It's a cliche to say that art reflects culture but as they also say, cliches are cliches for a reason. For what seems like an eternity now I have been scrutinising popular culture and the media for signs that Western culture is tired of the excess, reevaluating itself and thinking about where it will go next. I've been quite despondent and all but given up - nothing seemed to be changing. But in the last couple of weeks, at the eleventh hour and possibly too late, there have been a couple of seemingly unrelated and encouraging signs that we have turned the corner.
The first obvious shift has been in the global warming arena. Extinction Rebellion's emergence and growth on a global scale has been tsunami-like. I've been to 2 local rallies myself and Robin bought us t-shirts. People of all ages have been protesting all over the country and 350,000+ Australians have signed a petition demanding the government declare a climate emergency.
The other day at work I was researching 2019 trends in art. Maximalism, Artisanal and Nature-inspired art is trending (1) Maximalism is a move from Minimalism with its white walls and quiet colour palettes towards 'the bigger, brighter, and busier'. (2) It's also a shift in mind-set from 'houses as investments' to 'houses as homes' in which people actually live. Maybe it's because we have changed our perspective. Home has been recognised as a sanctuary from an uncertain world, becoming harder to find and keep - rather than home as a showpiece that doesn't reflect our true identity or what's really important to us.
The shift towards nature is happening on several fronts. On Gardening Australia and Escape from the City stories about urban dwellers turning to nature and the land are popular.
Another trend is the interest in Artisanal artwork that shows the hand of the artist. It has been around for some time but is gaining ground. Hand-drawn fonts have become more popular and available, and art retail platforms like Bluethumb that only accept traditional painting are doing well. Materiality and texture are sought after as people rediscover and embrace the things that make us human. Fibre, ceramics and other natural materials are big - which also signals a desire for the past. I'm not saying it's all good - this hideous little gem from Saatchi (shame on them) will set you back a mere $6090.
In another random event I watched the Top 20 on Rage this morning (mainly because there was nothing else on) and what I discovered was the cherry on the 'evidence cake' (I wonder what an 'evidence cake' would actually look like).
Miley Cyrus - the quintessential millenial drugs'n'rock'n'roll party girl - was singing about 'going back to the hills, giving up the booze and pills'. Her father, Billy-Ray Cyrus is high up in the charts with Old Town Road - a good old country and western duo with a 'back to the future' type video clip featuring horses, chaps and cowboy hats. Looks like cowboy never goes out of style - in the US anyway. I have to admit I have a soft spot for country music so this is a delightful trend for me. As I write there are 3 country songs in Rage's Top 20 - an indication that people crave a return to a more innocent time.
Many are retreating back into their culture as the world regroups and retribalisies. I can't say I'm sorry about that - watching most music video clips and even movies, I can't tell which country I am in until the subtitles roll (or not). Happily, Australian shows are the exception. Maybe it shouldn't matter that world culture has been Americanised but it has been incredibly boring. I think that as the world has 'globalised' many see difference as divisive. Ironically it is globalisation itself that has been the most divisive mechanism because it has demanded sameness and tried to white-out traditional cultures. Vive la difference I say. One of the best things about Australia is the wonderful variety of food different cultures have brought to the country.
Back to Rage. Today I saw Hispanic-American pop stars going back to their Latino roots with clips featuring 3 men on acoustic guitars and Mexican hats. Ed Sheeran, who as a Ranga is definitely not one of the beautiful people, currently has 3 songs on the charts - one about an ordinary couple mixing it with and completely unimpressed by celebrity culture, to the strains of 'we are not beautiful'. I saw African-Americans who have finally ditched hair straighteners and are now sporting affros, fat proud Negresses in white underwear and 80s Flashdance style film clips featuring girls in leotards and hairbands. There was less make-up, a lot more sentimentality and retro TVs everywhere.
I think many in Western culture are mourning a 'loss of innocence'. There's a general feeling that we are taking stock and looking back to more hopeful times when we weren't facing existential annihilation. About bloody time! Let's hope it makes a difference.
1. https://www.saatchiart.com/stories/2019-trend-report/
2. https://www.thespruce.com › what-is-maximalist-style-4685629Image 1: https://www.domino.com/content/maximalist-design-for-small-home/
Image 2: https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/trends/g27257676/saatchi-art-trends-2019/
Image 3: https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Sculpture-Hung-or-Hanged/1026813/3833544/view
Image 4: https://medium.muz.li/30-great-free-fonts-for-2019-14814a17e91a
Image 5: https://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/typography/kristina-bold-is-font-based-on-stroke-survivors-handwriting/
Image 6: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/billy-ray-cyrus-is-back-but-he-never-really-went-away/2019/09/19/d53a849a-d984-11e9-a688-303693fb4b0b_story.html
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