Awesome Chainsaw Carving

[robin wood]

Hi Robin

We're rapidly getting into a philosophical discussion on what makes good art? Should only things that are difficult to do to be valued as art - does the fact that it's easier lessen it's aesthetic value? Is it the original idea itself rather than the medium or the time and effort taken to realise it the true value of a piece? I'm sure you're not meaning to come across this way - but it sounds like you think the items don't deserve praise because they are "easy" to do?


M

OK hope folk will forgive the digression. And I also hope folk will forgive what probably appears to be a strong negative attitude to something which many of you quite reasonably think is great.

The current art world ever since Marcel Duschamp's fountain in 1917 does not value skill or aesthetics, I value both, you can read my views on that in more detail here
What is valued in the current art world above all else is originality, innovation and the idea, the idea of pure genius.

Of course with anything there are degrees of skill and degrees of aesthetics and degrees of originality of the idea and the reason I am not particularly excited by the original post is that for me it does not score highly on any of the three. For others who have not seen this sort of thing before it may appear original, for others who don't know much about the techniques involved it may appear difficult, the aesthetics is more subjective and would take longer to explain why it doesn't do it for me whilst it does for others.

Having said that this is not really intended to be great art, it's lowest common denominator stuff intended to be created quickly and please the masses out on a walk in the countryside which is does very well. I have no problem with it, I just wouldn't hold it up as being anything particularly special.

PS haven't been to Beningbrough for several years but I built most of the playground, castle in the middle, tyre tunnel, big rope swing etc. Not sure what has been replaced since, the idea was to have it continually updated and the tanalised timber I used is probably around the end of it's anticipated lifespan by now.

 

[mountainm]

OK hope folk will forgive the digression. And I also hope folk will forgive what probably appears to be a strong negative attitude to something which many of you quite reasonably think is great.

The current art world ever since Marcel Duschamp's fountain in 1917 does not value skill or aesthetics, I value both, you can read my views on that in more detail here
What is valued in the current art world above all else is originality, innovation and the idea, the idea of pure genius.

Of course with anything there are degrees of skill and degrees of aesthetics and degrees of originality of the idea and the reason I am not particularly excited by the original post is that for me it does not score highly on any of the three. For others who have not seen this sort of thing before it may appear original, for others who don't know much about the techniques involved it may appear difficult, the aesthetics is more subjective and would take longer to explain why it doesn't do it for me whilst it does for others.

Having said that this is not really intended to be great art, it's lowest common denominator stuff intended to be created quickly and please the masses out on a walk in the countryside which is does very well. I have no problem with it, I just wouldn't hold it up as being anything particularly special.

I agree on most points, but I think ultimately art is (or should be) democratic - if the "populace" think something is good, then so be it. Informed critics may think differently and are entitled to informed opinion, but ultimately the majority rules.

Sometimes beauty lies in simplicity.

PS

Most of it is still there, my kids love it.

 

[robin wood]

By chance a facebook friend just popped new pics of recent chainsaw carvings up. Not sure if facebook pics will show here but hope so. Hikaru Kodama.

and here some more by Bruno Torfs

see his amazing gallery here

PS glad the playground is still doing well and the kids loving it, it was a big kid that built it, lots of fun.

 

[Toddy]

"Having said that this is not really intended to be great art, it's lowest common denominator stuff intended to be created quickly and please the masses out on a walk in the countryside which is does very well. I have no problem with it, I just wouldn't hold it up as being anything particularly special." quote Robin Wood


I hold my hand up, I'm a lowest common denominator

I still like the original piece
I know a lot of woodcarvers, and I see a lot of carvings, but many are literally sculpted pieces, from carefully selected and chosen woods, and then introduced into a site.

To make, effectively, creatively, something very appealing and pleasing, in situ, from the remains of natural growth, is still something to be admired

'Art' is now so divorced from any sense of common aesthetic appeal that it is a false egotism enjoyed only by an aberrant few. Personally I think the grant money could be much better spent tbh.

David Nash's example is just ugly and without attraction, but then, what do I know ? I'm just a LCD

Toddy

 

[Stringmaker]

Robin is right in that the modern art world seems not to value the skilled aesthete, but I feel he is harsh in his dismissal of the original piece as not overly difficult to produce. If you took a straw poll of ticketed chainsaw users I bet they wouldn't describe it as derivative and straightforward?

See what I mean, art is just opinion.

LCD +1!

 

[Whittler Kev]

here [/URL]

P.

They do and following the link showed some awesome stuff.

 

[Whittler Kev]

but then, what do I know ? I'm just a LCD

Toddy

And me Mary.....and me

 

[Robby]

Me too, I think that is awesome. I think anything that takes time and skill and produces something that beautiful as an end product is an art.