ART, WHATEVER IT TAKES
Since the early pandemic in 2020, Rome Art Program has conducted a series of interviews, “Art, Whatever It Takes.”
Artists, Art Critics, and Art Historians living in Italy, the U.S., and U.K., share their insights during these powerful times.
Interview with Matthew Lopas
Matthew Lopas is the son of a Holocaust survivor. He earned a B.A. in Chinese from U. of Michigan, a B.F.A. from SAIC, and an M.F.A from Yale. He is Professor at Hendrix College, lives in Arkansas, is married to Susan Clark and has three children. He is represented by BMFA in Little Rock, AR.
RAP: What is your definition of “art” today?
Matthew Lopas: Defining “Art” limits it so I think it’s a bad idea to do so. If you have to ask the question, “Is it Art?”, the answer is “yes”. The more interesting question is, is the work of Art engaging? As soon as you ask that, you can bring knowledge from any field in to evaluate it. But I do know that certain works of Art are much more engaging to me than others, especially when it comes to “painting”. I have very strong positive or negative reactions to paintings. Have the materials been transformed as if by alchemy? Does it have a unique voice? Or is it like everything else?
RAP: Art is dynamic and regenerates itself… how does it change, and how did it change us?
Matthew: It moves with the times. If helps us process who we are and guides our imaginations for who we can become.
RAP: When (and how) did you understand that art was becoming very important in your life?
Matthew: I always drew and always loved it. But it was not until my early twenties when I saw many people at the Ann Arbor Art Fair that actually dedicated their lives to making Art that I understood that I could do the same.
RAP: What role does art play today? What are the “great figures” who have recently changed it? Do you feel close to any of these figures?
Matthew: I am not vitally interested in who has recently changed Art. There are many great and worthy contemporary Artists. But I am more interested in where I am going as an Artist, that where the Art world objectively is. Painting is my way of being. If I am not actually making Art, I feel empty. I am always coming up with some new idea. It’s what I think about as I fall asleep. I love so many painters. Lately I have Hammershoi in my mind. I love his delicate light and the beautiful walls. How does he do it?! My heart breaks at the image of his work in my mind. But I don’t feel “close” to him. He lived in another era. His spaces were so different than mine. We might not even get along and be friends if given the chance. Relationships are so complex and based on circumstance.
RAP: Are there still traditional figures such as collectors, muses, mecenate and patrons, in today’s art and society interaction model?
Matthew: Of course. There are more than ever. But there are also many more Artists than ever. So any individual Artist may feel like there is no support for Art at all.
RAP: How have the new technologies and media culture changed art today, improving or worsening it…? What do you feel are your biggest challenges?
Matthew: I hope society progresses. Technology and science do progress, Art does not. There may be some high or low points. Art in the Renaissance was no better than work from the Middle Ages. As an Artist, technology always represents an opportunity to rethink what you do and perhaps use the new tool. I basically use traditional materials and methods, but drawing with an iPad is a joy unlike anything else. The power of its color picker and flexibility of the shape of the image have enhanced my skills. But I will say my biggest challenge in technology has been as a teacher. Very few students today have a clue what a non-virtual work of art is, or are even capable of directly experiencing the world they currently inhabit.
RAP: Art as a mirror of man, in this moment of emergency seems to be shattered …what do these fragments reflect now?… Shadow or light of the moment?
Matthew: I hope society progresses. Technology and science do progress, Art does not. There may be some high or low points. Art in the Renaissance was no better than work from the Middle Ages. As an Artist, technology always represents an opportunity to rethink what you do and perhaps use the new tool. I basically use traditional materials and methods, but drawing with an iPad is a joy unlike anything else. The power of its color picker and flexibility of the shape of the image have enhanced my skills. But I will say my biggest challenge in technology has been as a teacher. Very few students today have a clue what a non-virtual work of art is, or are even capable of directly experiencing the world they currently inhabit.
RAP: Understanding, interpreting, and then possibly judging the work of art; which is the right path when we are in front of a piece of art?
Matthew: Inform yourself and sensitize your eye by looking and learning as much as possible about the Art you love. Then try to throw out your preconceptions as you actually spend some time looking at a work.
RAP: Which is the real role of Academies and Art schools today? What can artists learn from these institutions today?
Matthew: My god, there is so much to learn! Just look at a list of courses. If none of them interest you, then you will probably not have a very exciting life. But certain things you can’t learn in school. Or perhaps are harder to learn in school. For example, students may meet people that are very inspired to create Art, but that inspiration ultimately has to come from within themselves. That’s why I never try to persuade anyone to be an Artist. They have to figure out who they are themselves.
RAP: Art too has undergone a complex process of globalization; can having an authentic and genuine style be an advantage or a drag for an artist?
Matthew: It sounds like you are asking about the Artist in a Capitalist society. I am not sure it matters much how big the world is. What’s important is that Art is expected to be a commodity. Can having an authentic style be a drag on your market position? Obviously yes. Just look at the absolutely iconic career of Van Gogh. But Monet had an authentic style as well. He did very well. But can having an authentic style be a drag on your humanity? Never.
RAP: How do Art Galleries and Museums position themselves today, and, in your opinion, how should they?
Matthew: Museum generally position themselves for mass appeal. That’s good because it gets people involved in looking at Art. But it may not always align with my specific interests in painting. I would not really be interested in another show on Monet or Warhol. I would rather see a show of Hammershoi. Running a for profit gallery is a hard way to make a living. So I understand that they are interested in flashy and trendy work. I am more interested not for profits and coops because their agenda is more about the Art than the market.
RAP: “Figuration” vs “Abstraction”. Which of the two is better descriptive of the period we live in? Which one will have a better future?
Matthew: The dichotomy is outdated. It’s a great development that the world has become very interested in diverse forms of Art. Thankfully the future will not be dominated by a monolithic style.
RAP: Today we often speak of “emerging artists”; what advice based on your experience do you feel you can give to young artists?
Matthew: Follow your interests, not your brand. Your time on this planet is limited. All you have is what you do every day. So do what you think is truly meaningful.
RAP: Art as a lens for reading the present, can it modify the space and time we pass through? …will art save us?
Matthew: Can Art modify our world? Yes. It used to be that one would almost never see work by Black Artists or images of black folks at all. They were made invisible. Now that is no longer the case. That has helped a small part of the nation be more aware of the widespread systemic racism that exists in our country. The jury is still out on weather or not this will have a deeper impact. In a general sense, Art does not lead social change. I think Art reflects it, illustrates existing tensions, and acts as catharsis in general. Can Art save us? So far it has elevated our existence. It’s made my own life worth living. But even the most advanced societies can end in orgies of violence. Weimar Germany descending into Nazism and the Holocaust is the iconic example.
@matlopas