“Dialogue with Art” introduces China to focus on British art history after World War II
2021-11-01 18:19:23Source: Xi’an News Network
Xi’an News Network. A few days ago, British art critic Martin Gayford’s new work “Dialogue with Art: The Maverick of Modernist Painters” was published by Guangxi Normal University Press. The book is an encyclopedic biography of artists’ group portraits. The author Martin Gayford focused his attention on a very creative period in British art history: 1945 to 1970. This stage coincides with some major turning points in history. After World War II, London, like New York and Paris, seemed to have become a global center. During this period, the British society was filled with optimism and prosperity.The transition and changes in politics and society are reflected in art. It is the emergence of a group of modern painters who think deeply about “what painting can do”.
The international influence and status have been reflected.
The object of writing in the book includes at least two generations of painters, and countless characters are mentioned. After experiencing the dual influence of war and culture, it was them who received conservative British art education, and it was them who became the “artist who disturbed the situation in the decade of British art”.
At that time, the greatest contemporary British painter, Lucian Freud, was still a weird guy who had a zebra head specimen and liked all kinds of dead animals; the romantic landscape painter Victor Passmore was just because of “England is the best “One of the six painters of “This strange but reasonable argument” was released in court; the controversial contemporary painter Francis Bacon in the history of British art met the love of his life, but in the 4 years of love, he experienced His “muses” brought “unending fear, fierce quarrels almost every day”; David Hockney, who had not yet become the “Godfather of British Art”, was a problematic student in the eyes of a teacher. He was supposed to be swept out by the school early, but he escaped because of the skeleton sketch he drew when he had nothing to do… At that time, London became star-studded precisely because of these painters, and these painters did not exist in any way. The same movement or group, even if they are both modernists, are all unique solitary men. Nevertheless, there are obviously various connections and intersections between painters, and this is also the implicit theme of the book.
What happens when two artists who are passionate about realism and those who are addicted to abstraction become roommates? When painting skills are impacted by photography, what will Freud do as “one of the great portrait painters in European art history”? The author uses relaxed and witty language to vividly and truthfully describe the changes in the artistic style of the artists from the post-World War II to the 1970s, and the “killing in love” between them. From the accounts of the parties to the “dismantling” of relatives and friends. , To observe all kinds of people in the British art circle from the perspective of “outsiders”, turning all readers into “insiders”.
Being able to have such vivid and unique writing materials shows that the author has a wealth of first-hand writing materials. It is understood that Martin Gayford has conducted follow-up interviews with Lucian Freud, the greatest contemporary British painter, and David Hockney, known as the “Godfather of British Art” for many years. The book describes Most of the heavyweight artists have met the author and chatted, and some are already the author’s best friends. The author wrote in the postscript: “The earliest dialogue included in this book has a history of more than 25 years. In the process of listening to the recording, I heard my own voice again, and heard my opinion of each artist. Questions and responses, some of the interlocutors have unfortunately passed away. The book condenses the thoughts and memories of these artists, and in a sense, this is the theme of the book.” On the other hand, the book mentions that in the 1970s In the mid-term, various forms of painting have become the yellow flowers of tomorrow. They have been neglected, and all kinds of new media have become the new favorites. This situation is similar to today’s situation. Therefore, the situation and thinking faced by the artists in those days are very important to us. There is still significance for reference and inspiration.
It is understood that this book is the second Martin Gayford’s work published by the Focus Art Series of Guangxi Normal University Publishing House after “Art on the Road”. Untold Stories,” Frida Kahlo: Mexican Rose Watered by Suffering”, “Salvador Dali: I’m a Genius,” and other books have been well received by readers after they were published, which also made the series become It is the first choice for many readers when buying art books.
Li Zheyi, an intern from Xi’an Newspaper, a full-media reporter
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