Yesterday I took a walk to the Museo de Bella Artes. Two photo installations were my favorite. One, by an artist named Francisco Sanfuentes. Giant, pieces of metal with a photo emulsioned (is that a word?) image of a church. The same church on every piece of metal but from different views. The reason for this specific church wasn’t given:
The other artist’s installation that I liked was by an artist named Francisco Navarrete. I’m not going to explain what his art looks like as it is rather self-explanatory or if you can’t tell because this picture isn’t that great, its a pile of stones. The images on the stones are all well known icons from art history, famous nudes, portraits etc… I will add that I did read his artist statement and wished that I hadn’t! Because, for one, I was bored. Honestly, seeing his work was powerful. Reading the statement made me feel like I was stuck in a text book:
I don’t mean to sound ignorant. I really do like written explanation of art work, but sometimes, I just wish I hadn’t read it because I like the imagery much more, and in my mind…whatever I took from the image is how I wanted to feel and think about it which usually had little to do with what the text on the wall said. This is why I always liked when people would tell me about my own work (For the most part). My paintings are totally abstract. I enjoy when people tell me about how one of my paintings makes them feel like being in water and I even like when people see images like fish or branches of trees, but I do usually cringe when people suggest things like Its Mickey Mouse riding a horse, right? And then a crowd forms around the painting and suddenly everyone is seeing it! It happens.
So often, too, I feel tired walking through art museums and art galleries. I don’t know what it is…I’m supposed to love it, right? Since I’m a painter. But, I’d actually rather be outside. I’m a nature lover. I can’t stand to be stuck in any quiet closed off room for too long before I feel like heading for the door.
Maybe it’s how serious everyone usually is when looking at art.
Maybe it’s how tidy and organized everything looks on the wall with the text and with the low lit lighting.
Maybe it’s the guards walking around checking up on me to make sure I’m not too close or that I’m not taking photos (which I was busted for several times yesterday).
I don’t know.
That’s why I had to get outside yesterday and see some of the street art.
Look at the difference:
So much more bright and alive!
Maybe it’s because they seem like they have their own life in the city. They look different when they’re in the sunlight than in the shade. They age with the weather and by the way that they are treated. They sort of hang out with people who walk by. And the people interact with them too. There is no guard protecting them. You can run around them. You can scream or say things around them that make you sound unintelligent. You can touch them, lean on them, sleep next to them…which may have eventually been the case for the guy in the picture below.
Basically, you can be yourself with them, because they seem so natural.
Some of my best times painting were painting murals. I remember painting on the Press Telegram Building in Long Beach last year. So many of the residents were coming up to us and thanking all of the artists for giving some life to their neighborhood that was otherwise a series of old apartment buildings that looked like they were in demise. That was an amazing feeling. I think until that time, I always thought MY art and by this I mean….I didn’t think of painting for others unless maybe if it was a matter of ownership and that is just painting for “buyers” or for “galleries” not people.
I mean, maybe I’m being too simplistic here, but could there be a better feeling than doing something you already love doing and giving something to someone that makes them feel good and possibly have a better feeling about the place in which they spend every day? But also not even realizing that you are giving something in the first place and having them surprise you by being so grateful?
This all makes me think of the people that have given their creative gifts to me. I’m not talking specifically about “art,” but creative acts none the less that are often over looked because they are not considered art.
I know someone who gets so excited just to make me a smoothie in the morning because it’s something that he loves creating. He doesn’t pre-think my reaction. He just does it because he loves doing it. There’s nothing that needs to be explained or analyzed about it. It’s automatic, it’s from the heart and designed purely to make my day just a little better.
If I make art again, I want it to be like this.
