I am an art writer and independent curator. My series "Monday Morning Modernism" consists of a set of 15 videos - each roughly 40 minutes long - that introduce the history of modern art and some of its key artists and movements. I have also posted videos on San Francisco Bay Area art and artists.
My writing has appeared in Art Ltd., The HuffingtonPost, Hyperallergic, Arts of Asia, and other fine publications. My book Disrupted Realism: Paintings for a Distracted World features the works of 38 contemporary artists who add subjectivity and disruption to their imagery. A sequel, More Disruption: Representation in Flux will be released in mid 2023.
Thanks Lucas! I believe that most of the quotes came from the Diebenkorn Foundation website. Some were also found on their Instagram feed. instagram.com/diebenkornfoundation/
This brings me back to my Architectural History class, I am enjoying it so much! Another important, if not the most important, fact of Constructivism and the Art and Architecture that came out of Russia at that time is that the common man was main character of the narrative now. Art not for the privileged but for everyone, buildings that had to represent not the tsarist regime but the peasants and industrial workers - this had to be expressed in a totally different language or style to distance the new world order from what was. Malevich and others were coming up with all sorts of intellectual exercises to appeal to this new order. I love the thinking that went into all the art work. As an intellectual exercise, white square on white background fascinates me but - perhaps the lesson is that, in the end, who would want to have a white canvas hanging in their living room, don't we all want what the others have?
Another wonderful art talk - thank you to the Winslow Art Center and John Seed, of course - I can now say that I understand why Cezanne was referred to as the Grandfather of Modern Art (I am slowly reading "If TheseApples Should Fall" by T J Clark but your short video on Cezanne really pulled it all together).
@@JohnSeed Yes, John, I enjoyed this video and your previous presentations from California. You opened my eyes to an artistic scene i was not well acquainted with. You asked what is happening in Croatia? I am happening in Croatia! I'm taking the liberty to send you my recent presentation of 100 paintings of the last dew pond in my village that I have been preserving for the past three years. I hope you might enjoy it. Best to you, Andrew ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-I3pXclwNC4g.html&pp=ygUNYW5kcmV3bm9ycmlzMQ%3D%3D
There is an abstraction that lies between the figurative and the non-objective approach and that is the psychological distortions as painted by Picasso also a form of abstraction..
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I've just been to the National Gallery in London to see Caravaggio's "The Martyrdom of St Ursula" together with a letter saying that the painting was being done - looking forward to your next talk
Respectful John Seed 🙏🏻I am very much impressed by your findings research and the facts gathered on our famous Armenian artist Arman Manoukian. I am stand at your hard-working effort, and I want to express my cordial appreciation and gratitude to highlight our talented artist. Sadly until today, Turkey is killing and destroying everything Armenian and genocide is going on and unfortunately world is blind and deaf for the ethnic cleansing in Armenia Artsakh even today. Many of us appeared at this end of the world because of the results of the genocide I live in LA God bless you and your family. Thank you very much.🪴🙏🏻
Thank you so much. Doing the research has been very rewarding and I share your hope that the world comes to acknowledge the horrific truths of the Armenian Genocide.
Every painter needs a mission. Perhaps painting is meaningless with out it. What happens when they come up short or reach it? Failure or success are social constructs, they for many determine our value in society. This artist mission to paint atmosphere. This quality of emotion in light that imbues it. Mission accomplished! When artists realize their vision the viewer does too. It is part and parcel. It is this affirmation that brings financial well being. I hope this artist has that as he deserves it.
Nice work there. I always love to see that a person who lectures on art and artists is also a practitioner as I believe only artists can truly understand what it means to put pigment to paper!
Thanks Andrew. When I started writing I used to worry that my painting would suffer. That hasn't happened.... and my painting and writing compliment each other.
@@JohnSeed They compliment each other, John, and from what I have seen and heard of your work I have to say I rather like it. You introduced me to some Bay Area artists that I was not previously acquainted with and for that I am grateful.
Wonderful, engaging and informative beyond your typical presentation. Inclusive. Varied subject matter within the genre reaffirms narrative and it’s importance.
Your welcome Mr. Seed! Will look for your other Videos. I can be picky as I have certain interest. I don’t take to everything but your choices are great. All best Mr Seed!
Painting is alive and very well, thank you for the interesting collection and discussion. Side note, photography at this level is very slow too. Great work in any medium takes a long time.
Hi Eddie, thanks for watching and commenting. I think I had smartphones in mind with my comment, but I hear you in terms of other forms of photography needing lots of time.
Hi! I have been listening through this series and enjoying it so much. You have an entertaining manner of talking and so many interesting anecdotes and insights. You mentioned a lecture on printmaking, which I would like very much. I realize this series is over. But, I thought I'd mention it. Thank you so very much. 👌👌🙏🙏
Doubt is the wrong word to use about Cezanne. Revision would be better. In this regard, Cezanne follows on from Daumier who made drawings analogous to modelling in clay as opposed to modelling in stone. This approach dominated Modernism. Also, the quote from Hughes is confusing. It conflates 'seeing' with representation. We all see perfectly well, and if our seeing becomes less accurate we get our eyes to be checked. That is why revisions to a work in progress only make sense when art operates by representation as opposed to seeing.
I''ve only just come across John Seed & this book (which I've just ordered) through looking into Diebenkorn. I'm so excited as to how this relates so much to how I've always worked & am now dedicating more time to developing. Thank you both for a great talk!
This was fascinating. I especially loved that you included the world market factory made piece. It’s interesting how abstraction went from being the art that only the elite could understand, to now being a favorite of home stagers. I love this artwork, and I am so glad to learn about the San Francisco art world. It’s too bad the rent is so high that most artists have left now. And all of the art schools are closing down. It was a time that won’t be repeated soon. I studied painting under figurative painters Paul Prachenko and Robert Bechtle at SFSU, and they HATED abstract art. So it actually intrigued me to learn more about it, and learn to love it (maybe a rebellion thing?)
I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Things really have changed and abstraction is no longer the greatly feared style it once was. Sounds like you had some interesting teachers in the Bay Area. John
His paintings to me are very lonely and detached. And his figures seem awkward. He has a great sense of colour but overall they are important because to me they show the loneliness and detachment of American society. I see a nice man who was full of doubts which makes a change from a lot of Americans who appear over confident.
Hi Mary, I think your comments are astute. When Diebenkorn was starting out he greatly admired Edward Hopper who really was the master of American loneliness.
Such a great and informative video. I'm thinking that art became more about personal expression just as popular music became dominated by the singer-songwriter.
Like others, I thought this was terrific. One question that occurred to me during the talk and especially right at the end with the comment about the social life of the Bay Area artists was: without overgeneralising, might one say that the New York abstract expressionists were intensely competitive with few real friendships among the leading artists while there were many important friendships among the Bay Area group? To the extent that that's true, what difference did this make to the nature and longevity of the Bay Area group and the body of work produced as a whole?
Hi David, I'm so glad you enjoyed the webinar and the point you bring up is interesting. Regarding the many close friendships among Bay Area artists I think they only benefitted the artists involved. When David Park died of cancer in 1960 that certainly was tough for his friends, but they stayed connected. Among the friendships I can think of that were sustained: Sam Francis shared his studio with Richard Diebenkorn when he moved south and Nate Oliveira was always close to Diebenkorn, Bill Brown, Wayne Thiebaud and many others including his former students. Joan Brown and Jay De Feo were very tight. These friendships had professional "art world" benefits and personal benefits. too. I think they helped all the artists sustain their art as fashions changed.
