Artist David Salle – 'Good Painting Has Immediate Impact' | TateShots

'A good painting has immediate impact', says American artist David Salle, 'but rewards a longer viewing time'.

David Salle is an American painter, printmaker, and stage designer. From his New York studio, the artist talks about the combination of images that go into one of his multi-layered paintings.

The artist also explains how his interest in 'exploring the body in space' has led him to paint the bodies of his models and have them physically lifted onto his canvases to leave an imprint.

[cincy.a.l.w]

Him: *lights cigar*
Me: "ohh boy, here we go..."

[KellyODo]

If only we could all love ourselves as much as this guy loves himself.

[celestialteapot]

The best thing to do is just paint and not talk about it. ADDENDUM I'm not saying talking about one's work is a bad thing, but let the painting do the talking. If you need to give a painting a title are you worried people might be seeing something other than what you intended?
ONE YEAR LATER: Thank you to all who took the trouble to comment.
l don't exhibit but am contemplating entering a competition in 2023, purely for the money. I'll let you know if am accepted and whether I'm tempted to speak about myself and my so-called "work." (Yes, l have had to speak to make my point.}

[GraceAnnHawkins]

the lighting of the cigar was nice and pretentious

[welshriver]

"David you ready? "Do that thing you do with the cigar and we'll start filming."  

[Fromard]

The immediate impact that it had on me was that it was more interpretive bullshit. You knew it was coming as soon as he lit the cigar.

[rickmakoul]

I love when he lights up the could easily be an Abstract Artist 'Mockumentary'

[andredemony]

The cigar put me off immediately, but I tried to resist and stayed.
There is a lot to save after that.
I think it is fundamental to talk about art, and that art not always speaks of itself and this is does not diminish it. The complexity of language, meaning and context behind a lot of good/valid contemporary artworks makes it often impossible to navigate without a map, even for critics and experts. At the same time it is crucial that Art reaches as many people as possible. Surely not all artists are the right people to talk about their own art or even able to, but the idea that good art speaks for itself is naive.

[ArtGardens]

The first level reaction.. Ohh boy. That cigar, and he's been painting the same painting since he was 14, thats progress !!

[KatWeltch]

Every single thing he said about his work I 100% agree with. He's so in touch with his art it's miraculous to see. Everything he says about his work, I find that I always longed for in my art. That sense of immediacy, keeping the eye roaming and then back to the initial impact, large, figurative...

[birotomodachi]

As John Berger suggested, I think art can be seen as a record of a conversation between artist and subject, and the viewer then has another conversation with the work/s. So I appreciate an artist who is later comfortable to talk about honestly their process or intent which can continue the cycle of our dialogue. Sometimes, It is easy to critique these comments for what jar rather than continue the conversation. And sometimes, an artists work just doesn’t speak to me - and I leave the conversation.

[Linda-ipru]

as soon as I see someone lit a cigar I can't take them serious anymore :'(

[calvinburr]

Making a general statement about something as broad as "art" or "painting" is almost always wrong or meaningless. Why? Because the goals and intentions of the art or the artist differ dramatically. Some art is simply about color arrangement or beauty of another sort, some is to make a political statement, some is to evoke feelings of past experiences or memories of events, some is erotic, etc. Some of the art that is devoted to beauty or eroticism will usually have a more immediate impact, but there is quite a bit of art that does not make an impact initially. Only after spending time with some paintings or other types of artwork, and revisiting it from time to time, will its impact develop and evolve and grow slowly. The personalities, experiences, and influences in the lives of the viewers are also quite varied....any piece of artwork will probably not resonate with every viewer, and some art can only be understood or appreciated by a few.

[letmetellyousomething]

The OMG Light the cigar moment doesn't take away what an extraordinary Artist he is.

[jackhaggerty]

Get over the cigar, guys. Mr. Salle lit up because he knew the interview was starting; it helped him focus; as an ex-smoker I know the feeling. Someone asked why he just doesn't paint instead of talking. Because we his admirers want to hear him speaking about his work; he is doing it for us; he feels a certain responsibility. He is a fluent speaker, the result of many years of quietly working on his own; the fruit of experience and reflection. We owe him.

[txicocamotl]

All these people here commenting on "talent" and/or "lack of talent" makes me sick and depressed, and it's only indicative of how much they haven't got a clue of what contemporary art's about: what they call "talent" is just a minuscule part of this trade. "Talent" is such an overrated component. As is "liking" something (in the sense that "I like this, therefore it is good and valuable"). Personally, I am unable to admire someone just for having been born with some gift; it's like admiring a woman for being pretty. You might just enjoy looking at that beautiful woman, but you don't admire her for that reason; she is pretty in an unwittingly way, so to say, there is no merit in that. What I can admire in someone making art, is having made relevant choices, having taken brave decissions and having worked very hard, steadily and sharply, in the development of a certain vision or impulse, and to me David Salle (his petulant manners put aside) certainly seems to be that.

[AGIfunAP]

I am grateful for this video. But it seems to me that it’s very important for an artist to be in a stream and to transmit art that is not based on someone’s opinion, while we artists suffer from a lack of attention and we need to somehow survive, which for me justifies attention to the audience in this way but at the same time it really hurts. This way we are not an artists, you become a manager and a salesman. I would like to wish you, if you have already reached a high position in the world of art, to bend your line more and do YOUR work exactly and vision as much as possible. I am grateful to you for your frankness and for raising this topic.

[ludlowd]

This is hilarious! Being a NY artist, having weathered many storms, wouldn't it be strange if a turkey vulture suddenly crashed through the windows of his magnificent studio, and landed right on the tip of that cigar.

[truthseeker]

None of these paintings are good then- as they had no immediate impact on me, and no impact after a little pause either.

[renda]

When you enter through the gates of the human heart, there are no rules, or boundaries. Art is just a word. What exactly is or isn’t art.

Yes indeed, just paint, just create; Paint, draw, sculpt, write, sing, dance, blow bubbles.... whatever your whispering excitement calls you for.

Stop thinking and channel!
Thinking is for certain tasks: booking a flight or writing a shopping list.
It’s merely a secretary.

We are all children at heart.
Let’s play and enjoy this play, we call:
Life!