A Spacial Explosion

The hype about modern art has always eluded me and it seems that standards of this modern art are even deteriorating to simpler concepts and stranger concoctions. For example, in a prestigious museum one might find a red ball on a white pillar in the modern art gallery. What makes me chuckle is what people will pay for such works of art. Maybe I have been lost in the past and my thinking and perception of art has become increasingly archaic. Maybe it takes years of schooling and experience to truly understand all a red ball on a white pillar has to say, possibly. Maybe it's out on my cynicism I say that a red ball on a white pillar is not really artistic. I have a red ball in my garage and I'm sure I could find a white pillar at the local garden supply. With some super glue and a cute little caption I could make $599.95. I hope this does not just show how ignorant I am on the topic of modern art, but, to be truly honest, I do not get it.

However, a type of modern art that does actually appeal to me is the painting, drawing, or photographing of an abstract image. This idea is not as modern or new as the red ball on a white pillar, but it seems to be a step from the traditional to the modern. I enjoy this step. Artists from Picasso to Man Ray moved from portraying the romantic and realistic to showcasing a different genre of imaging. At times, these works have the ability to provoke more thought and emotion than any medium or genre before them. Because of their ambiguity and generalization, the viewer has the ability to run in many directions with what they perceive. Abstract art has a hold on every medium, from painting to photography to sculpture and even in music.

Here is my first, feeble attempt at such an image. I sat in the passenger seat of the car going through a car wash. The process was almost over and I, as every curious person does, had my face plastered to the window, trying to see how the whole contraption worked. I felt the water shoot against the window and vibrate along my cheekbone. The huge dryer came next and plopped lazily down on the hood of the car. As it blew the water up and off the windshield, I picked up my Nikon D70, removed the lens cap, set the exposure, and, pressing gently on that little silver button, heard the open and close of my shutter. Later, while tinkering around on Photoshop, decided that this image had abstract quality. To me this image makes me feel... well, I'll let you decide that for yourself.