Mark Tansey, Innocent Eye Test,** 1981. Oil on canvas, 6' 6" x 10'. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.A postmodern approach which sets aside Modernist formalism, Expressionism, and Realism in favor of picture-making, where idea and subject matter determine what the picture will look like. As in Conceptual Art, the artist begins with an idea and the picture follows. (Gardner)
**The Innocent Eye Test refers to a term primarily used by John Ruskin a famous, British art critic of the 19th century. He referred to it as the ideal condition for viewing art, much as a child who might see art without preconception for what it actually is; or a blind man, who sees the world for the first time. For a truly 'innocent eye' to be tested we might resort to a non-human subject - in this case, a cow. (Gardner)
2 comments:
The MFA in Boston had a Mark Tansey show I guess about 10 years ago or so...I bought the accompanying note cards because his images were (and are) fascinating to me. I may be wrong, but I think one of his parents wrote one of the art history texts I used in college. Thanks for reminding me about his work.
His content is very cool.... thanks for your comments, Paula and Daryl!
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