A few words about my approach:
Morandi painted bottles, dishes, bowls, jugs and vases, which he collected in his studio. I think that the nucleus of his art are less the objects, but rather how he painted them: carefully arranged, with very subtle tones and delicate contrasts - in a pictorial language beyond the bare image of reality.
He painted silent pictures, they eminate a classic calmness and harmony as we can see in the works of the old masters. I tried this way of dealing with forms and tonal with packages and a box - also things of daily use and simple shapes. They are in my workshop and I store nails and screws in it.
Morandi examined in detail the pictures of the great masters. What he discovered, he interpreted in a very personal way. I think that this is an important part of education and culture in general: to recognize timeless and universal structures and make them available for me, to reinterpret - for the here and now.
Nothing in Morandi's images is isolated, unconnected with the rest. Everything is emraced by a common tender breath. Therein (in my feeling) the essence lies in Morandi's art. I intended such a designed unity in which every single form has its place and its importance in a larger whole. You may judge how far I succeeded.
For me Morandi is one of the most important artists of the 20th century. His pictures have no dramatic objects which immediately catch the eye. Perhaps therefore he is less known. The sensations in his pictures are elsewhere. I love the soft and delicate tones in his works of art, his handling of light and dark, creating relations between shapes, lines, directions and sensitive contrasts.
Totally agree with your commentary (except that I myself am in no position to judge the importance of artists having neither studied or considered them in any great depth). For me, your last sentence rings absolutely true. What you have done, as I see it, is stripped out the significance of particular objects from your composition and focussed entirely on their combined presentation. I admire your bravery in doing this and feel that you have succeeded well. One thing I would like to suggest though, is that Morandi's ordinary objects, although they were not dramatic, were all well proportioned and pleasing in themselves. I admire the study and thought you have put into this. It comes as no surprise.
Wonderful interpretation and work Jerome. Love your contrasts, lines and the structural treatment. It is so beautiful, you should really tag this for the challenge entry: "ac-morandi".
There are many aspects of your beautiful photograph that I like. The arrangement of the objects, the relationship of each object to the whole, the almost monochrome colour, and the space around the objects. I love that these objects are everyday working objects in your life. A great photo...made my day to see it.
@helenhall
Thank you, Helen, for your nice comment!
Allow me a supplement to your sentence " Morandi's ordinary objects, although they were not dramatic, were all well proportioned and pleasing in themselves":
I completely agree with you - Morandi's objects are beautiful in themselves, he has chosen them very carefully (the question arises: what is "beautiful"?...an own topic...). But what is decisive in the end: how everything is connected, how a harmonious whole results. I consider dialectically: The harmony in the single form and in relationship to the whole. That is why Morandi has changed these objects of reality in his painting: he changed the colors, possibly the proportions or dropped or added something, when it was necessary for his image idea. And this picture idea was the harmonious entity - pictorially developed.
I got as much enjoyment reading your thoughts on Morandi's work as I did your interpretation - both really give you much to consider. I had looked at some of his paintings and like your view of his style.
@milaniet
Thank you, Milanie, for your nice comment!
A lot more could doubtless still be said here. Perhaps we can come back to this topic again. In Morandi's art are - in my opinion - many aspects that go far beyond of just applying paint to canvas.
@vignouse
Thank you, Richard, for your nice comment!
Morandi's art is very important to me. I think it contains many key aspects (as I understand). With pleasure I enter into a dialogue about possibilities of an approach to artworks.
And thanks for following!
May I briefly continue our discussion?. I concur with your thoughts and would not like you to think that my comment was in any way a criticism of your interpretation, I just wanted to confirm that I was thinking about Morandi's work on the right lines as I find it of great interest. You are far more learned and skilled than I, and I note that my own interpretation of Morandi was one of the few images of mine that you have not commented on. So I would be interested if you thought that perhaps I have got it wrong. (my entry on 7 September) ? I'm here to learn, so would be interested in your criticism if you can spare a moment. Thank you Jerome - your work always inspires me and makes me think.
@helenhall
Dear Helen,
you know, you have my respect and I appreciate you and your work very much.
Your work "Inspired by Morandi" ist outstanding.
I would like to leave it at the comments of the other visitors of your site. I think, another comment of me is inappropriate. I'd feel pushy under the current curcumstances.
Very much I would like to talk to you about art, design, color, shape,... I am very interested in that. For me art is related to life - to the question who we humans are and how we want to be. And what this world has to do with us (and vice versa). But I would like to talk more unselfconsciously.
I hope you understand me.
Thank you.
@helenhall
Dear Helen, do you know what I'd like to do? Open a book of Morandi and together look at his pictures and discuss. Would be nice.
Better yet, go to a gallery and looking at his originals together...
Thank you - Debby, SGP, Rocio and Zeynab - for your nice comments!
Thank you, Helen, for your nice comment!
Allow me a supplement to your sentence " Morandi's ordinary objects, although they were not dramatic, were all well proportioned and pleasing in themselves":
I completely agree with you - Morandi's objects are beautiful in themselves, he has chosen them very carefully (the question arises: what is "beautiful"?...an own topic...). But what is decisive in the end: how everything is connected, how a harmonious whole results. I consider dialectically: The harmony in the single form and in relationship to the whole. That is why Morandi has changed these objects of reality in his painting: he changed the colors, possibly the proportions or dropped or added something, when it was necessary for his image idea. And this picture idea was the harmonious entity - pictorially developed.
Thank you, Mona, for your kind comment!
Thanks for your words of encouragement to participate in the challenge. I think over...
Thank you, Helen, for your nice comment!
I am very pleased!
Thank you, Milanie, for your nice comment!
A lot more could doubtless still be said here. Perhaps we can come back to this topic again. In Morandi's art are - in my opinion - many aspects that go far beyond of just applying paint to canvas.
Thank you, Joysabin, for your kind comment!
Thanks, Kali, for your nice comment! Morandi's work of art intensely concerns me - it leads to many aspects, which affect our lives.
Thank you, Jackie, for your encouraging words. I think over...
Thank you, Richard, for your nice comment!
Morandi's art is very important to me. I think it contains many key aspects (as I understand). With pleasure I enter into a dialogue about possibilities of an approach to artworks.
And thanks for following!
Dear Helen,
you know, you have my respect and I appreciate you and your work very much.
Your work "Inspired by Morandi" ist outstanding.
I would like to leave it at the comments of the other visitors of your site. I think, another comment of me is inappropriate. I'd feel pushy under the current curcumstances.
Very much I would like to talk to you about art, design, color, shape,... I am very interested in that. For me art is related to life - to the question who we humans are and how we want to be. And what this world has to do with us (and vice versa). But I would like to talk more unselfconsciously.
I hope you understand me.
Thank you.
Dear Helen, do you know what I'd like to do? Open a book of Morandi and together look at his pictures and discuss. Would be nice.
Better yet, go to a gallery and looking at his originals together...
Thank you, Northy, for your nice comment!
Just thoughts splinters, fragments...
Thank you for your kind comment!