I'm often guilty of taking myself or my work too seriously. In person I think I can be quite funny and have a healthy sense of humour. However, it is probably within my work and my taste in art/culture that I can often be too dark and serious. It's not really something I can explain, although I know people could say I am uptight or not liberal enough, but I feel that... feel... maybe that is the key word here. I feel that I need to experience things emotionally and I don't like being mocked or challenged at my expense. Sarcasm and mockery in art is not something I respond to and quite often this is the kind of humour that I see in art.
At a time when I felt that perhaps sarcasm and mockery is a trendy thing to do (the inference here being my work is not trendy) I found that I am even more drawn to work that speaks to my heart, like Nuala Darcul's work that I feature here. There is an honesty, rawness and fragility within these images even though aesthetically they appear fantastical and beautiful. Darcul does not have a large series of work featured on her flickr page but the few that are there are just lovely. Maybe I do take myself too seriously but when I find gems like these I feel I am not alone.
The third one is powerful to me; I can imagine myself there. I'm also guilty of taking myself too seriously even when I am making whimsical pieces in my art. I do feel strongly about each one as they emerge, good or bad that's who I am what can I say.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more Sundari. I was talking to a friend of mine about this the other day. I've been reading so much 'cool' writing lately in magazines targeted toward my age group and 'indie' readers in which this casual sarcasm and 'look at me and how cynical I am' writing mode dominates. I'm getting tired of it. I never thought sarcasm, cynicism and an overall condescending style of writing or art was particularly appealing, and just because someone employs the tactic of irony doesn't mean they are actually engaging with anything worthwhile. A lot of it just reads like nothing - like it's no longer 'cool' to probe innermost things or interiority.
ReplyDeleteMany people disagree with me. But I'm like you: I prefer clear-sighted honesty, even if that honesty is 'serious' and uncompromising. At the end of the day, the artworks that have made the biggest impact on me, and the books that I remember best are those serious ones laden with a raw sincerity. The cool, glossy and pretentious ones seem to fade into the background.
Great post Sundari!
I do hope you don't feel too much guilt too often in taking your work seriously - there should be pride in that! Nor feel too dark or serious... your words are potent and fresh! These images are wonderful - lifting the aloneness - light can often be found in the dark. Mika
ReplyDeleteLove these photo's Sun! Thanks for sharing.... especially the bottom one...so mysterious.
ReplyDeleteSo, so, beautiful. x hivennn
ReplyDeleteBeautiful picks!
ReplyDeleteWhat Mika said! I, for one, really enjoy your work and taste in art and culture. You'll still be making beautiful images long after the 'trend' for cynicism has passed.
ReplyDeleteHi,congratulations for being such a sensitive and successful art lover. All genuine people are straight,dignified and honest.I,m curious about your take on Mrs.Dalloway.I've written a piece on 'Stream on Consciousness' in my blog.Pl.have a read and say something.
ReplyDeletethese are great images, i hope you dont mind that i added to me blog for my students.
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