I’m proud to announce my participation in the new fine art supplies web shop Farg.nu. The company has been around since 1989, but this is a complete refurbishing of their art materials supplier brand Färg. The Swedish word färg has the dual meaning of both ’paint’ and ’color’. It’s been work day and night for the past few months, and tonight we went public.
This is one expression of my passion for art materials. It’s also a way for me to remedy the stalemate that has had a grip of the Swedish art supplies business all since well before I was born. There has been a dead post-modern silence around materials, their possibilities, how certain effects are achieved, what does not work and how to make things last.
Ironically enough, in one sense post-modernism was about not letting rules, materials or opinions hinder the artist’s expression. Now that expression is eroding away in the hands of desperate conservators. I’m in no way trying to diminish any conceptual, aesthetic or philosophical conquests of this era, but I question those who bow before this dogmatic non-dogma.
Handling quality materials is similar to cooking. A passionate chef would never dream of taunting quality groceries or sharp knives, nor would a musician belittle fine instruments. But among artists it has for decades been considered unartistic, unfree, to have an interest in one’s tools.
The real effect of this has not been generations of genius creativity, but rather ignorance about longevity and blind conformity to advertisements of the material conglomerates. Yes they are conglomerates. The art material industry is one of the oldest in the world and today most traditional brands have been acquired by financial groups.
Well, we’re here to change that. Welcome to:
¡Continua la lucha!