‘ve tried many times in discussions/conversations to explain this concept; understanding though was to no avail maybe its not something to drop in casual conversations.

Visual artist in most cases know what I mean, by the worked look, because it is something that is used/ recreated intentionally to give a certain look or visual perception, not just visual art but all art including music and films. At the end, the concept can be applied to or found in all things. A speech made, a house built, a motor rebuilt, and a haircut.

‘It has a worked look’- I used it to describe art usually and don’t think about it much nobody really does- I’ should probably follow this by- I think!

A piece of artwork that has a worked look is something that has been given much attention. Its not perfect design or technique, but so much attention was given the work.

A good example is a simple sketch but the piece of paper you can see the old lines that has been erased and drew over, repeatedly. That to me is the worked look, and I feel it when I’m listening to music or reading a book or watching a film. I don’t really think about it much. I feel in visual art its easier to see. If you have seen Woody Allen films or a David Mamet plays/films the words/conversations are so important that there is a certain poetic flow it. You can tell that the Screen writer pays attention to each word in the script.

Does the worked look make good art?

I don’t know- Probably there is no right answer, but I know there have been many great artists that recreate the look intentionally. A good example is Egon Shiele (see the drawing on the left the edges have been masked with gouche)or Richard Diebenkorn,(see right image, you can see the underliying drawings underneath the top layer of the paint(s)) both from different eras and syle buthave a certain worked look. Ezra Wube, a young ethiopian painter in New York, I feel uses the same technique as the above artist, although the content might be different.

I remember cars in Ethiopia are driven 25 plus years, they are old but they receive a lot of maintenance over years. Its been worked on thus it has a worked look. Now doesn’t that care have a certain appeal since its been given so much Tender, Loving and Care.

Most of us have grandmothers, who made who made the holiday food. In most cases, everything is made from scratch, kibe yeneteral, berbere yeqenetsal, doro yetaredal, etc,… and then they cook it. There has been so much TLC to the making, that it gives it no choice but to be so tasty-betam yetafetal. Yes I consider my grandmother Doro Wot a form of art. Right up there next to Pablo Picasso, it should be at the Louvre.

Not to digress, from the topic at hand, most Ethiopian News site, for me give me that feeling , the appeal of a worked look. The put so much information in the first page, that you dont know where to rest your eye. I find it interesting that the webmaster, or editor of the site doesnt want you to miss anything that is available that every content of the website on the first page. There is news, links, menu navigation bar, advertisments, all in the first page, all things equally dominating. As opposed to bbcnews or cnn, which has side menus and navigation bar, usually one/ dominating news and small stories, and mostly links to other stories. There is a major sturcture they follow.

Anyways, The ethiopian news sites, tashtew tashtew tashtew, it leaves the viewer no choice but to find it very attractive. Agree or Disagree your comments are the best part