My art teacher Ms Stanton was teaching us about Van Gogh and post-expressionism we were to make a self portrait in that style (with merging colours) Unfortunately my painting was horrible because of the brush being hard and my paint drying the colours were unable to blend perfectly (like Van Gogh’s). I gave up and the next class she came to me and told me how she showed her other class that this is how it should have been done and I was stunned , I told her the reason it was like that because the crappy hard brushes and I didn’t even intent on painting it that way.
Even though I still don’t think I deserved it I got my first and only A+ ever.
Art need not be pretentious but it should evoke some emotional response. Wonder, awe, amusement, discomfort or even disgust are all examples of successful art. I guess confusion also works.
I think Luann and Zebo have exhausted their discussion. But I hope Luann uses her phone to get a photo of this object. Bernice might come up with a zinger when she sees it.
Poor Zebo. Sometimes he gets so emotional passing trash cans on campus, that he has to be escorted to his vehicle, which is, by the way, a genuine replica of Fred Sanford’s junk yard truck.
At this point he just seems bored looking for anything different from what he normally sees. Looking at all students as one mass instead of individuals
Recent critical theory would argue that the mere designation and relocation of any object, ready-mades included, constitutes a modification of the object because it changes our perception of its utility, its lifespan, or its status.
This reminds me of my first time in front of a Jackson Pollock dripping, I had long and stressful discussions with the professor of phenomenology of Art. But in the end we concluded that each person has a different sensibility for things. Even today Pollock’s action paintings leave me totally indifferent. But at someone other they opened new worlds. I hope that Zebò and Luann reach the same agreement too.
Read the history of Duchamp’s “Fountain.” When originally submitted for the art show Duchamp put down “Joe Mudd” as the artist, note as long as the work was by an “unknown” artist it was crap and placed in a backroom. As soon as it became known that it was a Duchamp it became a work of fine art with deep meaning that Zebo would love.
Years past a doctor of psychology I knew said “most modern art is weird”. I think she’s was driven from the field because she also believed there were only the genders of male and female.
Well, if we’re talking representational, I see a scorpion; if impressionist, it’s society’s Damocles awaiting destruction by the modern callout culture. Then again, functional craft would have it shout, “Overpriced pencil holder!”
I’ll be as succinct as I can here and invite the flames that be.
If art is the use of media to communicate an emotion, then good art is using it to effectively communicate a deeply held and truly honest feeling. This is why an incredibly beautiful Thomas Kincade evokes such disgust among artists.
Tara was feeling disgusted with the class and with Luann. However unintentional it was, wadding up her canvas and jamming the pencil through was one of the most honest things we’ve ever seen her do, and it left a strong record of that disgust. It was also courageous, because it was so far from what Tara thought Zebo wanted she thought it would be shocking. And, Luann is definitely feeling the disgust.
Except wasn’t the assignment to DRAW the objects? I mean, by definition a “still life” is a branch of painting, and nobody else made a sculpture, so I’m not sure how Tara could get the top grade by doing something completely out of bounds. It would be like if there was a contest to see who could draw the best lion, and the chosen winner was someone who drew a wolf instead.
Anyway, Zebo is a pretentious twit who likely never actually earned the title of “professor” (notice how people just call him “Mr Zebo” now? I think Evans got clued in).
after taking art history you wouldn’t believe some of the pieces they consider art. I mean one artist shot himself in a picture, while the other collected his own feces in a jar
The intent of the artist (or writer) should be taken into consideration. Zebo should listen to Luann since she knows Tara’s intent. I irritates me when someone ascribes a meaning to something while pretending that was the meaning the artist Intended. This is exactly what Zebo is doing here.
In high school I got into a bit of an argument with a teacher over a poem. She was telling us what the meaning of the poem was. I asked if that was what the poet had said what he meant in writing it, because what she was claiming made no sense to me. She said that he never told anyone, but the general consensus was what she told us. I simply couldn’t accept that. It was someone’s interpretation of it, but was by no means the only meaning.
I can see why he would like Tara’s creation, however, she didn’t follow the assignment. They weren’t supposed to create a sculpture or 3-D art.
I love art. I don’t claim to understand all of it but I’ve spent many pleasant hours in galleries and museums around the world. However, it was at the Tate Museum of Modern Art in London that I felt I was being taken in. There was a framed canvas with a mirror attached to it. The sign next to it explained that the artist was challenging the way people looked at art, etc., etc. Really!? I was looking at myself in a mirror! I realize that people with a keener sense of art appreciation than me would get it. But, Really!?
it sets a pretty bad precedent for a professor to actively choose to praise his most disrespectful student who put the least effort in. Or maybe he’s just a know-nothing pretentious art snob, either way works.
Hmm. Is Professor Zebo actually getting a) Luann to see the artistic merit of the work which IS there in the way he suggests AND b) getting Luann to stand up and own her own “junk” comment too?
If so, he is a pretty damn good teacher…. if it pans out this way!
It’s “art” of Tara’s piece is right in front of everyone. The still life drawings in the background and Tara’s “sculpture” are completely parallel in in form. In the strip this is presented as an accidental version, but obviously it’s deliberately drawn that way by Greg Evans.
>>must art be so pretentious?Yes, because it no longer requires discernible talent. My kids’ 5th-grade class studied Jean Baptiste Basquiat, a talentless but equally-flaky contemporary of Andy Warhol, and tried to duplicate one of his “signature” pieces. Unless the entire middle school class are professional art forgers, there was no visible distinction between their work in the school’s hallway and the Basquiat’s original – except the price-tag of course.
As a working artist I absolutely hate this professor Zebo character. He is neither a good teacher, nor good artist. He is the worst stereotype of an “artiste”…Blah!
If I have to ask what it is…it is NOT art. These days, an "artist can sit on a chair and fart for 15 minutes and call it “expressive art”. No it isn’t, it is farting, nothing more. One female artists wanted to make love to her female partner in full view of the audience and said it was art. Thankfully the gallery disagreed and refused her. She sued and lost.
a lot of modern art doesn’t appear to me to be anything other than junk. I can’t help feeling like some art critic praised a piece of work he didn’t actually understand and redefined art from something beautiful evoking a place, emotion or time into art being whatever the artist says it is. For me art needs to actually look like something or evoke emotions.
Anyone who has gone to art school (like me) has had a Prof. Zebo. These are people who revel in being an intellectual stuffed shirt (to which I give them a raspberry! —thupppb!).
As a curious coincidence, just before opening this date I was looking for a clip from “Vanilla Sky” with that particular phrase (“Open your eyes”) somewhere online.
Luann – Was involved in the environment when Tara created her statement
Zebo – On the outside looking in forced to see the moment in the past tense
As a reader I see no difference between the two perceptions having been involved in the environment but on the outside looking in.
Perception rules everything and only depends on what perception you let yourself be ruled by.
The reason it was created is junk but is also Tara’s interpretation of the still life or the assignment of interpreting the still life thus fulfilling the assignment.
Wouldn’t doubt Zebo is aware of all that having dealt with several personality types as a teacher.
Templo S.U.D. about 5 years ago
everyone has their opinions, Professor Zebo
AnyFace about 5 years ago
Cstimpy25 about 5 years ago
i agree it’s junk but it’s funny how she was just being a smartass and yet she gets an A Plus go figure
eelee about 5 years ago
Professor Zebo’s going to make Tara his TA.
GOGOPOWERANGERS about 5 years ago
This actually happened to me once,
My art teacher Ms Stanton was teaching us about Van Gogh and post-expressionism we were to make a self portrait in that style (with merging colours) Unfortunately my painting was horrible because of the brush being hard and my paint drying the colours were unable to blend perfectly (like Van Gogh’s). I gave up and the next class she came to me and told me how she showed her other class that this is how it should have been done and I was stunned , I told her the reason it was like that because the crappy hard brushes and I didn’t even intent on painting it that way.
Even though I still don’t think I deserved it I got my first and only A+ ever.
Baarorso about 5 years ago
I’ve asked this once before Professor Zebo and I’ll ask it again: must art be so pretentious???
butterfly_qvrs about 5 years ago
Art need not be pretentious but it should evoke some emotional response. Wonder, awe, amusement, discomfort or even disgust are all examples of successful art. I guess confusion also works.
kenhense about 5 years ago
I think Luann and Zebo have exhausted their discussion. But I hope Luann uses her phone to get a photo of this object. Bernice might come up with a zinger when she sees it.
Airman about 5 years ago
Poor Zebo. Sometimes he gets so emotional passing trash cans on campus, that he has to be escorted to his vehicle, which is, by the way, a genuine replica of Fred Sanford’s junk yard truck.
mawa14 Premium Member about 5 years ago
Kudos to Luanne here. Instead of yielding to the Grand Zebo, she calls it as she sees it.
Joe1962 about 5 years ago
Luann One Man’s junk is another Man’s treasure.
And Your Point Would Be about 5 years ago
Zebo should be an English teacher.
Lyons Group, Inc. about 5 years ago
And my opinion from yesterday still stands (as well as my rating of it).
Auntie Socialist about 5 years ago
Oh, grasshopper, grasshopper!
Brdshtt Premium Member about 5 years ago
Looks like things have reached a subjective opinion impasse.
Pointspread about 5 years ago
You gotta be honest with how you feel, and Luann is doing that.
Mordock999 Premium Member about 5 years ago
And once again, Tara gets away with one. She’s almost as slippery as Old Smiley.
It really too bad Tara wasn’t an art student back in her Mooney U days. Or that Prof. Zebo wasn’t an art teacher there.
Else Tara could have called her breaking into that vending machine, “Art.” :)
drewpamon about 5 years ago
At this point he just seems bored looking for anything different from what he normally sees. Looking at all students as one mass instead of individuals
Brian G Premium Member about 5 years ago
Art is far more a matter of emotional commentary than it is graphic representation.
SharkNose about 5 years ago
Art can be a mistake or unintentional…
sueb1863 about 5 years ago
Welcome to modern art, Luann. It’s all in how the viewer interprets it.
jimmjonzz Premium Member about 5 years ago
jimmjonzz Premium Member about 5 years ago
Also…
A finger pointing at the moon is not the moon.
But it is a finger pointing at the moon.
Prescott_Philosopher about 5 years ago
Well, GnK has our girl as brutally honest.
jimmjonzz Premium Member about 5 years ago
And…
Today’s “Nancy” shows Nancy engaging with a purely random phenomenon, a “found object” that inspires her to see beyond the mundane an inherent beauty.
Aladar30 Premium Member about 5 years ago
This reminds me of my first time in front of a Jackson Pollock dripping, I had long and stressful discussions with the professor of phenomenology of Art. But in the end we concluded that each person has a different sensibility for things. Even today Pollock’s action paintings leave me totally indifferent. But at someone other they opened new worlds. I hope that Zebò and Luann reach the same agreement too.
dlkrueger33 about 5 years ago
Hey! Just had an idea! When they study figure-drawing, how about Tiffany pose naked for the class (for a fee, of course)?
asrialfeeple about 5 years ago
This "art"is obviously far too high for my mere peasant brain to process.
WestNYC Premium Member about 5 years ago
Zebo is full of it. He is only expressing his own opinion and not any universal truth.
Vangoghdog01 about 5 years ago
Read the history of Duchamp’s “Fountain.” When originally submitted for the art show Duchamp put down “Joe Mudd” as the artist, note as long as the work was by an “unknown” artist it was crap and placed in a backroom. As soon as it became known that it was a Duchamp it became a work of fine art with deep meaning that Zebo would love.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_(Duchamp)
desperado10mm about 5 years ago
Zebo is way to full of himself.
Xicks about 5 years ago
This is one of the reasons our educational system sucks.
Ellis97 about 5 years ago
Luann, art is a way of expressing, not following the stupid rules.
russef about 5 years ago
And so Luan goes on to be the countries most famous art critic.
BillHensler about 5 years ago
Years past a doctor of psychology I knew said “most modern art is weird”. I think she’s was driven from the field because she also believed there were only the genders of male and female.
lfscott about 5 years ago
I am not an artist by in stretch of the imagination, therefore, anything I can duplicate, I don’t consider art.
Cheapskate0 about 5 years ago
On an old, old, old Second City album, Severn Dardin pretended to be a professor explaining a piece of art in the museum.
To which, one of the crowd said, “I don’t like it.”
To which, Severn Dardin said, “You’re wrong!”
swanridge about 5 years ago
I’m with Luann on this one.
danketaz Premium Member about 5 years ago
It does make a nice abstraction of the gourd and bottle.
ForrestOverin about 5 years ago
Appreciate Luann’s honesty here. Maybe she IS growing up.
Andrew Sleeth about 5 years ago
Well, if we’re talking representational, I see a scorpion; if impressionist, it’s society’s Damocles awaiting destruction by the modern callout culture. Then again, functional craft would have it shout, “Overpriced pencil holder!”
Dalestrips about 5 years ago
I’ll be as succinct as I can here and invite the flames that be.
If art is the use of media to communicate an emotion, then good art is using it to effectively communicate a deeply held and truly honest feeling. This is why an incredibly beautiful Thomas Kincade evokes such disgust among artists.
Tara was feeling disgusted with the class and with Luann. However unintentional it was, wadding up her canvas and jamming the pencil through was one of the most honest things we’ve ever seen her do, and it left a strong record of that disgust. It was also courageous, because it was so far from what Tara thought Zebo wanted she thought it would be shocking. And, Luann is definitely feeling the disgust.
sooo… i have to agree with zebo…
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace about 5 years ago
There’s more than one way to open your eyes.
BJShipley1 about 5 years ago
Except wasn’t the assignment to DRAW the objects? I mean, by definition a “still life” is a branch of painting, and nobody else made a sculpture, so I’m not sure how Tara could get the top grade by doing something completely out of bounds. It would be like if there was a contest to see who could draw the best lion, and the chosen winner was someone who drew a wolf instead.
Anyway, Zebo is a pretentious twit who likely never actually earned the title of “professor” (notice how people just call him “Mr Zebo” now? I think Evans got clued in).
lflynn6730 about 5 years ago
after taking art history you wouldn’t believe some of the pieces they consider art. I mean one artist shot himself in a picture, while the other collected his own feces in a jar
Sassy's Mom about 5 years ago
The intent of the artist (or writer) should be taken into consideration. Zebo should listen to Luann since she knows Tara’s intent. I irritates me when someone ascribes a meaning to something while pretending that was the meaning the artist Intended. This is exactly what Zebo is doing here.
In high school I got into a bit of an argument with a teacher over a poem. She was telling us what the meaning of the poem was. I asked if that was what the poet had said what he meant in writing it, because what she was claiming made no sense to me. She said that he never told anyone, but the general consensus was what she told us. I simply couldn’t accept that. It was someone’s interpretation of it, but was by no means the only meaning.
I can see why he would like Tara’s creation, however, she didn’t follow the assignment. They weren’t supposed to create a sculpture or 3-D art.
LoneDog about 5 years ago
I love art. I don’t claim to understand all of it but I’ve spent many pleasant hours in galleries and museums around the world. However, it was at the Tate Museum of Modern Art in London that I felt I was being taken in. There was a framed canvas with a mirror attached to it. The sign next to it explained that the artist was challenging the way people looked at art, etc., etc. Really!? I was looking at myself in a mirror! I realize that people with a keener sense of art appreciation than me would get it. But, Really!?
Airman about 5 years ago
This reminds me of the story about “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” If Zebo says it’s there, it must be there.
edeevans1947 about 5 years ago
I see a twit holding a bit of trash!
yangeldf about 5 years ago
it sets a pretty bad precedent for a professor to actively choose to praise his most disrespectful student who put the least effort in. Or maybe he’s just a know-nothing pretentious art snob, either way works.
eladee AKA Wally about 5 years ago
Art itself is NEVER pretentious. It is those who market it who bring pretension into it for profit.
PhoenixHocking about 5 years ago
Can this arc be over now? I want to know how Toni and Brad are doing. Yes, and bratty little Shannon, too.
kauri44 about 5 years ago
Actually I think it’s kind of clever, not as a representation of the still life but as art creating itself.
jimmjonzz Premium Member about 5 years ago
Old New Yorker cartoon, two guys in an art gallery, one says, “Oh, no, I know everything about art. I just don’t know what I like.”
kenhense about 5 years ago
So Tara’s art wouldn’t get $5 in a store – but it might get $5,000 in a gallery.
Ryan Plut about 5 years ago
Hey Greg Evans, which ‘jargon generator’ are you using?
ZeMastor about 5 years ago
Excellent! My opinion of Luann has gone way up. Luann: “Ummm, the Emperor still has no clothes.”
Pipe Tobacco about 5 years ago
5
Hmm. Is Professor Zebo actually getting a) Luann to see the artistic merit of the work which IS there in the way he suggests AND b) getting Luann to stand up and own her own “junk” comment too?
If so, he is a pretty damn good teacher…. if it pans out this way!
GooglySquid about 5 years ago
With regard to the issue of content, the disjunctive perturbation of the spatial relationships contextualize the eloquence of this piece.
(The above Zebo-esque BS was provided courtesy of the online Instant Art Critique Generator.)
NielsR.Jensen about 5 years ago
It’s “art” of Tara’s piece is right in front of everyone. The still life drawings in the background and Tara’s “sculpture” are completely parallel in in form. In the strip this is presented as an accidental version, but obviously it’s deliberately drawn that way by Greg Evans.
rGold about 5 years ago
>>must art be so pretentious?Yes, because it no longer requires discernible talent. My kids’ 5th-grade class studied Jean Baptiste Basquiat, a talentless but equally-flaky contemporary of Andy Warhol, and tried to duplicate one of his “signature” pieces. Unless the entire middle school class are professional art forgers, there was no visible distinction between their work in the school’s hallway and the Basquiat’s original – except the price-tag of course.
BlitzMcD about 5 years ago
Luann for once demonstrating great candor. And for once I agree with her.
Schrodinger's Dog about 5 years ago
tomorrow: Brad and TJ discuss an important matter!
bakana about 5 years ago
The Emperor has no Artistic Ability, either.
stez2003 about 5 years ago
As a working artist I absolutely hate this professor Zebo character. He is neither a good teacher, nor good artist. He is the worst stereotype of an “artiste”…Blah!
RSH about 5 years ago
I agree with Luann. Moreover, I am even more glad that she has the self confidence to say what she thinks.
Scoutmaster77 about 5 years ago
Art is in the eye of the beholder.
DaveQuinn about 5 years ago
There goes her TA job.
DaveQuinn about 5 years ago
If I have to ask what it is…it is NOT art. These days, an "artist can sit on a chair and fart for 15 minutes and call it “expressive art”. No it isn’t, it is farting, nothing more. One female artists wanted to make love to her female partner in full view of the audience and said it was art. Thankfully the gallery disagreed and refused her. She sued and lost.
theincrediblebulk about 5 years ago
a lot of modern art doesn’t appear to me to be anything other than junk. I can’t help feeling like some art critic praised a piece of work he didn’t actually understand and redefined art from something beautiful evoking a place, emotion or time into art being whatever the artist says it is. For me art needs to actually look like something or evoke emotions.
Soo5002 about 5 years ago
Anyone who has gone to art school (like me) has had a Prof. Zebo. These are people who revel in being an intellectual stuffed shirt (to which I give them a raspberry! —thupppb!).
Sisyphos about 5 years ago
Careful, T.A. Luann! You’re challenging Prof. Zebo’s judgment (not to mention his colossal ego)….
Dragoncat about 5 years ago
Which, admittedly, makes it ironic.
Purdey about 5 years ago
Zebo kinda drives me crazy. He is an art instructor anachronism. Matter of fact, I’m caring less and less about the whole comic of late.
frequency270 about 5 years ago
As a curious coincidence, just before opening this date I was looking for a clip from “Vanilla Sky” with that particular phrase (“Open your eyes”) somewhere online.
Synnastyr Kuhr about 5 years ago
Luann – Was involved in the environment when Tara created her statement
Zebo – On the outside looking in forced to see the moment in the past tense
As a reader I see no difference between the two perceptions having been involved in the environment but on the outside looking in.
Perception rules everything and only depends on what perception you let yourself be ruled by.
The reason it was created is junk but is also Tara’s interpretation of the still life or the assignment of interpreting the still life thus fulfilling the assignment.
Wouldn’t doubt Zebo is aware of all that having dealt with several personality types as a teacher.
planostanton about 5 years ago
Some times, a wad of paper is just a wad of paper.