Thoughts of the Day

(Spurred from reading an article sent to me by a reader, which was a feature on Angel Otero, b. 1981 -- a Puerto-Rican born artist who is doing some versatile, interesting work within the American art market) 

I think that we all experience some relief, or at least mild refreshment, when we see someone delving, with the work they do, into museum-laiden, Euro-centric traditions -- instead of usual contemporary trends. If we are not being dumb, there's a good chance we'll be reminded of the truth that there is no one dominant tradition, but a kaleidoscope of tradition.

I love thinking liberally, and thinking the thoughts of liberals. I love that I watch films made in 2002, 2011 & 2013 by 30-somethings in the Middle East. I love taking in the spectrum of content that NPR (national public radio) covers. Like most of you, I've always been a rebel. I love to be flippant; five minutes later, I enjoy being harmonious. I love coming from perspectives incorporating clashes, irony and surprises. I do all this for reasons other than where the money goes.

So here's my drama: I'm suspicious of "the spotlight": art media directed-attention. It think the art media (caused by -- to no fault of their own -- the money that fuels it) cannot escape its socio-political agendas. What about social status and identity? Trust the Artist before the Art?

The problem with the spotlight is that the Spiritual, and other relevant ideals of Art, are........ always... getting overshadowed by those agendas...... for loads and loads of readers. How do we deal with this before it deals with us?

Here's a three-act play: Museums are telling a story. People react to story, and start constructing truth-seeking, altered-fiction. Museums begin to play with this extra fiction. Epilog: the world has fiction.

Let's not forget there are people around us who see the Art being produced here and there as belonging to the Eternal, as much if not more than it belongs to the Author or her identity.

Everything is appropriation. I don't believe in gimmicks. Everything gets sourced from outside of us, whether it's apparent or not -- and no matter who does the sourcing. The best fulfillment is available to everyone who strives at being an artist -- and then people succeed, in one or several respects, or they eventually run out of time.

Mark Hollis said that the artist is wise to try combining as many influences as possible. Yes, yes! When it works it seems to work organically, which takes time. It takes time. And then some. But then, the box we're in said that you and I expired last week (or last year).

For the world, is embracing Art about evolution or survival? In these times is everything just a reaction to the marketplace? Are we willing to bet money on that which might not be a reaction to the marketplace, ten times as much as we are willing to invest in learning, or learning for everyone?