May 10, 2008
“fred 43″: work in progress– day one
[Click on image to enlarge etc.]
Like they say, when you fall off your horse, the first thing to do is get right back on it.
After Fred 42 died earlier today, I got right back to work. Behold “Fred 43″. Ink & pencil on paper. 23 x 30 inches. It’s been a busy morning, to say the least.
I’m already liking this one. We’ll see where it goes…
By the way, to answer a frequently-asked question. I consider these large pieces “cartoons”, I do not consider them “fine art”. I consider myself a cartoonist, not an “artist”.
So there!
"Hugh's Daily Cartoon" Newsletter.
A new cartoon sent out every weekday morning to your inbox [RSS version here.].
A wee chuckle to start your day off right etc.
cartist?
Fine art is way, way, way overrated anyway
The economics and life standards of our age don’t allow for an elite of patrons and starving artists. (as you have correctly pointed out in some of your articles)
Fine art in the 50s and 60s pop fashion stemming from mass production of the 50s also seem unfeasible in a democratised world of mass customisation.
How valuable becomes art when it can be faked, created semiautomatically or reproduced ad infinitum ?
How about faking and posing academicism ?
http://vruz.tumblr.com/post/31299089
I believe the only possible way to do authentic art nowadays is the way you’re doing it, Hugh.
Creating a personal brand, nurturing it, finding a unique voice –but not only that, as it becomes more important the artist’s ability to communicate with her audience.
There’s no more lone rangers, superheroes, robinhoods nor princesses in distress.
No more Tristans und Isoldes, no more Lohengrins and Elsas, no black swan descending from Parnassus to reach for the unilumminated.
The artist becoming aware of her own humanity, and their public seeing humanity through her eyes, making the experience unique, irreplaceable, unfakeable.
A world becoming more humane and authentic, it’s at least worth attempting.
No offence to 42 but I like 43 better too
Them cells, they is multiplyin.
hmmmm.…
The Gapingvoid Gallery presents:
f-in_e-art.com
…just a thought.
Sorry Hugh, that comment was from the hip and missed its target, toss out those remarks.
Keep the good work, and accept my apology.
Interesting to read what everyone is saying here on your blog — Interesting that you say your stats have gone down recently (twitter)
(@vruz… fine…only you should have used the personal pronoun “his”.. it’s “fake” to pretend otherwise.)
It’s interesting, seeing your work in a larger format…I realized that what I like the about your cartoons is not just the uniqueness of the “scribbles” but also the density of the “scribbles” in a smaller format.
I like the “scribbles” crammed together.
I like vruz’s comments. Its interesting though, that in the ‘digital’ age in which we have created a voice for the masses and have made it ‘easier’ to connect on numerous levels, we have actually convoluted the communication stratosphere making it that much harder for humane interaction and authentic engagement. We’re all on so many levels hiding behind our computers with pseudonymns and aliases. Nonetheless I agree that a great way for creativity to flourish is through building your own brand and engaging people in authentic ways that encourage genuine conversations and sincere interactions. Keep redefining your own playing field, as gapingvoid has and as Hugh says ‘rock on’!