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Aphorisms on Art

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Aphorisms on Art

by Joseph Suglia

Art is not art the moment that it ceases to be a fabrication.  I support anything in art, on the basis that it is choreographed / fabricated.  The moment that a human being wounds, mutilates, kills an animal, the boundary that separates art from life has been crossed.  The moment that an artist kills an animal in the name of art, she or he has ceased being an artist in my eyes.

Art is a way of making life seem more interesting than it actually is.

Art transforms the spectator’s relation to the world, to others, and to oneself.  It is a human activity, not a natural or divine activity.

I have become an aesthetic nihilist: The word “art” is applied to whatever a person or a community believes is art.  I can only speak or write with authority on what I think art is.

Art is the perception of a perception.

Joseph Suglia

11 thoughts on “Aphorisms on Art”

  1. I think life is as interesting as one’s point-of-view. Art can show us another point-of-view. It does not make life more interesting than it is so much as it shows us the viewpoint of someone more interested, or more perceptive.

    Art may also show us things we do not wish to see. The viewpoint of a mindless psychotic, which may be repulsive, is nonetheless educational if one wants to know the world as it truly exists. Wisdom cannot always be attained free of pain.

    • A sensible assessment of art. It is a very subjective expression of
      inner light or darkness of the being within these flesh avatars.
      Some humans are remarkable in copying life, human form and landscapes.
      Others provide horrifying images of what is inside and what
      they see or experience in the environment. There are those who use distorted art to
      manipulate or politicize self interests in the weaker minds. I think that for many artists
      and those who appreciate the product, there is something within themselves
      that resonates with a particular artist’s work. It is as though the unspoken
      words communicate its life and form in a rudimentary image. Just like words
      create images in the mind and set off a wave of connections and movements and
      changes, like the images created by the artist. Some see the good, beautiful,
      the bad and the ugly and then some just see nothing but something to sell.
      Those who still have human souls and are conscious see so much more. The question
      is what is art really? Is art real or an illusion? All I know is too many modern works
      of art and writings are much the same, over rated, uninspired and recycled flotsam.
      Anyway that is my 2 cents worth.

  2. How is the good doctor doing these days? Unique take on hurting/killing animals and losing affirmation as an artist. Hadn’t thought of it that way, but I think you are absolutely right. Of all the “arts” movies probably are the best example of where artists take advantage of animals. The Australian cult/art movie “Wake in Fright” is a good example. There is a grotesque real nighttime kangaroo hunt used in the movie. Despite the horrific themes of the movie (rape, alcoholism, violence), this was the scene that ruined it for me. Funny, I could stand the other graphic portrayals, but not the real killing of animals. I had not consciously thought, until I read this piece by you, that I was rejecting the whole film because of the killing of kangaroos. By the way, there is some terrific acting in the film by Gary Bond, Donald Pleasence, Chips Rafferty, and Jack Thompson, but all of that becomes lost with the killing of the animals. Rotten Tomatoes gives it 100% rating on 48 critic reviews. I guess the critics don’t see the animal deaths as a reason to reject the film. Oh well, you are talking to a man who once defended the “thoughts of chickens” in his oral arguments. Thanks. Duke

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  6. I’m not sure that Marcel Duchamp is an authority on painting… the Dadaist is after anti-art… agh, but there were lots of reasons… he wanted to play chess: what a waste of time and a life that is… h was never going to be a Bobby Fischer… a bored man [no pun]… man one the receiving end causally in an individual and collective sense of the Great War…… there are many reasons but talking off the top of one’s head, generalising, about the average painter, well, writing is only painting with words, much easier though… mastering the art of oil painting, getting accomplished in said art is not as easy as shooting off crap… but anyway, Marcel, now rests in peace and different thinking, thinking more relevant to the times in which we live, prevails!

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