Robert Hughes declares Lucien Freud is Britain’s greatest living artist. “There is a lot more humour and sweetness in Freud than he is credited with – it’s just that his unsparing wit and pitiless judgment, which allow the sentimental no room, tend to crowd them out of his never very accommodating public image. He finds many people banal, often unbearably so. He has, in abundance, the sheer mercilessness that Baudelaire attributed to the dandy as a type. People looking for art that will appease their expectations of warmth and unearned self-esteem do well to steer clear of him.”
Tag: 04.06.04
Understanding Islam Through Art
In Europe there is more and more serious interest in presenting Islamic art. The Louvre is spending $60 million on new Islamic art galleries, and in London, the Victoria & Albert Museum is introducing a new Islamic wing. “Obviously, this has a political dimension. It’s a way of saying we believe in the equality of civilizations. Many immigrant youths do not fully adhere to our culture, nor do they know their own culture of origin. It’s good to show that the republic respects, displays and studies this culture.”