A Comment... by anahata.c
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Description
This raunchy doodle was one of my very first. A takeoff on a famous work, called The Great Wave, by Hokusai. I did it in 5 lousy minutes, with pencils and crayons. (Wax crayons. The smeary type.)
But instead of using Mt. Fuji---like the original---I used a snippet of Chicago. It's a trifle, but I post it for a reason:
It was for one of my first art teachers, when I was 18. She was one of my best.
One day, 3 of us asked her: Why there were so few women in the history of art? She sighed, sat, and said: "You want a real answer? Then sit. This'll take time." And she proceeded to give one of the greatest verbal histories of women in art I'd ever heard. Everytime I see this little doodle, I think of her. She was much greater than my paltry effort at Hokusai-impersonation...
In my last upload, a couple of you saw a serious undertone in the piece. And you were right. It was about a great woman artist---fictional---from the Renaissance. My main purpose was to evoke some wonder, and fun. But, were there famous women artists in the Renaissance? No. Not one. Nor in most of the centuries, before or after. Nor in the West and in Asia. Why? Women weren't allowed. They were put down, punished, kept out of art classes; and even those who were allowed to take art classes were never allowed beyond. This went on for ages. I've studied the arts all my life, and I can tell you: There's barely an art in the West that honored women's creativity, for most centuries. Native arts? Native American? Yes. But in the "fine arts": No. For many cultures, they didn't honor women at all.
In the 20th C (where women broke through the barriers), one of the greatest artists, for me, is the mighty Georgia O'Keeffe. Among other things, she painted flowers. She saw the cosmos in those things. Whole galaxies unfold in her flowers. Stand in front of her Poppies series, and you'll witness power, creation, galactic emotion. Ditto with her plants, skulls, landscapes...She was thunderous.
But as late as 1990, some major critics said she was a 'good' painter, but mostly a "painter of flowers". Trust me, that's a loaded phrase: It implies that she paints 'women's' things, ie, flowers, 'light' things, etc. If that critic (a man) were told, "this was painted by GEORGE O'keeffe"---a male? I promise you, he wouldn't have said "he's just a painter of 'flowers'". He brought her down several notches with that slight. It's the prejudice that lurks under the surface. We've come a long way, but we still have a ways to go.
So while my last upload wasn't a creed, I was talking about women in the arts, yes. The fine arts has a long history of keeping them out. There are exceptions, but up to the 20th C? They're exceptions. If my little tale helped raise the issue a bit? I'm glad. I hope the day will come when no one will notice: That'll mean it isn't an issue anymore, and I won't have to 'make up' great women artists in the Renaissance. I'm sure they existed, but society didn't want to hear from them...that's the tragedy...
Thanks for reading me, I appreciate it.
I wish you all a fine wednesday,
Mark
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Comments (22)
Faemike55
Well! that answered my question and then some. Great bit of art here! Thanks for sharing the art and your thoughts
crender Online Now!
Fantabulous!
dochtersions
As if a great wave is rolling over a China town. I love your style as colours, Mark.
eekdog
Happy hump day, Mark. None of your work is raunchy my friend. In fact i think it's beautiful and professional my friend, and your words are moving.
LivingPixels
Always most interesting this was fantastic Mark thanx!!!
helanker
Mark this is a fabulous and beautiful story about oppression of women. Atleast it is better today. Not perfect but better. And i love your drawing alot. Far from rounchy in my opinion.
auntietk
Indeed. My quilt is considered to be "women's" and "folk" art.
"Better" is a relative judgement.
I'm out of time, my friend. I need to leave to go get a massage. (I know ... my life sucks ... it's a burden I try to bear with grace.) It was wonderful to talk to you last night!
durleybeachbum
Brilliant!
I will go back and read that piece soon I have a temporarily bad back!
romanceworks
I like your drawing a lot. Full of energy. And your comment about women was as wonderful and full of energy. Women have been far too suppressed in art, but like the mighty waves in your drawing, no matter how many times they are pushed back, they will keep moving forward, as they are an undeniable and unstoppable force of nature.
bugsnouveau
Cool stuff, Mark! Love the doodle
Freethinker56
Such a wonderful doodle Mark.Thanks for the info on female artist. And thank goodness time are a changing
steve2
I love your Art and Literature !
nickcarter
I find it is not quite so poor! It is your own "revisiting" of one of the great masterpieces of Japanese painting, and as such must be observed. Anyway for me a beautiful and brave test!
blondeblurr
The Great Wave off Kanagawa - a first and a 'fine doodle' Mark, I like your choice of colours, right up my alley - thanks goes to your wonderful teacher, also for the recognition of the 'other' good artists, big sigh ! (I wish, I could have known her as a teacher!)
...now I can say and add, that I have seen, also experienced some of the American 'Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings, even if only on the internet - so very interesting, thanks for the inspiration Mr.T. you have given me 'to learn for evermore'...
Madbat
Interesting point. I'm not well read on the subject (at all) but apparently Mozart had a sister who was his equal if not better. All her compositions were burned. Ignorant attitudes throughout history have cost us increadible things. Our loss.
wysiwig
There is an ancient Chinese saying to the effect that 'Women hold up half the sky.' As long as women and men are not equals the Universe is out of balance. I had not thought of the lack of female art in quite some time. Thanks for reminding me. And your drawing could well be used in an ad for climate change.
RodS
I love your wonderful art with crayons, Mark! And the way you put that very recognizable bit of Chicago behind the wave is brilliant!
And I am sooooo on board with your comments about women in the arts - such a shame for centuries women were (and still are in many cases) denied the opportunities they deserve - or are 'pigeonholed' into so-called "woman subjects" i.e. flowers, babies, etc. It's not right, and it's not accurate. One thinks of pinup art as being a "man" artistic subject, yet some of the most alluring pinups I've seen have been created by women. One needs only to look through the galleries here to see that great artwork is created by women.
(And no.... The T.N.A. Girls are not making me type this.... LOL)
goodoleboy
The wave that ate Chicago. You really laid the crayons heavy to the paper in this deep apocalyptic scene, Mark.
miashadows
Im not always a fan of changing times but as a woman i guess i was born in a better time i should be grateful,very beautiful work you have many great talents Mark
flavia49
nice work
beachzz
Of course I love this; anything with waves that big speaks to me!! This just shouts at me, lets me know it's THERE and not going away. You got so much here!!
Georgia O'Keege---I was lucky enough to see an exhibit of hers in Atlanta several years ago. While her trademark poppy and other huge pieces weren't on display, her work was enough to stop me in my tracks. In fact, they brought me to tears. She was that powerful. I had no idea about the prejudice against women in art; thank the gods and goddesses we've transcended THAT particular travesty.
jmb007
jolie