Modernism situ.
It's about the difference between seeing what is and what isn't…
the difference between being grabbed by the short hairs and exclaiming, "that's amazing" or seeing something, and being irresistibly drawn in on sea legs steading even as your thoughts careen. The portal vs the screen. Others have called this the diff between seeing and gazing-- or viz and gazing. Boils down to how wet the paint is and how the wow factor hits you. There's some question about staying power… sort'a like: will this dry without cracks? Or boredom?
So, when did this all happen? Well, it seems like you can trace a quantum jumpt in human art to around 1820 through 1920. Flowered and then went a little pissy after that.
(Note, the careful art archaeologist will find modernism pre-1800.)
Pablo Picasso, Nature Morte, 1938
Art has always been about seeing and layering how you see with so many gauzy meanings, important meanings with ripples of gentle and sometimes disturbing emotions. Artists are insecure. They have to be, their environment will tolerate nothing less. After all you are saying, "This is reality. A reality." Who dares to do that? Only someone so incredibly insecure that could never be taken seriously. So Cezanne, so Van Gogh, so all the honest ones when they write their guarded thoughts.
Art Morte is when that fear subsides, and arrogance gobbles up whatever innocence it can find. Seeing what is, seeing what isn't. those are art. Not seeing. Pretending you see. That is Art Morte.
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