Week 4 Responses: Significant Others and Art Partnerships

My personal thoughts have been re-enforced through examination of some good analysis of material provided in class. This week's part one readings, which reflected on art and on relationships, was intriguing. I found the in-depth analysis by the authors, of the subjects, insightful, informational, and thought provoking. Higonett focused on the tumultuous relationship of Claudel and Rodin. Herrara explored the depths of the relationship between Kahlo and Rivera. Katz broke with tradition and examined the relationship between men, society, and sexuality. All of these readings spoke to me on levels of artistic expression and the influences artists experience when confronting society.
I would add to the list the relationship between mentor and student, or father and child. As was seen on the New York feed in week 2, the Guerrilla Girls website, posted a cartoon of the senior Tinteretto and Maria Robusti Tinteretto painting dilemma. Upon further research, the Robusti painting has been attributed to herself, or to her father, as some experts disagree on her authentic signature.
These couples were driven artists, productively so, and have had their art scrutinized for hidden nuances and meanings. Some meanings, as in the White paintings by Rauschenberg, are not so implied as obviously stated, as absent or devoid of expression.
In the case of Kahlo and Rivera, they fed of each other more than the others. These two were not afraid of public ridicule of the artistic impressions this couple made. Often delving into the mystic and unknown, these paintings reminded me of Salvador Dali's melting clock painting. A complete and alien view of the world, so culturally different than my own, is represented by the coiled skin of Kahlo.
Unlike the others, the relationship of Camille and August was consuming, intense, and tragic. I felt as if Rodin used Camille to conquer a slump in mid-life, in order to reach a new peak in his career. Camille on the other hand needed Rodin to accelerate her own career, which in some ways, seems like Rodin inhibited in ways. Her clever touch at sculpture was recognized prior to her involvement to Rodin, yet he eclipses her star with his own.
This example more than the others makes me want to comment on the appropriate, in my opinion, use of teacher-power, and mention ethical behavior. The relationship between student and teacher is protected by a code of ethics in modern education and counseling. Counselors must abide by NOHSE ethical codes. In the Rodin case, I would be professionally concerned with Camille, as a young artist, as a young women, and as a disadvantaged student.
In any case, I enjoyed all the authors, the style was researched well, good themes , exceptionally informative and had a flare of inspiration. I was encouraged to research my own artful tragic story, Tintoretto and Robusti. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is an example of artful tragedy, with which I am familiar, and these stories are tragic in ways that give the artist the flair to share with us those feelings and emotions how ever painful.















Higonett, A. (1993). Myths of creation: Camille Claudel & Auguste Rodin. In Significant Others: Creativity & Intimate Parnership. Chadwick, W & De Courtivron, I., Eds. London: Thames and Husdon, 15--29.


Herrara, H. (1993). Beauty to his beast: Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera. In Significant Others: Creativity & Intimate Partnership. Chadwick, W & De Courtivron, I., Eds. London: Thames and Husdon, 119-135.


Katz, J. (1993). The art of code: Jasper Johns & Robert Rauschenberg. In Significant Others: Creativity & Intimate Partnership. Chadwick, W & De Courtivron, I., Eds. London: Thames and Husdon, 14--29.