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Legendary artist Frida Kahlo being casually dismissed in contemporary American newspaper headline, 1933
(lemmy.world)
this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2024
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Why was she so legendary? Most the art I’ve seen by her is just ok, nothing epic. Was she involved in other social movements or something?
Art is highly subjective - modern artists who become famous typically do so because of novel approaches to their material rather than raw technical proficiency. Frida Kahlo was pioneering in her usage of folk culture and surrealism, combined with a (if you will pardon the fact that 90% of my comparisons go back to my obsession with Rome) verism-like dedication to detail, while (in a very un-Verism like manner) hewing to a distinctly stylized form.
So, she impressed other artists? I’m guessing it’s like when I see videos of a musician talking about how awesome a song is, then listen to it & think it’s just ok, only to find out that they think song is awesome because it’s performed in an obscure time signature or something.
Anyway, sounds good, I’ll remember that now.
Bit more of a pioneering thing. The "Seinfeld is unfunny" sort of thing, where something is so groundbreaking that it just gets widely adopted going forward and then isn't always seen in a pioneering light by casual observers. We live in a blessed time for artistic styles, in that incredible amounts of human history and creativity are at our fingertips to experiment with, combine, refine, and distort. We owe that rich artistic heritage we enjoy to innovators like Frida Kahlo. (edit: swapped the last letters initially lmao)
*Frito Kamala
Yes, being appreciated by people who actually know what they're talking about is usially a good thing.
Music a lot of people think is just OK or completely hate, while musicians/critics will think have changed the world: The pixies. (Loud quiet loud) Nirvana. (Loud quiet loud but Leadbelly) Radiohead. (11/6,12/7,13/8, what's a martenot?)
If I look at something that I don't understand but that a large group of people clearly values very highly, trained experts in the field included, my first instinct is not to form a dismissive opinion based on personal preference. I'll typically try to find whatever is hidden from me upon first glance. You clearly adopted a different strategy.
How did you arrive at the conclusion that your judgement of art is ultimately meaning-, or even insightful?
I have eyes. Her art looks like something an amateur would do. Everyone has and uses judgement, my judgement of art is not less valuable than anyone else’s, which is why I asked why she’s considered to be so good.
That’s also a super elitist view. As if only highly trained artists can have opinions about art. Enjoy your walled garden I guess.
Get your eyes fucking checked.
That’s pretty neat, still looks pretty sloppy. Looks like a drug trip.
It looks like something a 3rd year art school student today would paint while they took drugs.
The thing is, these are not just random images slapped onto a canvas, or even the product of a drug trip, but each part of this painting is symbolic of something to the artist (and, in much of Kahlo’s work, its some kind of pain). People going through similar things in their life might be able to pick out the symbolism in each part of the painting, connecting with it in a way you can’t. Not every art piece is about technical skill or realism (which is something you seem to value highly in the art you enjoy).
Yeah, I get that. I’m not sure why it’s not ok to express that according to all these other comments.
Ah yes you're right! I forgot that photo-realism is the only art form, thank you for reminding us all! There've never been other forms of art, it has only been a race to be a camera, I totally forgot!
What an insight into art, we need to inform people to take down all paintings drawn by Frida Kahlo at once! Some guy on the internet thinks it's easy to do and sloppy!
We all enjoy what we enjoy, why’re you so mad about someone expressing that?
They are not talking about what they enjoy, they're trying to explain that an artist is unskilled for their art which others enjoy. I feel like you have this backward.
What? I’ve read that like 3 times and I still don’t know what you’re trying to say. Art being enjoyed by others is not a measure of skill?
Okay amateur, let's see you produce something as technically crafted, symbolically stylized, and emotionally evocative as she did. If you don't feel you have enough pain to draw on, we can break your spine and give you Lupus.
I’m not an amateur because I don’t paint. But her work looks like something some one in art school could paint today & wouldn’t get recognition.
One thing a trained artist knows better than you is that an amateur couldn't have done that
An amateur painter, like an art school student, could paint some of the things I’ve seen by her. I get you guys are fans, but your subjective opinion is not reason to lash out at others that don’t agree.
Wow what a comment lmao
Hey dude, I don’t know, that’s why I asked. Someone else explained it to me, so I get it now, but I’m still going to have my own tastes.