'Art And Illusion'. Poem by Ananta Madhavan

'Art And Illusion'.

Rating: 4.0


(Thanks to E.H.Gombrich whose book urged me to see pictures as both art and illusion; also to think about the realities
they hide or elide) .


Australian aborigines dislike perspective.
If a bird has wings, both must be shown, though
Only one wing can be seen in profile.

Parrhasios created the illusion of rounded figures,
Promising things which were obscured.
Plato objected to illusion in art.
Mimetic art is bad.
Hieroglyphic art is conceptual.
Conceptual art may be good.
Adjust your mental set.

We are sorry about the poor quality of the pictures;
This is due to a temporary fault in humankind
And to atmospheric conditions over most areas
Of Western and Eastern civilisation.

Please do NOT adjust your set.

Friday, May 23, 2014
Topic(s) of this poem: art
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
The title hints at ideas which one can go on exploring through a lifetime. This book was published by Phaidon Press, London in 1962, with the subtitle, 'A study in the psychology of Pictorial Representation'. Worth perusal by lovers of poetry and the arts.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Colleen Courtney 23 May 2014

Hmm....interesring. makes the reader stop and ruminate! ! !

0 0 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success