Why exhibiting is good
Howdy!
In today's Toronto Star Judy Stoffman writes about the McMichael Canadian Collection in Kleinburg, on the anniversary of the death of its founder.
I've never been, have no real desire to go, and think that while the stuff there is "pretty," it is a prime example of what ails Contemporary Canadian Visual Art. As Ms. Stoffman writes, the bill passed by the Ontario government that in someway helps the McMichael Collection is designed "to keep contemporary work out of the collection."
Slight tangent, on November 10th this Jean Dubuffet painting, called "Récapitule" sold for $512,000 (US)
This Joan Mitchell painting, called "Gouise" sold for $708,000 (US)
And this Philip Guston painting, called "Procession" sold for $1,128,000 (US).
As I mentioned yesterday the best Modern Canadian Art could do, was $440,725 (US).
Everybody can discuss amongst themselves the relative merits of Guston vs. Dubuffet vs. Mitchell vs. Riopelle but as long as Canadians continue to knock themselves silly over and about the freakin' group of seven and landscapes in general than the contemporary artists in the here and now will continue to get shunted off into the international equivalent of a broom closet.
If the Canada Council forces the issue then I'm all for it.
In today's Toronto Star Judy Stoffman writes about the McMichael Canadian Collection in Kleinburg, on the anniversary of the death of its founder.
I've never been, have no real desire to go, and think that while the stuff there is "pretty," it is a prime example of what ails Contemporary Canadian Visual Art. As Ms. Stoffman writes, the bill passed by the Ontario government that in someway helps the McMichael Collection is designed "to keep contemporary work out of the collection."
Slight tangent, on November 10th this Jean Dubuffet painting, called "Récapitule" sold for $512,000 (US)
This Joan Mitchell painting, called "Gouise" sold for $708,000 (US)
And this Philip Guston painting, called "Procession" sold for $1,128,000 (US).
As I mentioned yesterday the best Modern Canadian Art could do, was $440,725 (US).
Everybody can discuss amongst themselves the relative merits of Guston vs. Dubuffet vs. Mitchell vs. Riopelle but as long as Canadians continue to knock themselves silly over and about the freakin' group of seven and landscapes in general than the contemporary artists in the here and now will continue to get shunted off into the international equivalent of a broom closet.
If the Canada Council forces the issue then I'm all for it.
posted by Zeke's, the Montreal Art Gallery on 24.11.04
<< Home