I agree about the unfinished work of Michelangelo. It reveals both the truth and the limitations of his quotes: “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”
And: “No great work of art is ever finished.”
Helplessly, my pop mind skipped over to an old memory from an early Saturday Night Live Weekend Update: “In a tragic note from Paris., vandals broke into the Louvre Museum last night, and put the arms back on the Venus to Milo.”
Love this — Cohen is a favorite of mine too. Tom Waits said, ‘There’s no such thing as a perfect song, only a perfect mistake.’ Travel proves the same — it’s the cracks and detours where the light (and the stories) get in.
Such an emotionally moving post. All too often we forget the beauty in brokenness, vulnerability and the “flaw”. Especially overachievers and perfectionists like myself. Perfection is nothing more than protection, while the true strength and beauty, as you say, is in the vulnerability, in the cracks. Thank you for sharing 🙏
Incredibilmente soavi le opere incompiute o spezzate o ricomposte , sono opere quasi evanescenti , eteree ma nello stesso tempo saldamente ancorate al reale. Grazie per questo contributo alla bellezza di queste opere di artisti pieni di profonda sensibilità.
as always james, such a beautiful collection of fascinating finds. i find kintsugi to be such a powerful and inspiring concept that a few months ago i attempted to apply it to our own fabulous flaws…
Imperfection can be more than a flaw. It can be a doorway. A crack lets the light in: Worn hands give wood its warmth, unfinished stone makes a figure struggle into life.
What is broken can reveal what is hidden, and what is missing can draw us deeper into meaning. Beauty often shines brightest where perfection falls away.
That said, I think this resonates with some, while others are drawn more to traditional art. The tension between these two camps can be resolved once we recognize that modern and traditional art serve fundamentally different purposes. Most people miss this today.
Traditional and modern art reflect two completely different worldviews.
Traditional art expresses universal truths to honor the divine.
Modern art expresses personal truths to honor human genius.
In traditional art, the work is valued over the artist, who is often forgotten after creation.
Modern art highlights the artist's identity, making them central to the piece.
Traditional art uses well-known symbols. It is not about interpreting the motif but about engaging with it to cultivate virtues.
Modern art is often abstract. It is about interpreting the motif to discover new truths.
Traditional art is communal and communicates in a shared language.
Modern art is individual and communicates in a private language (that is why interpretation is needed).
Traditional art is functional, used in daily life (pottery, clothing, doors) or in rituals (icons, altars, crosses).
Modern art exists mainly for observation, often without practical use.
Traditional artists follow craft traditions (to ensure shared understanding and functionality).
Modern artists break the rules, prioritizing creativity over skill.
Traditional art is integrated into lived life, designed to fit into its surroundings.
Modern art is often isolated in museums, removed from the context of everyday life.
Traditional art values continuity of expression, seeing farther by standing on the shoulders of giants.
Modern art values exceptions, seeing new possibilities by peeking into the cracks of the familiar.
Traditional art has long united people across cultures and time, while modern art offers a way to understand our ever-changing world.
Are there artists today who successfully blend both?
I agree about the unfinished work of Michelangelo. It reveals both the truth and the limitations of his quotes: “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”
And: “No great work of art is ever finished.”
Helplessly, my pop mind skipped over to an old memory from an early Saturday Night Live Weekend Update: “In a tragic note from Paris., vandals broke into the Louvre Museum last night, and put the arms back on the Venus to Milo.”
I love this! It sounds like Norm, was it him?
November 8, 1975 – Candice Bergen / Esther Phillips (S1 E4)
Wonderful article James… Enjoyed the sculptures. Some truly timeless.
Thank you so much CE!
Love this — Cohen is a favorite of mine too. Tom Waits said, ‘There’s no such thing as a perfect song, only a perfect mistake.’ Travel proves the same — it’s the cracks and detours where the light (and the stories) get in.
Beautifully said. I love Tom Waits.
I agree with Henry Moore, re Michelangelo’s Rondanini Pieta.
And with you of course, for featuring it. I’d forgotten it.
Glad it brought it back to mind!
Such an emotionally moving post. All too often we forget the beauty in brokenness, vulnerability and the “flaw”. Especially overachievers and perfectionists like myself. Perfection is nothing more than protection, while the true strength and beauty, as you say, is in the vulnerability, in the cracks. Thank you for sharing 🙏
What a lovely break.
Thank you!
Love this ballad of flaws, James, thank u. It was the Aztec's, I believe, who purposely left a
flaw in each piece of pottery + art, to say that only "GOD" is perfect, + human beings can
never create perfection! I've always remembered that whenever I'm creating art.
I might be wrong, it might have been the Incas or Iroquois or a different Native group,
I am not remembering?
wabi sabi architecture, brutalist architecture, maximalism; beauty, art, should be on the rise.
This is amazing! Thanks for sharing 💖
I love this, even broken art has the power to heal.
Incredibilmente soavi le opere incompiute o spezzate o ricomposte , sono opere quasi evanescenti , eteree ma nello stesso tempo saldamente ancorate al reale. Grazie per questo contributo alla bellezza di queste opere di artisti pieni di profonda sensibilità.
as always james, such a beautiful collection of fascinating finds. i find kintsugi to be such a powerful and inspiring concept that a few months ago i attempted to apply it to our own fabulous flaws…
https://substack.com/@skottjones/p-167112685
Imperfection can be more than a flaw. It can be a doorway. A crack lets the light in: Worn hands give wood its warmth, unfinished stone makes a figure struggle into life.
What is broken can reveal what is hidden, and what is missing can draw us deeper into meaning. Beauty often shines brightest where perfection falls away.
That said, I think this resonates with some, while others are drawn more to traditional art. The tension between these two camps can be resolved once we recognize that modern and traditional art serve fundamentally different purposes. Most people miss this today.
Traditional and modern art reflect two completely different worldviews.
Traditional art expresses universal truths to honor the divine.
Modern art expresses personal truths to honor human genius.
In traditional art, the work is valued over the artist, who is often forgotten after creation.
Modern art highlights the artist's identity, making them central to the piece.
Traditional art uses well-known symbols. It is not about interpreting the motif but about engaging with it to cultivate virtues.
Modern art is often abstract. It is about interpreting the motif to discover new truths.
Traditional art is communal and communicates in a shared language.
Modern art is individual and communicates in a private language (that is why interpretation is needed).
Traditional art is functional, used in daily life (pottery, clothing, doors) or in rituals (icons, altars, crosses).
Modern art exists mainly for observation, often without practical use.
Traditional artists follow craft traditions (to ensure shared understanding and functionality).
Modern artists break the rules, prioritizing creativity over skill.
Traditional art is integrated into lived life, designed to fit into its surroundings.
Modern art is often isolated in museums, removed from the context of everyday life.
Traditional art values continuity of expression, seeing farther by standing on the shoulders of giants.
Modern art values exceptions, seeing new possibilities by peeking into the cracks of the familiar.
Traditional art has long united people across cultures and time, while modern art offers a way to understand our ever-changing world.
Are there artists today who successfully blend both?
This question might be THE question of our time.
BUT STILL USE TEH SPELL-CHECK