Replies: 3 Comments

on Thursday, August 11th, jose freitas cruz said

A good blog Asbjorn. Loads of food for thought.

That last sentence Markus is a fundamental question artists in the west should be addressing. From what I have had a chance to witness in these first weeks in Europe after a 4 year absence the trend towards superficiality and lack of direction coupled with the absence of commitment that seems to permeate too many vital sectors of our ‘so called’ western society has grown frighteningly beyond what might be considered reasonable. I am not saying that Asia is any better – this wave of mediocrity seems to be sweeping over most of what we’ve grown accustomed to call the global village – but I am tempted to say that a shift in influences is upon us and that we in the West are up for a major shake up. I felt it in my bones the moment I stepped out of the plane and picked up my first real newspaper in years. There is no escaping it. As with everything [if we are not indifferent and have already joined those who decide to sleep it through] the options are to either take the bull by the horns – to put it in typical Iberian jargon – or to be scared sh…tless and run, which is what most of the politicians who have led us here will do.

One would hope – but this is not a certainty given the predominant moral panorama of our time – that artists and other cultural agents will seize this opportunity to remain awake, see what is being laid bare and show it to the world through works that are more meaningful than the crap [and I am including myself here] that our complacency has allowed us to bring forth.

As to the Art and artifacts from distant places being shown far from the source or in places other than those where we would expect to find them, I feel no awkwardness in such encounters. Man continues to be a hunter-gatherer deep down inside and this new hunter-gatherer has today the possibility of sharing his loot with a greater audience in the most unexpected places. I’m very sure that the curiosity the first hunter-gatherers raised in their communities led others in turn to explore beyond the known horizons of the time and this is the attitude we should continue to adopt today: not simply to be bemused by the beauty of things but to allow it to trigger more synapses in a brain that is being dangerously lulled to sleep. Art, real Art, keeps us Awake.

on Wednesday, August 10th, Markus Kruse said

Very interesting viewpoints! With easy and very affordable access to other countries and cultures it is debatable whether ancient treasures in "wrong" locations should not be returned to their "rightful owners".

Culture in Northern Europe seems so homogenized and westernized compared to others. What does it make "belong here" in Europe or the USA?

What standards should we use for culture and art? The same as today's fashion, aesthetics or political winds?

on Tuesday, August 9th, Andrew said

Once again, a well constructed thought provoking blog, with numerous click/doorways leading you to still more information. This is like a maze, where you enter, and are taken through various passageways into new areas unlike what you've already passed through. From the Carlsberg family saga, to Christo, to 19th century art, to ancient Greece. Your feelings about which art you feel comfortable with and where, are in themselves a worthy topic for discussion. You won't get a lot of comments - this blog is way too difficult for many readers looking for something easy to focus on - but I'm glad you wrote it anyway.