The Infinite Art Tournament, Round 1: Bernini v. Beuys
Gianlorenzo Bernini
1598 - 1680
Italian
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Josef Beuys
1921 - 1986
German
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Vote for the artist of your choice! Votes go in the comments. Commentary and links to additional work are welcome. Polls open for at least one month past posting.
Bernini. I love the statue of Apollo and Daphne, and the cheerfully sinister expression on the face of the winged kid about to stab the fainting woman with an arrow. Okay, yes, I know it's Cupid but really, a very creepy version.
Well, I really like a lot of Beuys's work--I have a nice book of his that was remaindered at Powell's--and I don't feel like these two selections do him justice. But neither am I prepared to abandon Bernini, who's got such a solid place in Arch. History 101. And really knows how to animate stone, I tell you what. One more for Bernini.
I hate to go along with the crowd, but Bernini. I would have gone with Beuys against a lot of the painters, though. How about a double-elimination tournament? :D
While I don't generally care much about marble statuary, I think those Bernini ones are actually pretty cool. Even though I have a soft spot for absurdist conceptualism, I feel like I'm missing something w/ the Beuys works, though.
Wait... A saint orgasming? (going back to check)...
Hmmm... Still going with Beuys, although I wonder if I really would if I saw them live. But I love that second one. And the suit? For some ridiculous reason I like it.
I like the Beuys, but as the Rebel says, "Putting a statue of a saint having an orgasm in the middle of a church?" I had a religious friend in college who dropped out of Art History over that statue. My vote to Bernini.
A vote by mail for Bernini, adding that "I agree with one of your commenters about the most absurd pairing."
However, while I agree that it is and interesting or even provocative pairing, I do not agree that it is intrinsically "absurd": B-E-U follows right behind B-E-R, and Bessamer, the excellence of his method notwithstanding, doesn't fall within our conceptual category of "artist."
Bernini is amazing. I've seen in person the Apollo & Daphne and the Rape of Proserpina at the Bourgese Museum in Rome. And probably that one in St. Peter's Basilica.
Voting in the Infinite Art Tournament? Awesome. And, please be aware that purely anonymous votes are not counted. You don't need to log in or use your real name, but you must identify yourself in some fashion for your vote to count.
Bernini.
ReplyDeleteBernini. I love the statue of Apollo and Daphne, and the cheerfully sinister expression on the face of the winged kid about to stab the fainting woman with an arrow. Okay, yes, I know it's Cupid but really, a very creepy version.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's a very ugly suit.
Putting a statue of a saint having an orgasm in the middle of a church? Bernini all the way!!!
ReplyDeleteBernini, definitely, though Beuys was interesting enough that it wasn't 100% to 0%.
ReplyDeleteHeh, Yet Another Absurd Pairing.
ReplyDeleteBernini.
At risk of jumping on a bandwagon (or whatever that last picture is), Bernini
ReplyDeleteWoah! Bernini is cool.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to go with Beuys on this one. I don't really get marble statuary, except maybe sometimes in person. I prefer sleds.
ReplyDeleteWell, I really like a lot of Beuys's work--I have a nice book of his that was remaindered at Powell's--and I don't feel like these two selections do him justice. But neither am I prepared to abandon Bernini, who's got such a solid place in Arch. History 101. And really knows how to animate stone, I tell you what. One more for Bernini.
ReplyDeleteI hate to go along with the crowd, but Bernini. I would have gone with Beuys against a lot of the painters, though.
ReplyDeleteHow about a double-elimination tournament? :D
Bernini.
ReplyDeleteBernini, although I'm sure at least part of the reason is that I'm completely missing the point of both of those works by Beuys.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't generally care much about marble statuary, I think those Bernini ones are actually pretty cool. Even though I have a soft spot for absurdist conceptualism, I feel like I'm missing something w/ the Beuys works, though.
ReplyDeleteOne more for Bernini.
Wait... A saint orgasming? (going back to check)...
ReplyDeleteHmmm... Still going with Beuys, although I wonder if I really would if I saw them live. But I love that second one. And the suit? For some ridiculous reason I like it.
I like the Beuys, but as the Rebel says, "Putting a statue of a saint having an orgasm in the middle of a church?" I had a religious friend in college who dropped out of Art History over that statue. My vote to Bernini.
ReplyDeleteA vote by mail for Bernini, adding that "I agree with one of your commenters about the most absurd pairing."
ReplyDeleteHowever, while I agree that it is and interesting or even provocative pairing, I do not agree that it is intrinsically "absurd": B-E-U follows right behind B-E-R, and Bessamer, the excellence of his method notwithstanding, doesn't fall within our conceptual category of "artist."
Bernini is amazing. I've seen in person the Apollo & Daphne and the Rape of Proserpina at the Bourgese Museum in Rome. And probably that one in St. Peter's Basilica.
ReplyDeleteVoting in this faceoff is now closed!
ReplyDelete