“There are idiots who define my work as abstract; yet what they call abstract is what is most realistic. What is real is not the appearance, but the idea, the essence of things.” – Constantin Brancusi
This is Bird in Space by Constatin Brancusi. This one’s made of marble and is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. There are fifteen other sculptures that are similar to this one, made of marble or cast in bronze.
This is Sleeping Muse. You see, she’s sleeping. She’s also a woman… see those delicate features, that tiny mouth?
I think there’s no such thing as abstract art. And modern art is not going down the drain… it’s become primitive, but in a good way. Art is about feelings. Modern art is trying to get to the essence of things.
But now the thing is… can you really get to understand the essence if you don’t have to work for it, if you don’t have to take away countless layers before finding it?
Just a question in case you didn’t have anything to ponder about today.
Hahaha just in case you didn’t have anything to ponder today. I like that. Thanks for the inspiration.
My pleasure, Jayne.
his quote is almost Plato! very beautiful and thank you for sharing!
My pleasure!
I’ve been experiencing a similar impulse with poems I’d written a while ago. I keep paring them back and paring them back to get at the real meaning of the experience, its essence. (Whether I’ve succeeded is another story, but the impulse is there.) Thanks for the reflection prompt!
Poetry eludes me most of the time both as a creator and as a consumer. I find it, out of all forms of writing, to be the most difficult and most demanding on one’s creative brain. But, yes, I think it’s important to find the essence of what you want to say and try to capture it in your words.
I agree with you about the elusive nature of poetry. I don’t “get” it the way I get fiction.
Very nice pieces, and good choices to make your case. The art I mainly can’t relate to is when somebody just slops paint from a can at a canvas and calls that art.
As a side note, I’m in a similar boat with you regarding poetry, I can follow it, but I have less than zero luck trying to write it. I’m jealous of those with the talent to express themselves to that depth and so concisely.