Eva, hi
Exactly! After all Picasso spent much of his career (early, middle and
late), learning directly from the works of past masters, from which he
then innovated. It may be interesting to consider, philosophically,
notions of 'time' and 'novelty'. While all evolution is based on
improvisation, invention and reinvention, our society often
misinterprets fads and fashion for true 'novelty'. And, in my opinion,
this results from a mono-cultural, notion of 'now'. As an entertaining
introduction to 'integral, critical futures studies', I would recommend
Stewart Brand's 'The Clock of the Long Now'. Here, Brand adopts the
concept of 'now', from that of some indigenous and Eastern cultures -
seven generations back and seven generations forward. As a complement
to the 'long now', he explores the 'big here'.
This brings me to two of my favourite adopted quotes from Robert
Pirsig's 'Lila: an inquiry into morals'. He talks about Indian culture
becoming corrupted through the institutionalisation of meaningless
ritual and thereby how the origins of the word 'rt', from the Rg Vedas
(from which we get 'art', arithmetic, architecture, and so on). Rt
means the dynamic process by which 'the whole cosmos continues to be
created, virtuously'. So the idea that we may be disconnected from the
works of past artists is perhaps one of arrogance or ignorance, that we
should chained to emulating them would breed extinction. However, if
we learn from them, then they will have 'created the space for life to
move'... 'the most moral act of all'. And in this way we may further
understand expanded notions of arts practice developed by Alan Kaprow
when he wrote about the difference between 'Art like Art and Lifelike
Art', or Habermas's 'transformative reflective practice'.
All the best
David
On 8 Jul 2006, at 12:16, dep2 wrote:
> Hi David, Patricia
>
> The "passing of knowledge" from one generation to another is an
> interesting concept, because it perpetuates both culture and
> knowledge, in this respect looking back is the way forward. Contrary
> to Eastern wisdom of repetition in view of maintaining tradition,
> Western concepts of newness meant that parts of culture were
> abandoned, buried or lost - the bits rediscovered later on have almost
> always been misinterpreted/misunderstood. Valuable knowledge has,
> therefore, been lost for ever. Could we argue that apart from the
> educational merits of copying masterpieces, such repetition could
> attain the character of ritual? The act of copying masterpieces is
> not simply engaging in polite conversation with another piece of art ,
> it's a close-up and physical struggle which, apart from bringing
> forward issues of appropriation and imitation (mimesis), requires
> research, technical ability, knowledge and understanding. On the
> other hand sterile copying which does not lead to anything new does
> not produce art or culture. Picasso argued that new painters
> should take up old research in order to react against it not merely to
> be absorbed in bringing the past back to life. "Why cling desperately
> to everything that has already fulfilled its promise?".
> (Picasso on Art: a selection of views, Dore Ashton)
>
> Regards
>
> Eva Pryce
>
>
> On 7 Jul 2006, at 23:01, David Haley wrote:
>
>> Patricia, hi
>>
>> Hope you are well.
>>
>> I wrote this extract a year, or so ago as part of a contribution to
>> the Social Sculpture web exhibition on greenmuseum.org - Due to ill
>> health, I don't think the exhibition was published:
>>
>> "Judy Ling Wong, the director of BEN (Black Environmental Network)
>> explained some lessons she had learned about the practice of
>> traditional Chinese art:
>>
>> In China the student/apprentice spends much time reproducing the
>> Master’s work. We learn from nature by drawing nature and we learn
>> from art by drawing art. There is no such thing as ‘copying’, that is
>> a silly idea. Nobody can make a copy – only a photocopier can do
>> this. Every time the student draws from the Master’s work, the
>> student is recreating an artwork – making new art.
>>
>> The artist has a duty to pass on their art to others. In the West,
>> notions of genius and uniqueness mean that an artist’s work dies with
>> them. In the East, however, achievement is measured by the
>> effectiveness of the Master’s transfer of knowledge to other artists.
>> This makes for a living art and meaningful legacy."
>>
>> I hope this contributes to your search...
>>
>> All the very best
>>
>> David
>>
>> On 6 Jul 2006, at 14:20, Patricia Cain wrote:
>>
>>> I'd be grateful if anyone could give me references concerning the
>>> reproduction or copying of masterpieces please.
>>> In particular, I'm interested in the subject from the point of view
>>> of what can be learnt from doing this, or any first person accounts
>>> which might relate to this.
>>>
>>>
>>> Kind regards,
>>>
>>> Trish
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Patricia Cain
>>> PhD Researcher
>>> Glasgow School of Art
>>> 167 Renfrew Street
>>> Glasgow
>>> G3 6RQ
>>>
>>> 0141 334 2183
>>> 078 550 590 29
>>> [log in to unmask]
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>>>
>> David Haley BA(Hons) MA FRSA
>>
>> Research Fellow
>> MA Art As Environment Programme Leader
>> SEA: Social & Environmental Arts Research Centre (MIRIAD)
>> Manchester Metropolitan University
>> Postgraduate Research Centre
>> Cavendish North Building, Cavendish Street,
>> Manchester M15 6 BY
>>
>> Tel: +44 (0)161 247 1093
>> Fax: +44 (0)161 2476870
>>
>> "Before acting on this email or opening any attachments you
>> should read the Manchester Metropolitan University's email
>> disclaimer available on its website
>> http://www.mmu.ac.uk/emaildisclaimer "
>>
David Haley BA(Hons) MA FRSA
Research Fellow
MA Art As Environment Programme Leader
SEA: Social & Environmental Arts Research Centre (MIRIAD)
Manchester Metropolitan University
Postgraduate Research Centre
Cavendish North Building, Cavendish Street,
Manchester M15 6 BY
Tel: +44 (0)161 247 1093
Fax: +44 (0)161 2476870
"Before acting on this email or opening any attachments you
should read the Manchester Metropolitan University's email
disclaimer available on its website
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/emaildisclaimer "
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