Ugly Beauty: How To View Modern Art (Waldemar Januszczak Documentary) | Perspective 

Spot on with Koons "Deep appetite for shallow things" he's a salesman, businessman, not an artist. like Hearst. Anish Kapoor discovered a new blue and copyrighted it so no one else could use it. Complete GREED. Shortly after someone else formulated the same colour with a different formula. It is available to all artists except Anish Kapoor. Edit: reading the comments, apparently he did the same with a black.

Mr. Januszczak is a treasure. His videos are the best thing on You Tube. Informative, very engaging, and inspiring.

Thank you so much Waldemar! No one brings art to life like you. 💚💛💙

Mr. Januszczak is one of a kind. Spell check can't grasp his name but I grabbed hold of his passion for art and ability to inspire art enthusiasts. I got through pandemic and grew as a direct result, enjoying being guided by the Hitchcock of the art doc. In my home we call him Waldy! Thanks so much for all your hard work. I wish I'd had these docs as a middle school kid bored to tears watching a television rolled in on a metal cart showing art I had zero interest in. Been to the National Gallery and Tate my interest peeked. Hip Hip Hooray.

To me there's a vast uncross-able difference between Art & Exhibitionism. What so many modern exhibitionists seek feels like acceptance into or validation by the greats. I'm sympathetic to their need but not swayed enough to embrace performance anywhere near the emotions classical evokes. Usually my first reaction is "That's clever" or "Your joking, right?" Which pales a lot with the deep fascination & awe of human accomplishment I get from classical masterworks. I can't help myself but to categorize the majority of modern "art" in with advertising media & go from there. Simply put, like pop music it's fun to tap your foot for five minutes but ultimately forgettable. I am entertained by their egos though

I don't know anything about art. I only know what I like. Art is what I can't do. I thought so for a long time - then came Waldemar. He can explain art that doesn't appeal to me at first glance like no other. Thanks sir.

“It’s a beauty that’s been earned”. That struck me deep. Old cars, old houses, old cities. Etc. well said.

That thumbnail is absolute perfection

I deeply love films/videos presented/produced by Waldemar Januszczak - I wish I’d encountered him long before now and am grateful that it did finally happen. Just wonderful!

Old art has been filtered by time. I am very happy to be 50 years behind. Great video, once more.

Everyone has access to a pencil and paper, but only an artist can do magic with it. That is what Art is all about to me. All these expensive and luxurious projects don't promote art but make it inaccessible.

such art i find it to be weak, it has no spirit , no soul. I dare anyone to experience an epiphany while listening/looking at Yoko's art .

I just love how Waldemar explains every art movement. He helps me to understand so much. It is like studying art history on youtube und much better than in the 80s in real university 🙏🏻🤗

What is incredible…exceptional… about this film is the artists interviews. When I binge watch Waldemar’s videos and then come across one where I can witness him interview the artist, it makes my brain pause. It is a treasure.

The video is a piece of art in itself. Playful, humorous, informative, above all thought provoking. I didn't have time to see it through in one go...but I did so anyway.

I think this is my favorite of your presentations so far, Mr. Januszczak. You've made older art and contemporary art cohere in ways that cheapen neither. In fact you've elevated all. Thank you for this.

There is something disturbingly trivial about a lot if modern art.

My current favourite of your series. These interviews are astonishing

I love the video, the script and the narration. Absolutely an work of art in itself.

Did not want it to end! Is so refreshing to watch a Waldemar. Thank you!

Thanks, Waldemar. Beautifully done. When I was young I didn’t see much of the art in the modern. Now it makes me smile and think about what I’ve lived for or thought of while doing the living. Perspective maybe.

Part of what people find objectional about this sort of modern work is not the stuff itself, but its dominance in art galleries, and the price its sold for. How is that worth X million dollars!!? What many are unaware of is that there's a whole field of decorator abstractionists. Many moderately moneyed like the spareness or texture of much contemporary modern art, but don't want to pay those prices or even have the responsibility to care that much for them. In comes the decorator artist. Decorator first, artist second. "Here's a portfolio to look at. What sort of things do you like? We spoke about this space here needing something warm, perhaps red? And something hanging here 4 metres wide and a drop of six." A commission is made, a work constructed, and sold for say six to ten times the cost of materials, plus consultation and wages. If someone falls into it at a party, the kids ruin it, or you get sick of it three years later, just throw it out. "We only paid a few thousand for it after all."

It is such a great pleasure to see him making the combination between the old and new art, to connect them in such in inspiring way. Thanks, Hélène

I was going to walk over to the National Gallery of Art this afternoon, but instead this video came out so I stayed in to watch this. I've been on a WJ kick the last week or two. I'm guessing he'd be annoyed at me staying in to watch a video rather than going to an actual museum, but I wonder if he'd cut me a break since it was HIS video?

That has to be one of the best documentation I have ever seen. Great job, Perspective!

This video is the best thing I could have seen this morning. Thanks to everyone involved in its production.

The hazy cosmic haziness has a special vibrational feel of becoming the light. Its truly beautifull 🧡

Once again you have given us a brilliant view into the art world. Thank you.

dzieki Waldemar for your devotion also to bring knowlegde ansd to share the passion of art

Glad to finally have you back on screen, Waldemar! You tell epic art stories like nobody else can!

In 1919, a Romanian poet and philosopher wrote this : I do not crash the crown of world's marvels / and do not kill with my mind the secrets I meet on my way in flowers, eyes, lips, or graves... Some other's light strangle the mystery of the impenetrable unseen... His name is Lucian Blaga, and I got a very high grade at the final exam ( baccalaureate) for having read his poetry.

Thank you Waldermar each of these videos are a Gem I Love them Thank You for making them. ❤️🙏

Definitely I needed your heads up, overview and rationales. Great stuff.

Always the Best 💐 Thank you 🌷

Another terrific video from Mr. Waldemar Januszczak. I can't get enough! Thank you so much, Waldemar. ...and thank you so much for spending time on Yoko Ono. I loved her installation, and even more I loved your interview with her. She's still going strong at 91.

I love how Waldemar connects past artists with modern ones.

Excellent! I wish my National Gallery could have it's own Waldemar to breath this kind of life into it's presentations. I'll suggest they pay him to do it. So good.

Thank you Waldemar, your work here is a treasure!

He is pretty much the best presenter of art I've had the pleasure of watching. I'll sing at his funeral and my voice isn't very good. Thanks for another great documentary.

This is probably one of my fave documentaries you've written and performed so far. I absolutely adored what Mr. Koons said. (how much does it take to produce one of these things anyway? I'd love to see you do the one that you've always wanted to do...)

Awesome take on today's art.

hadn't read about the candles on van gogh's hat. some lovely surprises. thank-you.

When you use the word "Modern", when you mean "Contemporary", it confuses folks, and they say things like "I can't remember the last piece of modern art I liked!"; then when you say "What don't you like about Monet?", it confuses them further. Their derision is usually reserved for Picasso, those awful! distorted! portraits! because he's when your random worker bee stopped paying attention to "Modern" Art. 'Tis sad, but true. Damien Hirst should have been featured in the kitsch section, as in "The Kitsch of Death"; I unfortunately own one of his murderous pieces; it was a gift, I hate it, I won't sell it because I don't wish to pass along the bad, bad karma. I suppose I should bury it or throw it out, but I don't wish to hurt the feelings of my friend who gave it to me. Dilemma. And face it, Jeff Koons makes high-end home furnishings. Or rather, his "assistants" do. But of course Waldemar REIGNS in art docs; I just wish he'd make some new ones!

I love how Waldemar engages us as viewers and challenges the status quo notions of art and its history. His perspective truly brings out the raw emotion behind the arts and their many variations. Would love to take an Art History course with this chap.

Brilliantly thoughtful. My god, this was well done.

I think the biggest issue with modern art is how one seems to need a long paragraph explaining the context of the art. All I need to appreciate the classical works in the Lourve are my own eyes, with the modern pieces presented in this documentary, I only gain an appreciation for them after listening to an interview of the artist. Modern art seems unable to stand on its inherent qualities.

This film is itself a brilliant work of art. Bravo. And thank you 🙏.

Waldemar, your insights and creative interpretations are wonderfully idiosyncratic, often profound, and provocative in a personal way. But in this show your comparison of these current artists to past painters [dead animal paintings/Hirst, Tiepolo/Yoko Ono, Canaletto/creator of wall art, etc.], you side-step a huge difference: the artist's touch. In the older work, the connection of eye-hand brush translated onto the canvas with a sticky substance we call paint is an alchemical transformation. So the connections you're making regarding the similarity of subject matter or generalizations about delicacy or texture don't hold water. They sound good, but they don't work. You think we won't know that the important elements of a work of art are not subject matter alone but HOW the work is created along with that subject matter. While I love your personal insights (such as the one about your mother's picture), the show as a whole fails because your premise has serious faults. Better that you choose artists such as Kentridge, Dumas, or Doig to compare with past art. And what is "ugly" about Yoko Ono or Carl Andre or Anish Kapoor's work? Maybe elusive or ambiguous or conceptual . . . but ugly? No. They're even rather elegant. Still, I applaud you for your you-ness and humor, and often depth.

I've been watching ur videos nightly for the past week. Wow

Art is creativity, beauty is balance. Light and darkness, inside and out.

Brilliant, thank you for this it was most informative and spot on

You, my dear man, are the masterpiece. Thank you.

Beautiful documentary. Thank you sir.

Absolutely fascinating!

Okay, thank you yet again. "Permanent change is what life is about." I shall be more open-minded--or honestly aware--when approaching current art of all types. "The struggle is important." Wow.

“Your money or your life!” “I’m thinking!” - Jack Benny Great lesson, W.J.! Lots of emptiness out there!

once again...perfection.

Wonderful! Yet again!

What a marvellous moment - Van Gogh's Hat of Many Candles! Priceless.

The NFL draft and a new Waldemar art doc. Been a good weekend

Another top drawer vid! Yesssir!

This is a wonderful video. Thanks so much for featuring Yoko.

Cudowne odcinek, naprawde! Thank you so much! You make the best Art History teacher ever. So fun. So sumptuous! And so for free. One ought admire that these days. And as for me this episode rules so far. Although the Dark Ages of Light... I die to know though what that last etheric projection in the back is.. hologram rafters? How? Also: Who? Cheers from Mokropsy

OMG Waldemar! BRILLIANT IDEA to make a film on Soutine! Oh, PLEASE do it. I'm sure you can do it. Crowdsource it. We will love you even more!

مجهود كبير و يحترم من قبل المتلقين و ثني عليه و نثمنه عاليا ... شكرا لهذه الوجبة الدسمة الجميلة

Oh my ! That was perfect.

I am so down for this!

facinating observations Mr. J !

Wow!

I’ve always looked as art in everything I see that interested me . When I look at other peoples art it tells me how they see the world and gives me a good idea on who they are . Creativity in people are different but we all want to get the same thing across the thinking part of what someone gets out of it is better than the visual responses. Art has been a love every since I picked up my first pencil and that library book I checked out in 2nd grade using shapes

Meaning, yes. Expression, yes. Beauty, mostly not. I think there is actually more consensus about what is beautiful than contemporary artists would acknowledge. It's just not so easy to put into words.

So why not feature some "blank canvas" artworks, if emptiness is good?

I saw a Turrell exhibit at the Whitney in the 90's and it freaked me out.

Waldemar, you give me hope!

What a beautifull interpretation “ the all embracing nothingness”

Some work went there as in a book! Thankful

Thank you for sharing with us your mother - I’m sure she was a beautiful person in the ways that matter.

loved the exploration!!

Waldemar! excellent show! again!

Bloomin’ masterpiece

I just love this video - you are always good and often amzing but this is just a wonderfull video of modern art - you touch on a lot of important qualities of art and the whole looking on art - 🎶💗🎵🙏

If Waldemar is part of the video, I am watching AND giving up the like!

God, we love your videos!

Yap let's do thisssss 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Zo zo ontroerend ,weet dat het wederzijds is 🤗 de mooiste video ooit 😳

So Spot On. Cleaning- erasing layers of art history on buildings.. Such loss!

Thank you Waldemar…..I was actuallly surprised at how Jeff Koons triggered my imagination after years of thinking I hated his art.

we love you, Waldemar!

What a great documentary. I'm thrilled to discover Mr. Januszczak today - though I could not pronounce his name without coaching from him...:-). May I call you by your first name, Sir? And then say: Waldemar, thank you so much for helping me become even more inspired by my self-education in ART program.

Thank you sincerely, Waldemar. I continue to struggle with much of 20th c art, but with guidance such as yours at least I can view it more in the right spirit. To me, the time with Tiepolo's “The Virgin Appearing to Dominican Saints” (22:59-25:40) is the best part and the best art of the program. As you said, it so nobly, ideally, presents the reality these women lived. It portrays a model one can engraft into hir heart, and join in a spiritual union.

I really enjoyed this as I do al your programs. I hope Yoko is right. In the future we'll all make art and music and peace will transform the planet. I also carry a similar photo of my own mother who came from a area nearby to your parents in the former Poland in the modest clear change purse she carried it in. Hugs.

lov it, all of it!!!!

This, like your other films, is a magnificent attempt at showing an audience the value behind an art movement. However, on modern art, I remain wholly unconvinced.

incredible!

I didn't have to agree with everything you say. I just get to enjoy it 😍

Very inspiring Wal

incredible

Thank you,🎨✨💕

Art is here to nourish our Imagination and wonder

I loved the perspective on color by Anish Kapoor ( maybe not spelled correctly) as a condition as a felt quality ❤️