2003-07-12

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The Spectator.co.uk : Back to the drawing board

In his chapter on ‘The Eclipse of Learning’, Spalding describes how difficult it is nowadays for a young artist to find the right language with which to express his or her ideas. The loss of the old atelier system is noted, but even worse, and not mentioned, is the disappearance of the craft ladder which enabled aspiring artists of the past to realise their dreams. Hogarth engraved silver; Turner coloured lithographs; David Roberts painted stage scenery; Renoir decorated china. None of these possibilities is open to today’s ‘fine art’ students. They are under great pressure to be ‘creative’ and to ‘express themselves’, but they have not been taught the skills with which to do so, as it is no longer thought necessary to learn to draw, paint, carve or model. The divorce between art and craft is complete. No wonder there is so much angst and misery at these places. Spalding underestimates the depths of the slough of despond into which our art schools have sunk. As Professor Anthony Storr wrote, ‘Introspection is the accomplice of self-distrust and the enemy of action.’ Yet introspection is encouraged as never before.