Michael Paraskos Libros

Focusing on a fresh perspective in art criticism, Michael Paraskos champions the New Aesthetics movement, emphasizing the physical and material aspects of art over traditional conceptual frameworks. He argues for an aesthetic theory grounded in the tangible processes of creation, advocating that art should stand on its own without borrowing from other disciplines. Beyond theory, the book serves as a personal narrative, revealing the struggles and insights that shape an art critic's understanding. Originally intended for a select audience, it offers an intimate look at the journey of art theory.

The life of Stass Paraskos, a pivotal figure in 20th-century Cypriot art, unfolds through his journey from poverty in Cyprus to becoming a prominent artist and educator in England. After emigrating in 1953, he faced legal challenges for his provocative artwork but gained recognition as a teacher in radical art schools during the 1960s. Paraskos founded the Cyprus College of Art in 1969, supported by notable figures like Archbishop Makarious. An exhibition curated by his daughter showcases his diverse works, complemented by insights from his son, Michael Paraskos.

Clive Head's work is explored through the lens of his influences, including masters like Titian and Matisse. Michael Paraskos highlights Head's ambition to craft paintings that offer an alternative reality, immersing viewers in a surreal experience akin to Lewis Carroll's imaginative worlds. Paraskos argues that Head's approach allows painting to embrace the concept of mise en abyme, as theorized by Roland Barthes, while still creating visually captivating images that resonate deeply with audiences.

The narrative intertwines themes of madness, loss, and the quest for truth as the protagonist grapples with his father's death and a haunting past. Amidst the chaos, a Nazi-sympathiser named Pound and the enigmatic Miss Waites emerge, complicating the search for a hidden diary. The story blurs the lines between reality and fiction, exploring the impact of art on life while navigating a surreal landscape filled with anger and dark humor. Ultimately, it questions the potential of art to heal and restore wholeness.

Titivillus, trapped in a church cupboard for two decades, finds himself out of touch with the world. His accidental mishap regarding a soul contract raises questions about responsibility and accountability. As he navigates the consequences of his long confinement, the story explores themes of redemption and the complexities of fate, showcasing Titivillus's struggles to reconcile his past actions with the present.

The book explores a pivotal 2008 exhibition in Scarborough that challenged the prevailing neo-conceptual art trends in Britain. Featuring four artists and a critic, the exhibition aimed to celebrate radical contemporary realist painting while simultaneously critiquing the mainstream art world. Critic Michael Paraskos provides an insightful essay, highlighting how the artists viewed realism as a temporary resistance against conceptualism, with aspirations that extended beyond realism itself. The narrative delves into anarchist art theory and the evolving agendas of the participating artists.

The relationship between art and anarchism has a long but often hidden history. Artists as diverse as Courbet, Pissarro, Signac, van Gogh, Kandinsky, Tatlin, Gris, and many others, have been positively identified as being anarchist, or having sympathies with anarchist ideas. But, as Michael Paraskos suggests in the course of these essays, there is an argument to be made that anarchist ideas are at the heart of all acts of artistic creation. From this Paraskos argues that we need to reconsider what it means to educate artists. He questions the usefulness of putting art students through an inherently uncreative university art education system and advocates instead an organic and open-ended network of 'table-top art schools'. Each of theses, he suggests, would be centred on small groups of practising artists and have its own identity and interests. After considering the often controversial work of the Savoy Press, Paraskos ends with a discussion on a small group of collaborative artists in Cyprus, which included his father, Stass Paraskos, who decided to re-conceptualise their painted canvases as shared anarchist communes. The result was a radical new form collaborative painting. Although dealing with the serious matters of art and political anarchism in the cultural sphere, Paraskos's light touch and generous writing style is filled with humour and personal anecdote, and is a pleasure to read.