2.24.2010

"I don't see what everybody sees in your sexy body."

Goodness I love Man Man. Whalebones is an absolute masterpiece.

Today I was very mad. And I will tell you about it. Kudokey. So. We all know that I refrain from any angry feelings due to my firm belief that life is too short to be spending even a few moments in a bad mood, cursing, exploding, etcetcetcetc, but today was a whole 'nother ball game. It all began in English. Lets just make this clear: I LOVE THIS CLASS. I admit I do not get the top grades, I get the low As and an array of Bs, but I don't go to the class for the grades or for the marks. I took AP because I seriously love to read and to write and I complain, sure, but I go to class to learn, not to boost my GPA. Okay, so imagine this: we're all in our desks, and after reading As I Lay Dying (by a writer using a cubist technique), we are looking at famous Cubists and Cubism in art. It was a really beautiful time and it was just nice to sit and look and try to find mandolins and men with guitars amist all the cubes and cylinders and, of course, something had to ruin it. Or rather someone. It began as shrewd comments such as "this class is so boring", "that is so stupid", "I don't get it but I don't care" and, I mean, so much I can handle, so I made up some excuses: maybe some people don't like ... art? Yeah Right. But then something really ticked me off. Like the one comment that one should never, ever, ever, ever, ever say. "That's art? I could have done that!"
*Steam Whistle Blowing*
You know what, no you couldn't. If you could have, you would have beaten Pablo Picasso then. Where's your "Woman with Goat"? or "Woman Ironing"? HMMM? Did you put a toilet in a museum? Did you scuplt anything recently? NO. YOU DIDN'T. It's people like this that make me so angry, its the ignorant and indifferent that really get me worked up and I happen to hate getting worked up. And it's people like this that give America its careless connotation. People who choose to not go to museums and see classics. I mean how can a person be interested in fashion or in music but totally write off "art", because its "boring"? These are all art forms to a degree, and they should all be treated with a respect and be awed at because someone, at some point, took a lot of time to do them. Laying on their back and painting a cathedral ceiling all day? Visual Art. Sketching and sewing all day? Functional Art. Practicing and Performing all day? Audible Art. Art surrounds us and its people who completly disregard it amaze me, but not in the good way. I mean, I guess there are some people who just don't find visual art appealing or any art form for that matter, but that doesn't mean you can't appreciate it for what it is or how it was done or what it means or what its supposed to mean or even how long it took to create it.

That reminds me. Who has time to actually go and appriciate works these days? I mean the man has got people with their hands tied with work and homework and basic duties such as cleaning and cooking and responsibilities that sneaking away to the city to the MoMA or even the Natural History Museum (My personal favorite ever since I was a little girl) is like a bank hiest. I mean I would spend every minute looking at exhibits and really look at them but life is so hectic all the time its always on the back burner. And it's not fair. And I'm tired of this. In Europe, its so customary to just pop in a museum and really take it all in, but here (if it's even on the list to begin with) its after working and working out and eating and homework and showering and a TV show and those thousands of hours on facebook or something. JeezLouise, its a mad mad mad mad world out there!

4 comments:

  1. So many things get my blood boiling here. First, the fact that the teacher makes such an effort to approach a class in an interesting interdisciplinary way. I wish my AP English teacher cared that much... Second, that students one would expect to be less one-dimensional - what with being in an advanced class and all - are clearly not. Not surprised. I know it shouldn't bother me, but I do get bothered by the lack of a true appreciation for art in this country. Last century we had a president that put together the WPA to put artists to work - clearly a show of appreciation - but that could never happen now. We are seen as a frill.

    People go to the blockbuster museum exhibits - but are they there to appreciate the work, or just to say "I was there"? Sadly, I believe it is the latter. I get disgusted being pushed in crowded museums trying to look at what I love.

    Regarding the Europe comment... in just three trips to the UK, I have seen what I always assumed - there is a greater appreciation for art and museums and a pride in being cultured and educated. Why shoudl I be ashamed because I do not own an ipod or know how to work it, don't know what a Beyonce song sounds like and I did not see "The Hangover." But, I do know the difference between contemporary and Baroque music, know the difference between a Bosch and a Bruegel painting and so on. It just seems that that kind of knowledge gets you nowhere here.

    So go and vent... get made once in awhile... and make the time to go gallery-hopping in Chelsea - the galleries are free and there's nothing like seeing beautiful art by up and coming artists.... and then have a cappuccino or tea at a cute little cafe... :)

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  2. Anonymous2/25/2010

    You know what Katherine? I love you.

    And I've never been to the Natural History Museum, so let's damn the man and make time to go!

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  3. Mrs. Vasa, you're absolutly the best! As part of the generation who grew up with iPods and AIM and Beyonce, I'm pretty ashamed myself. Are all these technologic advances/plain old convience really worth losing touch with people/real beauty? Which reminds me, we never talked about England/Russia in depth!!!!!

    Ms. Cando, I love you tooooooo! What do you say to spending lazy saturdays in the city? The Natural History Museum is filled with all kinds of animals and I could give you a tour!!! Please say yes! Also: want to see Wolfman?

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  4. I was just thinking the same thing about the coversations yet to be had... we must make the time...

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