Trying to figure out the NOW!

Ever since starting this journey of rediscovering myself as an artist and writing this blog, I have been exploring the notion of NOW.  (Written large because it is important.)  I have been working on exploring what I want to say and how I want to say it.  The paintings allow me to indirectly communicate with an audience.  I feel I am beginning to establish the "how".  What I keep falling over is the "what".  Something feels genuine and current and important... worthy of my time and that of the audience, but what is the "what"?

About a year and a half ago I was getting ready to give a lesson about surrealism to a grade nine class.  I found a video called Modern Masters focusing on Dali.  While viewing it I learned, or was reminded, that Dali was a student that came upon surrealism and not inventing it.  He saw the work of Magritte and de Chirico, which inspired him to create surrealistic paintings.  Dali tapped into what was happening at the moment and became an important contributor of the movement.  This realization sent me searching of what was current.  What were contemporary artists generally working on?   Was there something beyond post-modernism?  What was the notion of NOW?

While searching the internet, I found articles on predicted movements called post post-modernism, hyper-modernism, pseudo-modernism, and meta-modernism, which often refer to social media and a return to romanticism.   Meta-modernism seems to have a large following and many are referring to this named movement.  I find myself wanting to understand the thoughts and theories that are being explained but am not quite convinced and confused.  Just yesterday I found a video from Nicole Salamone based on being a meta-modernist https://youtu.be/ZFngn03Okf0.  She seemed so sure that she was living and creating in this movement.  She conveyed issues that seemed to be familiar to how I think or feel about wanting to portray the NOW.  I was reminded of something that I saw a few months ago.  While watching a video interview with Bo Bartlet he said "we live in a magical world" when referring to taking the time to notice the of the present.  This is the case since I have been working on my art again.  I believe I need to start to document these small coincidences or by chance discoveries that seem to be moments that are strung together one after the next.  I need to listen to my own suggestions that are in my head as I research and even go about my daily business.  I am sure that there is something important to come but I will only get there by placing value on each of the steps along the way.

 

My Autoethnography - UNNNNNNNNNNN CUT, by Nicole Salamone, 2015