Canadian Arts- "Hot mush school"!!??
By: Lyndsay Brown
HOOKEDUPB-> U HOOKED?
The Group of Seven was a group of 7 Famous Canadian painters (1920’s), from right here in Toronto ;their past reminds me of today’s music scene! They were all separate artists who had common interests in Canadian landscape Painting (using impressionism). People from around the world (Europe) and critics said things like, “art doesn’t live in the north” and that “Canada is too rugged to paint” and labeled a painting “a ridged formula of ugliness” (actual quotes)! Canadian independent music and the struggle to gain respect in the music industry worldwide is similar to that of the story of the group of seven.
Within 40 years success was theirs; you can hear the glee in Lawren Harris’s (member of the Group of Seven) voice as he gives a lecture at the Vancouver Art Gallery on “the genius of the Canadian art movement” April 9, 1954. We need to evaluate the growth of Canadian independent music now, against the growth of painting and the Group of Seven than. Lawren Harris says that the group made it through: “creating our own cultural background, also a sign that we have begun to find our individual expression”. These are current goals of our Canadian underground music environment and hustle. We need to stop trying to mold our selves to what others (the States) want us to be and create our own unique qualities in regards to music.
The Group of Seven has over 6000 paintings that show Canada’s unique and beautiful landscapes from places like: B.C, Quebec, Algonquin Park, and the Artic just to name a few. These paintings have been globally accepted by critics and peoples worldwide. It was not an easy task to do with so many forces against them and a death of a member, low incomes, slow recognition, and an undefined, undeveloped country to work from; as that in the music industry now. In the lecture, Lawren Harris mentions his feelings on past haters: “So if a well known critic can reverse himself, consciously, there is, in deed, hope for all of us”, so keep Canadian music movin. The lecture is informative, and inspiring check it out:
***Info above was taken from the Wikipedia website, and CBC archive clips***
Original post on owners private FB: https://www.facebook.com/notes/lindsey-browne/canadian-arts-hot-mush-school/29365996327