"A Product of an Overwhelmingly White, Straight European and Male Cadre"

[Curved_Sw0rd]

So a couple days ago, I was on break at work, and was reading some news as I as wont to do. And I feel like an idiot for doing that sometimes, as sometimes you get articles like this one that sour the whole day and lead to a lot of angry pacing.

Yale against Western Art

Sydney. London. Toronto.

quillette.com

But now, the art history department is junking the entire two-semester sequence, as the Yale Daily News reported last month. Given the role that these two courses have played in exposing Yale undergraduates to the joys of scholarship and knowledge, one would think that the department would have amassed overwhelmingly compelling grounds for eliminating them. To the contrary, the reasons given are either laughably weak or at odds with the facts. The first reason is the most absurd: the course titles (“Introduction to the History of Art: Prehistory to the Renaissance” and “Introduction to the History of Art: Renaissance to the Present”). Art history chair Tim Barringer apparently thinks students will be fooled by those titles into thinking that other traditions don’t exist. “I don’t mistake a history of European painting for the history of all art in all places,” he primly told the Daily News. No one else would, either. But if the titles are such a trap for the Eurocentric unwary, the department could have simply added the word “European” before “Art” and been done with it. (Barringer, whose specialities include post-colonial and gender studies as well as Victorian visual culture, has been teaching the doomed second semester course—a classic example of the fox guarding the henhouse.)

I want to believe that this has been done for the reasons people like Barringer state, that he does not want to exclude other art, but I'm in the same camp as the author of this article, I find the whole thing incredibly suspect and politically motivated. This is another clear case of European or Western traditions being pushed out for being, well, this time it's so it doesn't "Exclude" other forms of art.

That fact that classical art is not safe from this sort of weird Progressive restructuring is what really galls me. Art is meant to invoke feelings and expressions, and the classical European arts invoke feelings largely unique to the European situation. This is not to say there is no value in Art from other areas, on the contrary, all forms from all places should be explored.

Yet it's European art that is chosen to be targeted.

So what can be done to push back against this, if anything? Even small resistance is better than nothing at all, no?

 

[Deleted member]

You're asking for something you personally can do to help save the tradition of western art? Well, fortunately, I have something for you:

Join The Art Renewal Center. Co-founded by author and poet Sherry Ross, it's devoted to reviving realistic, true aesthetics within Art. You are perfectly right that the divine truth of Aesthetics is dead in Pit-era artwork, but ARC is doing what it can to support a renewal. Also check out American Renaissance for the 21st century., and the International Guild of Realism. Likewise, Oil Painters of America promotes traditional aesthetics.

 

[Scottty]

You're asking for something you personally can do to help save the tradition of western art? Well, fortunately, I have something for you:

Join The Art Renewal Center. Co-founded by author and poet Sherry Ross, it's devoted to reviving realistic, true aesthetics within Art. You are perfectly right that the divine truth of Aesthetics is dead in Pit-era artwork, but ARC is doing what it can to support a renewal. Also check out American Renaissance for the 21st century., and the International Guild of Realism. Likewise, Oil Painters of America promotes traditional aesthetics.

In short - learn to make more nice paintings like they used to. The people who made the good ones didn't need a modern university to teach them how, and neither do you.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

In short - learn to make more nice paintings like they used to. The people who made the good ones didn't need a modern university to teach them how, and neither do you.

The fact that I’ve gone around deviantart and danbooru and seen fanart that’s way more deserving of money than all that “modern art” shit really says something

 

[Curved_Sw0rd]

You're asking for something you personally can do to help save the tradition of western art? Well, fortunately, I have something for you:

Join The Art Renewal Center. Co-founded by author and poet Sherry Ross, it's devoted to reviving realistic, true aesthetics within Art. You are perfectly right that the divine truth of Aesthetics is dead in Pit-era artwork, but ARC is doing what it can to support a renewal. Also check out American Renaissance for the 21st century., and the International Guild of Realism. Likewise, Oil Painters of America promotes traditional aesthetics.

Seeing these links gives me hope. It also helps to see Traditional Artwork make its way here and there on the Right-Wing communities and creators of YouTube. This channel here, 1791l:

1791

1791 is a permanently defunct American media collective that offered thoughtful perspectives on internet culture. FAQ What happened in 1791? The American Bil...

www.youtube.com

Had a very gripping aesthetic, with classic art and contemporary images edited together in quite the skillful performance. They're one of the shapers of my politics.

The fact that I’ve gone around deviantart and danbooru and seen fanart that’s way more deserving of money than all that “modern art” shit really says something

You're right, I've seen things on DeviantArt that could be put in a frame and mounted on a wall. It's refreshing compared to the parade of Tumblr mediocrity.

 

[Emperor Tippy]

Merged the two threads on this topic into one.

 

[Arch Dornan]

Art from Africans? I liked who killed Captain Alex. Does that count? It has a lot of spirit with what movie effects they have.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

You're right, I've seen things on DeviantArt that could be put in a frame and mounted on a wall. It's refreshing compared to the parade of Tumblr mediocrity.

I am pretty sure it's because guys on deviant art pander to desires whilst guys on Tumblr are trying to break beauty standards or something

 

[DarthOne]

I am pretty sure it's because guys on deviant art pander to desires whilst guys on Tumblr are trying to break beauty standards or something

I think you hit the nail on the head.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

I think you hit the nail on the head.

Art for stuff like say, Steven Universe does look cheaper tbh

 

[Navarro]

Art for stuff like say, Steven Universe does look cheaper tbh

That's because SU's artstyle is crap in itself.

 

[Hlaalu Agent]

I am pretty sure it's because guys on deviant art pander to desires whilst guys on Tumblr are trying to break beauty standards or something

Also people on DeviantArt want to make art, or rather most of them just want to make art. And if Art is their end, then they are going to pursue what is needed to make art. So it should be good in some manner.

Art for stuff like say, Steven Universe does look cheaper tbh

Indeed, it does.

That's because SU's artstyle is crap in itself.

Indeed. And they cannot even keep consistent character models.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

That's because SU's artstyle is crap in itself.

Honestly, is it strange that I find cartoon-esque art like this more appealing than much of the art I see for cartoons these days

Spoiler: Official Hollow Knight Art

Hell, when it comes to even superhero cartoons, I gotta say I prefer past stuff

Spoiler: Nice Superhero Cartoon Art

Compared to what I saw for Young Justice or the Avengers or MCU-looking cartoon that replaced this

Also people on DeviantArt want to make art, or rather most of them just want to make art. And if Art is their end, then they are going to pursue what is needed to make art. So it should be good in some manner.

Don't forget, they're actually paid on commission too

 

[Hlaalu Agent]

Don't forget, they're actually paid on commission too

Yes, the financial motivation does tend to work. After all, some of the greatest artwork has been made on commission.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Yes, the financial motivation does tend to work. After all, some of the greatest artwork has been made on commission.

Work harder or make a better product or be more skilled than your fellows, you get better pay than them

Is probably way better when you're sort of a contract worker or something

 

[Hlaalu Agent]

Work harder or make a better product or be more skilled than your fellows, you get better pay than them

Is probably way better when you're sort of a contract worker or something

Yeah, that fits with my example. I was thinking of the great Artists, Renaissance ones in particular who did commissions. I think that counts for the Great Composers, etc. And not just Renaissance.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Yeah, that fits with my example. I was thinking of the great Artists, Renaissance ones in particular who did commissions. I think that counts for the Great Composers, etc. And not just Renaissance.

DeviantArtists love human bodies or fetishize them a lot

They also like lots of detailed backgrounds and monsters and all kinds of things

What I see of Tumblr feels like they’re going after some weird demographic

 

[Curved_Sw0rd]

What I see of Tumblr feels like they’re going after some weird demographic

Tumblr's demographic is the same one that scoffs at the idea of anything good coming out of Europe. There are some, kinda like Abbadon of KSBD fame, who are legitimately talented, but most just get by via hugbox. I imagine that it would deeply bother most Tumblrites to know that everyone will remember Da Vinci, but their favorite artist will be forgotten.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Tumblr's demographic is the same one that scoffs at the idea of anything good coming out of Europe. There are some, kinda like Abbadon of KSBD fame, who are legitimately talented, but most just get by via hugbox. I imagine that it would deeply bother most Tumblrites to know that everyone will remember Da Vinci, but their favorite artist will be forgotten.

I honestly believe that it’s an attempt to be “unique” in the sense of breaking old standards at times

It’s like modern art, no one truly likes it, but gotta say it’s great otherwise they’ll look terrible

Aside from that “subtle” feeling of “humanity”, art is made with skill, detail and an appreciation of something specific that you can witness or imagine

 

[Arch Dornan]

Art from Africans? I liked who killed Captain Alex. Does that count? It has a lot of spirit with what movie effects they have.

I mean with shit like this I'd rather watch it over what Hollywood shits out. Why? It's perfect in appealing to our base pleb needs.



Then this reviewer mentions the extras he got ordering it.