We could be forgiven for thinking that richness of ornamentation, so prevalent
in the art of the past, reflected a decadence and indulgence that we of the modern world
have thankfully transcended. Looking around us at the minimalism, the functionality
and predominantly the cheapness of modern art and architecture shows however
that this would be a mistake. Depth of thought, not shallowness, is the measure of
any profession and this should be reflected in the artifacts it produces. We live in
a multi-dimensional society, we have more knowledge and stimuli available today
than at any time in the past, so why do we waste this opportunity ? We see in the
painting featured here that beauty and depth can go together in modern art. The
combinations of motifs are infinite, the use of colour can be subtle not garish and
meaning can exist on many simultaneous levels and cultures.
Imagination allows us to go beyond the simple into the complex, enriching our
lives in a way that advertising jingles, waving cameras and disposable junk can
never do. We need to get back to our roots and rediscover the value of beauty
and of ornamentation, to re-experience the uplifting nature of exuberance, of
quality add. The plastic art of today reflects the plastic thinking of materialism,
where value lies not in content but in image, a gloss that covers spiritual decay.
Yet here nature can give us a lead, the sheer diversity of form around us, from
the perfect geometry of the microscopic diatom to the swirling dynamism of
the galactic nebulae, shows the scope available to enhance our lives. Let us
embrace complexity in all its forms and turn our back on decoration by mere
quantity.
