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On Seeing: Part 1

by Daisuke Chew

50 Images, a Brief Look at Visual Art

This is a curation of images. In a way, it is a kind of brief and partial history of visual art. I say partial, because these do not attempt to be comprehensive and what was chosen do lean towards what I like or appreciate.

I chose 50 images as it would make for a decent number and range. For the sake of this exercise I shall stick to the visual image. It could be paintings or drawings or etchings. Some periods and artists are left out. No Dada, no Baroque, no Byzantine, no Classical Rome or Greece, no Egypt, no Neolithic cave art. Not because these or others are less important, but simply to cover everything is quite impossible.

There is plenty here though. I start with the drawn manuscript of the Lindisfarne Gospels from the period before the Early Renaissance and continue through to today. From the more modern period I have left out video and computer art. For this grouping I want to stick to images made or drawn by hand.

As for photographs, those would be nice to have in a separate, perhaps smaller set. Some images are well known, others maybe less so. All images do have a certain quality, and many have fascinating stories or methods to them. If you see something and it speaks to you or interests you – that can be a starting point to learn more about where and who it came from.

There shall be 5 parts with 10 images in each set. This set is Part 1.

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On Seeing: Preface

by Daisuke Chew

This is a curated series of reflections, Scripture, images, paintings, and questions around the theme of “On Seeing.”

see

verb (sees, seeing, saw; past participle seen)

  • perceive with the eyes; discern visually.
  • be or become aware of something from observation or from a written or other visual source.
  • be a spectator of; watch.
  • discern or deduce after reflection or from information; understand.
  • ascertain after inquiring, considering, or discovering an outcome.
  • experience or witness.
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The Artist is a Dog of Art

The Dog of Art
Denise Levertov (1923 – 1997)

That dog with daisies for eyes
who flashes forth
flame of his very self at every bark
is the Dog of Art.
Worked in wool, his blind eyes
look inward to caverns and jewels
which they see perfectly,
and his voice
measures forth the treasure
in music sharp and loud,
sharp and bright,
bright flaming barks,
and growling smoky soft, the Dog
of Art turns to the world
the quietness of his eyes.

(1979)

© Denise Levertov 

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