I wonder if you can trace art to predict the future?
I remember seeing risqué art in Lahore. It was drawn in the 1970s by a young artist who grew up in the whore house, and it was a sketch of a prostitute from behind with her hair up, wearing a bra and pants. She was overweight and if I had seen the sketch in any other context, I would struggle to find the sex appeal or danger in it. But in Pakistan I could understand why it pushed the boundaries and wondered if it represented more. This sketch wasn’t displayed in a gallery nor was it tucked away in a private collection. It was in the front entrance to a very famous and popular restaurant which is right beside the largest mosque in the city. Was this a small sign of changing times?
Walking through the Tretyakov gallery in Moscow allowed me to vaguely trace art’s history in Russia. It started with religious icons painted on wood, was followed by the portrait period which rapidly evolved into a love affinity with landscapes. The one constant was dark colors used and somber appearances. Creativity within the collection was miniscule which may be a reflection of the isolation in Russia or the society in general. The few pieces that were slightly more abstract, possibly influenced by the impressionists (but far later in history), were tucked away in a side room and almost laughed at by tour groups that walked through. What does this Russian art say about their history, and where they are going?
I wonder what would happen if you match USA’s and France’s art history with their historical development. Could you use their development within art as marking points for their development as a society? Are art collections true reflections of a people – or only a piece of the history countries use to represent the life they want to be remembered by?
