How can you know someone by discussing art?

[Heather]

Is looking at and talking about a piece of art a good way to know someone?

The way I interpret this question is, when first getting to know someone, while discussing a work of art and hearing their points of view about a piece, do you think that speaks anything about the person? Does that tell you a bit about them in general? Their personality, their thought processes, their state-of-mind? If so, what does that tell you?

[Heather]

I would break it down.
What would you think of how someone looks at:

Damien Hirst and Francis Bacon?
Salvador Dali?
Chagall?
Matisse vs. Magritte?
Renoir and Manet?
Hieronymus Bosch?
Rothko and Mondrain?
David Hockney and Girhard Richter?
Rodin vs. Michelangelo?
Donatello vs. Bernini?
Franz Marc vs. Henri Rousseau?

Female Artists like:
Louise Nevelson?
Georgia O’Keeffe?
Frida Kahlo?
Helen Frankenthaler?

Going a little further, how would you compare these artists to someone else as if trying to explain your own point of view?

[siriusedward]

I would answer...


Neither 🙈🙈🙈

Salvador Dali... Surrealism is very surreal bit still there is something in his works that always makes one look a bit longer

Marc Chagall..the colors are nice but on the whole not to my taste..

Matisse and Margritte ... love Matisse's work..and really like Margritte's Surrealism..more than Dali's I think...

Renoir and Manet both..what can I say I love the whole Impressionism cast..incl the women..

Bosch is just too busy for me...

Rothko or Mondrian..both..I like Mondrians coloramd I do like Rothko's field of colors... if I have to choose though I will choose Rothko ,its less rigid...

Definitely Hockney..the other looks too busy and too not me..

Michelangelo ,sorry Heather..

Donatello

Nither Marc nor Rousseau.But if I had to choose ? Rousseau..

Like Louise Nevelson's work..its steampunky..maybe its too simplifying it..but I like her work.

O'keefe's work is very.... something..it makes me breathless(not yet able to put my finger on why..maybe the hugeness of it?) ....but I like her work..

Frida kahlo...hmmm..some are nice and some are not..

Helen Frankenthaler..hmm hmm..... No...

I think our tastes, be it in art or food or books ,does speak a lot about us..and it will maybe provide an insight into us..if you probe deep enough to explore what we like and why..
And what it tells us about a person cannot not be generalized ..it will be specific to the person and his or her circumstances.

As to getting to know a person..I am not in contact with persons (in real life ,that is) who are that much into art..so I really cant say...

[Heather]

That is very interesting to know about you, Seriusedward! It doeseven say a bit about who you are as person being a member of our group whom we only know on the screen who comments every once in awhile.
It’s nice to know your taste and what you like and don’t like and why. We know you love art and we all only first have that in common but knowing all of this about individual artists gives a little bit more information about each personality. Thank you so much for sharing yourself with us!

[Heather]

I think I'm going to do the same thing the Siriusedward did and break down my own list of artists according to my own opinion. Just because I like how he listed what he likes and doesn't like. I think it does tell a bit about a person, he set a good example and I hope others will follow?

Heather wrote: "how would you compare these artists to someone else as if trying to explain your own point of view?:

Damien Hirst and Francis Bacon? Neither They freak me out and I don't care to even look twice

Salvador Dali? He's ok, he is surreal and I can contemplate some of his work. I like to study it and try to draw my own conclusions. Some of it I know his reasoning and find it fascinating.

Chagall? I like him. I like his coloring, his sort of wispy, flying figures, surreal also. He fits the scene

Matisse vs. Magritte? I love them both. I enjoy contemplating Magritte, his figures are intriguing. He says they don't mean anything, maybe to him but to me I can relate to some of them. I like Matisse's forms, his colors, his figures

Renoir and Manet? Of the Impressionist, Renoir is one of my favorites, Manet less so but both are very talented. I like the colors and brushstrokes Renoir uses, his groupings of people and blends of colors

Hieronymus Bosch? I'm not as familiar with all of his works but Garden of Earthly Delights has a lot to inspect and I do enjoy studying and analyzing it

Rothko and Mondrain? I like the colors, I do like the rigidity of Mondrain better than Rothko, unlike Siriusedward, but both have an eye for use of color and contrast

David Hockney and Girhard Richter? I enjoy looking at both, but prefer Richter, I like his style, how he uses photography and painting together but I also like the stark use of contrasting color in Hockney's work

Rodin vs. Michelangelo? I know you would think I prefer Rodin, but actually comparing these two, I concede Michelangelo is the superior sculptor. He is more classical, his figures seem more mature (I'm not sure how to describe what I'm trying to say), Michelangelo just has the touch of class

Donatello vs. Bernini? Definitely Bernini! I love his motion. I like how his characters have life, they are actually living beings. His detail is incredible. I think Donatello's figures a bit wimpy

Franz Marc vs. Henri Rousseau? I like Rousseau's paintings, his subjects, but I love Marc's colors. I like how he puts the colors together, easy on the eyes and fun to look at

Female Artists like:
Louise Nevelson? Really enjoyable to look at, much to contemplate, great artist, very talented, individual

Georgia O’Keeffe? I love her work, she makes a name for herself

Frida Kahlo? Her subject matter is sad, almost depressing to look at. She is a great artist, a beautiful woman, and her paintings are very well done but I don't like to stare at them

Helen Frankenthaler? I really like her work, too. It's unique. I like her coloring, too

[siriusedward]

You are right, Heather....
Donatello's works does appear a bit sad..at leadt most of them do...yesterday when I googled both of them.. I felt it was very minimalistic ...now, on looking at them both again..I think I like Bernini better... its very expressive and somehow very powerful isn't it? I really like the way he does clothes (drapery?)... .

It really does make you think more..reading others answers...

[Kim]

I fell in love with the art of Marc Chagall. I love his whimsical pieces especially how he depicts his first wife, often floating. I love his Paris painting. I love the colors and their meanings. Have you heard of Florine Stettheimer? I think her paintings are similar to Chagalls, of course with her own unique content. If you haven’t read her book, I recommend it — Florine Stettheimer: Painting Poetry.

[Heather]

I haven’t heard of her, but I do like his work so I’d like to check her out! Thank you for introducing her!
And you’re right, his pieces are whimsical, I forgot to mention that and I do like that about them. Good point.

Have we heard from you yet, Kim? Are you new? Welcome! Good to meet you!

[Dirk, Moderator]

I didn't know her either. Thanks for pointing her out. I'll keep her in mind for the "Who did it" quiz ;-)

And a big welcome from me too!