You Call That Art?
Okay, I'm all hot about something, so I'm going to get on my soapbox. Last night on ABC News 20/20 there was a editorial piece called "You Call That Art?" and it made me mad.
Here's a link to the author's viewpoint.While the author did mention the most obviously controversial art pieces like The Gates and Damien Hirst's work (which I kind of like, but won't go into here), he really based most of his argument on a very small part of the bigger art picture--abstract expressionism painting.
Using his "test" on whether a few people could tell the work of some abstract expressionist painters from those of some young kids, he then makes the leap that we should all protest government funding for the arts.
He makes no effort to address the good things that museums do and how they enrich so many people's lives. Nor that they exhibit much more than he selectively presented. Nor does he mention the long lines to get into museums or that art museum attendance is continually growing. Actually in the US nationwide attendance to art museums and performances surpasses attendance to professional sporting events. I tried to find some current statistics, but the most recent I could find are here.
Not only that, but the amount of government funding that goes to art is so small compared most anything else. And yet it's always under attack, maybe because it is a visible, emotional topic. Never mind that besides enriching people's lives, the arts can generate a lot of economic growth related to creating jobs and tourism.
Now that I've got that said, I'm off to the studio to make some art!
Here's a link to the author's viewpoint.While the author did mention the most obviously controversial art pieces like The Gates and Damien Hirst's work (which I kind of like, but won't go into here), he really based most of his argument on a very small part of the bigger art picture--abstract expressionism painting.
Using his "test" on whether a few people could tell the work of some abstract expressionist painters from those of some young kids, he then makes the leap that we should all protest government funding for the arts.
He makes no effort to address the good things that museums do and how they enrich so many people's lives. Nor that they exhibit much more than he selectively presented. Nor does he mention the long lines to get into museums or that art museum attendance is continually growing. Actually in the US nationwide attendance to art museums and performances surpasses attendance to professional sporting events. I tried to find some current statistics, but the most recent I could find are here.
Not only that, but the amount of government funding that goes to art is so small compared most anything else. And yet it's always under attack, maybe because it is a visible, emotional topic. Never mind that besides enriching people's lives, the arts can generate a lot of economic growth related to creating jobs and tourism.
Now that I've got that said, I'm off to the studio to make some art!
posted by PaMdora at 9:20 AM
2 Comments:
I didn't see that show. Thanks for the link to the article.
I sent the following email to 20/20, FWIW:
"I'm not surprised that many people chose the children's paintings as "real"
art, but I don't think that diminishes the work of the adult artists. I
think it reveals a truth about art. A friend of mine includes this quote
from Picasso as a signature line in all her emails:
"Every child is an artist.
The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
Perhaps something to think about?
Sincerely,
Deborah Richardson"
Not that I expect it to change the reporter's mind, but it made me feel better to say it. :-)
I found your blog through the art quilter's web ring and wanted to tell you how much I enjoy it and that I LOVE your artwork. The new cell cat quilt is wonderful and I covet your "In Bed With A Bad Cold" quilt!
DebR
While the validity of Stossel's test may be disputed, it is certain that he was not the first to suggest such a test.
I wrote a very similar quiz in September 2003.
The date can be verified using the web archive.
Over 20,000 people had downloaded it before ABC broadcasted their very similar quiz.
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