Madonna of the catwalk (re-worked)
painting figurative bird girl red blue green
Acrylic on stretched canvas 16" x 16" approx
I wanted to do a painting about "celebrity culture". It annoys me so much. Models, WAGs, people of no significant talent or contribution are put on pedestals by magazines like Hello, OK, etc. Anyone "overweight" with bad hair doesn't get a chance in these circles. Now you can ignore it all - and I do by and large - but it does have an impact on our teenagers growing up today - who are all beautiful without any embellishments! What's valued in society? Where on earth are we going? External standards of beauty have always been valued but today they seem shallow and almost "cloned". Sad. Just read the story of the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911 (whilst I was reading it, incidentally, a man broke into the Gallery of Modern Art in Paris and stole 5 important post-impressionist paintings - Braque, Picasso, Leger, Matisse, Modigliani). Anyway, Mona Lisa - the book was pointing out the different "interpretations" of her "beauty" (some people finding her not beautiful at all). I rest my case.
On a technical note, this is the first time in a while that I've worked on canvas. Enjoyable it was. I might get a few more.
Since first posting this I have re-worked the image - the pigeon looks less ratty and the madonna sits more comfortably against her background.
posted by Sheila Vaughan at 12:39 PM
12 Comments:
I love this~! It's so beautiful and what you say is so true. Thanks so much for this one. ♥
Thank you Cindy!
wonderful contrast between the subject adn the background noise: she is totally content in herself! Interesting point about the Mona Lisa having recently seen her at the Louvre: no one is allowed ten feet of her; there are several guards; the hoards just take photographs of her (i included); no opportunity to observe brushwork; she proabbly is a work of art but the set up at the Louvre has made her into over rated commercialised claptrap!
Thanks Rahina, I agree about the Mona Lisa - it became commercialised clap trap after 1913 when she was re-discovered and re-housed in a strong glass case with her own permananent guards. What a shame.
Very very nice. Really love it.
Totally agree with what you're saying.
Okay, weird weird coincidence: I am reading that book right now. (Or at least one on the same topic.)
Thanks for that sisterly affirmation Jala! Glad you like the painting. I want to work on it a bit more when I get chance - maybe at weekend now - I want to made the dovey look less ratty, LOL.
Wow, that is a conincidence about the book! I love books about art theft and art forgery, don't you? In fact I'm fascinated by forgery and I never quite feel it is a crime. I shall now probably be put in somebody's little red book and Big Brother will be watching me.
Excellent post! Beautiful painting too.
I wholeheartedly agree and wish that young people, especially young women, would reject the artificial imagery to which you refer.
Looking forward to more of your paintings.
Thanks Melinda - it's awful how we have to feel almost apologetic in saying these things - most men almost inevitably respond with a wink and a nod of "jealousy" - but we know it isn't really about that. It's a much more complex and deeper issue. Glad you like the painting.
As a teacher of teenagers, I couldn't agree more with the misguided nature of pop culture.
Great painting statement!
Thanks DJ - maybe we should credit them with more sense than it seems though. Maybe they understand that stupidity on a deep level.
I like this. It comes across as very iconic and symbolic. The Madonna seems so much more important having her own colors, separate from the rest of the painting.
Hi Bruce, good to see you. Yeh, she's a bonny lass isn't she, LOL. Just been looking at your latest stuff - in great admiration! Love that strong abstract leaning.
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