Attached Link: http://www.nationalgalleries.org/mueck/

Coming from Edinburgh, this is my favourite time of year when the Edinburgh Festival is in full swing. This year an artist named Ron Mueck has caused a lot of debate amongst the artistic community with his current sculpture exhibition (is it art or craft..etc etc). I couldn't resist going along myself and have to say i was absolutely blown away at this guy's work.!!

have a look for yourselves and give me your views :blink:

 

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/mueck/

 

 

I would say it's art, but not my particular choice of viewing.

oh..now you did it! :rolleyes: you had to ask that question.. is it art or craft? depends on how you take it.

webster dictionary says art is a skill..one that you perfect..which means even being a grave digger (sorry) is an art. probably. but then..skill is craft.  the next version says art is that skill which connects our consious with our subconsious. it allows us to explore our inner self and fill that urge to understand our ever changing body, mind and universe. in otherwords..it allows us to use our imagination to feel or think.

craft? just the useof skill.. that's it. it's one lesser than art. it's the usage of a skill. art is making use of that craft to make the viewer feel or think.

depends on what ron muek does to you. he is good at what he does. can you call it art? go see what you feel when you see his work. if it makes you feel even a bit or stirring..even if it triggers your imagination a bit..and leaves you thinking a wee bit..it is art. if it doesn't...it's craft.

if i'd have to describe his work..i'd say his sculptures are crafted art!

art is very subjective, btw.

Thanks for the link DonniemcO. I find his work most impressive and I think he is a superb sculptor. I wish I could see the installation in person. Yes,I would say this should be considered as "art".

fantastic art, verry refreshing. kind of scary though.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2659655

By mdt, at the above thread, approx post #8...

"My definition of Art- Any deliberate, aesthetic act designed to illicit an emotional, intellectual or creative response. The primary characteristic is that the act (the creation of a painting, a song, dance, theater, performance, etc...) must be deliberate. Nature, while often aesthetically pleasing, is not art.

Whether or not it is “good” art is up to the viewer. Whether or not someone decides to spend “good” money on “bad” art is their own problem. Make or buy what you like and you will always be happy."
I totally agree with mdt. I only wish I could have phrased it so succinctly:-))

Cheers,
Diolma
(PS - I would have spelt "illicit" as "elicit" - but that's me being pedantic.. I'm well prone to typos myself)

art is what happens in my head when I'm making pictures (wonderful stuff in there..;) what happens when it goes through my fingers and through the keyboard, I don't think there's a name for that..;)

Who cares - as long as making it gives you pleasure!

I would say art. Great stuff and he has a excellent understanding of anatomy. I do feel when there is a bit too much realism it looks a bit creepy sometimes.  I like more of a charature look. But ther eis no denying his skills.

I'd love to be able to reach that level of disturbing realism in rendering 3D people in my scenes, and in animations. I could do some weird stylized stuff. Get a posse. Pimp my ride.

Wow, I like the lifelike appearance of his models; a pretty good idea to make sculptures that are "alive"...it would be even cooler if he would model some naked Vickies With Sword bashing Dragons; the possibilities are enormous! :-)

Quote - art is what happens in my head when I'm making pictures (wonderful stuff in there..;) what happens when it goes through my fingers and through the keyboard, I don't think there's a name for that..;)

ROTFL, a true reflection of my own frustration as I attempt art!

Thanks for pointing out this exhibition, I think it looks fantastic and is definately art. If I had known this was on I would have been over to see it already.

That's it, tomorrow I will be Edinburgh bound to take in some of the festival fun. 8)

Well if you hadn't posted this I'd not have realised that I had been emailing someone across the City from me :D 

I also had not seen the exhibition but thanks for the link.  I'd say art but in the art/craft debate I tend to already lean very much to the inclusion of crafts.  Amazing skill but I'd be a bit spooked by something SO lifelike, especially of a parent!

Hmmm ... absolutely art.  No less art than a photorealistic painting or rendering.  To me, the word "craft" means the production of a utilitarian object.  It can still be very artistic, but if the primary purpose is the utility of the thing (such as a superbly painted chair to sit on, or the best dug grave in the whole world) then it's craft.  For me the term "art" means something intended for no other purpose than to evoke an emotional response.  That's probably not everyone's distinction, but it's worked for me over the years.

Way back in my UCLA days, I learned that the Romans painted their sculptures to make them seem as realistic as possible.  Of course, we are all used to seeing them without their paint, so we think of "classical" art as being something it really wasn't.  This guy's work is probably more like the work of the classical artists than one might think.

Ricky (wish I was in Scotland ... it was 104 here today and I had to mow the lawn)