From:
Don Dougan <dondougan@zzzzzzzz>
Date:
Mon, 17 Jan 2005 22:47:38 -0500
Subject:
Bill +
Hi Clive;
Quoted text begins.RE: "We have not dared to assess whether asking the question "what
can be art?" was a horrible arrogant mistake."
End of quote.
Perhaps I am taking this out of context of your reply to Bill, but I
think it was neither a mistake nor very arrogant.
To be honest in our perceptions requires us to keep expanding the limits
to those perceptions -- re-assessing our definitions constantly.
I grant you this attitude does result in some folks taking the stance
that
". . . it doesn't matter what I do, I say I'm an artist, therefore
anything I do is art (even if it is a universal bodily function)."
There are always going to be some opportunists who want to capitalize on
an easy meal ticket -- perhaps they are the same ones who take art
classes in school because they think it will be easier than math or
history.
I ask myself again and again what I am doing as an artist - as a person -
to further my understanding of what art can be, and how I can share that
understanding with the viewer.
I don't pretend to have the answer(s), but if I don't constantly consider
what art CAN be, I know I'll never even get close to understanding the
form(s) the answer might take (but I also know the answer for you will
probably not be the same as the answer for me).
I think we (artists in general - excluding the inevitable exceptions) all
dare to assess what art can or could be when we get up every morning and
decide to go into the studio and work.
But you know this, don't you?
You just wanted to get a rise out of somebody 'cause you like to hear
other people talk. So you throw out some inflammatory words and we rise
to the bait . . . and it reminds you that you're not alone in THINKING
about your work.
And you remind me that I, too, am not alone.
Shall we throw out this cloudy bathwater . . . oops . . . watch out for
the baby!
Regards - good carving (daring, and assessing),
Don
http://www.dondougan.homestead.com/indexdd.html
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