Challenging the Precepts of Modernism: The Late Work of J.F. Willumsen

Anne Gregersen

Challenging the Precepts of Modernism: The Late Work of J.F. Willumsen

Anne Gregersen

Department of Arts and Cultural Studies

Abstract

The late work of the Danish artist J.F. Willumsen (1863-1958) has until recently largely been marginalized and deemed kitsch, of poor quality and "odd". As opposed to the canonization of his earlier work, the period 1930-1958 has been difficult to "digest" and increasingly written off in Danish art history. This article takes a closer look at the late work, the reception of it by Willumsen's contemporaries and the artist's own claims about it. Furthermore, the article proposes to relate the status of the work to its resistance to notions that have become the precepts of modernism such as progression, irreversibility and defined "isms". The challenging of these notions is also found in the phenomenon of "Bad Painting" that has been presented and genealogized mainly through a number of exhibitions the last years. The article suggests to associate the work to this phenomenon.

Original language	English
Journal	RIHA Journal. Journal of the International Association of Research Institutes in the History of Art
ISSN	2190-3328
Publication status	Published - 11 May 2012

Keywords

Faculty of Humanities

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http://www.riha-journal.org/articles/2012/2012-apr-jun/gregersen-challenging-the-precepts-of-modernism

Cite this

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title = "Challenging the Precepts of Modernism: The Late Work of J.F. Willumsen",

abstract = "The late work of the Danish artist J.F. Willumsen (1863-1958) has until recently largely been marginalized and deemed kitsch, of poor quality and {"}odd{"}. As opposed to the canonization of his earlier work, the period 1930-1958 has been difficult to {"}digest{"} and increasingly written off in Danish art history. This article takes a closer look at the late work, the reception of it by Willumsen's contemporaries and the artist's own claims about it. Furthermore, the article proposes to relate the status of the work to its resistance to notions that have become the precepts of modernism such as progression, irreversibility and defined {"}isms{"}. The challenging of these notions is also found in the phenomenon of {"}Bad Painting{"} that has been presented and genealogized mainly through a number of exhibitions the last years. The article suggests to associate the work to this phenomenon.",

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N2 - The late work of the Danish artist J.F. Willumsen (1863-1958) has until recently largely been marginalized and deemed kitsch, of poor quality and "odd". As opposed to the canonization of his earlier work, the period 1930-1958 has been difficult to "digest" and increasingly written off in Danish art history. This article takes a closer look at the late work, the reception of it by Willumsen's contemporaries and the artist's own claims about it. Furthermore, the article proposes to relate the status of the work to its resistance to notions that have become the precepts of modernism such as progression, irreversibility and defined "isms". The challenging of these notions is also found in the phenomenon of "Bad Painting" that has been presented and genealogized mainly through a number of exhibitions the last years. The article suggests to associate the work to this phenomenon.

AB - The late work of the Danish artist J.F. Willumsen (1863-1958) has until recently largely been marginalized and deemed kitsch, of poor quality and "odd". As opposed to the canonization of his earlier work, the period 1930-1958 has been difficult to "digest" and increasingly written off in Danish art history. This article takes a closer look at the late work, the reception of it by Willumsen's contemporaries and the artist's own claims about it. Furthermore, the article proposes to relate the status of the work to its resistance to notions that have become the precepts of modernism such as progression, irreversibility and defined "isms". The challenging of these notions is also found in the phenomenon of "Bad Painting" that has been presented and genealogized mainly through a number of exhibitions the last years. The article suggests to associate the work to this phenomenon.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Willumsen, J.F.

KW - modernisme

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2190-3328

JO - RIHA Journal

JF - RIHA Journal

ER -

Challenging the Precepts of Modernism: The Late Work of J.F. Willumsen

Abstract

Keywords

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