iFigure 1: Woman painting by Knox Martin
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Picasso has arrived in the Twin Cities! The Walker, long considered itself avant-garde, but losing attendance and revenues as a result, has learned to play smart and exhibits the genius’ work instead of their routine postmodern platitude.
Here in the high noon of gallery going, people get to be blessed once more in the magical vibration that is Alpha Art even though such reprieve is just a temporary fix.
That reminds me of the high charged solicitation for donation by “classical” MPR. Whenever they panhandle at Metropolitan Street Corner, it is sweet Mozart through the night and the air is filled with such indelible tenderness that you can cry! Fund-raising over, they simply switch back to their yearlong harsh, rude programs again. So each time they beg on air, I find myself unconsciously imitating the hyena, basking in the glory of my non-committal. A change of heart? When? When annoying noises are banned, noises by such as Wagner, Copeland and Stravinsky, Mahler, Gershwin and of course, the usual bunch of impostors who have found their way into public consciousness when Good Taste was asleep.
It is quite often in Music that the public realize this cold hard fact, that the field of genius is too narrow for the politics of diversities. People often respond better with their ears than eyes. It is in music that most people come back to their senses. But the sound wave is a more intrusive form of energy, it penetrates every fiber of your soul without your invitation. Less so with light wave,–you don’t have to pay attention to the art in a picture when your mind is somewhere else… .
Yes, the genius Picasso is the town’s celebration this Summer. He is more than a hundred years old but in actuality, ageless! A man for all seasons! No wonder all Academia is worked up to a frantic! A woman on Star Tribune– a certain Mary Abbe, even compared Jaspa Jons to Picasso!
Something don’t quite add up here, though. When I looked at Jaspa Jon’s work,– frankly, I first learned of Jaspa’s name on www.knoxmartin.com. As I glimpsed at the fellow’s work my eyes wailed,– for they had just been met with Untold Horror!
“Worse than a piece of shit!” I swore like a pig and my breakfast got stuck in the wind-pipe! Jaspa Jons had very nearly become my murderer that morning!
So how had good Mary Abbe arrived at her “critical analysis” that morning? How had she got to the stage of comparing Jaspa with Pablo?
Impostor Vs Genius?! Everything looks like a ball game to Mary! It is hard not to be like that in the cities of the Twins, the Timberwolves and the Vikings!
(Hey, what are the scores, Mary?)
More precisely, how had Mary gotten “worked up” by Genius Picasso in the first place?– Undeniable as a rule of gold, a person must be first worked up to a pitch, almost trance-like, with evidence of self-abandon,–endless inspiration –contemplation at Poetry, then intoxication and admiration,– before he/she could even talk about liking a Picasso? To those who have failed to see the “thing,” Picasso is only just bombs and barbed wires! (The usual misguided notion of the genius as revolutionary, etc… .)
And may I say to our learned friends the art historians who harbor that notion, seductively I say to them, “Hum Lun!” which means, “Kiss my ass!” in Cantonese.
Cantonese remains unchallenged as the world’s Best Rude Dialect! I always use it to express my amazement these days whenever I hear an utterance regarding art from our learned friends the art historians.
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“Simple,” Kate Lau explained, “Have you seen a woman feign orgasm?”–referring to the way Mary Abbe got “worked-up”.
Kate!!! the ultimate Woman’s Lib–the Woman’s Lib’s own Woman’s Lib!!!!
I squealed, pig-like again– but this time in utter glorification of Kate Lau’s triumph in her Alpha Seeing!
Even the Honorable Olson (an art gallery owner in Boring Twins Cities) would be amazed!
But Kate Lau’s artistic insights are always just perfect!
I have to agree with her: Mary A. had deliberately lied about her own feeling:– to herself as well as others, that she had been “worked up” by Picasso that morning. By that I mean legitimately inspired by the Picasso, or poetically intoxicated, or truly exulting in the thing that is the genius’ work.. . The evidence is overwhelming: she had been unable to tell the difference between the work of an artistic genius and that of an impostor!
It may be difficult to prove genius,–but impostors or counterfeit?– A piece of cake!
There is always the temptation to lie about your true feeling when looking at art!
“Truly great or otherwise?”
” Genius or impostor?”
Your eyes steal glances at your peers and you earnestly examine the price tag for a clue or research the reviews given by some charlatans no more feeling the Force than yourself! The next thing you know, Neighbor Ron, your brother-in-law Bruce, or Co-worker Maryjo will laugh at you senseless because you look like such a butt-head reacting to art and poetry! I don’t blame you! You must set up all that defense and follow your herd instincts. The herd instincts in you do not allow yourself to stand out from the crowd and become a laughing stock,–especially not when art and culture is concerned. You are determined not to be caught behaving “red-neck”- like in the eyes of the world. Lying and gambling has always been a survival defense strategy. The herd instincts definitely has a very strong hold on you, stronger than all of Metaphysical Forces in the universe! You decide to shoplift your own true feelings when no one is looking!
But not exactly, Mary Abbe! The Alpha Seer has been observing you this morning. You can hide but you cannot run–so said the great George Bush!
Napkin, anyone?
But is it inconsequential to be self-deceptive in this way? What price does it entail?
Look at the Postmodernists–compulsive liars,– hardened to the cores as they play the art gurus, High Priest or Emeritus Professors,–elected to become King of Fools and with” AWWs” and “AHHs” McKnight masturbated from his grave… .
Realities had been fabricated,– holes so dark and deep were dug,– and for those wretched souls–those holes are Eternal Dwelling!
Fabricated Realities, Vileness, Death Stars and all!
Visit any campus in America–indeed, call on the Academia all over, check out their websites and study their publications… . Are they not ALL playing to the tune of platitude, mistaken to be Fabulous Magic?
Life in Purgatory All ! Zombies on the Trek! Condemned to Lie more Painful than Die!
The Miserables!
With the deep so abysmal and dark so dismal, Oh, Woe to the Misbegottens!– thus have they twisted art into a situation from which cut and run is no longer possible!