Another place I use to spend time writing was in a few different online Art forums. There was a person there that I often became aggravated with named Merrell. In fact, one of my arguments with Merrell actually became an article that was published in the art magazine 'Angelo' back in the fall of 2007. I saved some of my responses to him and thought I'd share a few under the title: Meritless Merrell in case you ever find yourself needing to argue a variety of art related idiocies.
Meritless Merrell #1 - Merrell wants to regulate art.
Merrill: Wow, what a novel idea. We, as a society could regulate art! Brilliant! We could petition the government to create a new office, known as the FAD - Federal Arts Department. Yeeeaaaah! Great idea! They could create a great big rubber stamp and an equally large, red ink stamp pad that would be employed to mark “100% Federally Approved Art” across every canvas & sculpture which is deemed as such. Of course I say canvas and sculpture because under this umbrella of control they could easily eliminate all that other crap that isn’t really art anyway, you know the kind: video installations, fiber projects, performance art, music etc. Why has no one thought of this before? This is pure genius! The public could go out for an afternoon visit to their locally ‘approved’ gallery and view row after row of perfect apples, bananas, trees, horses and faces. With your idea we can completely eliminate all expression from art, after all no one wants to be forced to have to think, or feel, or relate anyway, perfect! Approved artists could get their “official” artist license after passing the “Can you draw like this…test” and undergoing a rigorous federally approved “Acceptable Methods” course where they learn the correct way to paint that bowl of fruit, landscape, and portrait. Gone would be the worthless imaginative pieces that conjure up those uncomfortable “feelings” that apparently people don’t want anyway. Completely wipe-out anything that a “certified artist” or “certified gallery” deems unworthy. You should start writing that proposal asap and get back with me if you’d like me to interject additionally on the concept or to help design the rubber stamp….I’ve got a few ideas.
