“I don't want to be interesting. I want
to be good.” – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
“The essence of cool is not giving a
fuck.”- Anthony Bourdain
Hello Blogiteers!
Welcome back to the
final slice in my pie of snark. But before we serve
up our last course…. Despite the tone of
our last two and a half outings- I have seen a glimmer of faint hope in the
artistic void. And that glimmer
comes from Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light. No, you are NOT
imagining things.
I said “Hope” and “Thomas Kinkade” in the same sentence. And I said it without the benefit of alcohol. Which is sort of ironic, because a few weeks ago….
I said “Hope” and “Thomas Kinkade” in the same sentence. And I said it without the benefit of alcohol. Which is sort of ironic, because a few weeks ago….
Thomas
Kinkade was arrested on suspicion of driving drunk.
And I now believe
that any glimmer that’s ever been generated by TK comes from his consistently
being lit up like a freaking Christmas tree. To take joy in
someone else’s misfortune is a god-awful emotion. It’s terrible. Awful, in fact. Petty, really. Spiteful, of
course. Selfish, in a word. Just downright
mean.
[The German term
for this joyful feeling is “Schadenfreude”.]
However, I think
Karma gives you a mulligan every now and then. Especially when it
comes to the creative endeavors, I like to think. And Thomas Kinkade
is one of the poster boys for all the things I despise about the art business: Hypocrisy and greed. And the worst
transgression of all as far as I’m concerned- schlock work.
Of course the world
of art has its share of schlock artists, similar to the ones that infest the
worlds of music, basket weaving, journalism, knitting, and to a lesser degree-
Italian cooking shows, but TK has always gotten under my skin. It’s not because
he’s successful, or because he’s
slapped his ethereally gauzy art on everything that can hold an image, from
candles to chairs- in that regard, he’s like a schmaltzy, bible quoting version
of KISS.
And even when they built a housing community BASED on his treacle saturated paintings- that still wasn’t enough to make me want to punch him in the face. So why does he aggravate me so darn much?
And even when they built a housing community BASED on his treacle saturated paintings- that still wasn’t enough to make me want to punch him in the face. So why does he aggravate me so darn much?
It’s because he’s a hypocrite.
Currently, TK is in
a world of legal trouble- along with the alleged DUI, there are several alleged
reports of public drunkenness, allegations of groping women, and he is
currently being sued by former franchisees for fraud, unethical business
practices, and breach of contract. Also adding to the
legal morass is the fact that TK’s parent company is in bankruptcy proceedings,
despite its profits totaling over 50 MILLION DOLLARS last year.
TK’s unique
defense? All of the
allegations are fraudulent, and come from people who are “jealous” of his good
fortune. He allegedly did
all of this, while claiming to be a “Good Christian”. Apparently I missed
that section in the good book where you can get publicly drunk, commit sexual
assault, lie, cheat, steal, and bear false witness- and yet somehow maintain
your platinum membership in the very exclusive ”First to be Swept Up in the
Rapture” club.
It’s been my
unfortunate experience that if you encounter people who have to tell you what
they are constantly, they’re probably not very good at whatever it is. I know what you’re
thinking.
Despite that lead
in, I’m not setting up another New Times journalist joke. Not yet anyway.
See, things are
still brewing at NT after yours truly incurred some version of wrath via their
online blog, known as Jackalope Ranch”™
[Hereafter referred
to as JR]
This all started
after my email to JR’s Claire Lawton listing my complaint that NT has
inadequate local arts coverage, went unanswered. Did I mention her
email by the way? Its Claire.Lawton@newtimes.com- say “hI” for me The title of said blog was:
“Wayne Michael Reich Disses First Friday, Paris Hilton, and New Times.”
Not exactly the catchiest of titles, but what do I know about marketing? I’m just a humble artist doing his best to start a fire, and then put it out. But I learned a few things about myself:
I’m important! [“a central figure in the piece."}
I’m not shy. [“And he wasn't shy about it.”]
I use many words. [“So far, the three posts, chalking in at close to 8,600 words”] I have anger issues. [“Part two and two-and-a-half finds a charged-up Reich all pissed off”]
“Wayne Michael Reich Disses First Friday, Paris Hilton, and New Times.”
Not exactly the catchiest of titles, but what do I know about marketing? I’m just a humble artist doing his best to start a fire, and then put it out. But I learned a few things about myself:
I’m important! [“a central figure in the piece."}
I’m not shy. [“And he wasn't shy about it.”]
I use many words. [“So far, the three posts, chalking in at close to 8,600 words”] I have anger issues. [“Part two and two-and-a-half finds a charged-up Reich all pissed off”]
And as they say, knowing is half the battle. I could go on and point out the bad grammar, the lone spelling error, the disingenuous use of “Trolls”, but I won’t, as NT has the right to defend themselves in regard to my previous blog. This is America after all, and I’m all about debating the issues. Clearing the air as it were. So please go read it, draw your own conclusions, then post a comment (at JR’s comment page, not here) and tell them (and me) what you think.
Good or bad. You have power. You
have influence. You have a voice.
USE IT.
And for those of
you sending me emails agreeing with my position- post your opinion as well. They won’t know,
unless you say something to them. Just telling me
doesn’t help- you have to spread the message. So please, get
involved. And you might just
save a kitten. Or a puppy Either/or. Take
your pick.
As I said,
something is brewing regarding NT- I’m not at liberty to say what yet, so I
will have to put this particular razorball on the back shelf for a while until
it reveals itself. But I will be back
to see what it’s up to, I promise.
Moving on…. I apologize. It seems I’ve gotten off track yet again.
Where were we? Oh yes.Thomas Kinkade is a
hypocritical, Hell bound hack, and I can’t think of any other time when
someone’s fall from grace made me so gosh darn happy. And yes, I KNOW
that’s wrong. But if I could
offer a few words in my defense? My current artistic
gig is working as a master art framer, and as such- I’ve had to endure framing
300 prints of his “art”. And with all
due respect, it’s a G-damn miracle that I haven’t killed anyone yet because of
it. If I see one more
schmaltzy cottage glowing with ethereal light, I will form a serious plan of
revenge involving a 5 gallon can of gasoline, a car battery, a turkey baster,
and a pair of rubber gloves.
So allow me this
moment to dance joyfully, ok?
Thank you.
Now I am
sympathetic to the fact that you, my loyal blogiteers, have had to read a whole
bunch of rants over the last few weeks. Over 8000 words,
according to Steve Jansen of NT, who thinks that’s a lot. So on a more
personal note:
Screw you, NT’s Steve Jansen. My two grand nieces have crayons that are sharper than you’ve ever been. And BTW? 5731 words are in this one, Steverino. Anywhos…. apparently I write like I talk. So I can understand if you feel a bit lost or out of time with the current topic. So as a public service, I will recap our first two and a half helpings:
Screw you, NT’s Steve Jansen. My two grand nieces have crayons that are sharper than you’ve ever been. And BTW? 5731 words are in this one, Steverino. Anywhos…. apparently I write like I talk. So I can understand if you feel a bit lost or out of time with the current topic. So as a public service, I will recap our first two and a half helpings:
Exile on Pretentious Street
Part One (with apologies to the Rolling Stones.:
Exile on Pretentious Street
Part Two: (Mediocre Media, or me write pretty one day.)
[I
normally would have sent cookies too, but this Artbitch is on a very restricted
budget these days, what with the overall uselessness of PHX’s art patrons, art
critics and so called galleries.]
Exile on Pretentious Street Part
Two and a Half: (The Snark strikes back.)
There was also a brief detour where I rhapsodized about the joys of mango jam, which rocks. In a display of kindness, I also suggested that my loyal blogiteers write Ms / Mrs. Lawton and offer to be her friend.
[Her email is Claire.Lawton@newtimes.com by the way, in case you want to be friends too.]
See? I’m a giver. But I just know that I’m not going to get any love
for it. Well, not from the
New Times anyway. *Sigh* Oh well. Let’s move on,
shall we?
So as our title
suggests, this one’s all about the artists. Ok- it’s not ALL
the artists, which would be both impossible as well as highly impractical.
So let’s just stick
with the most recent three that have found their way into my lair of snark,
courtesy of their inclusion in an article from the “Big Brains” issue of New
Times a few weeks ago. And who are the
newest candidates for my all new, bigger, better, badder, blender of
bitchiness?
[Say that fast,
three times kids!]
Bigger, better,
badder, blender of bitchiness!
Bigger, better,
badder, blender of bitchiness!
Bigger, better,
badder, blender of bitchiness!
Darn- I like that
so much I’m going to put that on a shirt. Or I could ask
Jason Alan Davis to make me some buttons. His buttons are
awesome by the way, and can be purchased at Conspire Coffee, located off of Fifth Street and
Roosevelt. Support your local artists, and they’ll support you.
As I stated before
in PT 2, the following critiques may annoy you a bit- especially if these
people are your friends. If that happens to be true, I’m sorry. But this is my
blog, and whether you think its right or wrong, I speak my mind.
So if you can’t
take the heat, get out of the studio- it’s obviously on fire.
And as a special
side note to my newest blog buddy, “A.N.”- you really might want to stop at
this point, because I have a feeling the rest of this is really gonna tick you
off .
In fact, I know it
will. So if you keep
reading and that does happen, remember- I did warn you.
And keep in mind- I
tend to bleed easily. Forging ahead…... as a rule of thumb, I don’t mind ego or arrogance in the arts- I’d be a
huge hypocrite if I did.In some circles, I’m known as an arrogant artist, an arrogant
photographer, or just an arrogant ass. Sometimes all three, depending on the time, place, and person.
At least they’re talking about me- it’s when they stop, that I get
worried. I was even described recently online as a “bitter misanthrope.”
So that’s sort of an upgrade, I guess. See- the current opinion of me can change. Although my critics would probably say it’s not for the better. I find that attitude amusing, I really do. Because underneath all of this black roiling venom is actually a pretty
nice guy. If I had friends, you could ask them.
[First person to recognize the cinematic source of that joke gets a
cookie!]
But you have to get to know me first, I’m afraid. And for many people, that’s the hard part, because they just can’t get
over what I’ve said, written or believe. Surprisingly, given my reputation for possessing an inflated ego, I
really don’t care what people think of me. In the words of Perhelion Gallery owner Amy Young: “You’d rather be
right than be liked.”
Spot on, Amy. Hopefully at the end of the day, we can all agree to disagree. And if we can’t, well….. it just means more cookies for me. Before I launch my hand grenades of snark, let’s go over the rules (established in PT 2) once again:
1) No whining from the peanut gallery.
2) No “I’m going to” threats.
2) No “I’m going to” threats.
3) No body touches the face… or the hair.
LET IT BEGIN!!!!
Sorry about that, I was watching “Anchorman” and got carried away. It is a funny movie though. Oh sorry- there is serious snarking to be done, so let us commence. As a painter and sometime photographer, the world of visual art is
obviously close to my heart- and as such, I tend to be sort of a hard ass when
it comes to giving out respect to my fellow creatives.
I know- you’re shocked. One of my longtime beefs with NT has always been the puzzling lack of
love shown to some of my local contemporaries. As egocentric as I am, I’ve
always been good about shining the light on those whose work I respect, believe
it or not. Sure, some of them get a brief mention every now and then in a NT fluff
article, but overall, they’ve been mostly ignored by the so called media in
this town, and quite frankly, that’s crap.
Talent is a rare commodity and it should be recognized and rewarded.
I’ve never said there wasn’t amazing artists in this town, but if you depend on
our local media to inform you of this, you will never know.
DISCLAIMER: The following list is not entirely complete- it was compiled
off the top of my head at 2 AM, so I may have missed a few people. I apologize.
If you feel you should be on this list, email me and I will do my best to find
a rational way to squeeze you into the next rant I write about the PHX art
scene.
As a special offer of fair and balanced reporting to NT, if
you have profiled any of the following in an article worth reading- email me as
well, and I will do my best to stop mocking you for a wee bit.
A very wee bit. Who in my opinion deserves the love?
The Firehouse Gallery, 602 Radio.com, The Complainiacs- Hi Matt and
Jimmy!, Tate Hemlock, Glen Allen of Chaos Gallery, Martin Hazine, Joi Carey,
Tony Blei.,Yvette Arteaga, Lee Berger, Dain Quentin Gore, Michelle and Richard
Bledsoe of Deus Ex Machina Gallery, ,Amy Young of Perhellion and Pravus
Gallery, Conspire Coffee- HI Tristan: Your chai rocks!, Kathy Cone of Cone
Arts, Anton Nowels, Mark Lipczynski, Debra Jones, Peter Petrisko, Tray Goodman
and Inside Creative Minds, Jason Alan Davis,
Suzanne Falk, Mike and Jodi Maas, Joseph Charleston, Provoke Creative,
Rafael Navarro, and Fausto Fernandez.
As I said, that’s just off the top of my head. So if I left you out, I promise I will make it up to you next time. Pinky swear. Not surprisingly, the “Wayne Michael Reich Artists I Respect Club” is a
very exclusive membership, so as you can imagine, our first artist to be
critiqued will obviously not be allowed in for quite some time. Unless of course, he’s delivering pizza. Which in my opinion- might be a good career move.
Following previously
established Artbitch tradition; I will take the written word, in this case, New
Time’s artist interviews from the “Big Brain” issue- and proceed to break it
down via my snarky interpretation:
PETER BUGG:
"People were asking me, 'How do you like Phoenix?'" he says. "And I was still like, 'I don't love it there.'"
"People were asking me, 'How do you like Phoenix?'" he says. "And I was still like, 'I don't love it there.'"
- And I’m like:
Don’t worry about it- we feel the same way about you.
"I
started looking around and realized how much of an impact Phoenix had on my art."
- I can totally
phone it in here as long as I bash LA, sneer at NYC, and seem deep.
“A
series of high-profile shows”
- More than 10
people came, and they weren’t all relatives, I promise!
“about
our obsession with pop culture and tabloid news (most notably "Paper or
Plastic," which offered mash-ups of celeb magazine covers,”
- I can use
scissors and paste!
“and
"World Exclusive!" about the graphic tease of tabloid headlines)
merged the 29-year-old artist's interest in photography and his observation
that most of the information we get about Hollywood
comes from pictures, rather than from text”.
- A brave artistic
concept, considering it’s only been covered by musicians, artists, writers, and
filmmakers since Hollywood
began.
"Living
here has really informed my work,"
- It hasn’t made it
better, but at least it’s informed. And
knowing is half the battle!
"Before
I moved here, I was taking photographs of my family and my friends, but then I
got here and I didn't have any family or friends to photograph."
-Well, other than
getting out and meeting people, I would suggest Eharmony.com. There seems to be
lots of people there with time on their hands. By the way, you do know that
there is lots of other stuff that can be photographed, right? May I suggest
taking a refresher course in the art of photography? I think it would help,
plus- you’d meet a whole new bunch of people at your community college, and
that’s always fun.
“After
a recent internship at a paparazzi photo agency in Los
Angeles, Bugg returned to Tempe
determined to apply his new insider's perspective to art.”
- I couldn’t get a
job at TMZ, because they already had someone vapid on staff. But on the up
side, I’m really good at going through famous people’s garbage.
"It
forced me to really think about what I wanted to do. And what I really wanted
to do was make art about my passion for pop culture."
- I want to watch
TV while playing with my Kid Robot toys.
“attention-grabbing show about the wicked life
of Britney Spears”
- Wait till next
year when I unveil both my MC Hammer sculptures and Vanilla Ice collages!
“With
his most recent show, Bugg stepped away from using other people's celebrity
photos”
- How noble and
brave of you to stop stealing others creative endeavors and calling it your
work.
"I
still don't love the hot weather here," Bugg says
- I cannot wait
until I’m officially pretentious enough to move to LA.
"I actually meet other artists here all the time, which leads to conversations about art and opportunities for collaboration. That's not something you get in, you know, New York or L.A”.
- You’re right, Peter- I can’t think of a single artist there who collaborates. Not because what you said is true, but because my roster of artists in NYC and LA who do, just topped off at about 60 or so, and clogged up my brain. But to be fair, that list was done off the top of my head at 2 in the morning.
"Artist friends of mine complain about living and working in New York City," says Bugg,“
- It is a bitch working the late shift at White Castle, isn’t it?
"Because
out there the attitude about artists is, 'Oh, great, another one of you.' But out here it's, 'Oh, you do
art? Cool! We should hang out!'
- We’ll drink coffee and bitch about
artists who’ve “sold out” by actually doing interesting work that they get paid
for, while wondering how we can do the same without losing our street cred.
Ahh… I tell ya, nothing feels better than
unsheathing the claws and using a pretentious poseur as a scratching post. So one down, two to go.
Who’s up next on the chopping block? The best thing you can toss in front of a hungry
Artbitch, a “Performance Artist”.
Oh joy. Just what PHX needs, yet another mediocre
egomaniac. And yes, this is ME complaining about self
absorption, so you know it must be bad. If you travel in certain art circles, you know that
I despise “performance art”- I’ve always considered it a refuge for the
unskilled, the untalented, and the undisciplined.
[This opinion landed me a part in the quirky
documentary “Hi, My Name is Ryan”- coming soon to DVD.]
I tend to regard the majority of said “art” as
either self indulgent angry tripe, or self indulgent angry absurdity, which in
my humble opinion, can be summed up with one simple sentence: "I NEED
ATTENTION ALL THE F**KING TIME AND I DON’T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY TO GET IT!!” As with all things in life, this is not true in
every case, and I willingly admit that. Jeff Falk for instance, has done a lot of stuff I
like, Peter Petrisko is always solid, Eric Bogosian tends to be consistently
good, Yoko Ono has some very innovative ideas every now and then, and even
while wearing ice skates, Laurie Anderson is just plain brilliant.
Fortunately for me, our next artist to be verbally eviscerated is not cursed with brilliance of any sort. In creative terms- she’s about as genuine as a Prada handbag at the PHX Park n’ Swap. If you don’t get that joke, consult a Scottsdale trophy wife- she’ll explain it to you.
Fortunately for me, our next artist to be verbally eviscerated is not cursed with brilliance of any sort. In creative terms- she’s about as genuine as a Prada handbag at the PHX Park n’ Swap. If you don’t get that joke, consult a Scottsdale trophy wife- she’ll explain it to you.
KARA ROSCHI:
“Five
years ago, if you'd told artist Kara Roschi that she'd be giving away hand
massages and getting lip-prints from strangers on her undergarments in the name
of art, she'd have laughed at the joke.”
- Oh yeah,
nothing’s funnier than focused mediocrity, especially when you’ve conned people
into thinking your work is relevant.
"I
always used my art as personal therapy. I got into work about intimacy because
I was dealing with a long-term relationship when I moved into the downtown area,"
- Some advice, Kara
from me to you? Next time consult a psychiatrist or a career counselor- they’re
here to keep people like you, from annoying people like us.
“Roschi's
"Intimacy" performances are over;”
- Can I get a hug
and an “Amen?”
“however,
she plans to start a new series at First Fridays this summer”
- Son of a b@#*h!
‘Roschi's
off-the-wall solution is the Ridiculous Red Dress Tour, in which she and other
local artists will parade through a different section of the art walk each
First Friday clothed in poufy red gowns salvaged from local thrift shops. The
idea, Roschi says, is that people will spot the gaudy garments and follow the
parade, thus touring galleries they might otherwise have neglected. Clever,
right?’
- Um no, actually.
If Artlink’s free shuttles, the free entertainment, and the efforts of scores
of much more talented PHX artists than you haven’t been able to make FF
worthwhile, neither will your “ridiculous” game of self absorbed dress up.
“Anyone
who wants to take the tour will be encouraged to strap on a red corsage or don
a red tie as a display of unity.”
- Hey everybody!
Let’s pretend we’re going to the prom! That’s so much better than buying art,
funding arts assistance programs or actually helping the arts scene in PHX become
self sufficient, don’t you think?
“Roschi
designed wood and metal structures containing fragile eggs that broke
unexpectedly as visitors came through. The eggs that didn't break were
destroyed by Roschi in an egg-smashing extravaganza at the closing reception.”
- Wasting food is
now called an “extravaganza”? Let’s
check with all of the food banks and starving people to get their take on that.
I’m quite sure they’ll have a different view about it.
I am so appalled by
this pointlessly vapid “performance” that I don’t even have words to describe
my utter contempt accurately. And I
normally have ten phrases on hand to describe my utter contempt. Ten, I said. For the first time
in my life, I’m actually speechless. Which I’m sure
makes a whole bunch of my critics happy. Enjoy this brief
moment. It will not last.
“Roschi
is quick to confirm her status as a lifelong performer.”
- Because if she
were an artist, she’d be a one trick pony.
"Performance
art gives people another way to go out and engage, rather than watching TV or a
movie.”
- Both of which are
way more interesting than your “art”, and that even includes the ones starring
Keanu Reeves. Seriously- I would rather watch the “Director’s Cut” of Johnny
Mnemonic six times in a row, than sit though 5 minutes of one of your self
indulgent “performances”.
“Even if it means giving out free hand massages”
- Do they come with
happy endings?
“and letting strangers leave kiss marks on her
clothes,”
- Oh wait, question
answered. Thanks.
“Roschi is determined to get Phoenicians to
turn off American Idol”
- This I can actually get behind. However, I’m pretty sure her idea to
accomplish this will somehow involve hoop skirts, or maybe even bustles. It
might even work, considering it’s just as brilliant as her other “ideas”.
Once again, sorry. I really shouldn’t be so hard on Kara, come to think of it- she has
given me a whole new respect for pointless artistic meandering. You’re not an
artist, Kara- but you are one hell of a bad example. wo down, one to
go- just in case you were keeping track. And if you think
I’m being harsh, I do apologize yet again. I’m really sorry
that these idiots keep ticking me off. I’m trying to be
nicer- I really am, but there’s an issue I just have to address. Whether its
writers, musicians, or artists- no creative endeavor is safe from the scabrous
clutches of Apathy and Mediocrity.
It has been my sad
personal experience that the mediocre and the gifted alike are expected to
share the same stage in this town, and simply, I find that to be just fucked
up. Someone who is
intentionally mediocre does not deserve the same perks as those who’ve invested
their blood, sweat, and tears to become better- I for instance, would not
challenge Suzanne Falk to a painting contest, or Tate Hemlock to a photography
battle. If I did, I’d be wearing my ass as a hat.
Hence, that’s where
Apathy plays a hand- when established artists are way too willing to roll over
and give the metaphorical stage to the undeserving, who have not taken the time
to hone their skills and possess virtually no discernible respect for the craft
they claim to be so passionate about, the arts suffer. And when those same
useless poseurs take that stage, that’s where Mediocrity comes in. Most of you
who’ve attended FF for years now have been subjected to it consistently- mixed
among the talented are the half assed, the wannabe’s and the poseurs.
The three tenors of Mediocrity, as it were. And one of them is singing now, so let’s listen in, shall we?
The three tenors of Mediocrity, as it were. And one of them is singing now, so let’s listen in, shall we?
JEN URSO:
“graduated in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in painting
and sculpture.”
- To pass all you have to do is draw the cartoon squirrel! Personally, I always liked the pirate. Feel free to make up your own joke- I won’t be hurt. Really.
- To pass all you have to do is draw the cartoon squirrel! Personally, I always liked the pirate. Feel free to make up your own joke- I won’t be hurt. Really.
"I
thought [Phoenix]
was really beautiful," she says. "I was fascinated with it, and I
needed to get out of Pennsylvania
because it's cold and damp."
- No one was buying
my art, I really hate long winters, and I’ve been to Hershey Park like a
million times, and their Superdooplerlooper roller coaster made me sick. Twice.
“It’s
Urso's willingness to take such risky journeys”
- I can only assume
you’re walking outside around the Icehouse at 3am- if so, you are way ballsier
than me, and I’m from New York.
Or you’re nuts. Either way, best of luck to you.
“Artists
are moving away from a singular focus on workmanship to a more conceptually
driven aesthetic.”
- I can’t really
draw, so I concentrate on the meaning of it all.
“Art
schools are teaching students to question their motivations and accept failure
as a learning experience.”
- And you wonder
why art as an actual career is discouraged. We used to call that “experience”,
but apparently it’s now a semester class worth half a credit. Failure is an
inevitable fact of life, and the last time I failed at something, I’m pretty
sure I didn’t need my art degree to do it. But as failures go- it was pretty.
“The
project highlights the theme that flows through all of her work: It's the
journey that counts, not the destination.”
- Didn’t we already
learn this from Kung Fu? Friends? Mac Gyver? The A Team?
“Urso
scratched designs on a 350-pound rock,”
- I’m an Aborigine!
“slowly
chiseled it apart”,
- I’m a quarryman!
“and
scattered the pieces around Phoenix.”
- I’m a litterbug!
“Rumor
has it that locals were picking up pieces of rock as souvenirs weeks after the
Icehouse performance.”
- That’s actually not a rumor, but cleaning up unwanted
gravel in your yard isn’t exactly what I call souvenir hunting either. And as
to people picking up pieces of the bigger rock left over- well, a good
paperweight is hard to find these days, so Jen? Stop patting yourself on the
back.
“For
Urso, the chiseling of the rock was more important than the finished piece.”
- Then why bother
doing it at all? It seems you could have saved yourself a whole lot of trouble
and wrist strain, by giving those expensive chisels to a sculptor who unlike
you, can actually sculpt.
It’s now 4 AM in my
apartment. And after reading
Jen’s quotes again, all I can say is this: Ouch. My brain
actually hurts.To think that “the
IDEA of the art is more important than the finished art”, could become an
artistic gold standard scares the heck out of me.
And therein lies
the problem- art is and should always be free of constraints, limitations, and
borders. To quote Giorgio
Morandi:
“A sincere artist is not one who makes a
faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries
to create something which is, in itself, a living thing.”
That’s pretty heady
stuff, I think. And as an artist,
it is what I try to aspire to. I don’t always
succeed, to be sure. But I do try my
best. One of the issues
I’ve always had with artistic poseurs is that when confronted with their artistic
failings, they fall back on the reprehensible hand grenade of the hack: “You
just don’t get it.” I’ll admit I don’t
get a lot of things: “Sparkly” vampires. Prop. 1070 and 8, Jan
Brewer, Skinny jeans for men, The Gin Blossoms, Artlink, The Roosevelt
Corporation, Sarah Palin, (Sorry, I already covered that, didn’t I?) American
Idol, Diet soda, reality television, subtle female “hints”, and why KISS just
can’t stop touring even though we want them to.
But I do “get” art. And I know the
difference between gold and dross. I could go on I’m
sure- but we’d be here all day.
And I just can’t do
that to you after all this. You’re welcome. Since it falls to a
question of taste, it’s also an easily defendable position for them to hold.
Nice.
They get to hit all
detractors with the “unhip” brush, and then we have to prove that we do “get
it”. And that distracts
from the real truth of the matter. But we do have a
pretty good weapon at the end of the day: Quality. True artists create
something from nothing, no matter what the artistic discipline. And good work
lasts. Bad work doesn’t. It really is that
simple. Bad is bad. Good is
good. No matter what I
say, or what you believe, truth wins out.
Always.
You might think I’m
harsh.
You might think I’m
mean.
You might think I’m
arrogant.
I’ve heard it
before, and I’m sure I’ll hear it again. But am I right?
Usually. Sorry about that-
it is a bitch to be me sometimes. And if you do good
work, you have not a thing to worry about from little old me, do you?
Of course not. When people get mad at my little rants, I’ve decided that it must be for one of two reasons:
A) I’m completely out of line: Akin to claiming
that any movie starring Keanu is worth seeing, this line of thinking suggests
that I’m completely out of my mind, and therefore should be disregarded. This
doesn’t happen often, I must happily admit.
B) I hit a nerve
really close to home: This happens more
often than not for one simple little reason-there’s a whole lot of truth to
what I’ve said, and they don’t like it. You can’t ever get upset about
something unless it’s got a grain of reality to it. And I don’t lie- if I say
you suck, you most likely do and you know it.
And so does
everyone else. They’re just too polite to say anything about it. I’m not.
If you can’t handle
being criticized, get off the stage, and leave it to the grownups, candy ass. And if you can
handle it, bring your “A” game, and make it worth our time.
I’ll be honest- art
is a huge facet of my personality. I LOVE it, eat it,
breathe it, live it, in short- I worship it. And in my church of
the artistic soul, there ain’t no room for Pretenders. The exception being
Chrissie Hynde. So when I see any
of the three tenors of Mediocrity, I feel compelled to speak up and out. Call it a
compulsion. And it seems to be
a communicable virus lately, thanks to my loyal blogiteers. I believe that the
Arts are sacred, and should be treated as such.
I believe that the creative element in PHX should be paid what they’re worth. I believe that if pissing people off is what it takes, I’m ready for the hit. So take your best shot.
I got nothing but
time. And a huge box of
Ding Dongs.
“Luck is always the last refuge of laziness
and incompetence.” - James Cash Penney
