#34 Artsy Farts

Hey! Who are you calling "bi"? I'll have you know, I'm completely homo-alien

I have a strong love/hate relationship with the whole "Artsy Fartsy" world. I have a degree in English, which means that for 5 years (yes, 5...I was a "Super Senior," otherwise known as I didn't have enough money to pay for full semesters a couple of times, so I had to stretch my 4 years to 5), I spent hours a day analyzing, dissecting, nitpicking, and seeking meaning in everything...novels, poetry, music, movies, art, magazine ads...EVERYTHING. So I'm probably guilty of being one of those obtuse people who pontificated ad nauseum about the deep meanings of things like a blank white canvas or even the Charlie Brown ghosts as representations of art in its truest and rawest forms. Now, I'd just find myself to be a boring, bloviating douchewanger.

I do think it's a shame that people like my former self pose such a nerd hurdle for "normies." There's so much beauty out there (no, I'm not getting ready to quote American Beauty) that it's truly a crime when people avoid going to places like art museums or events like Nuit Blanche because they think only pretentious artsy fartsy people go there and blather insipidly about the art while sipping espresso and carrying their little puntable doggies in their purses or man bags. I can't imagine life without art. I can't imagine not visiting the National Gallery here in DC and visiting my favorite Rembrandt, or stopping in at the Tate when I'm in London. If you ignore the douchery of the artsy fartsy, I daresay anyone can find something in any art museum that will speak to them in ways that they couldn't have imagined art could speak to them.

Okay, time to refill my espresso cup

Speak upon it, sister!
I agree for many of the same reasons, including the Super Senior plan (for me, with a minor in English).

I heard lots of complaints about taking a day in Florida away from Disney/Universal to visit the Dali museum ... on the way there. I didn't get a single snipe on the way back; instead, I even got some thank-yous. Art has rewards that don't translate well into PR or advertising.

As for performance artists, the late Jim Carroll has a brilliant skewering (yet self-depricating) attack on that sub-field called "Tiny Tortures."
Brilliant, but I couldn't find a clip of it.

I suppose it is somewhat shameful that I've worked within five minute's drive of the Dali for over two years now and have yet to visit. Such is the fate of the Floridian...we always say 'tomorrow, when I'm not so beat'. Alas, I shall get there eventually. I have visited the Tampa Museum of Art, though, and I think I prefer a setting where you don't have to deal with the artists. That may sound callous, but I've known many artists, most of them quite talented, and it seems that the only common feature they share, aside from the overriding desire to create, is an almost uncomfortable social ineptitude. Just as we don't need, or want the author of a book to stand behind us and tell us what they meant, I prefer to let an artist's work speak to me, or not, on its own. As a theatre person my definition of what art is is quite wide, although just being defined as 'art' does not necessarily connote aesthetic quality. I imagine I would find Nuit Blanche mostly annoying, but that would make the rare gem in the dross stand out that much more. Such festivals are great for artists, but I don't know how much they do for art itself. In any case this was yet another great episode.

Wow! I just reread my above post. Ramble much?

My super senior plan worked out to six years but involved a few different majors. Including Fine Arts. And Creative Writing. Egads, I don't know how people put up with me.

That kind of thing isn't unique to Florida, Rick. I'm sure in the last two years a few different exhibits have passed through Toronto I should have gone to but was too "tired" or just didn't know about. Mostly the latter. I'm pretty lax about keeping abreast of cultural events. Ironically, when visiting a city I'll make a point of going to stuff. But I suspect that's because if you're not going to galleries and museums, there's not much else to do besides drink espresso.

Karen — a misreading of your post created a new portmantaeu in my mind

Blogviate: to speak pompously and excessively or expound ridiculously in a blog post.

And I submit that Bloviating Douchewanger would be an awesome band name.

I've never been much of a seeker of the 'Arts ' outside the confines of home , I prefer to just enjoy the stuff I can without leaving the hosue . A museum once or twice a year is all I can bear, they give me headaches. So do most concerts, ear pain and nervousness. I haven't known any artsy-fartsy people so can't say what I think of them, they sure look cool. I don't think they want to befriend anyone without a beard and a 50s race-bicycle.

The module in English literature I'm following at University deals with a lot of dreary analysis, conjecture and all that horse shit . I mean , a little thought can be put in anything and sure enough , patterns emerge , you build up high-rises of speculative interpretation about the colour red , or the sound of a dripping faucet and its relation to the contemporary modernist this and post-that. But as soon as I pick up a book it is the moment to moment recognition and reflection ,the journey of self-discovery , that is most important . I'm going to drop this module as soon as possible and study something more stupid. I don't know what.

Jakob wrote:Blogviate: to speak pompously and excessively or expound ridiculously in a blog post.

I am a total Blogviating Douchewanger

I was pretty bummed out hearing that you won't be doing any art of voluptuous women Jakob, really, really bummed actually, that's my favourite kind of art. In fact until I heard this episode I didn't know there was any other kind.

Also, the latest Conversations With Igor was splendidly fabulous as usual. God was it splendid!