Every week, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (thank you, Rochelle!) hosts a flash fiction challenge, to write a complete story, based on a photoprompt, with a beginning, middle and end, in 100 words or less. Post it on your blog, and include the Photoprompt and Inlinkz (the blue frog) on your page. Link your story URL. Then the fun starts as you read other peoples’ stories and comment on them!
PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz
The Artist’s Take
“When looking at conceptual art, we need to consider what the artist means.”
The tour guide scanned her group. Mostly earnest attention; one stifled yawn.
“For example, this sculpture is displayed in an attractive garden. Why? Is it to contrast the unforced beauty of nature with the decorated but crudely angular construction?
A hidden drive turns the wheels, and some wheels drive others – wheels within wheels – but the work itself goes nowhere. Is that a metaphor?”
Damien, the artist, grinned as he listened. He knew what he meant; he didn’t care what the punters thought – as long as they paid.
Art, like much else, is a con trick
LikeLiked by 4 people
We could have an enthralling debate about that statement, Neil!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Art and commerce meet. I often wonder if Damien Hurst was laughing during his openings.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Haha! I said absolutely nothing about Damien Hurst!
Thank you for commenting, Josh!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I rather like the honest artist.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Bryan
Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes, the artist has at least the merit of honesty about his motivation. Or does he…?
Happy New Year!
Penny
LikeLiked by 3 people
Art for art’s sake or having to make a living? The latter is considered “selling out,” but we all have to eat.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear James
Thank you for reading and commenting. You make an excellent point for debate. I think my view would start with the art rather than the artist.
Happy New Year!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Penny. You too.
Hundreds of years ago, artists deemed worthy had wealthy patrons supplementing their incomes. Today, we have federal grants. So it goes.
LikeLiked by 2 people
A pragmatic take.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear YS
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I guess the artist’s view is pretty pragmatic – especially when you compare it with the tour guide’s view.
Happy New Year
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy New year. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the title, Penny, and the thoughts and opinions your story has stirred. I am with you, I always start with the art. It’s what WE do.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Kelvin
Thank you for your thoughts on my story. I’m really glad you liked the title! Art is certainly something to which I aspire, but at present I’m still very much learning my craft.
With very best wishes to you and yours for the remainder of the Christmas season, and Happy New Year
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
With that attitude he’s unlikely to ever suffer for his art, I should imagine. Nice one, Penny.
LikeLike
Dear Sandra
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Ha.. I love when people find new things in my writing that I didn’t think of… Could that make money?
LikeLike
Dear Bjorn
Thank you for reading and commenting. Could that make money? Almost certainly wouldn’t you say?
LikeLike
Reading the comments has been equally as entertaining as reading the story 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s interesting that conceptual art almost always achieves vibrant discussion. I wonder if that makes it good art? Thank you for reading and commenting, Linda
LikeLiked by 1 person
I also thought of Damien Hirst. 😀
The last line sums it up; some artists are more pragmatic than others.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Magarisa,
Thank you for reading and commenting. I expect artists are like the rest of us – some love money more than others.
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder if Damien thought about it at all beyond he thought it looked nice…! Nice take Penny.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Iain
Thank you for reading and commenting. You’ve put your finger on a very important question as regards the artist’s motivation. I think the artist needs to feel a passion for the work she or he creates, if for no other reason than that it takes so long to perfect your ability to say what you want with your art.
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Penny,
I’m a Kansas City Art Institute dropout. If I learned nothing else it’s that many so called artists are CON artists. I had painting classes with one or two. But as it is with writing and style, art is subjective. I said all that to say I enjoyed your story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 2 people
PS Your title seems to be a double entendre. Am I getting warm? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Rochelle
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed my story. Art is, as you say, subjective. I wonder, though, whether there aren’t certain pre-requisites for a creation to be art rather than, say, kitsch, or eye candy. These might include technical skill; insight; a strong message; a multi-layered effect.
What do you think?
Shalom shalom
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
One of the reasons I dropped out of the Art Institute was because I thought a lot of what passed for art was BS. I think talent and skill are important. Like writing, I think you have to know the rules before you can break them. And then there are those who don’t think illustrating is art. I personally do.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Rochelle
I agree with you about illustrations sometimes being art. They can stir the emotions, they can communicate ideas, they can have multiple meanings, and they can be extremely skilful.
Shalom
Penny
LikeLike
Penny, your writing is especially fascinating to me because you write on such a wide variety of subjects and each story is as perfect.
I feel bad that the artist isn’t a little more passionate about his work.
Wonderfully written story.
Love,
Moon
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Moon
Thank you for your very kind comments. I try to set my stories in a diverse range of settings, with a variety of themes, to help me keep them interesting. Be warned, though! Although I try to fact check, and make sure that what I’m writing isn’t silly, many of my stories – this one is an example – are in areas where I have little or no genuine expertise. Does my tour guide present a ‘correct’ way of considering a piece of conceptual art? I have no idea, although I’ve read critiques in magazines that suggest it may be. Is what she says plausible? I hope so! What matters in the story is the artist’s feelings; they have to be right. And yes, there are definitely artists for whom money is very important.
The extent to which a writer needs to be accurate is a subject for debate. If you listen to Hilary Mantel, for example, you shouldn’t write historical fiction unless you’re extremely knowledgeable about the period you’re covering; according to her, you owe it to the reader to be as accurate as possible.
How do you feel about the need for accuracy?
BTW, I absolutely loved your story this week.
Love
Penny
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Penny,
Thanks so much for your lovely, thought- provoking response.
Variety does indeed help to keep one’s stories interesting but the writer needs to have confidence and a decent amount of knowledge to venture into unknown territories. I, for example write feeling- based, relationship- based stories, usually, I know that makes for bland reading sometimes, especially in weekly writing exercises/ challenges but I haven’t worked much to change that yet.
I have never had to think about accuracy as such but now that you mention it, I feel, genres such as historical fiction must demand a certain amount of accuracy as far as timelines and events are concerned but that is not the heart of the story . An accurate story without a heart would make for a bland reading too. I feel the heart of a story is it’s pace, the amount of imagination the writer puts into it, whether it strikes a chord with the audience on an emotional or intellectual level.
My humble opinions, please feel free to correct me.
Love and best wishes ,
Moon
LikeLiked by 1 person
P.S. I am so glad you liked my attempt this week. Thanks so much, Penny.🙂💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Moon
I feel much the same as you do about the heart of fiction; your text must connect with the reader either emotionally or intellectually. I was fascinated to see that you include ‘pace’ at the heart; it’s a thought that had never crossed my mind before. And maybe you’re right; variation of pace is essential in forging that connection to the reader.
Another thought that your reply prompted was that your key ingredients for fiction are ethically neutral, and I find that mine are too. Which is intriguing given that we both write ethically positive stories!
Love
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
The title says it all! I’m not a fan of some modern art. It seems to be acceptable to create something that anyone could do and call it art – where’s the talent in that?!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Clare
Thank you for reading and commenting. Some modern art leaves me cold, too. But some – even conceptual art – can be both profound and moving. Modern art has a difficult task, in that there is no longer a single common narrative to which everyone can relate.
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Anything goes! Absolutely brilliant Penny.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Keith
Thank you very much for reading and commenting. I fear you’re right; for my fictional artist, anything goes – as long as it sells!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
But what WAS Damien trying to communicate? I’m very stressed now 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Anurag
Thank you for reading and commenting. I fear Christmas is a stressful time, especially for those who take things literally 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Part of me yearns for the art world of old, when craftsmen just made the sculptures and artworks they were commissioned for, after years of apprenticeships and training of course. They didn’t have to stitch a hidden meaning about the human condition to a display of a spent firework or a dissected cow. They just painted life, recorded events and people.
No sniggering from the sidelines back then 🙂
Nicely done Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lynn
Thank you for reading and commenting.
One way of appreciating conceptual art might be to view it like a flash fiction photoprompt. There are definite similarities.
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
As you say in another comment, Penny, so much is subjective. When I studied art history, I remember loving Medieval art and growing to dislike some of the more modern strands – Duchamp’s Fountain being one of them. And yet some ‘modern’ art I love – give me a Rothko or a Klee and I’m happy. I suppose I’m old fashioned in loving something – like a good piece of writing – where I can see the effort involved. Such a stick in the mud, I know! Thanks for the arty chat – always a pleasure
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lynn
Thank you for sharing some of your feelings about art. I agree with you in disliking Duchamp’s Fountain. But I liked Tracey Emin’s ‘Everyone I have ever slept with’ for example, which has skill and is multi-layered. It was tragic that it was destroyed in the warehouse fire. And, like you, I love Klee. His ‘Angel, still ugly’ for example can be seen as a wonderful representation of human mystical experience.
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never ‘got’ Tracey Emin, but then I never saw her bed, so I’m sure it was cleverer than it was depicted in the press. Just had an exhibition of Grayson Perry’s more recent work here in Bristol, some of which I adored, some not so much, but all had intelligence, wit and craft about them, which is just something to admire
LikeLiked by 1 person
Enjoyed ypur stpry, which has much the same tone as mine this week. An artist needs to go with the flow if he hopes for some cas in-flow.😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eeek! Please pardon the typos!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Christine
Ypur typos are pardoned!
Thank you for reading and commenting. You’re absolutely right about the artist needing to go with the flow to earn his living. He also needs to conform to expectations if his work is to be shown. The line between necessity and integrity is a narrow one, and the tension very real.
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed this story – I rarely ‘get’ modern art, so this made me smile.
I’m going to resume writing stories with FF in the New Year.
Happy Christmas!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Susan
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you were entertained by the story.
I’m looking forward to reading your FF stories in the New Year; perhaps you might consider having a go at ‘What Pegman Saw’ too? The extra fifty words of that challenge enables participants to write some very satisfying stories.
Have a Happy New Year!
Penny
LikeLike
Love it. The artist is the only one who gets it…. so often true. I love to watch people discuss my art on display, hidden in the background…very seldom do they ‘get’ it at all. Love it! you captured it so well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jelli
I’m so pleased that you, as a practising artist, feel that my story has some authenticity – that’s an enormous compliment you paid me; thank you very much indeed!
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy New Year, Penny. I really did enjoy your story. 🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Art that needs to be explained does not appeal to me at all. Nicely done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Liz
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you felt my story was nicely done.
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
No matter what the artist in this story says (or thinks), an artist wants their works to be loved and understood. We say we do it for ourselves but that is a lonely world to live in. Well Done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Susan
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I agree with you.
Damien’s ‘grin’ may mask a deep underlying pain.
Certainly as a writer I want to be read and understood, so that I can share something of my joy in the world. I think the same is probably true for you.
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good for him. An artist needs to eat. And if they want to interpret his art in their fashion, more power to him.. Many artists actually want people to see what they see…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dale
Thank you for reading and commenting.
By and large I agree with you. I think most artists have a vision that they want to convey, and are pleased when somebody understands. If Damien’s grin was a light-hearted acceptance of the way of the world, then fair enough. But it is the case, don’t you think, that some artists seem to be very concerned with the money they can make?
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Well, the way I see it, it is their work and they do have to make a living so one would like to succeed enough to eat ☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
To my mind art is in the eye of the beholder. What is art to some will be rubbish to others. I say good on him if people are buying his work or paying to go on tours – they can have their interpretation – he knows what his was. We will all interpret differently as we all bring our own particular world view to the piece. I enjoyed your work also. It is the same with writing – we will all interpret a piece differently for the same reasons.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Irene
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I agree completely that because we all bring a different world view to a piece we will all interpret differently.
I’m less convinced that what is art to some will be rubbish to others; I think the dividing line is a little more clear cut than that. My personal opinion is that to be art a work must show skill that is the result of many hours of training and practice; it must show insight, or have some worthwhile vision to communicate; and its ‘meaning’ needs to be multi-layered.
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
There was a huge debate about an art work we bought in Australia. Many thought it was rubbish and a kindergarten child could do it. It cost 1.3 million at the time and is now worth around $350 million. (Jackson Pollack’s Blue Poles). I can tell you I know a few people who still think it is rubbish – but now concede it is expensive rubbish. I do art appreciation and with additional knowledge can now appreciate works that I didn’t previously like although it hasn’t made me like them any better. Its an interesting subject. Thanks for the discussion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well written. It asks the question has the artist simply delivered what the public will accept and therefore pay for or has he produced something true and meaningful to himself and fortunately it has been a success. He has to eat so you couldn’t blame him for going with the con, if his genuine work wouldn’t sell and the public is mug enough to accept the pretentious work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Michael
Thank you for reading thoughtfully and commenting. I’m glad you thought the piece was well written.
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve often wondered about “interpreting” art. Heck! Who knows what the artist was thinking or feeling at the time. I come from a very artistic family (Except the middle sister. The middle sister got athleticism and can’t tie a bow!) That said, it seems we just work from the heart. You captured that beautifully. On the other hand…. Damien might just be out for the almighty dollar.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Alicia
Thank you for reading and commenting. Your question “Who knows what the artist was thinking or feeling at the time” is very relevant. I don’t think it’s common for artists to ‘explain’ individual works, although you sometimes have schools that hold values in common (PRB, Impressionists, Vorticists etc). Critics who are actively involved with artists may have some insight, but can they ever have any real idea of the fervour that drives creation?
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
I like the different views you gave us and art is such a layered topic- and as others have noted – the comment section here was interesting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Prior
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m always grateful for feedback; it’s so helpful in improving my writing. I’ve found the comments for this story to be most stimulating and helpful.
With best wishes – and Happy New Year!
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
happy new year to you too
LikeLike
The myriad ways in which art is understood and misunderstood. Greatly enjoyed this and HAPPY NEW YEAR.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Neel
Thank you for reading and for your kind comment. I’ve really enjoyed the discussion that the comments have sparked this week.
Happy New Year to you too!
Penny
LikeLike
Fantastic Penny. Art is in the eye of the beholder… and the purse
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Laurie
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed the story!
Happy New Year!
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy new year to you too!
LikeLike
It all comes back to one man’s junk is another’s treasure. And, we all need a payday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Russell
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Yes, there’s no escaping the need for an income.
Happy New Year!
Penny
LikeLike
A true artist – con artist, anyway.
Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2017/12/27/friday-fictioneers-lifes-cycle/
Scott
LikeLike
Dear Scott
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m not sure that Damien is a con artist rather than a true artist who is relaxed about people’s response to his work; he could be either for me.
Happy New Year!
Penny
LikeLike
Yup…they can interpret it any way they want, especially after they own it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dawn
Thank you for reading and commenting. I guess we all have our favourite ways of understanding pictures that we love.
Happy New Year!
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an interesting piece, Penny. Art certainly is subjective, so too the appreciation of it. What makes good art? I used to write from a visionary perspective, trying to offer up an alternative and better life for humanity to work towards. This didn’t have many responses or interesting comments. Then I started to write as a reflection of life as it as, good and bad and allowed the reader to decide what to do with it. And this had the greatest impact, mostly because it’s relatable and reader could connect with it. So one definition of good art is if it can connect with the viewer in some way, I suppose. Thought provoking piece.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Fatima
Thank you very much for reading, and for your thoughtful and considered comments. I think you’re right that art needs to connect with the viewer – but is that a sufficient criterion? If it is, then advertising must be one of the highest art forms! (No, I don’t think so, either!) (Actually, I do think there’s a great deal I can learn about story-telling from television adverts, but that doesn’t make them art).
It was very interesting to read of your experience of changing your style of writing – thank you for sharing that.
With very best wishes – and have a Happy New Year!
Penny
LikeLike
Ha ha ha! 😁 I don’t know if advertising is the highest artform, then again it is art in some way. For some people anyway. Vintage posters auction for quite a bit of money, alongside famous watercolours and oil paintings. Probably because of the connection people feel with the past and what the adverts represent. Anyway could be an endless debate, simply due to the subjective nature of art, I suppose. Thank you for your festive greetings. And HAPPY new Year to you too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the artist’s viewpoint. When you put out your art to be viewed by the public, not everyone will agree with your vision, but hey, all’s good anyway. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Susie
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you love the artist’s viewpoint.
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLike
Ha, all these “experts” trying to work out the hidden meaning, when there probably isn’t one. Fun 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Ali
Thank you for reading and commenting. Whether the art has meaning rather depends upon whether Damien is an artist or not…
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
An artist’s got to eat! Besides now that he’s got it out of his system and satisfied with it what others think doesnt matter that much does it? Enjoyed your ‘take’ on the prompt Penny 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dahlia
Thank you for reading and commenting.
You’re quite right. If he doesn’t sell any art he will have to make a living in some less congenial way. However, artists make art for all sorts of reasons. For some artists, public understanding of their work matters a great deal – hence the various artistic movements.
With very best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
You art-crit dialogue made me laugh! Spot on. Which leads me to the fact that at least your Damien appears to have made this piece – the other Damien had/has lots of assistants painting spots etc. A fun piece that certainly got everyone chattering.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear mjlstories
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m delighted my art-crit dialogue made you laugh! Art criticism must be very difficult, and there will always be a risk that it sounds ludicrous. However, when it’s applied to something which quite plainly isn’t a work of art, like the construction in the photoprompt, its pretensions are exaggerated even more.
All the best
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
the artist has a point. he’s wise beyond his ears (pun intended.) 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Plaridel
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I like your pun!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
It seems whatever the artist knows will stay a secret. Good writing, Penny. 😀 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Suzanne
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Yes, I think he finds more commercial benefit from silence than from explaining what he’s trying to do!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed reading your story – the words work so well with the image. Ending with a wry twist of cynicism I think. Good one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear WWM,
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed the story!
With best wishes
Penny
LikeLike