I think it would be a terrible mistake to stop condemning close-minded
politicians.

However, I do agree that there is a lot to be said for explanations.  I
would suggest, however, that it is less the responsibility of Renee Cox to
explain just what she means by "Yo Mama's Last Supper," than it is the
responsibility of the curatorial organization to provide some
explanation/justification for objects in an exhibition that are likely to be
controversial.  There are a number of ways to do this -- and I imagine with
a little brainstorming, new ways could be imagined.

Jay is sending this discussion in a direction not unlike that taken by a
recent discussion about art, deemed by some to be offensive, that was
displayed in a community-college setting.  At that time I weighed in with an
anecdote about an exhibition at the community college where I taught.  That
exhibition was all but covered with red flags that said, "Interpret this for
your audience or suffer the consequences." They chose not to provide
meaningful interpretation, there was a great hue and cry, and the artist
(much to the administration's relief) closed his own show before either his
art works, or his family who lived in the area, could suffer an attack.

And you know something else (returning to my original point)?  Artists are
often NOT the best person to articulate the intent behind a certain work of
art.  They're pretty good on process, often, but rarely on intent and
meaning.  I spent a year working with graduating art college seniors who
were writing their "artist statements."  I was unsurprised by the
incomprehensible babble they produced, having long been a reader of artist
statements written by accomplished and commercially successful  artists.  I
was touched, however, by their appreciation of the question-and-answer
process (essentially the process I use to interview an artist when I will be
the one to write the prose) we used to help them organize their own
thoughts, focus on a few truly key issues, and craft a statement that would
offer something to any viewer, however non-art-literate, trying to grapple
with the work.

I think the art establishment in general is invested in keeping itself a
closed society.  It seems that too many of us like feeling special and
superior, and especially like any opportunity to demonstrate our specialness
and superiority in a way that makes others feel stupid.  I think we would be
wise to get over it.  Of course, if the curatorial intention is to provoke
the ire of much of the general public....

But I don't think we should be letting any member of the status quo and the
powerful off the hook.

Ellen B. Cutler
LNB Associates - Writing, Editing, Proofreading, Researcb Services
Aberdeen, MD


----- Original Message -----
From: Jay Heuman <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 1:46 PM
Subject: Re: Giuliani's At It Again!


> Hi Indigo Night et all:
>
>         It also bears noting that theory has provided numerous
explanations of
> the person represented in Leonardo's famed Mona Lisa.  Whether it is man
> or woman, masculine or feminine, matters little.  Such are impositions
> from without, not necessarily intentions from within.  Regardless, the
> Mona Lisa has nothing whatsoever to do with the Brooklyn Museum of Art
> and Rudy Guliani -- except to demonstrate "rhetorical skill" and muddy
> the water.
>
>         Objections to the photograph of Jesus as a nude woman are based on
some
> people's set notions -- based on theology (not theosophy).  The artists
> is, seemingly, attempting to communicate a message about which everyone
> but the artist is unclear.  The controversy continues because of to the
> artist's silence on the matter -- rather than explain the message, she
> (and the Brooklyn Museum of Art) hide behind the First Amendment which
> is well within their legal rights . . . but wins little public support
> beyond the "artistic community."
>         Certainly, one may follow the logical argument set forth in "The
> Intentional Fallacy" (1948) by Wimsatt & Beardsley: If the artist can
> put their message into words, why would they produce artwork.  (W & B
> write about poetry in their essay, but their argument is equally
> applicable to painting, sculpture, photography, etc.)  After all, aren't
> works of art -- whether conventional or subversive -- are intended to be
> thought/theory made visible and tangible?
>         However, the entire "art community" suffers a blow every time some
> controversial artist doesn't take the opportunity to explain their
> intentions.  At least talking to the media continues dialogue in the
> public forum which is better than the dictatorial dialogue Guliani has
> proposed (i.e., a panel to review standards).  So, I think everyone
> should stop condemning close-minded politicians and start condemning
> "close-mouthed" artists.
>
> Sincerely,
> Jay Heuman
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> > Behalf Of Indigo Nights
> > Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 12:12 pm
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Giuliani's At It Again!
> >
> >
> > Well, it bears noting that, the last time I took an
> > Art History course (back in 1991), the prevailing
> > understanding of the day that the woman known as Mona
> > Lisa was really a man--the artist Leonardo (the
> > narcisist) himself!
>
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