Musing About A Painting

Musing About A Painting

There was a beautiful painting shown of a fairy playing a harp in a cultural exhibition of Iran at the Jakarta’s museum, Jl. Merdeka Barat recently. Too bad, only visitors of the exhibition, only the owner, who could afford to buy it could view and enjoy it. And it is the same were it a famous world exhibition. 

I don’t believe that a painter ever thinks that the man who has bought them, only has the chance, the right to enjoy, love them. A painter would be very happy if the whole world knows his paintings and loves them.

When a writer sells, publishes his writings he always has a copy just as exactly as the original script. But a painter, once he has sold his paintings he almost will never see them anymore. 

It is the dealer, investor in the works of Art that are very happy if the price of the painting soars to a very high level. And who gets it? Not the artist unless he’s already very famous. Van Gogh who died a long time ago was not rich, yet if he could get what they pay for just one painting of him in Christie’s auction house today, he would be a very rich man.

The painting was perhaps hung in a grand hall of the new owner. It’s his pride and honor, though he perhaps doesn’t have the time to view it very often as he might be a very rich, busy, successful businessman. Only his wife, few visitors and his household servant cleaning the hall could view it. 

“Ha.ha. But that’s other one’s pride and honor, he needs someone’s great name, build a big investment in the works of art.” remarks si Upik.

I have seen Rembrandt’s “The Nightwatch” in You Tube. I’m content I can view it there or in someone’s blog.

I’m grateful for reprints of paintings though only in a newspaper, or a calendar in the past, otherwise, how could I know them? An exhibition in You Tube could be visited by far more people from the whole world rather than a live exhibition. Moreover the paintings are preserved for “eternity”. He doesn’t need a large picture gallery to hang them or store them as a heap of goods or money in a safe and he can still sell the original paintings in a live exhibition.

I don’t need a Photo Album, Records, Audio Tapes, CD’s, DVD’s, even a Photo Gallery of the works of art in my computer now. I’m content, grateful as I can visit the world’s gallery of art, concerts, operas, ... in You Tube any time I want without spending a huge sum of money to own the original and travel the world to visit the famous museums of art, concert halls abroad. It’s as though these treasures are mine without  having to buy and store them.

I believe, one day we could have access to all books in the world in all languages in the internet as I think that Man started to write, scratch them on rocks, stones, leaves, ... to preserve his thoughts, imaginations, feelings, ... That, which was impossible in the past will not be impossible in the future.

March 2012