Saturday, August 8, 2009

Where were the poppies?


The entry deadline for "red" the national juried exhibition, has passed.

When I woke up this morning, I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat down with a mailbag filled with entries. I begun to open the envelopes... logging in each entry as I sipped my coffee. I tend to log in all of the entries before going back to review the work... eventually editing the images to the pieces to be exhibited. I found myself occasionally peeking... like a child on Christmas Eve. As I got through the first twenty—or so—entries, I began noticing an unexpected theme emerging. Not all, but many of the pieces were focusing on death and destruction with some bloody religious content mixed in. I truly didn't expect this... It made me wonder if art truly does imitate life. Are we really that far gone?

Image: Georgia O'Keeffe, Poppy, 1927

3 comments:

  1. Charles,

    What you're experiencing is what the economy is doing to people's perspective of their future.

    In a sense art always asks us "What do you see or feel right now" and the art is giving you the right answer...for now.

    Some individuals live in a constant death and renewal process like a loop and they don't grow past it. Other do, they renew and move on. My thoughts are, it's o.k. to visit the dark art briefly just don't live with it.

    Bette

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  2. 1927...wow, so ahead of her time!!!

    And what a woman!!

    Best,
    Michelle

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  3. I totally agree with Bette.

    That is sad...I hope we're not too far gone either.

    Just don't let those guys in! :) jk

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