In our contemporary times, we are sharing an enormous number of attributes that arose during the European Renaissance of the 1400's, including lack of central authority, creativity across a number of "arts", danger and disorder.
Take "fashion". Four hundred years ago, textile manufacture and arts were reaching "extreme" forms in Italy, France, England, Austria and Germany, breaking out of the black robes and white ruffles of medievaldom. In the last 50 years, again, we see extraordinary creativity in Fashion -- with the dominance of Fashion Houses and the living legends of Valentino (red evening gowns), Giorgio Armani (chic suits for men), Karl Lagerfeld (reinventing the Chanel suit), and the international powerhouses of Dior, Lacroix, Prada, Gucci as brands.
It is insensible, but it is part of "renaissance".
MUSEUMS. The Getty is doing full-scale research and resurrecting ancient crafts, such as Chinese glazes, Italian/Roman glass, Armenian/Pythian textiles.
ReplyDeleteIn other art museums, HAS THERE EVER BEEN such a roster of Southern California home-grown artists? Francis Alys, Karl Benjamin, Dan Flavin, Mary Heilmann, Robert Irwin, Kim Jones, Gordon Matta-Clark, Takashi Murakami, Rufino Tamayo, Richard Tuttle.
FILMS. 2007 had a torrent of intense and widely-varied films: Into Great Silence, and Terror's Advocate, and Sicko, three exceptional documentaries; No End in Sight, despairing of America, and In the Shadow of the Moon, celebrating it. Lars and the Real Girl, a community around a mannequin. Lust, Caution - psychological sexual intricacy. Michael Clayton, smart legal thriller. Ratatouille, animated upwardly-mobile rat. There Will be Blood, darkly unique epic. Once, musical story mix. Across the Universe, 60's Beatles retrospective. Remarkable variety.
BOOKS. J.K. Rowling hand-printed seven copies of Tales of Beedle the Bard and sold them for millions each to benefit a children's reading program. That has to be a record. My point here is that books continue to fill unique needs.