I remember an episode of "The Cosby Show" where Claire &/or Cliff purchased an expensive painting (of black people, by a black artist) and hung it over the mantel in the living room. One of the kids made the mistake of telling a friend how much it cost, and got made fun of for being a rich kid. I think the episode's "lesson" was more about money and modesty than it was about African-American art, but it highlighted the pride that this black family had in their culture, also evident in the music featured in various episodes, always by black jazz/R&B musicians. I think other art in the house was also African or African-American.
Margo Edwards
Curator, Avient Museum Services
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-----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
<jayh@SLARTCENTER
.ORG> To
Sent by: Museum [log in to unmask]
discussion list cc
<[log in to unmask]
SE.LSOFT.COM> Subject
Sitcoms, fine art & TV anthropology
06/29/2005 06:07
PM
Please respond to
Museum discussion
list
<[log in to unmask]
SE.LSOFT.COM>
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/page/
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/page/
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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