Saturday, July 28, 2012

Jokester and Paintings (This week's Photo Hunt themes)


Art can inspire, art can provoke, and art can also make one smile, grin, chuckle, giggle and even laugh out loud. These are things I realize pretty much each time that I go check out works at an art museum, gallery or fair such as the Hong Kong International Art Fair, also known as Art HK (which I've been attending since 2009).

For the past few years now, Japanese jokester-artist Takashi Murakami's paintings of smiley flowers (see a previous year's example here) have never failed to bring smiles to my face along with that of many other Art HK visitors. At this year's Art HK, I also found myself smiling (back) at American artist Jeff Koons' monkey paintings (or are they prints? Ah well... let's just call them paintings to fit better with both Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts this week! ;b).

If truth be told though, I often find more jokesters among the ranks of sculptors than painters and artists working in other media. And while it's true that Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has created paintings as well as other types of art, it was her Flowers that Bloom at Midnight sculptures that caught the eye the most at Art HK this year.  

Seeing the obvious enjoyment and pleasure that many people -- especially children -- get out of Yayoi Kusama's works, it comes as a bit of a shock to realize that the artist is 83 years old this year.  Then there's the fact that she has been voluntarily living in a mental home since 1977... all of which gets me thinking that while some people believe that genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration, sometimes a little bit of madness helps too!

17 comments:

Genny said...

They are great for the theme joker...Happy weekend and mine is up too.

LifeRamblings said...

very colourful and eye catching, definitely make me smile.

auntpearl said...

I love all the colors!!!

Mine is up. Please stop by.
http://doggydog22.blogspot.com/

magiceye said...

cool takes!

YTSL said...

Hi Genny --

I'm glad you think so and happy weekend to you too. :)

Hi LifeRamblings --

I'm happy that my blog entry made you smile. :)

Hi Pearl --

Colorful art can seem so cheerful, don't you think? :)

Hi magiceye --

Thanks! :)

Gattina said...

Very true, the little monkeys are so cute !

Annie said...

This is some very cool artwork - love the colors and patterns in that first piece.

Susan Demeter said...

Love the colourful displays! And you are right art can inspire so many emotions but laughter is always the best :)

Trekcapri said...

Hi YTSL, these are all so cool and perfect for the dual theme. I love the smiling flowers and monkey and the happy colors in the sculptures. I can see why they make you smile. I know seeing them makes me smile too.

Have a wonderful, happy weekend.:)

Carver said...

I like this fun artwork and interesting about the artist's voluntary commitment. Good she has continued to create so much. I had shots of sculpture that would work for both themes but didn't have that luck with paintings which is why I went with a stretch.

Hootin Anni said...

...just popping in during a break in my genealogy research to give you a big Texas "Howdy"!!!

Love your choices for the theme this week.

Sai Hijara - Ferraris said...

Lovely colors!

eastcoastlife said...

Thanks for the info, I am glad to discover more talented artists. Love the smiley artwork.

YTSL said...

Hi Gattina --

Guess you like the Jeff Koons works the best of the ones in my photos! :b

Hi Annie --

...whereas you find Takashi Murakami's smiling flowers more to your taste! :b

Hi Sue --

As the proverbial "they" say, laughter is the best medicine. But have to admit that the art I most love is that which I just find jaw-droppingly amazing. :)

Hi Trekcapri --

Seems we have similar reactions to the featured art. Hope you have a good weekend too. :)

Hi Carver --

Ah ha... so you tend to find sculptors to produce more jokey art too! :b

Hi Hootin Anni --

Genealogy research? Sounds like work. Hope it gives you some pleasure! :)

Hi Mariposa --

Am glad you think so. :)

Hi EastCoastLife --

You're welcome re the info. Thanks for reading as well as looking. :)

Anonymous said...

LOVe LOVE LOVE the happy art. It put a smile on my face.

peppylady (Dora) said...

Colorful and cheerie. Thanks for stop in.

YTSL said...

Hi JDeQ --

And I love your enthusiasm re the art you saw featured in this blog entry. :)

Hi peppylady --

Hope the works in the photos brought a smile to your face. :)