Much as I have enjoyed reading the novels of Henry James* I have to recognise that there are occasions when the great man becomes just a touch too much. I saw quoted today his review of the 1878 Royal Academy exhibition. “The artist must tell a story or preach a sermon; his pictures must not … Read more
The more I get into Lanny May Freedman’s What Happened to Art? the more irritated I get. It does seem to be turning, in some respects, into a classic compendium of fuddy-duddyism. A primary target of her anger appears to be “conceptual art”. Now, I have sometimes wondered why “conceptual art” needs a special label, … Read more
I am prepared to claim (apropos of my earlier reference to the question of a definition of art) that the new raised bed in my garden is indeed a “work of art”. I make this claim recognising (following my earlier discussion of the topic) that it is not “perfect”. Nevertheless, looking at it is indeed … Read more
” …. shall come forth wisdom”, as the Good Book says. I was startled this evening, looking at my facebook feed, to receive a message from my daughter-in-law. She wanted to know what I thought about a remark by our seven-year-old grandson. “You can’t be a perfectionist if you want to be an artist, because … Read more