But is it Art?

Yeah, I had my rant about contemporary art. I should probably explain what bothers me so much about it.  Bates Motel on Sunset in Silverlake, everything whitewashed, even the trees.

Once upon a time, art was a well respected profession. People would apprentice in an artist studio, learn the tricks of the trade from a master.  As their skills increased many would move on, open their own studios and try and get clients of their own.  The patron would have to be someone with a lot of money – like the Church, or wealthy businessmen, at some point government got in on the gig – especially when they saw how well art works as a propaganda tool.This old derelict motel is the Sunset Pacific, but being on the corner of Bates street and being very creepy looking, it became known as the Bates Motel – once it was no longer accepting paying guests. (Vagrants used it of course)

By the late 19th c. the hierarchy of studios and approved art institutions started breaking down. Think Impressionism or Van Gough,  the outsiders wanted in! Government became even more powerful, think Nazi Germany and their art propaganda. Their classification of unsanctioned art as  Degenerate Art did more for expat German artists than any positive publicity ever could.Keeping everyone out of the property meant a chain link fence and some pretty vicious looking razor wire.

Suddenly the art world was blown wide open, and the term art was applied to anything, if you called what you created, Art, this is was wrong and judgmental to deny your claim. Of course there still have to be powerful forces making a lot of money out of all this vast creative output. Enter Art schools – where learning technique is meaningless, but learning jargon, pseudo-phylosophies and making sure that what you create has a message – preferably an angry anti society one – became a must in this new industry.  All this must be supported by snooty galleries, curators and museums who are horrified by the notion that art could edify or even just be pretty.  Not all beauty is art, sometimes interesting shapes and textures are just that, something that make it worth your while to stop and look, just because.

We’ve seen a glut of lawyers desperately trying to ways to make a living in a very crowded field. The same has happened with artists, although more so. The art schools are churning out more ‘artists’ every year, only a few can come back to make money off teaching the next years crop of students. So many go out, find a cheap place to ‘create’ and within a few years disappear, since bills must be paid. Others are successful, they get exhibitions, they sell their commissions to cities and businesses who want to appear hip and in the know. And of course there is are all those people who have disposable income and the best way to show their success is to create an art collection. Preferably one that doesn’t cost too much money, so supporting some young unknown does two things. Makes you more than just a philistine, you are now part of the literati elite, and you are supporting ART!.Everything gets covered by this lime wash, even the palm trees. We are told that this will do them no harm and it will gradually wear off. Who told us? The artist, not an arborist who actually knows about trees.

So 20 years this site has been sitting empty, now it is owned by a developer who will tear it down and build a large apartment complex on the site. Silverlake is one of the hippest and now expensive neighborhoods in LA.And if in the process of creating ‘art’ your work spills over and obscures a city owned street sign, oh well, maybe the city should be ‘proud’ to be included.Can I just say that it warms my heart to see that stubborn weeds managed to avoid the lime wash.Spraying everything white has a way of highlighting the shapes and textures. Not to mention that against a bright blue LA sky, it all looks marvelous.

Of course the neighbors are upset, they don’t want a big apartment complex. Really what they should be asking for is a new modern hotel. One thing Silverlake doesn’t have is any hotels. Sure that is a great boon to the AirBnB industry, but they could survive very well even with a large hotel on Sunset Blvd.  Look at downtown, every week a new project is starting for either more apartments or hotels.

I’m probably giving the impression that I don’t like what was done here. Wrong!  I actually love it, I think it’s a great use of the space until it gets torn down. What I don’t like is calling this art. Come up with a new term.  We are all conditioned to think that if it’s art then it is elevated and important. There is a lot of creativity and beauty in the world that just is, because we as humans have the need to be creative.I have a love hate relationship with graffiti, I’m really torn. I happen to really like this – and since it is anonymous I guess we can’t call it art. It is ‘defacing’ public property, but I admit, I like it.  This lamp pole is right next to the big white installation, and both is their way are pleasing to me.

As to the artist, go google him yourself,  next weekend he will be at the site and there will be a grand opening of this project.

And so now you know in a nutshell, why I won’t call myself an artist. I’m simply not one. I’m a very creative crafter, I love making beautiful things to share with people in my life.

I’m not expecting the literati to ever consider crafts worthy of their attention unless the word art is attached. That is fine by me, in my world I get a lot of accolades for the work I do and thats’ the way I like it.