Creative Art Plumbs New Nadir

Further to previous post about sculpture they are now making INFLATABLE monstrosities with which to destroy our spirit. Below is a photograph of the latest outrage:

I have blanked my poor little niece out of the picture, for legal and child protection reasons
although I would imagine her human rights have been severely compromised already by
having to pose near the unseemly item.

 

Dear oh Dear. That it could have come to this. You will agree, I am sure, that it represents a serious failure of delicacy.

It is frightening that i) someone designed this - what troubled mind could harbour such thoughts? -  ii) people saw fit to finance the manufacture of it - what possessed them? - and iii) others willingly ordered and paid for the finished product, and then placed it outside their carpet shop.  HOW could anyone imagine that there exists a single person in the world who would be induced to buy a carpet on the strength of a balloon shaped like a pyjamaed hippopotamus?

Here is proof that innocent shoppers are being unjustifiably subjected to grotesque sights in increasing numbers, as they go about their daily pursuits. It is shocking to note that this example was on display within the supposedly safe SE24 district. 

Quail, o ye who dwell in the land of Dulwich. The outlook is bleak.

All I can say is, do it to Julia.

The Lamentable State of Modern Sculpture

In 1499 Michelangelo completed his Pieta. Nice, eh?

This sublime work has brought solace  to countless souls, and done much to convey what a Good Sort Our Lady is, over 5 centuries of devotion.

It was such a peak of artistic skill that we could be forgiven for not having made much improvement in techniques during the intervening period but one might have expected us at least to have maintained the standards.

 

 

And yet... 500 years on, how are we doing? The news is not good I'm afraid.

 

 

Ignoble and trite.

Some time ago this travesty (left) appeared on our High Street, lowering the tone and keeping tourists at bay.

The subject matter, though startling, is inexplicable in the context.

The concept is crude and the execution poor. What cow ever sat like that? What cow ever wore a waistcoat or held a blackboard? Where is the elegance and easy grace that we see in real cows? Hostage as I am to a lifelong affection for cows I am affronted on their behalf.

A fibreglass model some 5' tall, it is coarse and unsubtle in colour and shape, and rightly offends all who gaze upon it - save perhaps for 2-year-olds, whose judgement is questionable.

 A second such statue was erected in Minehead shortly afterwards. We can safely say that the only Visitor Information this imparted to holidaymakers and, indeed, locals,  was "We despise you. Go Away". The fortuitous juxtaposition of an overflowing wastebin speaks volumes does it not? 



At Lynmouth

Lyme Regis

Since then further instances of the style have been noted as the contagion spread first across the South West and then over the whole of England. All are as uncouth as their cow antecedents and all display equal vulgarity of vision. They are favoured by snack bar proprietors in particular which suggests that these traders have scant regard for their customers' wellbeing. Proximity to the ugly figures causes distress on both visual and intellectual levels and is known to stimulate production of the same misery hormones as are generated in response to hearing 'Jingle Bells'. Frankly I can not see how they have the gall to intrude the things into any public space. It can't be healthy. And bearing in mind the tiny proportion of 2-year-olds in the population, is it fair?

Also Lyme Regis.
I quite like this fellow actually;
he looks jolly.
      

Spectacularly unpleasant.
An insult to Our Boys.
Lynmouth.

 

This Hot Dog  caricature raises troubling questions of cannibalism, autophagy, hygiene issues and genetic manipulation among other things and it is in VERY UNFORTUNATE TASTE. There are copies of it at Cromer and Manchester to my certain knowledge. 

These are abroad - in Prague (left), and, alarmingly, the Subcontinent which has now succumbed to the contamination, evidenced by this one (right) which has been sighted in India. Yes I have spies all over the place. Photos copyright Smith Bros Ltd

 

Poor Michelangelo. How we have squandered his legacy.

On the state of Sculpture today I concur with my young nephew (11 yrs), who announced to the family recently during discussion about his sister's art homework, that he does not rate the work of Barbara Hepworth very highly. Yo Nephew!