I appreciate Jerry as a serious art critic. What I admire most is his openness and his enthusiasm for art works that leave me stone cold. Tastes are different as they say. New York has one big redeeming feature though - The Metropolitan Museum of Art ! It is one of the best art galleries / art museums in the world ! I could spend a week inside in pure admiration and delight. It would make a Jerry Saltz out of me.
I am so happy you included one of Manet's paintings of Victorine M (that isn't Olympia). It is such an exquisite piece! Such sensual delight, as you say. Wonderful video.
A major error. I hope people will be enough inteligent to not be trapped in this sort of misinformation. On this point, he is assuming a theological eronate perspective.
@J 1. In this specific instance-which is all I am talking about-"literary character" and "fictional" are absolutely intended to be synonymous. 2. "Historical figures have been used in literature since the dawn of time...." True. (Was that even in question?) But "historical figures" and "literary characters" are not synonymous. 3. Besides quibbling over semantics, is there a bigger point you wish to make?
An absolute miracle Word, (through a daily Bible devotion), solved the matter for me, after loss of Christian faith due to being misled... & then my faith being restored as I found miraculous answers to prayer, I still had a struggle with faith. I had just received a daily Bible devotion book in the mail. It was near Christmas time. A moment of fearful doubt to mind: What if Jesus might just be a myth like Santa? I don't want to give my life to this path if it not Truth. Then I prayed, "Jesus help me." I read a daily Bible devotion, & to my complete amazement I received a perfect Word, that answered both the "myth" concern & my concern if I should give my life to following this way, (& I never doubted again), this was the Bible reading for the day: 2 Peter 1: 16-19: "We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming* of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."!!!!!!! I have also seen 20 years of additional miracles with answers to prayer since this incident, where immediately after praying very specific prayers, I happen to then read the most perfect Bible based Word (or hear a sermon), with specific matching answers in Bible devotions & similar resources.
All those choices are wonderful objects. I'm not fond of Pollock's #31 aesthetically, but Mr. Saltz's thoughts on this work has made me think twice about the painting. Still, Pollock's best work, in my opinion, was the large, fabulously energetic painting he did for the foyer of Peggy Guggenheim's residence. One cannot help but learn something new, every time Mr. Saltz speaks.
I Just discovered Jerry and was prepared not to like him. Boy, was I wrong. I love to hear you talk about art, Mr. Saltz! Very illuminating and entertaining. Thanks.
Interesting to see and hear Jerry describe his favorite painting...I would like to see more. As a sidebar and in light of recent TV interviews with Charlie Sheen...it's funny how pervasive popular culture can be and how it changes everything..."Matisse is Winning"...lol...
I do like Jerry Saltz, but I would have ADORED him when I was fourteen when I first encountered these paintings for the first time. Now the colors look a bit muddy and faded on the video. I appreciate his comments on the Cezanne, but really, was that Cezanne’s aim, to show a man stepping into perspectival space, waiting to be born? I have a big bio of Cezanne by my bedside and his country wisdom doesn’t match these metaphysical beliefs. Just sayin’. Still, I do love an opinionated critic with an equally amazing art critic wife! RIP Peter S.
Art Critics are great manipulators of the art world and preserve the status quo of the times. I say Do more looking and research for yourself and less listening to others. Does someone or others' liking of artwork or works make you like that artwork more? Does it make you like and want a certain artwork if a celebrity or wealthy person owns that artist? By all means, share your likes and dislikes openly but please do it for the right reasons. Art is a very personal and wonderful thing to share, money and prestige, Etc... in excess degrades art to greater degree. The Art world bubble is nothing more than money and illusion !
1:54 A major error. I hope people will be enough inteligent to not be trapped in this sort of misinformation. On this point, if it is not an attack, Jerry is assuming a theological eronate perspective. Art is great but I suggest you to check James White, RC Sproul or John Macarthur on theological topics.
Christopher Farrell he was an artist before he started criticizing art also who doesn’t know how to make a painting the important part is knowing how to tell a story or spread a message through a solitary image
Er Jesus a literary figure....? Hello? There is plenty of evidence by historians of that time that Jesus was not a figment of the imagination- on the contrary He is the creator of all our imaginations : )
Thanks for a big blow to my respect of modern art vision, critique, selection. Jerry Saltz came to my city for Artprize, in Grand Rapids, MI. And I saw a tv art competition he was in... I heard valuable ideas from him in the past, such as that he wants a work of art to come off the wall & do something to him... And then. Then, he shows no respect, but to insult the majority in our country, who are people of faith. Jesus, an invented literary figure? Really? On what basis do you make that claim Mr. Saltz? On your own failure to ever explore the reality of Jesus? Most people today who degrade people of faith have never made an inch of effort to first find out the reality of their claim. It is like being proud to say microwaves do not exist, because you cannot see them, even though you have not used the right tools that could detect them. I have experienced an astonishing miracle through daily Bible devotions, with consistently, for 20 years, finding my very specific, detailed, precise prayers prayed immediately before reading to be answered in what i next read. Most significantly, I prayed at a moment of struggle of faith, at Christmas time, if Jesus could be a myth, like santa. I prayed please help me Lord. I immediately read a daily Bible devotion, & to my absolute, utter astonishment the Word for the day was perfect!!! It was the ONLY passage in the whole Bible (2 Peter 1: 16-21), that directly, implicitly says Jesus is NOT a myth. It also answered my accompanying question, that i was not throwing away my life, with the words, "you would do well to follow, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the new day dawns, & the morning star rises in your heart." When an art critic is blind to the most central truth & reality of life, & to the truest foundation for evaluating everything about life--- the Word of God, & real involvement of God in this world, then your wisdom, including about topics like art/ the art world/ artists, is going to miss the mark. Yall are in my prayers. Love. Yall don't know what you are missing.... my relationship with Jesus is the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me.
I'll say it again, Jerry seems like a nice person, but it seems he doesn't have a grasp on compositional and theoretical quality. He does what many do when they don't know how quality art is made (aka the "language" or art), he waxes and wanes on and on about real and inventive narratives to justify an opinion. Here is the 1st lesson...the narrative is ALWAYS subordinate to the composition. He doesn't understand the language that actual artists use to compose images. The fact that he is a leading art critic is disturbing.
"The greatest literary character invented in the West- Jesus Christ"..........Really? A very subversive swipe. And unnecessary. That Phillip Guston painting? You must be without a God, a soul, or a lick of sense to like that, although very representative of our sick culture.
I agree with you on his stupidity in the statement about jesus christ, I myself am not a Christian, but imagine thinking that was an appropriate thing to say. I have a hard time not kinda liking that Philip Guston painting though. Just because it is ugly doesn't mean it is only an ugly thing.
The colors are awful in the triangle figures.jerry appreciates figurative art and realism. He has not once commented on postmodern art. Did anyone notice this? Postmodernists painted the way for future artists. You cannot appreciate modern art without postmodern art. And vice versa. It’s a marriage because one is a commentary on the other and the other is the standard.
