The Shock and Awe in Art
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Some artists are known for their shocking or taboo imagery. Unfortunately, when this is the case, an immediate emotional response is all they can offer. Much as a loud continuous bang falls into silence over time.
Paintings by Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) or Cy Twombly (1928- 2011) lack a focal point (see Day 109) and many other design techniques. Sure they are shocking and/or violent upon the first appearance, and they may provoke a certain emotion within you, but without design, it won’t last long up on the wall.
Here are some photos of Cy Twombly’s work when I visited the Philadelphia Museum. Pretty large pieces as you can see.
When I first walked into the room displaying Twombly’s work I instantly got slapped in the face with shock and awe. It was a great feeling! As I looked at his work I couldn’t help to think that he was very disturbed and troubled. Whether this is true for the artist is unknown to me, but this is what his work led me to believe. It was shocking and I could sense the emotion that he was going through when he made his work. It’s very violent. Violence sells! They call it “Shock Value” for a reason. But how long would it take for this initial emotion to fade and reveal anything else which displays technique that keeps us coming back for more? In other words, does it have replay value? What do you think?
And here’s an even bigger question…would I hang it on my wall to be proud of and show all of my friends? Probably not. Well, maybe at first, but then it would lose its appeal. I’d move it to the closet for storage, then the attic, then maybe sell it for the same price I bought it for. I would eventually become desensitized. Meaning when we experience more violence and shock as we age, we aren’t as sensitive, so you can’t rely on the emotional part to be your only quality. Once I look past the emotional impact of the Twombly or Pollock work, there isn’t much else that represents the immense qualities of art and design. You can still make masterful abstract art, but in this case, it’s lacking composition, balance, a main subject, depth, gamut, etc. If there was a focal point or an arabesque to help lead the eye, aerial perspective, a dominant horizontal, vertical, diagonal or right angle to add strength…any of these would improve their pieces. Come to think of it, this scenario reminds me of an old horror movie.
When I was a kid, the Freddy Krueger movies were shocking and violent to me, but now when I look at them they are cheesy…and that’s not just because his face resembles something I ordered from Papa John’s the other night. They focus on one element and don’t bother to strengthen the rest of the movie…acting, composition, dialogue, lighting…all of the other elements that keep you watching a movie over and over again.
Another movie I watched when I was younger was Legend. I just recently watched it, decades later, and it still keeps its shine. The compositions, magical settings, lighting, dialogue, acting, plot…it’s all still up to par. So, that’s the difference between just provoking a strong emotion with no structure, as opposed to having the emotion along with a great composition, lighting, and story behind your photo or art. Yin and Yang. A balance between pure inspiration and sophistication.
Here are some screenshots of Legend (1985).
I’ll leave you with a great excerpt from Harold Speed’s book “Oil Painting Techniques and Materials.” I read Harold Speed not for his techniques, but for such inspiring writings such as this. He really did have a deep understanding of true art and what it stands for.
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“As Joubert says ‘Violent sects have the most immediate appeal, but the quieter sects last the longest.’ Democracy has so enormously increased the size of the stage of public life, that it is only those whose work shouts at you, who have much chance of any immediate notice. The quieter performer whose work is destined to have the longer life and reflects more deeply the spirit of the age is difficult to find in all this hubbub. ” Harold Speed
