Subject:
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The pseudo-intellectual ramblings of a cool-guy wanna-be.
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Sun, 5 Jun 2005 18:52:51 GMT
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What follows is a small synopsis of some the research I’ve been doing lately.
I wouldn’t have otherwise written this up, but based on the good conversation
that was born from the Emerge
discussion, I thought it might be fun. If you’re the type that likes short and
to the point posts, this one is probably not for you. However, if you’re the
pseudo-intellectual-wanna-be type like me, read on.
It’s a very odd thing to feel compelled to do something. But, it’s probably
something anyone in this forum can relate to—that urge upon getting an idea or
inspiration to get creating. I have found myself compelled recently to build
irresistibly ridiculous creations (posts coming later). An example that did not
make it to fruition: a cute cuddly teddy-bear with mechanical cyborg legs and a
giant laser gun. I’ve wondered for a while now where all this is coming from.
Most folks would probably concede weird is as weird does and go on building.
But, I have a bad habit of over-intellectualizing everything.
So, I started wondering why certain images and such were more appealing to me.
In high school I was an even bigger poser than I am now—I would have told you
the Mona Lisa was my
favorite piece of artwork. I probably actually believed that. But now as an
adult I’m a bit more comfortable with who I am. So, I can openly admit that I
would rather have a big cardboard cut-out of Tony The Tiger in my living room
than a print of the Mona Lisa. Am I boorish? Do I just have bad taste?
Possibly.
I’ll make the argument at this point that I am a cultured person. I visit
museums, read a wide array of books, and have even volunteered as an usher to
support my community theater. I’ve been in college for about
11 years now for whatever that might mean to you.
There is a point to me bringing this up—I’m not just trying to look like a
cool-guy. But if you think I’m a cool-guy I’ll encourage you to continue
believing so ;^)
Where I live, there is a place called The Coffeehouse where all the art-students
hang out. My attraction was initially for the coffee (tangent: if you see any
pictures of me at various BrickFests, you’ll find few where I don’t have a
coffee in my hand). I continue going to the The Coffeehouse because they have
good food and they have a rotating display of local art. The themes are always
the same: depression and anti-establishment. And the skill they put into these
works could either be described as purposefully little or just plain horrible.
One of the pieces currently hanging is a mirror with “ME ME ME” in red paint
scrawled across the front. Hmmmm…. What could the artist be saying in this
oh-so-subtle masterpiece? So now I’ve gone from being self-depreciating to
outright snobbish. Bear with me.
My art history professor was a real jerk. He used to openly scold kids for
coming into class late. It always seemed hypocritical that the guy teaching us
to think outside the lines was punishing us for not keeping in line. Jerk or
not, the subject drew me. In his class, he gave us a definition for art that
has stuck with me. Art, as I define it, is the unique expression of an idea or
concept. That’s it. It doesn’t have to be beautiful, poignant, or even
appealing to me. The art students at The Coffeehouse certainly create art, I
just happen to think it sucks. I’ve heard it said “I don’t know art, but I know
what I like.” That may be true, but it’s a rather stupid thing to say
(declaring ignorance is not the best way to introduce an opinion). Nonetheless,
we all have our opinions of what is appealing and understandable to us. The
word “art” for whatever reason has become synonymous with creations that are
inaccessible and confusing to the general public. The irony of all this is that
we’re bombarded with art all day. Be it from the billboards we see on the
highway, talking about a show over the water-cooler, or listening to a song on
the radio.
At the end of this month I’m turning 30. I’m not real happy about it, but
that’s beside the point. I was raised in the 80s. I ate Captain Crunch, Chef
Boyardee, and if I was lucky Taco Bell. I would wake up early on Saturday
mornings and watch G.I. Joe and Transformers (I about peed my pants when they
did a cross-over cartoon). As I played with my legos (as I called them back
then) I’d sing along with Billy Idol, Madonna, and Duran Duran. My sense of how
to deal with delicate social situations was learned from my mentors Jack,
Chrissy, and Janet. So now, as an adult, my sense of aesthetics and taste are a
bizarre mish-mash of all these things. I like bright vivid colors, surreal
situations, and all that is gitchy.
Unbeknownst to me, this had all been worked out, discussed, and labeled by
others. They call it Lowbrow art, also known as Pop Surrealism. The movers and
shakers of the movement are folks like Todd White
and Shag. This is the artwork that is appealing to me.
I find I identify with it. It may be the voice of my generation. I think
others feel the same way, but have just not bothered to put a label on it.
Folks like Lenny Hoffman and
Mark Nelson just to
name a couple (related: Kevin & Tim’s Bot
Contest is sure to produce more off-beat weirdness).
I’ve attempted to be humorous and intellectual with all of this. If you think
I’ve failed you’re entitled to your opinion. But this blend of the whacky and
intellectual is what I’m about. It is the unique expression of my ideas and is,
therefore, art. It has nothing to do with the price one would pay to own it or
whether or not it would stimulate conversation at The Coffeehouse. But it is
me.
If you read all this, that’s very cool of you. Imagine what I could have built
in the time it took to write all this.
That’s not a very good closing.
Felix Greco
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