Art That You Hate

[Karl Henning]

When seeing the originals in live exhibition, you find that if nothing else, Rockwell was an extraordinary technician. Much of the nuance was lost when reproduced for the Saturday Evening Post covers.

This, I can readily imagine.  And so (especially compared to Williams's "concert" works), a much better artist than J.W. is a composer.

[North Star]

Rockwell certainly knew a thing or two about drawing, painting, composition and abstract art.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

One of the purposes of 'modern art,' at least, is to provoke a response in the viewer - any response, but hate is an esp. rewarding reaction for the viewer/hater to take the time and trouble to self-examine.

[Karl Henning]

One of the purposes of 'modern art,' at least, is to provoke a response in the viewer - any response [...]

Yes, and one argument against its having any depth 

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

For one thing, I find Rockwell's use of colors--more specifically perhaps the overall color cast of the images--to be sickly, stale, and oppressive. Many of the scenes are maudlin in addition, and for me his work evokes a reaction similar to Hummel dust-collecting figurines--although I don't think Rockwell's subjects have even that much charm. Part of the issue with me personally (in addition to disliking the look of his images) is that I just don't like Americana--I don't want to look at drawings of Ma, Pa, Uncle Jimbo, Sis, and 'lil Skeeter. I feel absolutely zero connection to these types of subjects. IMO, people like Robert Frank, Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, and Ansel Adams (who was a brilliant portrait photographer for those who don't know) produced a vastly more compelling, insightful, and profound portrait of America's inhabitants then Rockwell.

As for Kahlo, I understand her background and her accident, but the images just creep me out, and I think she just let her accident completely define her art. I do really like Diego Rivera's work however.

[(poco) Sforzando]

For one thing, I find Rockwell's use of colors--more specifically perhaps the overall color cast of the images--to be sickly, stale, and oppressive. Many of the scenes are maudlin in addition, and for me his work evokes a reaction similar to Hummel dust-collecting figurines--although I don't think Rockwell's subjects have even that much charm. Part of the issue with me personally (in addition to disliking the look of his images) is that I just don't like Americana--I don't want to look at drawings of Ma, Pa, Uncle Jimbo, Sis, and 'lil Skeeter. I feel absolutely zero connection to these types of subjects. IMO, people like Robert Frank, Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, and Ansel Adams (who was a brilliant portrait photographer for those who don't know) produced a vastly more compelling, insightful, and profound portrait of America's inhabitants then Rockwell.

As for Kahlo, I understand her background and her accident, but the images just creep me out, and I think she just let her accident completely define her art. I do really like Diego Rivera's work however.

I'm not even going to try to dispute 95% of what you're saying. I will say that at the exhibit I attended perhaps 5-6 years ago, I was surprised at that time by a strain in Rockwell's art that was darker and less maudlin than the standard assessment would allow. Unfortunately, not having expected to discuss the matter on an Internet forum years later, I did not take notes, and photography at the exhibit was forbidden.

[ibanezmonster]

For one thing, I find Rockwell's use of colors--more specifically perhaps the overall color cast of the images--to be sickly, stale, and oppressive. Many of the scenes are maudlin in addition, and for me his work evokes a reaction similar to Hummel dust-collecting figurines--although I don't think Rockwell's subjects have even that much charm. Part of the issue with me personally (in addition to disliking the look of his images) is that I just don't like Americana--I don't want to look at drawings of Ma, Pa, Uncle Jimbo, Sis, and 'lil Skeeter. I feel absolutely zero connection to these types of subjects.

Agreed 100%.

[Karl Henning]

I'm not even going to try to dispute 95% of what you're saying. I will say that at the exhibit I attended perhaps 5-6 years ago, I was surprised at that time by a strain in Rockwell's art that was darker and less maudlin than the standard assessment would allow.

In case it was not clear from my earlier post, I have always allowed for more than mere sentiment in Rockwell's work.

(And I find the additional color of your own report highly gratifying.)

[mc ukrneal]

For one thing, I find Rockwell's use of colors--more specifically perhaps the overall color cast of the images--to be sickly, stale, and oppressive. Many of the scenes are maudlin in addition, and for me his work evokes a reaction similar to Hummel dust-collecting figurines--although I don't think Rockwell's subjects have even that much charm. Part of the issue with me personally (in addition to disliking the look of his images) is that I just don't like Americana--I don't want to look at drawings of Ma, Pa, Uncle Jimbo, Sis, and 'lil Skeeter. I feel absolutely zero connection to these types of subjects. IMO, people like Robert Frank, Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans, and Ansel Adams (who was a brilliant portrait photographer for those who don't know) produced a vastly more compelling, insightful, and profound portrait of America's inhabitants then Rockwell.

As for Kahlo, I understand her background and her accident, but the images just creep me out, and I think she just let her accident completely define her art. I do really like Diego Rivera's work however.

if you dislike Americana, you will never like Rockwell. This explains your dislike. All the rest is a result of this.

I think he's brilliant - clever, funny, brilliant at catching a moment in time. One of my favorite artists ever.

[Karl Henning]

Agreed 100%.

You don't want to know how little I think of anime art 

[Ken B]

if you dislike Americana, you will never like Rockwell. This explains your dislike. All the rest is a result of this.

I think he's brilliant - clever, funny, brilliant at catching a moment in time. One of my favorite artists ever.

North Star's example is brilliant.

[North Star]

You don't want to know how little I think of anime art 

I try not to think of it at all, myself. 

[Karl Henning]

:-)

[Sean]

It's a curious thing that you can have bad artworks.

You might think that artistic achievement was either there or not, and if wasn't not then there's nothing much to talk about.

There seems to be some sort of negative aesthetics...

[ibanezmonster]

You don't want to know how little I think of anime art 

Probably because you don't have the same desire to escape from the world as I do. I find the world incredibly dull and depressingly boring, and all Normal Rockwell does is keep your mind stuck in the same rut of bland reality. The only thing I admire about his art is his incredible skill.


This is what I have on my desktop for my internship. Pretty much the purest expression of escapism.

[Karl Henning]

Greg, there is a great Robt Sheckley story you should read . . . let me check the title . . . .

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Two things Rockwell could have done to improve his work:

1. Elimate all the people and other junk and show us some interesting abstractions and (for God's sake) some better colors that are not buried in a sickly yellow cast. Mark Rothko, William de Kooning, or even Ellsworth Snyder would have been good examples to emulate.

2. Keep the people, but show us some more interesting examples: How about some sleek, sexy European (Japanese? Brazilian? ) intellectuals like Marcello Rubini and his friends (especially the enchanting heiress Maddelena)--not grandma serving up a Thanksgiving turkey. I'm sure granny was a very nice, kindly old lady, but seriously, she is way past her prime and at least 50 pounds overweight.

Failing that, at least give us some damn cheesecake along the lines of Gil Elvgren, Peter Driben, or Alberto Vargas! 

[Ken B]

Two things Rockwell could have done to improve his work:

1. Elimate all the people and other junk and show us some interesting abstractions and (for God's sake) some better colors that are not buried in a sickly yellow cast. Mark Rothko, William de Kooning, or even Ellsworth Snyder would have been good examples to emulate.

2. Keep the people, but show us some more interesting examples: How about some sleek, sexy European (Japanese? Brazilian? ) intellectuals like Marcello Rubini and his friends (especially the enchanting heiress Maddelena)--not grandma serving up a Thanksgiving turkey. I'm sure granny was a very nice, kindly old lady, but seriously, she is way past her prime and at least 50 pounds overweight.

Failing that, at least give us some damn cheesecake along the lines of Gil Elvgren, Peter Driben, or Alberto Vargas! 

That's what I like about Rembrandt: the babes.

[Karl Henning]

You're thinking Brueghel the Shapely.

[kishnevi]

Probably because you don't have the same desire to escape from the world as I do. I find the world incredibly dull and depressingly boring, and all Normal Rockwell does is keep your mind stuck in the same rut of bland reality. The only thing I admire about his art is his incredible skill.

Rockwell is not a realist in the sense of painting true to life.  His works portray an ideal America, what America imagined itself to be c. 1955, and more than once he slyly subverts his subject, or gently mocks the people he depicts.  And his overtly ideological works--the Four Freedoms, for instance--are in a class of their own, so well done they are.