Travel Tales From India

Friday, April 25, 2008

Monet Talk or Not!

Monet Picture at Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

I am very poor at appreciating art. I know of only a few big names like Monet, Van Gogh and umm, OK, Michaelangelo.

So why am I talking (or not) about Monet now? Well, it all started with this post that I linked at Blogbharti-

Kusum visits the Poppy fields in Antelope Vally in the US and her pictures are a feast for the eyes.

No no, wait, I am coming to Monet. Then came Sunil who left this comment.

Thanks, great snaps.

I suppose the only excuse for not associating with Monet would have to be death.

Now I am curious and ask him (at Blogbharti), "So is Monet associated with death?" I am curious because his comment jogs my memory that I actually have seen a Monet painting at Oxford (the one posted above) and I thought maybe that at home turf (i.e. Blogbharti) I can take the risk of asking dumb questions. Hmm the answer I got convinced me that I should leave art well alone.

Er no. My fault, the way in which i said it. I just wanted to say it reminds me of Monet’s well known poppies. And almost instantaneously one would associate the snaps with the paintings. The only reason not to is if you have died. especially for me coz one monet hangs in my bed room. ;)
Cheers

OK, now that I read it again it makes some sense because Kusum uploaded pictures of poppies and Monet painted poppies ... But then I will not go anywhere near art for quite sometime now. Scares me stiff.

Labels: Blogbharti, blogging, Off Topic, Oxford, UK

4 Comments:

Sidhusaaheb said...: I, too, am poor at appreciating art.

The only kind of paintings that I like are the ones that depict images from real life, at times, even better than a photograph could have.; 1:36 PM
Sunil said...: Hey Mridula,
I think you are unnecessarily underestimating yourself.
When I saw the snaps, I couldnt help but subconsciously associate the landscape with their resemblance of the paintings. I suppose that is because I am quite a visual spatial person. At the worst it is more knowledge than art.

I often find people saying that theya re not given to appreciate art. I dont think we can be sure. Art is not definitive, and surely more of perspective, taste. More of a reflection of our personailities really.
You are more passionate about travel, while I may want to know more about different people and certainly kusum loves her flowers better than others.
The art lies in understanding what we like and what we dont and the reasons behind them, as long as we can do that we shouldnt be worried too much about old concepts of art like painting and sculpture.

cheerfully my 2 pennies,

Sunil; 3:58 PM
Kaushal said...: Hello -

Your travel blog is really a great reading. I went through Ladakh and Sikkim pages, and they are real good.

Travel is my passion too, and someday I plan to visit the places that you've mentioned.

Great job and thanks for putting out such a nice blog.

Kaushal; 7:32 AM
Mridula said...: Sidhu, welcome to the Club!

Sunil thanks for the comforting words. Yes, I think there is no need to be afraid of art but the seriousness that surrounds it, tends to scare me. Anyway, I may get another chance to watch this painting again in June.

Kaushal, thanks a lot for your kind words, I am glad you find them of some use. I really like the mountains and found both Sikkim and Ladakh beautiful places.; 3:41 PM