The Chihuly was one of the early basket-form pieces.  I recall in one
episode Frazier has to instruct someone on how to dust "the Chihuly."  

There were 2 Frazier episodes dealing directly with contemporary art:
one where F. purchased an abstract painting by a well-respected
contemporary artist from a gallery only to find it had actually been
painted by someone else, and one where Frazier feels obliged to admire
an awful painting in a restaurant and his father, thinking the
admiration is real, purchases it for him.  There were other art-related
subplots in Frazier, such as one where Niles has to pay for the cleaning
of a painting that he accidentally spilled food on at a gallery opening.

Also, to those who noted that Diane from Cheers didn't paint, there is
one Frazier episode where he is mentally confronting his past
girlfriends and Diane is in the corner with a smock and beret, painting
a portrait of Sam.

Julia Muney Moore
Public Art Administrator
Blackburn Architects, Indianapolis, IN
(317) 875-5500 x230
 



-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Janzen <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Jun 30, 2005 10:42 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Sitcoms, fine art & TV anthropology

Julia and Jay,

Very true. I would like to have seen what form of Chihuly they picked
for
him, or that Dr. Crane would have picked. Chihuly is one of those
artists
who managed to achieve artistic fame without losing sight of the real
goal...huge piles of cash. Although no longer considered very avant
garde,
he still sells every piece that leaves his factory, largely before they
are
even made, with a mile long waiting list. Quite the racket for an artist
who often does not touch or see the art before it is shipped. I am
personally wondering what in the world we are going to do with all these
chandeliers and glass ceilings in a decade or two. That said, I would
still
love to have a nice small piece for myself.

Such a study of the art used in sitcoms might be very interesting.There
was
always art on the walls of the Brady home, including the kids rooms.
Mindy
had fairly good taste in art for what little room there was on the
walls,
but I do not think Mork had anything in the attic. There was tons of
stuff
on the walls of Jack Tripper's apartment, as well as the Roper's.
Judging
by the way the art rarely changes throughout the series, I would guess
it
was not a big concern. Then again, how many of us rotate the art on our
walls every six months?

Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850


 

             Jay Heuman

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             06/29/2005 06:07

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Julia -- Excellent point of discussion.

I'm perfectly willing to toss out word that, to my utter disappointment,
Dr.
Frazier Crane was chutzpadik (nervy?) to have a Chihuly.  One might have
thought such an aesthete would have less popular taste.  While some art
historians/educators may view Chihuly as "low brow," the general public
is
often in awe of Chihuly.  Seeing it in Dr. Frazier Crane's abode
translates
to his being a connoisseur of "fine" or "high" art.

Of course, this forces us to confront the truth about the fiction about
the
truth of television sitcoms and their characters.  Characters are
assigned
specific traits to be different from, yet objects of sympathy for, a
mass
audience.  "We" should be able to identify aspects of ourselves in them
--
yet they are quirky.  Sometimes, they do what we would do, react as we
would; other times, they do not.  There's just enough tension of
uncertainty
to keep us watching and laughing at the expected and unexpected.

But imagine going back to the original family sitcoms and working your
way
through with an analysis of their household decoration and/or artwork .
. .

For example:

     "Father Knows Best" . . . as expected, standard landscape.
     [See photo entitled "Robert Young and Jane Wyatt" on

www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/960/sort/2/cat/797/p
age/

3]

     "The Honeymooners" . . . You'd be had-pressed to find anything
     other than dish towels and kitchen implements.  [See photo in
     lower left on

www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/965/sort/2/cat/799/p
age/

5]

For those more pedantic than I, visit www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/
for
pictures from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, etc. all the way to the newest
comedies
like "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Stacked."

This should result in fun discussion . . .

Best wishes all,

Jay Heuman
Curator of Education
Salt Lake Art Center
20 South West Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84101

T 801-328-4201
F 801-322-4323
E [log in to unmask]
W http://www.slartcenter.org





On 6/29/05 4:15 PM, "Julia Moore" <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> I have always wanted to write a thesis on the portrayal of
contemporary
> art in the history of American sitcoms.  Just about every sitcom I
have
> seen (and I am a fan of the genre if they are intelligently written)
has
> had at least one episode dedicated to the topic, and some keep
returning
> to it. I think it's very important for those of us who work in the
field
> to understand what the prevailing attitudes are about what we do in
> order to adjust how we present and interpret it.
> If this is the place for such a discussion, someone start it.
> Julia Muney Moore
> Public Art Administrator
> Blackburn Architects, Indianapolis, IN
> (317) 875-5500 x230

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