hile London is overflowing with art, one could not help but notice that it is the extremists whose names begin to circulate and grab people's attention. A new extremist art group whose members call themselves the Stuckists believe that painting is the only form of art. Founded in London, the group has gone international, with at least 60 groups around the world.

The main focus of the London based group is to mock the two leading art collectors in London. Charles Saatchi owns the Saatchi Gallery, a gallery that shows the most bizarre types of art—so strange, in fact, that the viewer has to wonder what exactly is considered “art” these days. Exhibits range from amputated animal parts being contained in vitrines to an exhibit of a woman's bedroom, with the floor cluttered with personal belongings. Sir Nicholas Serota is the owner of the Tate Modern, a large and famous museum in London that is home to various modern artists. There, you find odd sculptures without noticeable definition while paintings that make you ask, “What the hell?…” decorate the rooms.

"Life is Great" by Charles Thomson, the co-founder of Stuckism. This piece is oil and acrylic on canvas, 24"x36"		"Female Wrestler with Gun" by Frances Castle who paints pictures of soft furry monsters with hard pink genitals.		"The Last Cigar" by Ella Guru who borrowed her name from Captain Beefheart.
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The odd interests of both Saatchi and Serota give reason for Charles Thomson, who co-founded Stuckism with Billy Childish in 1999, and his fellow Stuckists to cause riots. Most recently, at an opening of a new exhibit at the Saatchi, Thomson and his group dressed as clowns in order to both protest the exhibit and get themselves noticed as a group of artists. When asked about the Saatchi Gallery, Thomson sarcastically replied, “Oh, you mean the Saatchi amusement park?”
Within the small studio where Thomson holds meetings and produces paintings, wild colors of yellow and red scream from the walls. Paintings are everywhere, and some of them are actually quite good. To mock the bedroom exhibit at the Saatchi, Thomson has placed beds throughout his studio as places for viewers to sit and look at the paintings—or just listen to the bold claims about art that Thomson and friends are likely to make.

Though Thomson's views are a bit extreme, it’s because he maintains a deep-rooted love for painting. He believes that painting is an “externalization of feelings within.” In accordance to spirituality and art, the Stuckists believe that painting should “bring back spiritual values”—reveal the truth behind what the artist is trying to convey whilst trying to “engage with themselves and art deeply.” As Thomson says, “Stuckism is not a religion, but we do believe in spiritual values.”

The Stuckists also believe that an individual should have more respect for life and himself or herself after viewing art. The Stuckist claim is that art should “show what you can't take pictures of.”

The Stuckists possess feelings of respect for other painters, but they are void of any admiration for those who claim to be artists and do not produce the same type of art that they do. This bold claim of what an artist is causes problems because it attempts to put a definition on art—something that many have tried to do, but few have done successfully. The Stuckists’ treatment toward artists outside of their realm tends to be harsh and intensely degrading. Though they clearly reveal an artistic talent, they are incapable of finding the talent in other artists who are as extreme as they are in different ways.

Stuckism existing in London and throughout the world is a great way for individuals to study art and understand the riots that have existed throughout the art world since the beginning of artistic movements. Claiming to be “stuck” in painting, the Stuckists represent the rigid individuals of old Europe, who turned up their noses at now-famous artists, such as Monet.

The art world will always be filled with individuals who try to define art, who attempt to put limits on an abstract concept. The viewer’s part is to try not to take them too seriously, but to learn their ideas, look at their art and decide for himself or herself if it fits into the definition of “true art.”
autumn@red-mag.com