Hello.

Hi. My name is Ryno Swart. I have been working as a figurative artist since the 70's, and so, like many artists of the time, have gone through the worst of the modern period, when any art that subscribed to the ideals of beauty, harmony and truth, and of creating images that reflected the visual world, were dismissed out of hand.

Today's artists have the road smoothed to some extent, but not fully. While a majority of commercial galleries now show realist work, it is still virtually impossible for a figurative artist to attain critical recognition. Public museums and galleries still subscribe to the modern and now the postmodern ideal of "if it does not offend the public, it must be bad." This situation will endure for another 30 years, as every curator gets a lifetime appointment and will not be replaced until they retire or die. Critics defend their position in the same way. If it became accepted that the public can intelligently make value judgments on art, they will become obsolete. Worse, they might have to learn a discipline diametrically opposed to art criticism; art appreciation.

Below is one of my pictures from a few years ago. I hope you enjoy it.