Silbury Hill 180
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Silbury Hill

Silbury Hill

There's been a big situation in Bolton over a faked Egyptian statuette - we've talked about it. I made a DVD with the TV programme about the Amarna Princess on and another programme about a Vermeer painting, called The Art of Painting. The appreciation of Vermeer has had a curious history and, of course, he was notoriously copied by Van Megheeren. (Sorry for the spelling. Vermeer's painting is pretty classic but ... there are some pretty substantial beliefs/ideas incorporated into it. All art work is conceptual - unless it's automatic then there's usually hefty ideas built in at its genesis. The term Conceptual Art is just drivel and (it can be argued) reflects the nihilism at the core of modern society. The King Has No Clothes. Have a look at Tracey's work - casting something in bronze doesn't make it sculpture. A curious anomaly is my ex-drystone walling. Last year I was earning 70-80p an hour for building wall - my friend, who had just become director of the Crafts Council, was probably earning a hundred times that. She lives in Cambridge, as Roger (Sid) did.

"The term Conceptual Art is just drivel and (it can be argued) reflects the nihilism at the core of modern society. The King Has No Clothes."

God how horrifying, I totally agree. I'm too old to end up right wing.
I don't mind conceptual art if it incorporates brilliant concepts but most of it seems to be rendered by 14 year olds who haven't had time to come up with an interesting concept. "War is bad!!!"... yes sonny, I know.
;)