I'm not new to this newsgroup or the net in general. I'm interested in
how come some people seem to have no clue as to what art is all about,
and why they seem intent on blaming the artist for societies inability
to accept diversity. Who ever said art wasn't supposed to offend???
BTW, I'm offended by the trillions of dollars our country has poured
into defense spending and the killing of people. Can you say... Viet
Nam war????? And I am not alone in holding this position.
Maybe we should eliminate the defense budget since it offends some
people...
Artists are not the ones putting Jane Alexander in an awkward position.
The RRR, and the hate-filled republican extremists such as Jesse Helms
are responsible for putting her in such a difficult position. And no
one EVER asked her to (quoting you) "defend all art as wonderful." If
anything, her job is to defend a peer review system which has seen fit
to fund artists who some conservatives dislike. Your all-or-nothing
thinking is in itself... wonderful. Not!!!!
I can't speak for all contemporary artists, only for myself. I have
never made a piece of work "searching to be different" as you contend.
Frankly, I'm damn tired of people who don't know which direction is up
putting motivations in my head. You obviously have little if any
understanding about why artist make art, at least contemporary artists.
I just make the work which is real and honest for me. The fact that
some other people don't think I should be allowed to make it is a
different issue.
--
Thomas C. Waters
twa...@pitt.edu
************************************************************************
*******************
"The opinions expressed are my own, take what you like and leave the
rest."
"I always assume someone is queer unless they tell me otherwise.
Straights have been doing the same thing in reverse for ever, and I'm
tired of it."
************************************************************************
*******************
For my two cents, I have been making art since at least 1971 -- and there's
not a single damned thing I can think of that art is supposed to ... or
NOT supposed to do. As for contemporary artists shooting people in the
feet -- that seems like a gun control problem, not an artcom. problem.
Stop thinking of art as a career issue and think of it as an expression and
you may begin to "get it". But first get over the idea that art is sacred
or magic, and then get on with the serious task of trying to understand
the world around us.
And if you're going to speak about it, you'd better think about it,
newbie or not ....
Tom -- keep makin honest art, man, nothing more you can be asked to do.
Rich White
Noise Party
Better a thousand lies be told
than one truth silenced.
Noise Party: www.ios.com/~noise