Starving Artists, Warhol and Soup
Subtitled “A scribbling of thoughts about Art“
There have been artist down through the centuries who could be classified as “starving artists”. They painted as the primary way of making money and supporting their habit of painting or sculpting. Today these days are long past. Today we have fast food employment.
Okay, so it’s not the most glamorous way of earning a few bucks for your next canvas, but it’s a start. I’ve never worked in a fast food restaurant myself, but I’ve heard plenty of stories. Good and bad. Mostly bad. Van Gogh sold only one painting while he was alive, and that to his brother Theo, an art dealer often asking for money from his brother to support himself. Other artists such as Picasso sold hundreds of paintings and became famous while he was alive still.
Artists in history have been not just artists only, but the visionaries of the day. DaVinci was a very talented inventor, M.C. Escher a phenomenal mathematician, and the way I see it is that some artists have forgotten to live and let their art be drawn out of the experiences of life. Andy Warhol, who I do not really like, said this:
If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface of my paintings and films and me, and there I am . There’s nothing behind it.
I find this to be the absolute opposite of what I classify as Art. Art devoid of life cannot hope to pass off as meaningful. Now Warhols work is everywhere, and museums love it, but why? certainly not because of the man, but because of the time period represented. In this sense, his artwork in no more than a relict of a time gone by. Art without an artist is pointless. Starving Artist? Have some soup!
Tags: soup, art, artist, Warhol, pop, starving
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POSTED IN: Brain Shavings, Fun Stuff
2 opinions for Starving Artists, Warhol and Soup
Angela Rockett
Nov 13, 2006 at 12:20 pm
Interesting essay, William. I agree that art without life, without depth, is not really art to me.
And, regarding your recent comments on my blog, yes, I’d love to be featured on yours. Thank you! You suggested this week, and that should work. But I’m trying to get a commission done, so maybe not today (Monday) or tomorrow, but after that I should have some time.
Lesly Finn
Nov 13, 2006 at 12:52 pm
Found this very interesting and it reflects my own feelings about art. There is an awful lot of ’soul-less’ art out there these days … and some artists seem to find a formulaic approach that sells and then stick to it. That really gets me upset … not because they are selling (well, not much!!) but because their paintings seem empty of any meaning. But I guess its subjective.
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