Pensamiento

We have travelled a few miles since I expressed my opinions on interviews with artists about their work. To my mind, it is very hard to ask and to answer questions about art, for both parties involved. Most of all, it is quite difficult to put into words what is inexplicable; and paintings express themselves, but are not subject to explanation. Therefore, a painting is inexplicable from the exterior; you can take hold of it from the inside, making it yours once it has expressed itself before you and you have become indivisible. This is what a painter experiences before their own work once it is finished. When the work is being created in the studio, painters give their body and soul to it, giving up all protagonism in order for the work to shine with its own light. But when the work is finished, that language, that communication between artist and painting shifts. If you can’t part with your creation, you will never reach “the whole”… and that is really quite hard to do…

So just imagine how hard it must be to explain it, to understand it, to transcribe it… The language used by artists in their work is very different to that used to try to explain it. Those languages go their own separate ways and will therefore never find common ground.  

My belief is that whether in an interview or a conference, the explanation, analysis or praise of a work of art should be given by poets, writers, art critics or art lovers. And if an artist wants to go in for the kill, let them do it. But it must be right there in the arena and not hiding behind the barrier. And if they’re capable of talking about their own work setting the ego aside, let them do it too. Although in my own personal opinion this is almost impossible so, in accordance with my principles, I stay silent and listen respectfully. I am thankful for the looks, the comments, the criticism and the silence. 

(The boat is rocking quite roughly and my handwriting is becoming horrendous… so I am done for today…)

Jorge Rando, sailing, May 2007