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All of us alive today are or can be its prey, most of all the person who believes he is creating works of art when he is in fact creating mere kitsch objects.
— Gillo Dorfles, art critic
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Kitsch is once again subject to discussion at The Representational Art Conference which takes place in Europe for the first time, in Leeuwarden, Holland 1. – 4. May.
- What is the future of kitsch?
- How does skill-based art training provide assessable outcomes for educators?
- What cross-cultural themes will dominate 21st Century figurative art?
— TRAC2018
These are some of the questions that will be explored by speakers such as Michael Pearce, Tom Hageman, Stephen Hicks and Odd Nerdrum, among many others.
Throwback: kitsch-painter, Jan-Ove Tuv, philosopher Stephen Hicks and others discuss kitsch and art at TRAC2014 in Ventura, California.
Odd Nerdrum and Roger Scruton at TRAC2014:
Fun fact: the Dutch graphic maker, Maurits C. Escher, was born in Leeuwarden.
About art and kitsch, Escher said the following:
To tell you the truth, I am rather perplexed about the concept of “art”. What one person considers to be “art” is often not “art” to another. “Beautiful” and “ugly” are old-fashioned concepts that are seldom applied these days; perhaps justifiably, who knows? Something repulsive, which gives you a moral hangover, and hurts your ears or eyes, may well be art. Only “kitsch” is not art — we’re all agreed about that. Indeed, but what is “kitsch”? If only I knew! […] If I am not mistaken, the word “art” and “artist” did not exist during the Renaissance and before: there were simply architects, sculptors, and painters, practicing a trade. […] I am a graphic artist heart and soul, though I find the term “artist” rather embarrassing.
More quotes on kitsch at
http://worldwidekitsch.com/kitsch/quotes/
Let us just hope that some will be less confused than Mr. Escher at TRAC in Leeuwarden in May!
Published on Saturday, January 27th, 2018