Tag Archives: Jackson Pollock

Clement Greenberg’s The Avant-garde And Kitsch

Art is, or it should be, about more than simply making marks on a surface or manipulating materials into pleasing–or indeed displeasing–shapes…. perhaps the avant-garde or kitsch. A true artist benefits immeasurably by knowing about the history that has created the universe they traverse.

Ever wonder what all that academic talk is that curators like to use so much? Do you find it pretentious or worse?

Art Theory informs in so many ways, tracing the paths that have led to a particular moment or movement. A foundational understanding of the schools of thought, the histories, the thinkers who have wrought the ground you stand on as an artist today enriches not only your own mind but your work as well.

One such thinker who made a significant impact on the art world in the 1940s was Clement Greenberg. In 1939, Greenberg published one of his seminal works Avant-Garde and Kitsch. The essay not only launched Greenberg to nearly overnight notoriety, it also sparked a major development in the art world as a whole.

The essay begins with the following statement:

“One and the same civilization produces simultaneously two such different things as a poem by T.S. Eliot, and a Tin Pan Alley song, or a painting by Braque and a Saturday Evening Post cover. “

Click on the following scan to open the full essay in PDF form-

PDF Greenburg Essay Avante-Garde and Kitsch
Click me to read full essay.

Greenberg goes on to classify Avant-Garde as those things that are untouched by the decline of taste and meaning in a society (a poem by T.S. Eliot or a painting by Braque) while Kitsch is the title bestowed on the rest of the clutter that appeals to the masses and asks nothing in return other than their money (a Tin Pan Alley song or a Saturday Evening Post cover).

The Portuguese-Georges Braque-1911.

For Greenberg, Avant-Garde situated itself outside the influences of both capitalist and communist influences that were gradually dampening society’s ability to appreciate any depth of meaning.

Greenberg wrote several other important essays over the course of his life and career. He was a strong proponent of Modernism being the last best hope for the preservation of integrity in art. Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning were among those he deemed the saviors of art in their time.

Understanding who Clement Greenberg was and why his influence matters is just one piece of the complex puzzle of being a well-rounded artist. There are libraries worth of books out there that will break down every bit of art theory and history you ever need to know.

Of course, who has time to read all that? How can you know where to begin? Who and what are some of the most important influences that have shaped the art world as it stands today and how are you meant to sort them out from the crowd? For the Silo, Brainard Carey

MODERNISM ADORED: 20th Century Art A New Online Exhibition Now Open

“Art cannot be modern. Art is primordially eternal.” Egon Schiele 

New York City, New York, April 2024. Our friends at Helicline Fine Art proudly announces the opening of its new online exhibition, Modernism Adored: 20th Century Art, a celebration of the revolutionary artistic movements that defined the 20th century. The exhibition runs through June 30 and features a curated selection of paintings, drawings and sculptures from important to rediscovered artists, Modernism Adored explores essential movements that shaped the artistic landscape during the 20th century from ashcan, cubism, art deco, Vorticism, WPA, abstraction, abstract expressionism, caricature and outsider art. It brings together a diverse range of artwork that reflects the spirit of innovation and creativity that defined these pivotal periods in art history. As we are a NYC based gallery, the history of New York inspires us to include art that glorifies our great city.

“We are thrilled to present Modernism Adored: 20th Century Art. This is stuff in our hearts and we are honored to share it with collectors and curators throughout America and worldwide,” said Helicline proprietors Keith Sherman and Roy Goldberg. They continued, “This exhibition is our “eye,” it exemplifies the enduring impact of modernism in art and provides a unique opportunity to witness the evolution of artistic expression over the course of the 20th century.” 

Highlights of Modernism Adored: 20th Century Art include three early Stuart Davis drawings, Vorticist linocuts by Sybil Andrews and Lill TschudiMaurice Guiraud-Riviere’s breathtaking “La Comete” silvered bronze, several works by Al Hirschfeld, abstracts by Florence Henri and O. Louis Guglielmi, a Charles Demuth drawing of bathers, an early Daniel Celentano oil, a precisionist industrial scene by Simon Wachtel, and much more. 

Artists in the exhibition include: Sybil Andrews, Maurice Becker, A. Aubrey Bodine, Jo Cain, Staats Cotsworth, Daniel Celentano, Robert Cronbach, James Daugherty, Stuart Davis, Charles Demuth, Donald Deskey, George Pearse Ennis, William Gropper, O. Louis Guglielmi, Harold Haydon, Florence Henri, Al Hirschfeld, Mervyn Jules, Max Kalish, William Kienbusch, Georgina Klitgaard, Henry Koerner, Leon Kroll, Vladimir Lebedev, Carlos Lopez, James McCracken, Alfred Mira, Irene Rice Periera, Antonio Petruccelli, Arthur Rosenman Ross, Hilla Rebay, Maurice Guiraud-Riviere, Joseph Solman, Lill Tschudi, Gerrit Van Sinclair, Samuel Wachtel, Katherine Wiggins, John Winters and Purvis Young. 
Florence Henri (1893 – 1982)Composition18 ½ x 12 ½ inchesGouache on paper Monogrammed F.H. and dated 1926 lower rightGeorge Pearse Ennis (1884 – 1936)Forging a Gun Tube #146 x 37 inches, 1918 Signed lower right
There is great debate about what modern art is.
Numerous descriptions abound. It is a series of genres from the mid-19th century to the present that challenged the Western standards of fine art and embraced new forms of expression. It is often seen as beginning with realism, which rejected the traditional subjects of art and focused on common people. 

Others say modernism was a movement in the arts in the first half of the 20th Century that rejected traditional values and techniques and emphasized the importance of individual experience. A broader perspective, which we at Helicline embrace, modernism was a break with the past and the concurrent search for new forms of expression. It is in fact, constant reinvention, and it’s significant because it fundamentally asks us to change our perspectives as time passes.  

“The strangeness will wear off and I think we will discover the deeper meaning in modern art.”  Jackson Pollock
Daniel Ralph Celantano (1902-1980)Long Beach8 x 10 inchesOil on artist boardSigned lower leftTitled in pencil, versoHarold Haydon (1909 – 1994)History of the US Postal Service21 x 25 inchesoil on canvas, c. 1938

Why Modern Art Continues To Influence Contemporary Artists

The 20th century distinguished itself from the previous century with a new form of industrial revolution- one tied much more intimately to an advancing technology that propelled society into a state of speed and frenzy. Not just the streamlining of railway trains and automobiles or the advancements in transcontinental travel brought on by first lighter than airships, then seaplanes and jet airliners- the motion of advancement and relocation had a seminal effect on culture and thought. The skyscraper and new vertical constructions created its own influence and metamorphosis: hundreds of families could now be housed in a singular structure adding a homogeneity and imposing bold linear designs and influences. Two world wars and a multitude of others pushed existentialism into the minds of many academics and thus filtered into other areas of discipline such as literature, music and design. The development of the transistor created miniaturization and gadgetry that became an essential component to living spaces and personal effects. Television became a manifestation of any imaginable visual image and transfixed society into another state of readiness- a state ready for instant and dense media served quickly and directly. All of these things (and more) gave rise to new forms of art- most often recognized by the general public in modern abstract paintings. The ‘sense’ of all the above was captured by artists using new ways of communicating through their work: immediacy (action painting) and abstraction were more aligned with the zeitgeist then earlier classical forms of artwork.

Untitled abstract 11 Jarrod Barker 2024

The 21st century has seen many parallel and analogous developments. Though we are ‘only 24 years’ into this latest age, the concept of quick advancement and speed is in full effect. From the maturation of the digital age (the internet) and digital communication (email) to rapidly advancing personal communication (smartphones) and powerful and inexpensive computers to today’s exhilarating advancements in AI (artificial intelligence) and robotics. These ‘re-mapped’ and repeated driving forces from the last century continue and their effects most readily recognized are still key components of contemporary ‘neo-modern’ artwork.

MORE ABOUT HELICLINE FINE ART:
Helicline Fine Art, founded in 2008 by Roy Goldberg and Keith Sherman, specializes in American and European modernism. The gallery’s core offerings are works from the WPA period. Additionally, Helicline offers American scene, social realism, mural studies, industrial landscapes, regionalism, abstracts, and other artwork. Located in a private space in midtown Manhattan, Helicline is open by appointment. The artworks on the site represent a sampling of available works. Helicline’s offerings are also available on artsy.net and 1stDibs.com.
Caption for image at the top of this article: Simon Wachtel (1900 – 1965)Factory Yards N. 336 x 24 inchesOil on canvas, c.1930s Signed lower right

Across The Arts Vulnerability Prevails And Here’s Why It’s An Asset

Just for a moment, think about all of the many career fields in the world. Now think about those that require a personal emotional investment as a matter of course.

How many bankers make a regular practice of exposing their deepest insecurities to the world through their work? How many veterinarians routinely put on display the most precious and personal aspects of their hearts and minds? Probably not that many. As an artist, you are literally doing this all the time. Whether the emotional investment is major or minor, and whether you are exposing personal joys or defeats, the fact remains that careers in the arts by their very nature involve a whole lot of very personal investment. Unfortunately, some artists view this as a liability and allow the idea that they don’t possess the right self-esteem to affect their ability to work. It is important to find ways to lay these insecurities to rest and accept that by its very nature, art puts us in a vulnerable space. Embrace this rather than allowing it to overwhelm you, consider it an asset going forward.

Across the arts fields, vulnerability prevails. It is what often informs some of the most beautiful work. Whether we are talking about a performer or a visual artist, human nature dictates that when we put ourselves out into the world in the way that an artist does, there is a certain measure of vulnerability built in to the equation. It is a rare thing indeed to find a performer who doesn’t experience the butterflies of stage fright however subtly, no matter how seasoned he or she may be. And it is equally unlikely to find an artist who operates from a place of pure confidence free of the weight of uncertainty.

Jarrod Barker After the Rain 2016
Jarrod Barker After the Rain 2016

The world of art, not to mention the world at large, would be a very different place if insecurity did not exist. If everyone walked around with stiff confidence all the time there would be no room for tenderness, bravery, courage, and the bonding commonality of vulnerability that we all experience which is often the key to connecting an audience to a work of art. Every human alive understands what it is like to feel overwhelmed and uncertain and it is often this understanding that leads people to seek out art as a means of connecting to others through this shared human emotion.

Self-esteem has become a buzz word without a strong definition to back it up. We allow it to inform us as though it is some sentient entity that can make or break our resolve as artists. The fact is, self-esteem is merely a label for the way we view ourselves. It is us, and us alone, who decide how we approach the world. Allowing a vague concept like self-esteem to stand in the way of creating something that speaks to the very soul of who you are makes as much sense as allowing a phobia of flying stop you from seeing the world. You must conquer these self-made fears and come out on the other side.

Jackson Pollock Number 1 1950 Lavender Mist
Jackson Pollock Number 1 1950 Lavender Mist

The fact is, there is no way around baring your very soul as an artist. Whether it is only a glimpse or whether you let it all hang out for the world to see, in every work you create there is, inherently, a very personal piece of you. Without this, your work would lack meaning and depth. People view art expecting the spectacle of human emotion. To deny this because of some feeling of low self-esteem is to deny an opportunity to yourself and your audience.

There are no guarantees in life, everything we do carries a risk. Every career has its risks and benefits, though these vary wildly across the spectrum depending on what field we look at. Art is no different. There are no guarantees. Sometimes you will expose your most private self and receive less than gentle feedback. Under no circumstances should this give you anything more than a moment’s pause. Brush off, stand up, and get back to it. Use these experiences to further inform your work. Explore the feeling of exposure and the insecurities of this concept of self-esteem. Look fear in the eye and let it look right back.

Ultimately it is up to you how you choose to face the very real challenges of so-called self-esteem in your work as an artist. Only you can know your own limits, and only you can be brave enough to step beyond them. No one ever achieved very much who didn’t expose their inner selves to total annihilation. While this may sound like a terrifying prospect, consider why you are sitting here reading this blog in the first place. If you’re an artist, by simply declaring to the world that you are an artist, you have already chosen the path of courage. You have willingly stepped into the ring with your heart on your sleeve. There’s no turning back now. For the Silo, Brainard Carey.

Supplemental- The start of abstract expressionism challenged “safe, established painting styles”