About two years ago, I started to paint a new substantial body of art work and the craziest thing happened. Next month, I have a solo show at the Whitney Museum and I have catapulted into the fine art world and at 57 as a dynamic emerging artist! April Fools!!
OK, now that I have gotten that out of the way, does anyone know the origin of this custom that continues to exist on April 1st? I did some digging and found that it traces back to 16th and 17th century France and England…that is quite an impressive timeline for a tradition that I’m not sure is standing the test of time today.
One of the things that I love about April Fools Day is that it is playful. The older I get the more I appreciate the less serious and more joyful moments. As an art educator, I also believe that some of the best art ever made comes from a pure comedic bend. In fact, the Dada art movement that grew up in the early 20th century has had an important impact on modern art and the contemporary art of today. For instance, Brian Belott who is a favorite artist of mine today, celebrates the Dada movement and humor in art by making frozen paintings and others with used socks. Brian has just been awarded a place is in this year’s Whitney Biennial exhibition. Congrats Brian!!
While I don’t advocate you do anything crazy, create a foolish moment for yourself today. Make some foolish art. Sometimes these foolish times we live in can be appreciated better with a little nod to humor.