| | Much of this thread is has become an example of my complaint. Mindy says, "Art deserves serious treatment from its critics." I'm not an art critic - if I can be humorous about politics, medicine, culture, or the cost of living - If I can state my preferences in cars, politicians, and ethical theories, then why must I fit my comments into some sacred mold of the proper when it is about art. Get over it - I stated a preference.
Joe was upset that someone might suggest a different guitar chord. Joe, smile, thank them, and let it go. I've had dumb things suggested to me for half a century and it hasn't made me shrivel up and die.
Mindy thinks there would be a problem with someone stating that they would rather the model have been a male. People, these are statements about the viewer, made by the viewer (or listener). Why are people feeling threatened or getting their backs up? Do we need to make a religion out of art? And THAT is what is being done.
Mindy says, "It isn't a question of art's being sacrosanct, but of deserving serious consideration. People who fail miserably to appreciate art may offer us the spectacle of their insipidity parading as an improvement on something they couldn't begin to, and never even tried to equal. Artists are justifiably outraged at such behavior." Wow! Is there a test I can take to find out if I can say anything without making a spectacle of myself... maybe it's too late, people seem to be getting outraged.
A non-artist, non-critic bystander is allowed to state their preferences for almost anything under the sun.... Apparently art being an exception. Artists who get outraged because someone offers a clumsy observation need to get over it. Maybe they should see someone about that problem. Anyone who produces anything is judged by their work. Artists are no different. We are also judged by our judgments, criticisms, suggestions and observations.
But it seems artists want an exemption - "Don't anyone dare to say anything about a work of art unless you wrap it up in pretentious, excuse me, serious art-speak."
If anyone is getting annoyed at me, at my attitude, at my comments, stop and think for a minute... I've said nothing disrespectful about the painting, the artist, about art or about the act of creation that is involved. Only about this silly idea that one can't express preferences when discussing art - not in any way that actually mentions a work of art - except maybe if one uses very serious statements that are positive and contain no suggestions of anything different.
Everybody who creates something is building upon what others have done before, even with the most origonal works. They have mentally taken in things that they admired and wondered what it would be like had the artist done this or that differently. To say that they can't say what they are thinking makes no sense to me.
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Woman and a Parrot
