Xev
09-07-04, 12:13 AM
Since the subject never dies:
Greece is a charming country, when it isn't annoying the shit out of you. Her artistic heights seem passed - but those previous (the Mycenaean in particular) were often expressions of this charm, all colour and decoration.
Greek art history is dominated by the study of the Classical period – not only does this do a disservice to the incredible works which predate this period, but it is misleading to consider contemporary Greek culture from this standpoint. The Minoans come closest to a modern Greek attitude – their works are colourful and functional, with an unconscious grace that the modern Greek women retain.
Greek women are in themselves works of art. The best of them are calm, cool and feminine without being annoying or girlish. They are confident, not in the bratty way which American women use to feign confidence, but confident as if they've never doubted their beauty. This is presumably an act, but a very convincing one – although Greek culture is incredibly materialistic, Greek women are materialistic in a way that charms the senses.
I see nothing in modern Greeks that could evoke the cool, logical and graceful forms which characterized the Classical periods. I frankly don't know how the hell that happened.
Perhaps the hypothesis one of their charming TV-personalities puts up is correct: the ancient Greeks were from Sirius. In any case, the original Sirians have returned home. Modern Greeks are excitable and demanding but can be easily placated – in a word, they are childlike. One stares at these people and thinks
“Wait, their ancestors invented philosophy?”
Decay is inevitable, and centuries of Turkish and Greek Orthodox rule have not helped any. Turkish influence is blatant in much of their music and language, less so in their more modern architecture. This is because the Turks, never really inventing anything themselves, simply copied Byzantine and Persian styles. The Byzantine is fairly well preserved in Greece, although there are relatively few surviving examples from before the 17-1800s. In fact, even the most modern Greek churches show obvious Byzantine style. Which is charming. Most Greek art is charming, when it doesn't annoy the shit out of you.
Their popular music does. Not that that's strictly art, but it ought to be covered. Greek pop is basically rip-offs of MTV-clones with some Turkish influence. Absolutely atrocious. Excepting Xenakis, their modern composers basically suck. But then, most modern composers should really go back to their jobs at Starbucks and quit trying to earn money on a liberal arts degree. The one thing Greeks are quite good at musically is black metal. The Greeks have a melancholic dimension expressed through this music – basically, heavy metal with romantic inspiration. Not charming, but very Good. There is also traditional Greek music, although not Greek in origin but from Asia Minor. This is difficult to describe – very reliant on strings, low on bass and very harmonic. It's eerie and sad, and incredible.
This sadness is the closest the modern Greeks come to being discontent. Discontent is bred from unfulfilled passion, and they are certainly not a people of strong passions. Like all people of tepid passion (also like some of the colder races, although the Greeks are by no means cold) they are sentimental. Not in the annoying Hallmark way, but in the equally annoying way of making fuss over trivial matters. One notices this most in their modern art – the focus is often on people, people, people. Give Tolstoy a camera and you have Greek visual art.
While sentimental, they are not a cold or a very logical people. On the contrary, they are quite excitable – making fuss and pretense over triviality, given to fads and faddish behavior. The saving virtue is that they are easily placated, like children.
Charming. Then cloying.
Greece is a charming country, when it isn't annoying the shit out of you. Her artistic heights seem passed - but those previous (the Mycenaean in particular) were often expressions of this charm, all colour and decoration.
Greek art history is dominated by the study of the Classical period – not only does this do a disservice to the incredible works which predate this period, but it is misleading to consider contemporary Greek culture from this standpoint. The Minoans come closest to a modern Greek attitude – their works are colourful and functional, with an unconscious grace that the modern Greek women retain.
Greek women are in themselves works of art. The best of them are calm, cool and feminine without being annoying or girlish. They are confident, not in the bratty way which American women use to feign confidence, but confident as if they've never doubted their beauty. This is presumably an act, but a very convincing one – although Greek culture is incredibly materialistic, Greek women are materialistic in a way that charms the senses.
I see nothing in modern Greeks that could evoke the cool, logical and graceful forms which characterized the Classical periods. I frankly don't know how the hell that happened.
Perhaps the hypothesis one of their charming TV-personalities puts up is correct: the ancient Greeks were from Sirius. In any case, the original Sirians have returned home. Modern Greeks are excitable and demanding but can be easily placated – in a word, they are childlike. One stares at these people and thinks
“Wait, their ancestors invented philosophy?”
Decay is inevitable, and centuries of Turkish and Greek Orthodox rule have not helped any. Turkish influence is blatant in much of their music and language, less so in their more modern architecture. This is because the Turks, never really inventing anything themselves, simply copied Byzantine and Persian styles. The Byzantine is fairly well preserved in Greece, although there are relatively few surviving examples from before the 17-1800s. In fact, even the most modern Greek churches show obvious Byzantine style. Which is charming. Most Greek art is charming, when it doesn't annoy the shit out of you.
Their popular music does. Not that that's strictly art, but it ought to be covered. Greek pop is basically rip-offs of MTV-clones with some Turkish influence. Absolutely atrocious. Excepting Xenakis, their modern composers basically suck. But then, most modern composers should really go back to their jobs at Starbucks and quit trying to earn money on a liberal arts degree. The one thing Greeks are quite good at musically is black metal. The Greeks have a melancholic dimension expressed through this music – basically, heavy metal with romantic inspiration. Not charming, but very Good. There is also traditional Greek music, although not Greek in origin but from Asia Minor. This is difficult to describe – very reliant on strings, low on bass and very harmonic. It's eerie and sad, and incredible.
This sadness is the closest the modern Greeks come to being discontent. Discontent is bred from unfulfilled passion, and they are certainly not a people of strong passions. Like all people of tepid passion (also like some of the colder races, although the Greeks are by no means cold) they are sentimental. Not in the annoying Hallmark way, but in the equally annoying way of making fuss over trivial matters. One notices this most in their modern art – the focus is often on people, people, people. Give Tolstoy a camera and you have Greek visual art.
While sentimental, they are not a cold or a very logical people. On the contrary, they are quite excitable – making fuss and pretense over triviality, given to fads and faddish behavior. The saving virtue is that they are easily placated, like children.
Charming. Then cloying.