Push Toward A New Century

Photogravure: "Win Lose" by Ralph Slatton

We are poised on the precipice of new discoveries in creativity.  Today's explorations allow of a diversity of innovations along with traditional ones, such as the print shown to the left by Ralph Slatton.  Traditional ideas have very straightforward narratives.  They tell a great deal to the viewer, very likely the whole story.  In "Win Lose," we are instantly given a very old story of the tortise and hare.  The new twist is that the hare is disembowed and its hide worn byt the turtle.  The question arises, what is the consequence of winning this race.  Undoubtedly, the stakes are high, as well as the possible losses.  I don't make the mistake of assuming that such a traditional approach to creativity is not without its originality.  I do assume that with the implications of tradition, we must expect our artist to re-tell an old story.  However, a good story is always told on its own terms.  Despite the fact of the story's familarity, novel spin is still possible.  It can be debated that this is a much more difficult task, because of the very old visuals. 

Activism Through Visual Dialogue

The artist is obligated to address human issues pertinent to modern society.  The views expressed by artists often engage activism through visual dialogue.  With this in mind, how important is the viewer response?  I should clarify what I mean by response.  I am talking about the viewer interpretation, interaction, and reaction.  All these play a role in the success of the work.  Viewers in this sense become an extension of the artist, an extension of the creation.  Without the holistic value placed on the meaning, the art would cease to function and the artist would find an empty canvas, void of purpose.  For this reason, the audience plays a significant role in not only appreciating, but also in the creative process.  The audience is acted upon, an extension of the artist's vision.
 

One such artist that comes to mind is an ingenious 20th century visionary, Bernard Buffet.  He is a luminary, pulling the masses into his expressionist style.  Buffet works in oils and uses bold brushstrokes and freshly raw palette.  His palette is however quite tempered, showing masterful color combinations, not gaudy, but harmonious it their amalgam.  He appeared in the Paris art scene in about 1946, with his first major painting called, "A Painter's Portrait."  This was a marvelous execution of his self portrait.  and very probably launched his career.  Buffet is versatile in his subject matter, able to explore a range of ideas including landscapes, portraits, still life, and religious pieces.  Benard Buffet's Prints

The second artist of my review is Ralph Slatton.  His career is divided between both artist and art professor.  He works mainly in the intaglio or printmaking process, specifically with line etch and aquatints.  Slatton works from images that can be described as fantasy.  This genre should not be discounted as somehow unimportant.  He uses sophisticated techniques in etching and composition, bringing his work into a level above being just illustrious.  He also carries substantial weight in his concepts.  Slatton works from the idea that animals carry symbolic meaning of the human psyche.  Slatton's animals depict strange ritual and often find themselves in traps, perhaps of their own making.  You can find some of Slatton's works in the collections of theTaiwan Museum of Art in Taipei.   Ralph Slatton's Website and Philosophy