What does a work of art do for you?

[Jacki Hopper]

Well Jung, I’m kind of familiar with Thomas Kincade , and you’ve made my day with this “Lilac Cottage ” masterpiece, being the Purple Enthusiast that I am….lol 💜🙃😉👍👌🤘 but in reply, it’s kind of similar approach perspective as to my music take, certain artworks either jump right out at me, immediately involking– reactions of whatever comes out emotional wise, appeals to me outright visually, as I’m a visual person to begin with ….. Andy Warhol certainly spoke volumes with his stuff, and there are others, but you know what is funny , I have yet to go visit tge National Art Gallery downtown Ottawa…. perhaps that big ol Spider sculpture outside of Gallery is partly the reason, and as I’m not much into works of art , lol, , moreso into poetry, music, creativity….. however, I may sonetime get my nerve, go past that Spider Sculpture, and actually go visit the National Art Gallery, in Spring or Summer , when I’m in the area ….🖼🎨🖌🌈

[Daryl Jones]

I have to admit, my knowledge of “art” is pretty much limited to the board game Masterpiece”.😟
I would have a hard time recognizing a Rembrandt from a Da Vinci. I think I’d know a Picasso because of his style, but that’s about it really. And that’s all on me, it’s just something I never experienced or acquired a taste or desire for. Probably a huge character flaw on my part..

[Jürgen]

Hi Jung,

Art is the way into reality and another person’s imagination. And sometimes this path leads into unknown worlds and certainly leaves many things open. Hints and allusions, perhaps sometimes questions that the artist has asked himself and that he would like to pass on to the world. Maybe it’s often just the pure fun of creative work, without a lot of ulterior motives and considerations. There are works of art that make me curious and make me think. Pictures that I wouldn’t necessarily hang on my wall at home. This certainly includes the works of surrealists like Dali. I always found Dali’s works very interesting, just like the surrealist landscape paintings by the painter Hans Werner Sahm. Both have understood how to bring the perspectives of everyday life into new dimensions. To put abstract concepts such as time, dream or space in a new relationship to our human perception and thinking.

But I’m actually a fan of representational painting, such as landscape painting, which captures a special moment, forever remembering a blink of an eye in the flow of time and preserving it for posterity. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I have loved taking photographs since I was young and this has shaped my perception of the world. This is my form of art. Maybe I didn’t answer your question, but isn’t life itself and the world we live in a masterpiece that is worth remembering forever? Each of us carries a piece of this puzzle within us, and perhaps if we put enough of these pieces together, as happens in art and music, we expand our understanding of the world.

[Bud Jackson]

Jurgen,

I’ve been to many Art Museums in Europe, & when you look at those paintings it does take you back in time! It’s also amazing how great those painters were, like Rembrandt, Da Vinci, Picasso, Dali, & so many others.

Although I’ve seen the Mona Lisa painting 3 different times in Paris, I have to say that the GREATEST work of Art are the Real MONA LISA TWINS! I mean that sincerely! They really brighten my World whenever it needs a kick Start! I’m sure you’ll all agree!

Take care Everyone! — Bud

[Jung Roe]

Hi Jurgen

Some great insights there about art. It has so many facets, it’s not possible to properly define in words. I think work of art masterpieces, be it music, painting, literature, poetry…what have you, when it captures a moment of absolute beauty, that is the closest thing in our reality to eternity.

I like your puzzle analogy. Sometimes it feels like when you are exposed to an artists masterpiece, it’s like you get a glimpse behind the divine “big curtain”, that we normally cannot see beyond.

Thanks for the photos, they capture remarkable beauty and emotions, especially the one with the wine glasses.

[Jung Roe]

Jacki, Daryl

I’m the same, couldn’t tell one painting or style apart from another artists, unless it is an iconic piece that everyone knows like Van Gogh’s Starry, Starry, Night. Often it can be something as simple as walking along the aisles in IKEA, and seeing an art poster that really grabs my attention. When I used to do my road trips down to California, there was a lot of Thomas Kinkade galleries along the coast. On one occasion a lovely lady really took her time to explain Thomas Kinkade’s paintings and his magic with light effects, and I learned to really appreciate his work. With just ambient light, he can create light effects that look like there are light bulbs under the canvas. Love the enchanting mood of his paintings.

[Daryl Jones]

“Art” is so personally introspective and taste oriented I think. I can appreciate the beauty of any painting by the great masters, just like a piece of music. The use of color and tone is pretty obvious mostly. But I get lost when it is what I consider abstract or “modern” if you will. Much of that is so out there that I can’t even comprehend the meaning or essence of the composition. Be it on canvas or sculpted, whatever. Some of the “pieces” that get gallery expositions or (gasp) auctions that sell for more than my house leave me wondering about some people’s sanity. But hey, I’m just a country bumpkin with a wannabe musician’s soul.🤣

[Chris Weber]

I really don’t do visual art much. In my first 40-50 years, I watched very few movies. I watch more now, but still not that many. But I do enjoy architecture and fine furniture and tableware. One of my hobbies is cooking, for which the presentation of a dish – it’s appearance on the plate – and also including the plate itself and other appropriate tableware, is visual art. I’ve thought I might have liked being an architect; I also considered being a chef – I worked parts of 6 years in restaurants long ago, but like being a musician, I ultimately decided it was not for me.

I’ve been to Paris half a dozen times, and never went in a real museum. I did go in a number of antique stores and flea markets there, mostly for furniture but also books. There’s a store across from the Louvre; when I went in there the woman told me the chair I was admiring was made by the ébéniste to the Queen. It was amazing in its proportions, in its flow, its balance. Paris still has neighborhoods like it did in the Middle Ages where certain trades have congregated, so I’ve been to the one with tableware, and the one with kitchenware.

The only famous artwork I have is Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night. In 1991, 100 years after it was first exhibited, I had lunch in that café. So I bought the print afterwards. I like having those memories return when I see that print on my wall.

I live in a city of 120,000 people. Every July is the Ann Arbor Art Fair, and 600,000 people show up. It’s kind of like having an art museum come to visit me. I remember long ago, standing in the booth of a guy looking at his large modern painting. After a few minutes I said to him, “it keeps changing as I look at it”, and he said, “yep, that’s what it’s supposed to do.” Art is everywhere. It is in everything – potentially.

https://krollermuller.nl/en/vincent-van-gogh-terrace-of-a-cafe-at-night-place-du-forum-1

krollermuller.nl

Terrace of a café at night (Place du Forum) – Kröller-Müller Museum

Vincent van Gogh, Terrace of a café at night (Place du Forum), c. 16 September 1888 – © Kröller-Müller Museum

[Jürgen]

Hi Chris,

if you should ever travel to Paris again, I can only recommend a visit to the Louvre (if you haven’t already visited it, what I suspect now). I’m not necessarily a great art connoisseur or expert and actually visited the Louvre just to have been there once. But afterwards I was still impressed. Not so much by the Mona Lisa (a small painting behind bulletproof glass) and the modern art paintings, but by the old paintings that fill entire walls. Most of them are rather dark and boring in photos (we colloquially call this kind of thing „Old Ham“: „Alter Schinken“). But once you’ve stood in front of these huge paintings, where people and animals are depicted almost on a 1:1 scale, it’s very impressive. It’s a bit like experiencing the Renaissance or the Middle Ages live. Contemporary witnesses from days gone by. To be honest: Some of these paintings are really weird and kind of creepy, but back then there was no television or horror movies. If you love painting with a roller, maybe this is the right thing for you. 😀

Yes, Montmatre and the artists’ quarter are very impressive. You can spend a lot of time there.

https://youtu.be/MufP60vnLnU?si=12hdEltKI7BsHgJn