Thanks for your very interesting and thoughtful essay. The problem comes down to blood and soil, I believe. Europeans could eventually rally around their identities and historic culture. They have artifacts dating back thousands of years that can be a very strong emotional source, for lack of a better word.
But even words like identity, emotional source and history – abstractions – don't really suggest to me what is needed. It has to be a belief in an eternal order that has been cultivated from organic history. Something sacred, and like Scruton said, humans have to move with the gods and heroes in a kind of initiation and imitation, especially when young. The sacred being something untouchable and mysterious, hence the importance of images, gestures and sounds in time. This, to me, is the only way men can overcome the sacred-victim, entitled parasite cultural that has captured the West.
Visual artists certainly shoud be part of that and your essay on these Polish artists is illuminating and a step in the right direction.
Very good point. I would say that unfortunately education has worked to make people repulsed by the artefacts and beliefs of their ancestors. Nothing other than a campaign and generation of education and respect will restore pride. Connections to Christianity and Paganism are now tenuous. Perhaps only outright conflict will draw people closer together and increase their reverence for their patrimony. I will revisit Scruton to help my thinking. Thanks, Alex.
Such an interesting discussion of Malczewski’s work. Sadly I’ve never see any of his paintings in person - I think his work hangs predominantly in galleries in Poland and the Ukraine. However, a dear friend of mine, now passed away, did gift me a book from an exhibition of Malczewski’s work in Warsaw some years’ ago. I love his use of figures from Greek mythology as in ‘Medusa’ and ‘The Artist and the Chimera’. ‘Melancholia’, clearly a commentary on the struggles of the Polish people over centuries of uprisings and division, is such a powerful piece on nationalism.
Unfortunately, apart from a few pictures in private collections in the USA, all of Malczewski's art is in Poland - mainly in public collections. I'm ashamed that I reached 50 before hearing of him! I don't think I ever heard of a Polish artist other than Tamara de Lempicka during my studies.
I’m not much better I’m afraid; I always fancied that I knew a bit about art but I only stumbled on Malczewski’s work via an article some years’ ago about the ‘Young Poland’ movement (a modernist period in Polish culture). It’s a shame that the work of such a gifted artist was hidden behind the Iron Curtain for so long.
I love Tamara de Lempicka. Like many others of my age group I guess, I found her work via Madonna. She owns a number of de Lempicka’s pieces and was clearly heavily influenced by the artist in how she stylised her videos from the late 80’s to the early 2000’s - the tracks ‘Vogue’ and ‘Express Yourself’ are pure de Lempicka. Working mainly in the US, and painting the famously wealthy, meant de Lempicka could reach a far greater audience than Malczewski I suppose!
I remember the Madonna boost of de Lempicka. I did cover her story in my book "Women and Art" - a rather pricey volume, I'm afraid. Madonna also did good work to promote Frida Kahlo. It's hard for young people to imagine now but Madonna was an adventurous creative and had a broad taste that introduced fans to interesting creative figures, including Bukowski, Lempicka and Kahlo.
Yes indeed. It’s been a source of genuine pain to many of us who remember what Madonna could be like back then, to see what she has come to now. She seemed to change with the marriage to Guy Ritchie. I read her brother Christopher’s 2008 book, which really spilt the beans. He accused Ritchie of being openly homophobic and Madonna of turning her back on her loyal gay following. The book caused a huge rift and Christopher was excommunicated, although they did reconcile - he died just a few days ago. He was the one that advised Madonna on what art to buy (de Lempicka, Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Leger, Man Ray and Picasso among others) and how to style her videos and homes. He clearly felt that he never received the recognition he was due from her. Madonna started seriously collecting art from 1987 onwards - I guess by then she had the serious money to do so!
Thanks for your very interesting and thoughtful essay. The problem comes down to blood and soil, I believe. Europeans could eventually rally around their identities and historic culture. They have artifacts dating back thousands of years that can be a very strong emotional source, for lack of a better word.
But even words like identity, emotional source and history – abstractions – don't really suggest to me what is needed. It has to be a belief in an eternal order that has been cultivated from organic history. Something sacred, and like Scruton said, humans have to move with the gods and heroes in a kind of initiation and imitation, especially when young. The sacred being something untouchable and mysterious, hence the importance of images, gestures and sounds in time. This, to me, is the only way men can overcome the sacred-victim, entitled parasite cultural that has captured the West.
Visual artists certainly shoud be part of that and your essay on these Polish artists is illuminating and a step in the right direction.
Very good point. I would say that unfortunately education has worked to make people repulsed by the artefacts and beliefs of their ancestors. Nothing other than a campaign and generation of education and respect will restore pride. Connections to Christianity and Paganism are now tenuous. Perhaps only outright conflict will draw people closer together and increase their reverence for their patrimony. I will revisit Scruton to help my thinking. Thanks, Alex.
Such an interesting discussion of Malczewski’s work. Sadly I’ve never see any of his paintings in person - I think his work hangs predominantly in galleries in Poland and the Ukraine. However, a dear friend of mine, now passed away, did gift me a book from an exhibition of Malczewski’s work in Warsaw some years’ ago. I love his use of figures from Greek mythology as in ‘Medusa’ and ‘The Artist and the Chimera’. ‘Melancholia’, clearly a commentary on the struggles of the Polish people over centuries of uprisings and division, is such a powerful piece on nationalism.
Unfortunately, apart from a few pictures in private collections in the USA, all of Malczewski's art is in Poland - mainly in public collections. I'm ashamed that I reached 50 before hearing of him! I don't think I ever heard of a Polish artist other than Tamara de Lempicka during my studies.
I’m not much better I’m afraid; I always fancied that I knew a bit about art but I only stumbled on Malczewski’s work via an article some years’ ago about the ‘Young Poland’ movement (a modernist period in Polish culture). It’s a shame that the work of such a gifted artist was hidden behind the Iron Curtain for so long.
I love Tamara de Lempicka. Like many others of my age group I guess, I found her work via Madonna. She owns a number of de Lempicka’s pieces and was clearly heavily influenced by the artist in how she stylised her videos from the late 80’s to the early 2000’s - the tracks ‘Vogue’ and ‘Express Yourself’ are pure de Lempicka. Working mainly in the US, and painting the famously wealthy, meant de Lempicka could reach a far greater audience than Malczewski I suppose!
I remember the Madonna boost of de Lempicka. I did cover her story in my book "Women and Art" - a rather pricey volume, I'm afraid. Madonna also did good work to promote Frida Kahlo. It's hard for young people to imagine now but Madonna was an adventurous creative and had a broad taste that introduced fans to interesting creative figures, including Bukowski, Lempicka and Kahlo.
Yes indeed. It’s been a source of genuine pain to many of us who remember what Madonna could be like back then, to see what she has come to now. She seemed to change with the marriage to Guy Ritchie. I read her brother Christopher’s 2008 book, which really spilt the beans. He accused Ritchie of being openly homophobic and Madonna of turning her back on her loyal gay following. The book caused a huge rift and Christopher was excommunicated, although they did reconcile - he died just a few days ago. He was the one that advised Madonna on what art to buy (de Lempicka, Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Leger, Man Ray and Picasso among others) and how to style her videos and homes. He clearly felt that he never received the recognition he was due from her. Madonna started seriously collecting art from 1987 onwards - I guess by then she had the serious money to do so!
Didn't know about that. I'll keep an eye open for that book. Thanks for the summary! :-)