Make It Real
Curated by David Willson (IBEX Collection).
Introduction and commentary written by David Willson.
We all know and talk about how art is subjective.
However, it is not until you are asked to select the ‘best’ of a number of submissions, that you are really challenged on that subjectivity.
In selecting what I consider to be the ‘best’ pieces I was very aware of the disappointment those not chosen were likely to feel, the feelings of ‘why not me?’ and maybe frustration at being overlooked.
What I have selected is my highly personal view of the ‘best’ pieces that were presented. I am also very aware that if I had the chance to stand in front of all of the physical pieces, I may feel differently about them, but digital is what we had to work with here.
I can see the care, effort and personal meaning that each of these pieces has to the artists who created them, and not being selected just means that they did not fit what I was looking for, not that they do not have worth.
So, what was I looking for?
In looking at art, personally I am always looking for works that have something to say, a purpose or meaning that resonates with me, or that I can see would resonate with other people, even if it is not my cup of tea.
I am also looking for a degree of technical expertise in the execution, such that the work does what it needs to to best present that message. I am strongly drawn to artists who have such strong command over their skill that they can execute nearly perfectly on their concept.
The marriage of concept and technical ability can create great works.
In addition to the above, I am very much looking for pieces that reflect this moment in time. Not pieces that are just painting a fad, but pieces that know we are in the 21st century and not the 19th or 20th. This is usually expressed through a combination of style, colour choices, lighting and most especially body-language. I like to see art that has developed ‘on the shoulders of the giants who came before’ and that speaks to us in the era in which we are living.
Hopefully you will see that expressed in the chosen artworks.
Doug Webb – Salt of the Earth
I wish that I had a dollar for every time that I and the other IBEX Collectors have discussed how important the title of a painting is. Doug’s clever title gave me an excellent starting point for thinking about this painting.
The composition is excellent. The unexpected sizes provided immediate interest, while the background choice of a church and an American flag gave me reason to assume that this is far more than just a whimsical painting. Of course, this was helped by the fact that the skill displayed here allows for the story to be very clearly told, and I am not distracted by a failure of technique (in fact, quite the opposite).
Alexandra Manukayn – Gnasher
What can I say? Sometimes I stray into enjoying the whimsical.
I enjoyed this piece because it moves away from the typical portraits of children where their youth is (I feel) overly bathed in ‘the innocence of youth’. I liked seeing this expression of playfulness, even mischief, that struck me as authentic.
This is the kind of portrait that I personally would want of my son at that age, rather than the typical on their best behaviour perfect young child portrait.
Of course, it also helps that, as usual, Alexandra’s execution shows her experience and mastery of her art.
Grant Gilsdorf – Middle Fingers Up
In full disclosure, we have two paintings by Grant already in our collection, however I believe that all of his art is strong enough to stand on its own merit and to justify itself.
What I like about this piece (and almost all pieces by Grant) is a very keen sense of the present moment. There is a freshness and authenticity to this piece that I love, and when combined with excellent technical skills, the overall effect is a very strong one.
One of the things that I especially like about this painting is that it is brave enough to be fully authentic.
It is quite popular now to show ‘interesting’ or hipster looking Millennials in paintings, however many times I feel that they are presented as interesting only by virtue of their tattoos, piercings etc. They are often boring portraits of interesting people being almost entirely non-expressive. They are often missing the body language that I would expect to go with that person. Grant does not shy away from allowing free expression of his subjects, wherever that takes him.
Pegah Samaie – Defiance
I love feeling that there is a story behind a painting. Even better if it is strong enough that I would really like to know what that story is.
Defiance is such a painting. The title gives a great starting insight into what is going on here, but I soon found that it only scratched the surface.
I may have found the core imagery of the painting a little heavy handed, if I was not almost immediately drawn to the windows in the background of the painting that seem to point to a much deeper background and nuanced story than would otherwise be the case. I ended up spending quite a lot of time with this painting and it became more and more interesting the longer I spent with it.
Anne-Marie Zanetti – Always Another Way
Another painting that looks like it belongs in the present moment and that has been skillfully executed.
This is a strong painting, with extra layers.
I enjoyed very much the bold colours and the strong character of the subject. I do not know what issues she is facing, as implied by the title of the painting, but I have no doubt that she will find that “other way”.
I also enjoyed the touch of romanticism and optimism found in the flowers reflected in the rose-coloured-glasses.
Arina Gordienko – Life in Crimson Flame
Arina knows so well how to use strong reds to create bold and interesting paintings that elevate them beyond common portraits.
Clearly Arina has achieved a very high level in her technique and is at a stage where she is able to clearly and cleanly express whatever it is that she wishes to say through her subjects.
In this case, I was arrested by the depth of the subject for this painting. There is a fully-realised person here, who has complex emotions and multiple layers behind her surface expression that make me want to delve deeper and spend time getting to know the painting. There is minimal artifice or artificial portraiture here, beyond the typical masks that we all present, and that speaks very strongly to me.
AN OFFER FROM DAVID WILLSON
If you were one of the artists who entered MAKE IT REAL and you are a member of the IBEX Art Insiders group on Facebook (which you can freely join) and you would like to discuss your work with me, I would be happy to do so. If that is the case, please just let Sthef know to give you priority for the next round of monthly one-on-ones we run.