Ikea Two
Man looking for 'paintings' at Ikea
G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
23.6" x 23.6" or 60 x 60cm
2009
SOLD
Technique VS Idea, Ideas, Ideas
As a realist artist I find it funny to see that modern art nowadays puts more emphasis on ideas rather than on technique. In a documentary about a leading school of art in the UK I even heard an art teacher proclaiming that technical skill doesn’t even matter, it’s all about ideas, ideas, ideas!
Well, having a good idea for a painting sure is important. Art should capture thoughts and feelings and having an idea what you want to say or express as an artist sure is the way to go. But saying that form and technical skill just isn’t important sounds outright ridiculous to me.
Let’s say you happen to be a singer and you got the greatest idea for a song ever. You pen it down, the melody sounds like heaven and the words are just like poetry. It’s just great!
But when you’re on stage performing this great song and you just happen to suck at singing, do you know what happens? You get booed off the stage and if you really stink people start throwing beer bottles at you. Or tomatoes and rotten eggs for that matter.
But with painting it’s a whole different ballgame. If you got this great idea, but your performance is just as bad as the singer’s: it’s called a style. People don’t boo you off the stage, they start throwing panties at you for God’s sake.
They appreciate ‘your style’ for your new take on things and daring or innovative way of working. They actually think it’s good or at least are so shocked and confused they're seriously considering it might be good.
No, it isn’t, let’s keep things in perspective here: it’s just a great idea badly executed. It’s like a singer with a great song, but who sings painfully off key. Who enjoys that? I for one can’t and never will.
That’s why technical skill is still important and it always will be. I’m not saying that artists have to work in a realistic style, but they should master their medium and develop their own unique style. To the max, no cutting corners and no slacking whatsoever.
In the end it’s visual art: it has to be visual attractive as well. Combine this with a great idea and you got great art. Now let’s cut the crap and start painting again. Please.
kind regards, Gerard
