From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V7 #135 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Tuesday, July 9 2002 Volume 07 : Number 135 Today's Subjects: ----------------- RE: Alloy: can-o-shit art, etc. ["Robin Thurlow" Subject: RE: Alloy: can-o-shit art, etc. - -----Original Message----- From: Merujo :: :-( But my favorite painting *does* match my sofa. (And I've thought about sponge-painting a border around my ceiling to match one of the colors in the painting, which would bring out some of the nubby, tweedy colors in my sofa and loveseat.) If that makes me a troglodyte, so be it. I think that there has to be some sort of understanding that, for every one person who can afford to buy legitimate art from professional artists, there are thousands of people who cannot pay for a beautiful or meaningful painting, but still want something they find lovely that will bring some measure of happiness or soothing calm to them in their home. Maybe they'll buy a piece of art from the local crafts fair. Maybe they'll make something themselves. :: No, I don't think anything makes anyone a troglodite. The fact that your painting matches your sofa must just mean that you have consistent taste. As for the phrase 'matching the sofa' it's a phrase I use as an analogy for thinking art is no more important than any other decorative element in the home, without giving thought to the piece itself. When really, as you say, everything in the home does and should have a major psychological impact on those living with it. There are some works of art I think would be just too powerful to live with day after day, and other pieces that are so boring I would die if I had to live with them. The home is a very intense psychological space. So, people should really think about what they include in their homes. The problem with discussing art is that for me at least, it operates in an area which has nothing to do with words. ie, if there were words for the stuff I'm doing, I wouldn't have to do it. I could talk or write about it instead and safe myself tons of supplies and work. So it makes the topic extremely hard to put into words that make any sense. Also, speaking as a person who makes art, it's even harder for me to be objective or rational about it. Making art is a psychological process for me to maintain some connection with myself. Making art is making me become myself. These past several months it has been the only thing I have & I can honestly say it's the only thing that's kept me alive. Making art saves the artist's life, in many cases. But like I say, I'm not a writer or an intellectual like many people here are, and I'm afraid my side of this discussion isnt going to make any sense to the good thinkers here and will only lead to more misunderstandings. :: For every one person who understands the more complex nature of a painting created by someone with training and education in art, there are thousands of people who simply know what they like and what strikes a nerve with them. Other than a grade school field trip to an art museum or two, they have little exposure to complex art. :: Making art has nothing to do with training or education. For example one of my favorite artists is the 20th century assemblage artist/sculptor Joseph Cornell, who never studied art at all. He just started making these things as a child & went with it. But it's the act of bringing something into the world that makes a piece of art important. For some artists it's a disembodied idea they want to bring, for others it's an object or a piece of music that's embedded with their idea. Thereafter it's a matter of individual preference on the part of the onlooker/listener. The preference itself also has to do with psychological aspects of each person. So liking a piece of art is a meeting of yourself and the artist on a deep, wordless level, a sort of momentary touching together of two psychological entities. :: Is their belief that the "hotel/motel starving artist sale" painting on their wall is beautiful less legitimate because they don't visit galleries or know artists? I don't think so. Art is what is beautiful and thought provoking and pleasing and tells a story - to you. What is art to me may not be art to the next person. What is pleasing to me may make the next person cringe. :: I think people don't go to galleries because they're intimidated by the whole damned institution of it. The way these things are set up makes people feel they can't visit unless they have millions of dollars to blow. Some galleries, you can only go to if you make an appointment. I think all of that is disgusting and petty. People don't feel invited. It's the dealers. The artists, as far as I can tell, want their art seen/experienced by as many people as possible, whether it's bought or not. Buying is good, of course, but getting yourself out there as an influence in the lives of others is extraordinarily important. As for what art is... I have no idea. It's a topic people have been debating for thousands of years. ~R ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 10:48:23 -0400 From: "Robin Thurlow" Subject: Alloy: another biohazard sculpture has gone by the wayside The famous blood self-portrait by Marc Quinn has melted in the freezer. I was wondering when this would happen! Now I wonder if they'll have to call in the biohazard teams to clear it up? http://europe.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/07/04/blood.sculpture/index.html ~R ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 15:04:38 -0700 From: "Crackers" Subject: Alloy: Anyone from Nigeria on the list? If so could you please spread the word in your country that I am not interested in helping your people smuggle millions of dollars out of your country by giving you my bank account and credit card numbers. Crackers (Is anyone that stupid from hell!!!) Ghastly's Ghastly Comic http://ghastly.keenspace.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 20:01:39 +0100 From: PRAEst76 Subject: Re: Alloy: Anyone from Nigeria on the list? Crackers sed: > If so could you please spread the word in your country that I am not > interested in helping your people smuggle millions of dollars out of your > country by giving you my bank account and credit card numbers. You don't think they're trying to con people do you? - -- PRAEst76 http://www.cancellation.freeserve.co.uk/praest76/ np: And One - Made Of Plastic ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 22:55:47 EDT From: CJMark@aol.com Subject: Re: Alloy: Anyone from Nigeria on the list? Hey Crackers.. I have been getting similar requests to help people smuggle millions out of their bank.. but mine have been from some other city and country that I don't now remember.. kind of interesting.. they give a telephone number that I assume is a 900 type number that will charge me huge amounts if I were to be so stupid as to actually call them up! Be careful out there! Mark ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V7 #135 ***************************