"fred 43": work in progress- day one

May 10, 2008

[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!

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ruurd

16 years ago

cartist?

vruz

16 years ago

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.

Paul

16 years ago

No offence to 42 but I like 43 better too 😉

Craig Overend

16 years ago

Them cells, they is multiplyin.

rkr

16 years ago

hmmmm….
The Gapingvoid Gallery presents:
f-in_e-art.com
…just a thought. 🙂

RKR

16 years ago

Sorry Hugh, that comment was from the hip and missed its target, toss out those remarks.
Keep the good work, and accept my apology.

ponor

16 years ago

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.)

Stephanie

16 years ago

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. 🙂

Rasul Sha'ir

16 years ago

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’!

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