Dutch Flowers followed by My Back to Nature. Two National Gallery exhibitions in one day; two entirely different approaches. Both had Nature as
the subject. Both inspired reflections on the ‘arts’ of translation and
copywriting. A difference in artistic perspective?
Art v Text
If I were to pick
up a paint brush, I wouldn’t choose to follow either exhibition’s style. Artists
are lucky. No-one is likely to come along and decide that they have got that
bit wrong and should redo it. (Unless you are my fellow Bristolian Banksy and positively invite it).
An unfortunate drip
of paint may be incorporated into a painting. The viewer simply assumes the ‘slip’
was part of the artist’s intention.
You can admire
elements of someone else’s style or approach without feeling the need to
intervene. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case with translations and
copywriting.
No-one would dare
to smudge out a few bits of a painting, having just progressed beyond painting
by numbers.
If you are a
translator or copywriter, you may well be subjected to a reviser’s Michelangelo
flourish in the middle of your Pop Art.
Claims of artistic
licence and originality will not wash. The reviser will not see the creativity
for the textual equivalent of a drip of paint.
The
two exhibitions at the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, UK:
Exhibition runs until 29 August 2016
Free admission
Exhibition runs until 30 October 2016
Free admission
