Beautiful piece about different aspects of life around lines, which are created in an attempt to make things easier to understand and comply for the masses but the way we operate is mostly in the grey areas.
I loved the show at the Courtauld, I knew I would love his drawing and I did. So inspiring ,I am now doing a few self portraits. His interview was very interesting and his attitude that making art is never ending , there's always something new to discover. Makes me to think that perhaps hidden boundaries at least in the context of making art go on forever, to the point that there are no boundaries, just layers of experience,history and time?
yes, I love the way you put this Pauline! Art is just layers of experience over time. It's always shifting, never ending, no boundaries. Except then there are the edges of the canvas / paper...
Such a fascinating way to bring together two seemingly disparate subjects (and I’m thinking also of more of the art at the border). I like the implicit connections and the way we can think about our subjective experience through them. These boundaries and lines can also be empowering — through defining and creating awareness of identities or culture and I think they give us the power to have ideas in those border crossings. But of course when they are used for power and containment, the line is deeply problematic at best and life changing at times. I was at that Mexicali border 20 years ago and it was just like that. I was shocked at the privilege to VIP across for a cheap margarita and taco due to my American passport. Thanks for giving us a lot to think about!
Also - I immensely the show at the Courtauld. The feeling of what you discuss in the movement and power of the charcoal on the paper is palpable in the gallery. This harks back to one of your earlier posts about seeing art IRL.
Yes, just trying to think which post it was about seeing art IRL... Interesting (although I guess not surprising) that 20 years down the line Mexicali is still the same in terms of access/denial/control of movement through space. Samson's book / the Yiwu Market also makes me think of what happens on the border between India and Pakistan, where people of different nationalities are not allowed to cross, all goods have to be unloaded from trucks and loaded on to other trucks the other side. Goods can move across but people of different 'identities' no. It's madness the way some people behave with each other.
It's difficult to talk about the invisible parts of our world especially since we take such pride in proving something by it being seen. But personally I think these invisible lines in our world have a lot to do with our separation and need to be erased like in the Auerbach drawings. Mika video too tackles these divisions in a very light and subtle way that draws you in to see and contemplate how we live. A very thought provoking read and look forward to thinking about this week. Much thanks !
I like how you have phrased this, Sadie: 'personally I think these invisible lines in our world have a lot to do with our separation and need to be erased like in the Auerbach drawings'. Making invisible lines visible in our understanding is the start of acknowledging the separation. Intriguingly in Samson's book there always seems to be a materiality to the invisible lines.
Nice how you got me thinking about how the invisible parts of life can be equally important to what is visible. This week have been wondering if it's possible that the invisible parts are really the most important? Unsure but in some circumstances I bet it's probable.
Great post Victoria! I can't wait to see the show at the Courtauld! I've always loved the way he talks about working and the loyalty between him and Freud. I'm going to listen to the podcast now.
I find it really interesting the way Auerbach talks about his absolute devotion to his practice. I don't like his paintings as much as I do his drawings. I've never been a huge fan of Lucian Freud either. Perhaps it's something to do with his strong male gaze and the fleshiness of his paintings? I'm not sure.
Beautiful piece about different aspects of life around lines, which are created in an attempt to make things easier to understand and comply for the masses but the way we operate is mostly in the grey areas.
Yes, exactly! We mostly operate in the grey areas.
I loved the show at the Courtauld, I knew I would love his drawing and I did. So inspiring ,I am now doing a few self portraits. His interview was very interesting and his attitude that making art is never ending , there's always something new to discover. Makes me to think that perhaps hidden boundaries at least in the context of making art go on forever, to the point that there are no boundaries, just layers of experience,history and time?
yes, I love the way you put this Pauline! Art is just layers of experience over time. It's always shifting, never ending, no boundaries. Except then there are the edges of the canvas / paper...
Such a fascinating way to bring together two seemingly disparate subjects (and I’m thinking also of more of the art at the border). I like the implicit connections and the way we can think about our subjective experience through them. These boundaries and lines can also be empowering — through defining and creating awareness of identities or culture and I think they give us the power to have ideas in those border crossings. But of course when they are used for power and containment, the line is deeply problematic at best and life changing at times. I was at that Mexicali border 20 years ago and it was just like that. I was shocked at the privilege to VIP across for a cheap margarita and taco due to my American passport. Thanks for giving us a lot to think about!
Also - I immensely the show at the Courtauld. The feeling of what you discuss in the movement and power of the charcoal on the paper is palpable in the gallery. This harks back to one of your earlier posts about seeing art IRL.
Yes, just trying to think which post it was about seeing art IRL... Interesting (although I guess not surprising) that 20 years down the line Mexicali is still the same in terms of access/denial/control of movement through space. Samson's book / the Yiwu Market also makes me think of what happens on the border between India and Pakistan, where people of different nationalities are not allowed to cross, all goods have to be unloaded from trucks and loaded on to other trucks the other side. Goods can move across but people of different 'identities' no. It's madness the way some people behave with each other.
It's difficult to talk about the invisible parts of our world especially since we take such pride in proving something by it being seen. But personally I think these invisible lines in our world have a lot to do with our separation and need to be erased like in the Auerbach drawings. Mika video too tackles these divisions in a very light and subtle way that draws you in to see and contemplate how we live. A very thought provoking read and look forward to thinking about this week. Much thanks !
I like how you have phrased this, Sadie: 'personally I think these invisible lines in our world have a lot to do with our separation and need to be erased like in the Auerbach drawings'. Making invisible lines visible in our understanding is the start of acknowledging the separation. Intriguingly in Samson's book there always seems to be a materiality to the invisible lines.
Nice how you got me thinking about how the invisible parts of life can be equally important to what is visible. This week have been wondering if it's possible that the invisible parts are really the most important? Unsure but in some circumstances I bet it's probable.
Great post Victoria! I can't wait to see the show at the Courtauld! I've always loved the way he talks about working and the loyalty between him and Freud. I'm going to listen to the podcast now.
I find it really interesting the way Auerbach talks about his absolute devotion to his practice. I don't like his paintings as much as I do his drawings. I've never been a huge fan of Lucian Freud either. Perhaps it's something to do with his strong male gaze and the fleshiness of his paintings? I'm not sure.
Agreed. I think of ‘the gaze’ often when I work. Would love to discuss that further with you sometime, there’s so much to unpack.