[spectre] Neen Dogma of Painting

[geert lovink]

From: "miltos manetas" <m at manetas.com>

http://www.francescobonami.com

Francesco Bonami, the Director of the Venice Biennial, presents a NEEN DOGMA
of PAINTING !

We are proud to present: FRANCESCOBONAMI.COM

"there was a time when paintings were pretty and fresh things to create, in
the same way that Flash animations and Websites are today".

Read the "Neen Dogma of Painting", written by Miltos Manetas, in the
occasion of the 50th Venice Biennial.

there was a time when paintings were pretty and fresh things to create, in
the same way that Flash animations and Websites are today. But there is
still a way to paint amazing pictures. Here are the rules of the Neen Dogma
of Painting:

1. In order to paint a large canvas, buy large brushes. Many of them,
because you need clean brushes to smooth the line where the different colors
meet. Only Oil on Canvas is allowed. Never mix the colors with anything else
than linseed oil.

2. Use a projector to display the picture you want to paint on the canvas.
If you know how to draw, do not make paintings: make Flash Animations or
design Fashion instead.

3. Abstract paintings are prohibited unless you invent a "automatic system"
similar to the ones that Jackson Pollock and Lucio Fontana were using.
Anybody can still use today their systems and succesfully produce Fontanas
and Pollocks. Abstract Art is interesting only when it comes from a machine
or from a person who emulates a machine.

4. Use the most expensive material, so you will feel the urgency to make
something valuable in order to get your expenses back.

5. Composition, colors and size of the painting, should be copied from other
paintings in the Museums.

6. Deal with the brush stroke as if you were a hairdresser.

7. Use assistants, but only the ones without any experience and any interest
in painting. Ask them to deal with your canvas as if they are painting a
wall in their apartment: without any passion. Command the assistants to use
the wrong color in order to feel the necessity of taking over from them and
save the work.

8. Paint many pictures at the same time and let the layers dry. A picture
may take many years until it will be finished. If people want to buy it
before it is finished, just sell it to them and continue the painting later,
on the wall of the collector.

9. The most important instruction: try to discover and represent, something
that has never been painted before. If you find such a subject, whichever
manner you may use to paint it, will produce a masterpiece.

10. Make copies of your most important paintings. All important painters of
the past were doing so and that's why their work has survived today.

--

Neen Dogma of Painting, written by Miltos Manetas, in the occasion of the
50th Venice Biennial.

Commisioned by FrancescoBonami.com