I love a good complaint because I think there's room for reasoning... And after the Grammys a successful art show and such. I think I am line for a bitch fest. So put on your helmets, your goggles and leave ears open!
I am a visual artist in the music industry that has worked with amazing talent from local bands to legends. Some you've heard of and some you haven't but most of it you've heard some how some where. I have worked with visual artists from all levels - over the past few years and if you wanna reach back to my Nexus days - I worked on one of Radcliffe Bailey's first installments. I think after almost 16 years chasing musicians I can say I am a veteran. I don't think about myself that way but...I'd like think I know a thing or two about the importance of art and how it gets under your skin.
I remember from a young age, I would watch all the music shows and then afterwards write my acceptance speech. I was 10 folks. But I wanted to be Elton John, Billy Joel, Linda Ronstadt, Pat Benetar and Blondie all wrapped up in one. I have always thought if the song doesn't move me then forget it. Sometimes it wins me over note by note but not all the time. I looked the credits over to see who wrote what and if I loved the song I went back and found THAT songwriters stuff and listened to it - I would read over their lyrics see how poetic it got.
As a visual artist, I would do the same thing. I was drawn to color, texture, composition and if it moved me I'd stand there for a long time. I like work from abstract to photos - the work doesn't matter as long as the eye is good. It could be the worse colors but the composition would grab me. I thought concert photography was brilliant - capturing that second - from a 2 hour show get that inner thought on the outward face. I love layered work, I love political work - I get it more so than most because I don't know...actually - but when some one else doesn't I respect it.
And I am also an art director - so I see it the pain and joy of being in a gallery and the hardship it is to get out there and present it. It takes alot of guts. The effort to get it all together no one understands the process than artist. It's like a music show... the same process different medium.
So why do not care about the quality? One word - Acceptance.
What I am getting at is - do we care anymore - I know alot of you will argue this and or agree - but as a whole group of people. I don't think we do. That's what is missing from art- not the creating spirits but the ones that come and see. As I watched the Grammys and the Allman's - Beach Boys - Sir Paul Mc - it was interesting on two parts: 1-we aren't paying attention to the main center of it all -human connection and 2-we are cheapening something we all take seriously - our record collection...
I don't think he (Dave Grohl) was putting down the creative spirit just how it's presented wrapped up and thrown at us... either you catch it or you don't. If you gonna be creative be honest about it. If you wank a note fine... I think as a society whole - we see that as failure. When it just shows you're human. That's why Adele put everyone in their place with her voice problems after she put out her album - she couldn't do a thing. But the music spoke for her until she was healed. We are so pressured to be perfect all the time when we misspell we go back and *correct* ourselves. Dave feels like alot of artists that we are not connecting anymore. As humans with any medium. And it's not just the successful ones - uber rich - it's all over the map.
it's a fear of confidence a fear of failure a fear of losing... that's what life is about and as a creative spirit we are very vulnerable to that emotion.
So as art comes and goes, we as creative spirits, there are moments as viewers and artist where we attach our selves to that moment. And when it doesn't go the way we wanted it to go - and we let it make us, creative spirits, get miserable. Then you hear speeches like Dave Grohl's last night - saying folks it's a human thing to give you this - art - this creative thing that makes you feel - so please let us feel that too from you. There's a certain energy that comes from an audience to the artist that makes the creativity flow out. That's probably why Bruce Springsteen's shows are long... the energy is a conversation that won't stop.
As for visual art people are people just not into it anymore? Is there too much going on for our senses to stop?
So start caring about what you listen to and watch and view and read... it's important for us that created it because it's our spirit that is getting thrown about.
