Art - ZEFRANK.COM

amanda · 11-15-2002, 11:35 AM

I'm going into to Tokyo tomorrow to see an exhibit of M.C. Escher's work. I have long-loved his style of approaching a slightly different point of view from the norm. I hope that it was before it became fashionable to like his work, but it's hard to tell.

Escher was one my first exposures to the idea of art. My brother gave me a massive tome of his collected works when I was young (probably 12). The text was in german, but the images, of course, transcended the language boundary. And all I could see was a world created for the sake of creating it, for providing a reality that Reality did not on its own accord- truly magnificant.

Ever since, I've been in awe of such creative composers of reality. Escher is just one, but he was one of the first.

bealeblues · 11-15-2002, 12:47 PM

i am, what you call, artistically challenged/ignorant, but i love escher's stuff and dali's stuff.... i'm much more musically inclined and i don't think i have the required eye to recognize true art from random scribbles

NekoPunk · 11-15-2002, 04:07 PM

*brain explodes*

surflugen · 11-15-2002, 04:24 PM

I love M. C. Escher! I am supper jealous. I like the pattern work and the transitions stuff but I really like his drawings that are just renderings. One of my favorites is of fish in water. All the details of reflections and stuff. The guy must have not slept.

amanda · 11-16-2002, 07:51 AM

My first thought: Oh god. look at all these people, queuing up to see just one piece. It's herded cows looking at caged birds. I have to turn around....

Just then, I caught a glimpse of a Christmas card sent to a personal friend of Escher's- the image was simple and complex at the same time. A child's face, but the shadowing was making me watch it for awhile as it synthesized into existence. It appeared- not beautiful, but startling.

I was pulled in.

I've never had the experience of seeing an artist's original work that I have admired before. And I'm not sure I would recommend it. That whole day disappears. People who point out to their friends the most obvious things about the piece annoy you- move your hand before I slap it down! I'm having a moment here and you pointing out that the fish become birds is distracting.

And after all of that, a print...is well, a print. It's not the same. I promised myself I could purchase one, but in the end, I couldn't do it. Something was missing in all of them- an indescribable quality simply wasn't there. It may have had the same look, but it wasn't alive like the images I just finished seeing.

Many of his famous and lesser-famous works were there- some I knew extremely well because I did them as jigsaw puzzles when I was a kid (that's a good way to drive someone over the edge, by the way) The drawing hands was missing, but the self potrait in the mirror ball was there, along with "Metamorphosis"- which is at least 15 feet long.

Didn't learn any more about his life than I learned from the german book- again the language barrier. But I just feel so good right now- it's really amazing how something so simple as art can enliven both the mind and spirit.

Anyone else have any experiences to share? Who does that to you- be it graphic, musical, literary, or other?

LadyCrow · 11-17-2002, 06:54 PM

Here's my M.C. Escher story...

Former neighbors of my mother's were having a garage sale, so we went over to peruse their stuff. Lo & behold, they had some artwork up for grabs. Needless to say, I found an Escher print (the mirrorball) in the pile, & immediately grabbed it. The pic is now hanging over my stove, & it looks good there. The other day I took it down to see hw the space would look w/out it, and I had to put it right back.

I LOVE his stuff. It's absolutely amazing to me.

Loving art is...

Pax,
LC

surflugen · 11-18-2002, 07:28 PM

I have to agree with the fact that some of the art I have seen in person was less impressive as it was when I first saw a print in a book. A few years back I went to the Art center in Chicago. Best museum I have been to. Anyway, I have always been impressed with the pointillism painting by Surat (the one in Farris Buelers Day off). When I saw it in person I thought, "that is not all that impressive" I got the same feeling from some other famous paintings as well. On the other hand though, I saw some paintings that just blew my mind. The space and feeling portrayed by Monet's Hay stacks (4 of the series side by side) displaying different lighting from different days was just unreal. Also some prints can't do justice to some paintings. I have not been a huge fan or Van Gogh but his self portrait in the Art Center was amazing. In the books I have seen this picture and admired the brush strokes you could see but not really know. In person it wasn't just the heavy brush strokes but the fact that each brush stroke had incredible vibrant color that was compliment by the next stroke tightly placed next to it. The color was so intense that I immediately opened up my book when I got back home to compare my memory and the color print just couldn't even hold up to the original. (Damn you CMYK) The other work of Van Gogh that I have seen in person was admirable but not all that impressive conpaired to that self portrate. I have still yet to see my favorites though. Maybe they have just been spoiled by the hype.

amanda · 11-18-2002, 09:21 PM

Currently, I have a showing of Van Gogh in my bathroom. Prints of course, but the self- portrait is there. Along with "Starry night" and a few others.
(Well, where else would you hang art that you want to spend a few moments contemplating and enjoying every day?)

I would love to see his work for real.

11-15-2002, 11:35 AM	#1
amanda old s'cool Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,426	Art I'm going into to Tokyo tomorrow to see an exhibit of M.C. Escher's work. I have long-loved his style of approaching a slightly different point of view from the norm. I hope that it was before it became fashionable to like his work, but it's hard to tell. Escher was one my first exposures to the idea of art. My brother gave me a massive tome of his collected works when I was young (probably 12). The text was in german, but the images, of course, transcended the language boundary. And all I could see was a world created for the sake of creating it, for providing a reality that Reality did not on its own accord- truly magnificant. Ever since, I've been in awe of such creative composers of reality. Escher is just one, but he was one of the first.

11-15-2002, 12:47 PM	#2
bealeblues where's my salt? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: finally writing Posts: 6,929	i am, what you call, artistically challenged/ignorant, but i love escher's stuff and dali's stuff.... i'm much more musically inclined and i don't think i have the required eye to recognize true art from random scribbles __________________ still jackasinine, make no mistake

11-15-2002, 04:07 PM	#3
NekoPunk Don't dream it, be it... Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: on the mountian, TN Posts: 370	brain explodes __________________ It's just a jump to the left... And then a step to the right... With your hands on your hips... You bring your knees in tight... But it's the pelvic thrust... That really drives you insane! Let's do the time-warp again! Let's do the time-warp again!

11-15-2002, 04:24 PM	#4
surflugen getting Donuts Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,091	M. C. Escher I love M. C. Escher! I am supper jealous. I like the pattern work and the transitions stuff but I really like his drawings that are just renderings. One of my favorites is of fish in water. All the details of reflections and stuff. The guy must have not slept.

11-16-2002, 07:51 AM	#5
amanda old s'cool Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,426	I'm back My first thought: Oh god. look at all these people, queuing up to see just one piece. It's herded cows looking at caged birds. I have to turn around.... Just then, I caught a glimpse of a Christmas card sent to a personal friend of Escher's- the image was simple and complex at the same time. A child's face, but the shadowing was making me watch it for awhile as it synthesized into existence. It appeared- not beautiful, but startling. I was pulled in. I've never had the experience of seeing an artist's original work that I have admired before. And I'm not sure I would recommend it. That whole day disappears. People who point out to their friends the most obvious things about the piece annoy you- move your hand before I slap it down! I'm having a moment here and you pointing out that the fish become birds is distracting. And after all of that, a print...is well, a print. It's not the same. I promised myself I could purchase one, but in the end, I couldn't do it. Something was missing in all of them- an indescribable quality simply wasn't there. It may have had the same look, but it wasn't alive like the images I just finished seeing. Many of his famous and lesser-famous works were there- some I knew extremely well because I did them as jigsaw puzzles when I was a kid (that's a good way to drive someone over the edge, by the way) The drawing hands was missing, but the self potrait in the mirror ball was there, along with "Metamorphosis"- which is at least 15 feet long. Didn't learn any more about his life than I learned from the german book- again the language barrier. But I just feel so good right now- it's really amazing how something so simple as art can enliven both the mind and spirit. Anyone else have any experiences to share? Who does that to you- be it graphic, musical, literary, or other?

11-17-2002, 06:54 PM	#6
LadyCrow WhY sO SiRiUs? Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ta uoy erehw Posts: 1,120	Here's my M.C. Escher story... Former neighbors of my mother's were having a garage sale, so we went over to peruse their stuff. Lo & behold, they had some artwork up for grabs. Needless to say, I found an Escher print (the mirrorball) in the pile, & immediately grabbed it. The pic is now hanging over my stove, & it looks good there. The other day I took it down to see hw the space would look w/out it, and I had to put it right back. I LOVE his stuff. It's absolutely amazing to me. Loving art is... Pax, LC __________________ "If there is a bedrock principle of the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable." -- Justice William J. Brennan (1906-1997) U. S. Supreme Court Justice Source: Texas vs. Johnson, 1989 ************ Illegitimi non carborundum... ************ Whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger. - Heath Ledger

11-18-2002, 07:28 PM	#7
surflugen getting Donuts Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,091	the real thing I have to agree with the fact that some of the art I have seen in person was less impressive as it was when I first saw a print in a book. A few years back I went to the Art center in Chicago. Best museum I have been to. Anyway, I have always been impressed with the pointillism painting by Surat (the one in Farris Buelers Day off). When I saw it in person I thought, "that is not all that impressive" I got the same feeling from some other famous paintings as well. On the other hand though, I saw some paintings that just blew my mind. The space and feeling portrayed by Monet's Hay stacks (4 of the series side by side) displaying different lighting from different days was just unreal. Also some prints can't do justice to some paintings. I have not been a huge fan or Van Gogh but his self portrait in the Art Center was amazing. In the books I have seen this picture and admired the brush strokes you could see but not really know. In person it wasn't just the heavy brush strokes but the fact that each brush stroke had incredible vibrant color that was compliment by the next stroke tightly placed next to it. The color was so intense that I immediately opened up my book when I got back home to compare my memory and the color print just couldn't even hold up to the original. (Damn you CMYK) The other work of Van Gogh that I have seen in person was admirable but not all that impressive conpaired to that self portrate. I have still yet to see my favorites though. Maybe they have just been spoiled by the hype.

11-18-2002, 09:21 PM	#8
amanda old s'cool Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,426	Currently, I have a showing of Van Gogh in my bathroom. Prints of course, but the self- portrait is there. Along with "Starry night" and a few others. (Well, where else would you hang art that you want to spend a few moments contemplating and enjoying every day?) I would love to see his work for real.

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