The Alpha Seer has set up a “million
dollar job†by Picasso Versus one “2 million dollar
job†by Knox Martin.
Let’s “eyeball” each work set up side by side in Figure 2 below.
SCORES
Line quality scores:
Picasso’s m Vs. Knox Martin’s 2m
Alpha Seer’s comment: Knox Martin’s lines come alive like
black flames. They have come alive with such songs,– dancing with such
energy! Picasso’s lines are indeed strong, sturdy and
wholesome but they are too somber–-like the weeping
woman he is depicting,–those lines lack gaiety or humor.
Composition scores:
Picasso’s m Vs. Knox Martin’s 2m
Alpha Seer’s comment: This Picasso is figuro-centric,
which means Picasso has placed a ton of attention on the
subject figure (i.e. the weeping woman) whereas Knox has wisely avoided such a focus of attention. The
entire field of engagement has become Knox Martin’s subject matter. Knox has placed emphasis on
every single point within his composition. The woman metaphor has become
merely an excuse for painting, –not the reason.
Line removal scores:
Picasso’s Vs. Knox Martin’s 2m
Alpha Seer’s comment: Do this mental experiment: try to
remove one or two lines from each of the
paintings in turn. You will discover that, with the
Knox Martin, every single line has become so crucial,– and if
you remove one, the whole composition will simply collapse.
Not true with the Picasso! What does that
tell you? The Picasso has lines that are not critical, correct?
One may remove a couple of those non critical lines and the composition
remains intact. Does it not say something regarding the significance of lines in each painting ?
Yes, sir! In the Picasso painting, even after one has removed some lines the composition still won’t fall apart. There are some lines that serve decorative purpose only in the Picasso painting, that is why they are not critical.
Hardly the case with the Knox Martin painting. Knox’s lines are not cheap!
Invention scores:
Picasso’s m Vs. Knox Martin’s 2m
Alpha Seer’s comment: Picasso, like Cezanne or Matisse or
thousands of masters before him, finds a ready motif in
nature , then simply create metaphors to represent it.
Knox Martin, on the other hand, creates his own motif. He has created a
new world so different from ALL the rest! What he has produced
is a whole new ball game, a new paradigm in painting, like they
say… .
Geometric ground plan
The adoption of a geometric ground plan in Knox’s composition has endowed more dignity and compactness to his forms. Picasso’s forms are complex and compact, but the geometric ground plan is more or less implied. It is hard to ask a Picasso to execute his work from the start with a geometric ground plan. He is no Ingres or Cezanne.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
No one should say, “Ah! I’ve caught the Alpha Seer saying that
Picasso is inferior to Knox Martin!”
But what a cheap accusation!
No, the Alpha Seer
has not implied any hierarchical order at all! Picasso is my
hero,never, NEVER doubt that!
I have often been fascinated by Picasso since my childhood.
However, when I make that comparison, I presume that you have followed every step, haven’t you?
I have merely pointed out a few obvious facts, haven’t I ?
And my method is comprehensive,– even to a child. Isn’t it?
The Alpha Seer is simply saying :
A great master in Picasso’s caliber is with us today!
His name is Knox Martin and he
has changed all
equations in Painting,–and bent all rules,– like a true rebel he is, . . .
Henceforth you don’t need an Alpha Seer to point out beauty to you anymore. I expect everyone
to have intuitive clarity from now on. The world at large may remain deluded,–they may be fully in awe of
the “big scholars”, the museum directors, the art critics, the so-called specialists,–that is their business.
But the new generation of Wahyanites are simply too smart to be fooled. They have been chosen by the enterprising Jesuits,–that is why they are Wahyanites! They are not in awe of any “specialist,” they stand fast to their own intuitions!
Figure 1: Tang Dynasty masterpiece calligraphy
**************************************************
Beauty is universal, timeless, and nameless,– as it is only found in the realm of the sacred! For that reason, I have introduced two pieces of very beautiful Tang Dynasty Chinese calligraphy (Figures 1) for your appreciation and judgment, by way of serving as a kind of reference to our current comparison. Most of us in America cannot read Chinese, but that calligraphic beauty speaks to any earthling! By the same token, I cannot read musical notes,– yet the beauty of Mozart dearly touches my heart ! No one is concerned about meaning here. Beauty is beyond our mundane existence, far beyond the material. Art does not deal with meaning, which serves the material. Art exists in the divine realm of the immaterial,–or the spiritual,–or whatever name you are prepared to give to that which is profound and mysterious.
Always trust your intuitions, folks!–The “art” guru, himself blind as a bat, has posed as the wise one on mountaintop and you have allowed him to lead you on. Not only that, he has always lied to you–this abominable charlatan!– who, for a pittance, a bit of tenure at an art school, or for the fanciful title of art Professor, readily sells out his soul! Most would simply usurp the directorships of museums in every single city in the world you care to name, . . . Yet you have placed yourself in his hand simply because he came down on you with a big enough title-and you were impressed! He has succeeded in making you believe that you are incapable of aesthetic judgment, so his authority cannot be challenged! He had lied in Cezanne’s time and he is still lying to you in your time! Your intuition is the only thing you can count on but he wants you to disbelieve yourself! “Conceptual art? Is there such a thing?â€â€“ You earnestly asked. But they ignored you and went on with their boring displays year after years at the Walker, the Whitney, or the Guggenheim,–in fact, all over the world! You have suffered this degradation quietly because you have been busy dealing with the existential,–but deep inside you still yearn for the real things, . . . Meanwhile your ever growing herd instinct defeats the nobler nature of your being, and you are forced to delegate the spiritual to the “specialists,”– at the risk of the well being of your soul! “Leave the judgment of taste to the experts,†you carelessly obeyed this herd instinct,– and you return, somnambulist-like, to your day to day absorption,– and yes, the T.V. …., that perennial entertainment!
Once the Alpha Seer had declared : The rebellion is here, have courage,–Wake up! But just as instantly voices affecting of deep annoyance had accused the Alpha Seer of speaking in delirium. An American academic, mouthing her postmodernist jargons like a cow, suddenly stood up to argue with the Alpha Seer,–trying to prove him wrong! Picture this, folks: a blind person desperately trying to prove a Seer wrong! A cattle cow with her herd instinct hoping to wrestle down the will of a lion, . . .
But my dear Wahyanites, those of you who have understood today’s lesson,– capable of seeing
art independently,– and above all, with clarity, will have the Alpha Seer’s congratulations-–
for indeed you have gone far! The academics have no understanding at all. They are just straw-men. Nay, even worse, since their parasitic existence has also loudly proclaimed their realities as con-men! They only know what is on the periphery of things,– sure, they may know a few things about art,–but always on the circumstantial. Their problem is, they become constantly intellectual about everything! As academics, they have been fated to marry their mind to their miseries. They have been involved in the business of acquiring knowledge for too long,– as to render their intuition blunted, ending up spiritually blind! Talk to any academic you chance upon and you will know what I mean.
Today you have looked into the very depth of art! You have stood on its epicenter! Your intuition is so much richer, stronger and healthier than any academic in the world!
Do you realize that it is quite senseless to discuss global warming, or the Iraq War, an ethnic cleansing here and there, Islamic Terrorism, sectarian killings, some totalitarian regime’s dismal human rights record, or any other problematic basket-loads for that matter,– unless we are fully at peace with ourselves,–- no more confusion or delusion at heart, capable of seeing Beauty firsthand–- NOT through knowing it as an ideal, a symbol, or a surrogate,– but to really see it with our own intuitions!– free from all kinds of conditioning. Instead, one should commit oneself to get inwardly interested,– to love this beauty without reservation, to feel–-to really feel,–- and be intoxicated by true poetry again!
When you have the key you can open all doors. That key is your own intuition. Never trade intuitive understanding of beauty for cheap ideas from the charlatans,–i.e., the postmodernists of our time, . . . That, if anything, is the only purpose for this comparison!
Awesome Picasso; Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â more awesome Knox Martin, . . . Much more!
Figure 2: Comparing a one million dollar job with a two million dollar job
So, you may now put on your happy finery and go see the
Picasso paintings at the Walker Art Center. Remember that from now on nobody can dictate your taste or guide you to whatsoever is worthy of an exhibition at such public venues as the Walker Art Center. You are on your own now,–for better or worse… .
***********************************************************************
The Alpha Seer formerly called Ben Lau
