10:00 p.m. - 2006-01-06
everyones a critic
In the past week the following has happened:
The nail on my baby finger split down the middle PAST THE WHITE PART effectively making me a freak with half a nail. Did I mention it did this during my sleep? yes.
I got a splinter in my foot from my apartment floor that was just under an inch long. I sat with my foot in a tub of hot water and epsom salts for a long time before using the sharp pointy edge of my tweezerman tweezers to peel back several layers of skin and pluck out what was more of a toothpick than a small sliver of wood.
My eyes decided tears were not enough and leaked goo. The goo made my contact half fall out only to have it fold in half and hide out in my lower lid while I blindly tried to find it with my fingers.
My sinuses feel like someone flushed them out with bleach.
I had a dream Burt Reynolds was coming to my house and I was not prepared.
I looked at the calendar to see if perhaps it was some sort of crazy holiday that involved paying for your sins in weird and agonizing ways.
Since my calendar said that Christmas was 10 days ago I know that it is not any such holiday.
Oh and to top it all off I got an offer in the mail for Thomas Kinkade.
Thomas Kinkade "America's most collected living artist, a painter-communicator whose tranquil, light-infused paintings bring hope and joy to millions each year. Each painting Thomas Kinkade creates is a quiet messenger in the home, affirming the basic values of family, faith in God, and the luminous beauty of nature."
uh.
Aw he also hides the letter "N" in all his paintings to pay tribute to his wife.
Im pretty sure I could easily become bullemic if I just kept this brochure with me at all times.
Ive probably railed on Kinkade..I like to say it like lemonade...Kink-ade..before but if you ever wondered why someone like Bush is the president it is because Thomas Kinkade is a multi millionaire.
His art is pure bullshit bad art at its mass marketed good christian finest.
Thomas Kinkade is worse than "bad" art, atleast a velvet sofa painting of dogs playing poker or an old clown crying is ironic bad.
And WHAT THE FUCK is a "painter-communicator"?
Doesnt all art "communicate" something to the viewer? Im of the school where art isnt suppose to be mind numbing, but rather mind stimulating making you atleast come away with a feeling.
I cannot see Kinkade giving me a feeling other than thand nausea.
But that is a feeling isnt it?
The people who purchase all of Kinkades franchised, branded items probably have never been to a museum or gallery and most movements in art probably provoke the same feelings in them.
It is easy to like the standards that we can all identify ie: The Mona Lisa, Starry Night etc.
But would the same people like a Basqiuet(whose name I just butchered) or Damien Hurst? Im sure for the former they would say things such as
"My two year old can do better" and the latter will most likely produce quotes like "thats horrific" "thats not art".
But again it is a reaction.
That is the goal of all art is to create an individual reaction.
I still think Kinkade isnt a real artist though he is a marketer of an idealistic lifestyle. There is a subdivision of Kinkade inspired houses.
You can surround yourself with things he has put his name on but never touched.
To call such a man an artist would be completely wrong.
Yet right now theres a line of Warhol items out, bags, sleeping masks etc.
Both are brands, household names.
Except Warhol is no longer around to approve what his name goes on and I have yet to hear about Warhol inspired houses. Although if ever a thing should come out I would much rather live there.
Does this mean that all any artist really needs is a good brand? A large enough marketing team? and some good old fashioned values to make people go mad for them?
Is talent no longer a viable asset?
We see the same thing in music.
A band comes out who is in rather mediocre, but suddenly they are the next big thing. When was the last time you heard a really amazing song that will be considered a "classic" for the sum of its parts, both music and lyrics?
An album you will haul out for the kids?
Im on a tangent I suppose.
Its been a bad week.
I need a drink
