Each generation is at some point in revolt against the standards of its
fathers; each work of art derives its appeal to contemporaries not only
from what it does but also from what it leaves undone. The term
Post-Modernism was introduced into the discussion in 1975 by Charles
Jencks, a young architect who was tired of the doctrine of
functionalism, which was identified with modern architecture. To be
“shocking” had been accepted as a sign of originality and it is the
nature of things that, like functionalism, the application of playful
forms can be sensible or frivolous, according to the talents of the
designer.
This naturally translated itself into the canvas art
scene but not all artists today who enjoy the right to diversity would
accept the label of “Post-Modern”. It is better described as “an
altered mood” rather than a new style. Perhaps it is always misleading
to think of styles as following each other like soldiers on parade. It
is more generally recognised that artists have the right to go their
own way.
In recent years artists have taken up the medium of photography for
the creation of novel effects that has previously been the preserve of
painters. Thus David Hockney has enjoyed using his camera for multiple
images somewhat reminiscent of Cubist paintings and abstract art
such as Picasso’s picture of “Violin and Grapes” of 1912. His famous
portrait of his mother was a mosaic of various shots taken from
slightly different angles and also records the movement of her head.
One might expect such a combination to result in an incoherent jumble
but the portrait is certainly evocative. After all, when we look at a
person our eyes never stand still for any length of time and the image
we form in our minds when we think of a person is always composite. It
is this experience which Hockney has somehow captured in his
photographic experiments. It looks as if at the present moment, this
conciliation between the photographer and the artist will increase in
importance in years to come. To be sure, even painters of the
nineteenth century made a good deal of use of photographs, but now the
practice is acknowledged and widespread in the search of novel affects.
What these recent developments have brought home is that there are tides of tastes in contemporary art
and abstract art no less than there are tides of fashion in clothing or
decoration. It is undeniable that many of the old masters whom we
admire and indeed many styles of the part failed to be appreciated by
very sensitive and knowledgeable critics of former generations. This is
certainly true. No critic can be entirely unbiased, but it is wrong to
draw the conclusion that artistic values are altogether relative.
Granted that we rarely stop to look for the objective merits of works
or styles that have failed immediately to appeal to us, this does not
prove that our appreciations are entirely subjective. We can recognise
mastery of art, and this has little to do with our personal likes and
dislikes. You may like Raphael and dislike Rubens, or the other way
around, but should recognise that both were towering masters in their
own right.
Keith McGregor is a partner of Strawberrysoup, a web design agency with offices in Chichester and Bournemouth. Strawberrysoup specialise in creative web design, content managed websites, search engine optimisation, search engine marketing and graphic design
