"I find it kind of offensive that this critic gets to decide what's culturally relevant "enough" to count as art."
Well....he doesn't. But he does get to voice his opinion, and because he's a pro people might trust him, but I'm sure somewhere out there is another pro art critic who gets all tingly over Chihuly's work, and just because their view is positive, is that somehow less offensive? I mean it's still a pro telling you why something should count as art.
"but the museum, in curating the exhibition, calls it art and puts it on display for the public. *They* think it is art, and not "just" craft. "
Or...and this is really the meat of the issue, they think it will bring in money to the museum, it's artistic merit is a distand secondary concern if it's a concern at all.
You know, Brittney Spears probably makes more money than Robert Johnson ever did but I will be pretty upset if I ever see that become the basis of her music having the same or more artistic merit than Robert Johnson's music.
I'm pretty sure Transformers The movie made more money Kurosawa's Dreams but I don't think that means it's art.
And while it's certainly debatable if Chihuly is only a money making enertainment machine, considering the state of art and the world examining these issues is fairly important.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-08-04 11:59 pm (UTC)Well....he doesn't. But he does get to voice his opinion, and because he's a pro people might trust him, but I'm sure somewhere out there is another pro art critic who gets all tingly over Chihuly's work, and just because their view is positive, is that somehow less offensive? I mean it's still a pro telling you why something should count as art.
"but the museum, in curating the exhibition, calls it art and puts it on display for the public. *They* think it is art, and not "just" craft. "
Or...and this is really the meat of the issue, they think it will bring in money to the museum, it's artistic merit is a distand secondary concern if it's a concern at all.
You know, Brittney Spears probably makes more money than Robert Johnson ever did but I will be pretty upset if I ever see that become the basis of her music having the same or more artistic merit than Robert Johnson's music.
I'm pretty sure Transformers The movie made more money Kurosawa's Dreams but I don't think that means it's art.
And while it's certainly debatable if Chihuly is only a money making enertainment machine, considering the state of art and the world examining these issues is fairly important.