Britons confuse
Monet with Rolf: The Mona Lisa
was not painted by Leonardo Di Caprio
Many in the UK struggle to name some of the world's most famous masterpieces, even confusing Monet with Rolf Harris.
Photo:
The Mona Lisa was not painted by Leonardo Di Caprio
Nearly half of those surveyed could not identify Leonardo Da Vinci as the painter of the Mona Lisa. And 7% thought Australian TV presenter and artist Harris had painted Monet's Water Lillies. The survey, conducted by Encyclopaedia Britannica among 500 people, found 85% could not name Edvard Munch as the creator of The Scream. British art also caused problems for many, with more than half could not being able to identify the Hay Wain as by John Constable, while one in 10 thought Botticelli had painted David Hockney's A Bigger Splash. The survey also discovered that 43% of those questioned had never visited an art gallery in their lives, despite 68% of people citing art as important factor in society. The 18 to 24-year-old generation fared the worst in the survey, despite half having some sort of art qualification, with none being able to recognize Gustav Klimt's most famous work The Kiss. “Britain as a nation is envied for its rich artistic heritage and it is sad to learn that so few of us take an interest in the world's, not to mention our own, artistic treasures," Encyclopaedia Britannica direct marketing manager Christine Hodgson said. A straw poll conducted by BBC One's Breakfast program saw one young man guess Leonardo Di Caprio had painted the Mona Lisa, while another believed it was by Van Gogh. Renoir was identified as the originator of the Water Lillies, while Van Gogh was also wrongly named as the painter of Munch's The Scream. Tony Pontone, managing director of the Albemarle Gallery in London, told BBC News Online the 1990s "obsession" with Brit Art is largely to blame for the ignorance exposed by the survey. "Most people could name Damien Hirst's shark, or Tracey Emin's unmade bed because that is all the media ever focuses on," he said. But he says the "lack of appreciation for our cultural heritage" marks Britain out from many other countries in mainland Europe where art is "something to be proud of". He added: "There is a huge seam of talent in young, British artists who are painting 'conventional' subjects using the same skills and techniques as the old masters. "But because they are actually using paint and canvas they are ignored and slagged off - usually by people who can't paint and have chosen an easier option."
Arts Alive
A
British government-backed internet initiative to make the arts more
accessible, Culture Online, has been launched by Arts Minister Estelle Morris.
The venture,
designed to for both adults and children, will sponsor 20 to 30 projects and
will go live next year. One of the first projects is called Webplay and allows
school children to direct a play online. Others include Scoop for would-be
journalists and a virtual collection of plants curated by Kew Gardens. "We
believe Culture Online has the potential to transform people's experience of
the arts," Ms Morris said. "These new projects are just the beginning." The
Department for Culture, Media and Sport will work with various cultural
organizations to enhance the school curriculum and adult learning. The first
seven projects are: The Dark :where people can join in a 3D experience in
pitch darkness with a website navigated only by sound. 2-Every Object Tells A
Story: visitors can join an online community where they can contribute their
own stories and objects. 3- Plant Culture: a virtual collection inspired by
south-east Asia, studying food, superstition, religion, fashion and art.
4-Backstage: an insight into the theatrical creative process backed by the
National Theatre and major regional theatres. 5-Webplay: a project for primary
school children allowing them to create, produce and perform short plays. 6-
Scoop: virtual newspapers from various historical periods where pupils can try
their hands at journalism and picture editing. 7- ArtisanCam: will pilot a
series of virtual artists' residencies, linking artists and crafts people in
their studios with groups of school pupils. The projects will be accessible
via individual organizations' websites and links to National Curriculum
Online, run by the Department for Education and Skills. Culture Online also
hopes to improve people's computer skills while engaging them in the arts.
Other organizations involved include the Victoria and Albert Museum, National
Museums Liverpool and the Museum of London. "I'm really excited about these
first projects," said Culture Online director John Drori. "Culture Online is
about integrating the virtual and online world with real activities for real
people." BBCNews
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