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Gender in the Art World by Fine Artist Yanay

Influenced by all from Chagall and Monet to da Vinci, International Fine Artist Yanay (Jana Jakesova) discusses here gender differences in the art world, among more, in this exclusive interview here below for NewsBlaze.

Yanay was born and raised in the romantic city of Prague, Czech Republic. Frequenting and living in many other great countries in Europe, she has also lived in Australia, South Africa, and the United States, which enabled her to meet many great people, and expand her world view of life in a massive way.

The love of art, and her passion and talent for it, which has been her favorite activity all her life, blossomed at an early age. When she was just a small girl in kindergarten, Yanay’s teacher noticed her talent, and employed her to create postcards for every one of the mothers, to mail to them on Mothers Day!

Receiving professional training, Yanay attended the arts schools of College of Fine Arts, for painting and decorative design, and the College of Applied Arts, for commercial graphic arts and advertisement; both in Prague. Also a writer and poet, she further attended, graduated, and later served as Faculty of Sociology and Journalism at the esteemed Charles University of Prague, which yet further broadened her reality of life, and her numerous language abilities. She then embarked upon further world studies, including the education of spiritual philosophy.

The Role of the Artist in Society

Yanay asks, “Can you imagine if all of the arts would disappear from the world? What a poor word it would be! To me, the role of the artist is to enrich the world of people in everyday life, and communicate with people on a high spiritual level, in this manner of aesthetics; to touch souls, and to lead the viewers to find their own answers. Art is a reflection of the society from which it arises. It is a cultural conversation in which everyone is participating, and in which everyone responds in his or her own unique way, and through which everyone can grow by dreaming of their own contribution to this dialogue.”

The following is an exclusive interview with Yanay concerning her work, life, art, and beyond, exclusively for News Blaze.

Hollywood Sentinel: For a person who does not understand or yet appreciate abstract art, how would you explain it so that they could better understand and appreciate it?

Yanay: Abstract art by definition is art that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality, but instead use shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect. It is an attempt to communicate something, pure and simply. For something to be art, it has to have a message. It can be latent, not visible, or it can be in the realm of illusions, and when you look on it, it makes you feel something or not. It is not accidentally made, it has own technics, and if you see two works of abstract art, you can immediately say if the person who did it is an artist. It shows through it. It is the simplicity of reality by elimination of details to achieve a simplicity of it’s own, and has its own message as well. It is simply to be understood, it is direct. When you feel or imagine something, it is similar. There is nothing complicated about it.

Hollywood Sentinel: Amazing. Regarding institutions, some art museums and galleries are getting criticism for giving attention to so called celebrity artists, such as movie stars that are making art. Is this a good or bad thing to promote celebrity artists? Why or why not?

Yanay: I do not think that giving attention to any artists is a bad things when it is positive. This question should be rather why some art museum and galleries are doing it. We are living in the business world, and art, whether we wish for it to be or not, art is a business as well. Museums and galleries need to survive, and popular people who have already achieved something by their own excellent work, are able people, and they have the recognition of the public, so people are prone to be more interested in their art and buy it. This is natural, and I do not think anything is wrong with that.

It is not unusual that creative people want and have more than one way of how to express themselves, and there are plenty of faddists who are glad to own it and it makes them happy, so why not? Sometimes excellent pieces are overlooked, and crap is sold whether it was made by a celebrity or not. We can see this on broader art scene as well.

Hollywood Sentinel: That makes sense. What philosophy and life study has helped you as an artist, and how and why?

Yanay: My philosophy about art is that it should help people. It has even more value in the busy world, when we wake up by an alarm clock, quickly look to FB to see how many more cats are cute or how many ‘likes’ one has for greater popularity, promoting our business, checking e-mails, going to twitter for newsy disagreements about political debates, arguing, driving to work in heavy traffic, and so on. You know what I am speaking about.

Art is the food for the soul. We are starving for this. Art can take you to the silent world of a gallery, or a cozy home where you can feel comfortable and see the art pictures on the wall, and it takes you more and more outside the realm of reality, to the world of illusions. The world of you at your best. Life study is study by observation. Art gives you kind of a ray which connects you to the aesthetics of the universe which is closest to you. It can change you, make you think, challenge you, provoke you, soothe you, and comfort you. So the investment in art, is really an investment in you, yourself.

Hollywood Sentinel: Nice. Should an artist create art when they are sad or depressed, or only happy? Why or why not?

Yanay: What is fantastic is that an artist has the freedom to create whenever he or she wants. Yet, when one has the courage to be an artist, there is a need of discipline here, as in any work. Even If you enjoy your creation, it is still a job. There are not universal answers there, the same as there are not the same artists. Some artists create in any mood, some when they are depressed or sad. They are not in some heaven, but on the planet Earth, and if it looks easy, it is great. It is as a ballerina, with light steps, but behind her is much sweat and labor, and finding the best way of movement. I personally think a real pro can create in any mood, the same as a worker goes to do his job every day no matter what he feels. To wait for inspiration is a trap.

Hollywood Sentinel: I love that. What is more difficult, painting in color, or black and white? Why?

Yanay: Not many artist paint in a black and white combination, but it has the advantage of more integration of the picture by the scale of one color, and gives more space for imagination. Especially in an art photography, people react better to black and white. Paintings in color requires that the artist understand a color combination well to achieve harmony. Both are difficult when you do not know tech and you have attention on how to do it , than only render your intended image which is created the first in a mind.

Gender Differences in the Art World

Hollywood Sentinel: Why do male artists sell for more money than female artists overall, and how can this be changed?

Yanay: This is not always true, but it is true that women in history have had a more difficult way to travel or educate themselves in this area. Old masters were in an ateliers under one famous artist who hired them, and educate them. No women did this. There are more men in history than women even though women have been involved in the making of art through history. Also, women were under-valued. There are sometimes misunderstanding of equal and the same. Women should have the same right, but they are and always will be different. In history it was more apparent. Even in Michelangelo’s age a male artist was less valued than a money changer. So we still have less women in fine arts, and more in decorative art.

It is a biologically given, women create babies and care of future generation. Not many of them victimize or give that up for fine art. We are still living in the word ruled by men, and even in a business world, women are often not taken so seriously. Men are by their genes; leaders, protectors, inventors, providers, and creators of a new world. Art is in this area, and it is a little, but not much, different from then as now.

There are today a few living female artists who are paid very well and even those who are excellent and better that some male artists. But they need to really dedicate themselves to be great. But men mainly own galleries and made decision about arts, CEO’s and gallerists are mainly men and so they are inclined to love more the expression of art made by man, and value more art by men, because it is closer their mentality and energy. Men are more experienced in this area due to their history.

Gender Transitioning

I am not concerned just now about the discrimination of women artists as rather to the discrimination of the family as a building block of society and the heavy promotion of non-family oriented people. There should be more promotion of marriages than endless discussion about genders.

Everybody has the right to express their sexuality their own way privately and not be punished for it, when they do not damage others, but why do we need to promote that so heavy? I think artists can also do something about that.

Hollywood Sentinel: Should art be controversial or shocking? Why or why not?

Yanay: Art can be and sometimes has to be controversial rather then shocking. Provoking new ways of thinking and social changes are an aim of many artists. There is also an aesthetic of ugliness and shocking art can get the attention of people. But the intention should be to elevate people and put them in another universe, let us say, to let them feel present moments, reach beyond common life to a realm of themselves as an soul and contribute to it by their own imagination. But where the aesthetic is only sex, it wrecks, no matter what, as it is provoking or shocking.

Hollywood Sentinel: Art classes are being cut out of many public schools in the USA. What are your feelings on this, and is this happening in your country?

Yanay: In my country it is a part of all public schools. My country Czech Republic, is very culture oriented. Art classes to me, should focus on educating children to appreciate and value esthetics. Children have creativity inherent in them naturaly, you can see plenty of great art by children in early age, which is lost mainly by criticism of some teachers, who would like to put them in some common pattern and it kills their creativity. I think school should to lead children to express themselves freely without critics and get them familiar with the arts in any form, and some basics of history of the great masters. by visiting galleries and educating them to appreciate the arts by a gradient level, according to their age. Many artist today try to achieve the bright simplicity of child-like art. Art classes cut out of public schools is not the answer, rather there should be a changed method of teaching. In the world where the main focus is on technical issues, it is great balance and necessity.

Hollywood Sentinel: How is art relevant to culture, and how can it become more important?

Yanay: The arts were and are the part of culture for the ages. Yes, technic, science and other all works are also part of it. The arts will never be lost, because people need it on spiritual level. Such as the flowers, we have here for their beauty. They are not practical, but they elevate us by by their aesthetic quality, so does art.

Look on Leonardo Da Vinci, he made plenty of practical discoveries, but after centuries he is the most known by his art pictures which are highly valued. It tells all. In today’s time, art expression changes forms, sometimes it seems to go to blind alley, but it is time the art is finding new ways. It is not dead, it reflects culture, it comes more closer, to the street art also, it is more active and more public, there are plenty of on-lines galleries as well.

Never before have people so much possibilities to find and appreciate arts. Some people are lost in everyday life and are not educated or in a condition to be connected to the aesthetics wave to really appreciate arts. But the majority of people see it important and part of culture life.

Hollywood Sentinel: What else would you like to tell your readers in the word out there?

Yanay: Sometimes you could have feeling that art is a luxury. Yes, it is in some way true. It is not producing spoons. It is not industry work. There are plenty of people who appreciate that. If you have an original, you should feel more energy from it and have it to make your home more attractive for you as well. If you could not afford to buy original, there are prints as well.

It is very personal thing to buy art. It has to touch you or be interesting for you. It communicates visually, you do not need translation. It can be an investment as well.

Yes, I know we all have plenty of obligations; leasing of car, rent, mortgage etc. But even the most expensive house looks empty without art. To buy original art is as to buy fresh flowers, but it never wither away. You have it for generations. You can have artificial as well, but the feeling is not the same.

Hollywood Sentinel: That’s so true. What is the best way to contact you?

Yanay: The best way to contact me is by e-mail yanayart@yahoo.com

Usually I sell my art directly from my studio in Prague, Czech Republic, EU, but internationally it is the best way to make the first contact to arrange all for you. Feel free to contact me. Investment in art is an investment in YOU.

Follow the artist at her official Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/artyanay/

https://arts.jware.co:8443/paintings

Email the artist directly for purchases at: yanayart@seznam.czre and yanayart@yahoo.com

This content is (c). 2018, Hollywood Sentinel PR, all rights reserved.

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