| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| David beats off the £1m Goliaths of modern art |
| 2005-02-02 |
| Via Lucianne, (along w/all the links I've posted so far): IT WAS intended as a tribute to mark the 500th anniversary of the creation of one of the world's best-loved sculptures. But a £1 million exhibition of modern art staged alongside Michelangelo's David at the Galleria Accademia in Florence has left curators wishing they had gone for a more classical celebration of the masterpiece. The five artworks have generated an unprecedented number of critical remarks and negative comments in the visitors' book accompanying the exhibition. One of the more publishable comments said: "I'm ashamed to have paid for this", while another said simply: "Shame on you, Accademia." **SNIP** And here comes the elitist sniff: When the exhibition opened, Galleria Accademia officials said it was "exceptional", and added it was "the first time that five of the world's most important contemporary artists have been commissioned to provide works of art to encircle David." Last night, Ms Falleti stood by the exhibition. "We have had lots of negative comments from visitors, which has surprised me, but then again it's always easy to complain," she said. "I expected there to be some criticism because a lot of people today just have no appreciation of contemporary art. "People look at David as a religious-like figure through blinkered eyes, so when that is contrasted with contemporary art it is too much for them." |
| Posted by:anonymous2u |
| #10 What? No artwork which resembles trash bags? Including an olfactory component? I'm SHOCKED! Someone is being disenfranchized! |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2005-02-02 12:29:06 PM |
| #9 The five pieces include a series of tall metal containers filled with coal arranged in a maze that leads to a pile of coal in the centre - the work of Greek artist Janis Kounellis called "Untitled". I'm in tears. This is f'ing brilliant. Especially the "Untitled" bit. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2005-02-02 12:22:37 PM |
| #8 yes mojo, that is an unfortunately worded headline. |
| Posted by: spiffo 2005-02-02 12:19:30 PM |
| #7 "beats off"?... Ahem. |
| Posted by: mojo 2005-02-02 11:19:44 AM |
| #6 The Father of Excrementalism. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2005-02-02 8:48:24 AM |
| #5 Did they have one of David wearing a crucifix and dumping a bucket of piss on his head? But, then again, I have no appreciation of modern "art"... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2005-02-02 8:41:40 AM |
| #4 z man, not all modern art, but what passes as it nowadays is often no art at all, I call it excrementism. |
| Posted by: Sobiesky 2005-02-02 7:12:27 AM |
| #3 The problem with modern art is that is very easy to not remember it after we saw it , there is no perenety, exepcionalism, something to remember, nothing utter vacuity. |
| Posted by: z man 2005-02-02 1:12:55 AM |
| #2 *tries hard not to imagine what the Sistine Chapel would look like if Michelangelo had gone in for modern "art"* |
| Posted by: Korora 2005-02-02 12:48:13 AM |
| #1 "People look at David as a religious-like figure through blinkered eyes, so when that is contrasted with contemporary art it is too much for them." I would humbly suggest that most people see David as an extraordinary work of genius, contrasted with "art" that a three year old would recognize as utter crap. |
| Posted by: PBMcL 2005-02-02 12:36:29 AM |