quiet power to challenge our perceptions and confront reality.
🌐 Art as a Catalyst for Change and Reflection
In the final paragraph, the speaker emphasizes the importance of slowing down to appreciate art, which is often quiet and introspective. They discuss how art can offer beauty and solace or challenge us to confront harsh realities, urging us to expand our perspectives beyond societal boundaries. The speaker reflects on the role of artists as mirrors of human failure, using President Kennedy's eulogy for Robert Frost to illustrate how art can champion individual sensibility against societal intrusion. They conclude by advocating for the preservation of Beatriz's memorial and encouraging the audience to navigate against societal currents, using art as a guide for personal and collective growth.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Artist
💡Civil War
💡Cave Paintings
💡Political Nature
💡Memorial
💡Repetition
💡Commercialization of Art
💡Controversy
💡Human Failure
💡Champion of the Individual
Highlights
Artist Beatriz Gonzalez uses her work to lament the unending violence in Colombia due to civil war, corruption, and drug trafficking.
The speaker's initial lack of interest in Gonzalez's drawings changes upon realizing their resemblance to ancient cave paintings.
Gonzalez's memorial 'Eros Anonymous' in Bogota's central cemetery covers empty niches with images, creating a powerful commentary on Colombia's civil war.
The repetition in Gonzalez's art serves as a reminder of the continuous cycle of violence and the need for societal change.
The speaker, a New York art gallery partner, discusses the commercialization of art and its impact on the art world.
Art's relevance is questioned in terms of its ability to make society more civil, humane, and the world a safer place.
The speaker reflects on the emotional impact of Gonzalez's work and its ability to confront the reality of suffering.
The influence of Francisco Goya on Gonzalez is highlighted, with a focus on Goya's depiction of violence in his paintings.
Picasso's 'Guernica' is mentioned as a powerful piece that parallels the fragmentation of war with its own fragmented style.
Andy Warhol's 'Electric Chair' series is discussed as a commentary on the ritualized killing and the death penalty.
Colombian sculptor Dora Salcedo's work focuses on political violence and the ethos of society.
Salcedo's 'Shibboleth' at the Tate Modern is a direct form of political art, symbolizing societal division and the lasting impact of violence.
Christophe Buhrel's transformation of a deconsecrated church into a mosque in Venice sparks debate and controversy.
The speaker warns against the commodification of culture and the marginalization of art's language due to money and status.
The importance of taking time to engage with art and the danger of losing the quiet, contemplative experience of it is emphasized.
Art is described as a tool for confronting reality, challenging preconceptions, and allowing new ideas to form.
The speaker calls for artists and their work to navigate societal challenges and to help people look into human failure.
The eulogy of Robert Frost by President Kennedy is referenced to highlight the artist's role as a champion of individual perception against societal currents.
The speaker concludes by urging the audience to sail against the current of time, letting artists and their work guide the way.
Transcripts
this is a story of an artist and her
kindred spirits about three months ago I
traveled to Bogota to meet with several
Colombian artists one of them was
Beatriz Gonzalez
Beatrice's subject is Colombia's long
history of civil war corruption and drug
trafficking her work in short laments
the unending violence in her beloved
country now that day I went to bayit
rhesus studio where I saw a group of
simple drawings they were based upon
disturbing newspaper photographs of two
men carrying corpses from a massacre now
at first admittedly I didn't find those
drawings of great interest
owing to their obvious and avert Li
political nature but then suddenly
something struck me their resemblance to
some of the earliest art we know of the
last cow cave paintings in France they
were made almost 20,000 years ago
Beatriz then took me to the central
cemetery in Bogota to see something she
had created there in fact it was all
quite unexpected we went to a section
empty of human remains where the
buildings that housed them still stand
these are for roman-style
Coulomb barrier or mausoleums now these
mausoleums once housed the remains of
over 9,000 people many of them indigent
victims of Colombia's civil war it took
Beatriz one year to cover each empty
niche with one of several images that
she created in the simplest pictorial
language
each articulated in a primitive almost
childlike way just as in those cave
paintings
I saw repetition everywhere for
buildings eight images nine thousand
times I was leveled I felt such sadness
but ironically I felt such joy and
admiration for ban trees in one artist's
voice who was speaking out against the
unspeakable we must stop this madness so
why is art relevant today why is it that
artists still want to make pictures why
is it that we still keep looking at them
is there any evidence that art makes our
society more civil more humane or our
world a safer place within which to live
now I'm a partner in a well-established
New York art gallery working with
artists every day I've had the good
fortune over the course of my career to
travel extensively throughout the world
viewing countless exhibitions of art and
museums and galleries and while I've
been exceedingly fortunate to be working
in such a dynamic and creative
environment frankly it's never been
easier to get caught up in the
commercialization of art but what I'm
here to talk about today is my faith in
art's purpose in the world today have
you ever wondered why a picture draws
you in
standing there with Beatrice that day I
realized why I was so moved there was so
much to process the stark depiction of
corpses
the haunting solemnity of the sight and
the fact that bayit rest' devoted a year
of her life to the project with
Colombian suffering and dying around her
now Beatrice calls her memorial eros
anonymous or anonymous auras it was
meant to be a temporary but Beatrice and
her friends would like it preserved so
would I after a half century of civil
war and violence hundreds of thousands
dead millions displaced it's far too
important to be demolished
artists paint perform sculpt in order to
tell their stories in order to tell our
stories they remind us not to make the
same mistakes but we do again and again
so we need repetition that's how our
brain functions that's how we're wired
and we keep going back to art now I'd
like to talk to you about a little bit
more in the way of art that's relevant
to baya trees here is Francisco Goya's
the 3rd of May from 1814 a painting that
many of you are undoubtedly familiar
with Beatrice told me that Goya was a
big influence on her a kindred spirit in
a painter who made paintings of violence
now Goya puts it all out there in front
of you and while we can admire the
dramatic rendering of light and the
painterly essence and staging of scene
it's the subject it's the story that
grabs us that grounds us that connects
us to a reality far distant from our own
now every year I go to Madrid on
business and the first thing I do is I
go to the Reina Sofia to see Picasso's
Guernica
I must look at it again the painting
shows the fascist bombing of this Basque
village of Guernica during the time of
the Spanish Civil War
Picasso's fragmented style parallels the
fragmentation of his country
it is a most lucid depiction of the
horrors of war not unlike Beatrice's or
us anonymous
when I revisit Guernica I bring my
burden of the years news of war and may
M when I stand in front of that picture
it helps me confront a reality that I am
otherwise numb to now here is Andy
Warhol's electric chair from 1963 the
same year as the last execution in New
York State what you're looking at here
is a tool of ritualized killing that was
used over 600 times at sing-sing prison
war Howe used this image repeatedly over
the next 10 years recently I met the
artist Dora salcedo who is a friend of
Beatrice
she's a Colombian sculptor here's what
she told me about her work in my work
I've only addressed one issue political
violence I have focused on political
violence not because I'm Colombian she
said but because I believe that violence
defines the ethos of our society today
she went on I believe that in art life
can transcribe a passage from suffering
to signifying loss here is Doris's
Shibboleth she cut a chasm in the floor
of the Tate Modern in London it is the
most direct form of political art we are
broken we are separated the scar remains
more recently I attended the opening of
a mosque in Venice the first in its
historic center artist Christophe boo
quelle transformed deconsecrated Church
into a mosque some saw as a welcome step
others found it a provocative one I say
bring on the debate controversy in art
is not a pro
what is a problem however is when money
and status dominate art the language of
art becomes marginalized now its
ironical I'm a part of that system
running a gallery representing
successful artists but I see trouble
ahead
in the commodification of culture our
diminishing attention span separates us
from the art art its language is in
danger of being subsumed by its
entertainment value by its asset value a
lot of art is being bought and sold
without much interest if any in what the
artists are saying we should be happy
that our museums are busy that they're
crowded the Museum of Modern Art last
year had three million visitors the Tate
in London five million visitors but we
needn't be happy about the way our
experience of art has been compromised
when you can't stand in front of a
painting quietly something is lost our
sanctuary is gone art demands time and
attention so we must slow down receiving
is quiet art is quiet its internal some
paintings offer us beauty and solace
others more challenging work pushes us
to confront reality to let go of our
preconceptions to let ideas take new
place the idea behind the discovery of
art is something that is very special
art beckons us past our boundaries of
race class gender nationality
it beckons us past our limitations of
intolerance and apathy now like anyone I
make the same mistakes over and over and
the truth is that what I come to realize
finally at the end of the day artists
and art is relevant today it's entirely
essential because artists help us look
squarely into human failure there is no
averting our eyes when the work is
compelling in 1963 President Kennedy
eulogized the late American poet Robert
Frost and I will read you that eulogy he
brought an instinct for reality to bear
upon the Pyatt ease and platitudes of
society his sense of human tragedy
fortified him against self-deception and
easy consolation the artist becomes the
champion of the individual mind and
Sensibility against an intrusive state
and an officious society in pursuing his
perceptions of reality the artist must
sail against the currents of his time
this is not a popular role not everyone
in Bogota wants Beatrice's memorial to
be preserved but it really doesn't
matter she's delivered her message
standing in front of it for me my
self-deception and easy consolation fell
away so to all of you I say sail on
against the current of our time let
artists and their work navigate the
waters ahead for you thank you very much
you
Weitere ähnliche Videos ansehen
"What is Art, and What is Not?" | Big Think
Art as activism | Marcus Ellsworth | TEDxUTChattanooga
Grade 9 ARTS Q1 Ep3: Artwork Usage and Medium of Western Classical Art Traditions
MODULE 3 THE ASSUMPTION OF ART
Why art is important | Katerina Gregos | TEDxGhent
What is Modern Art? (Explained in 3 Minutes)
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)