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Everyone wonders
at some point in their life what is art
besides being a simple fun-loving activity that sets ordinary
people apart
from animals and certain
money hungry corporate types
that love high-profile art investments loaded with provenance
hype
inflating auction prices
that confuse and confound the average person
when it's sold to a rich fool who believes the economic situation
will never worsen
so the art will sustain
it's astronomical price according to a cultural interest evening
news story
following a 3'rd world natural disaster bulletin who's images
are edited to be less gory
in order to leave the
impression that the suffering masses situation is not that dire
so the viewer will not be jarred when the anchor shifts the
focus back on to the major art buyer
who purchased an extremely
important piece as it's called in the contemporary art world
scene
something that's been written about extensively in a big, fancy,
high-gloss art magazine
featuring articles that
defend the arts god-like influence
with an incomprehensible art language describing the art as
a singular cultural confluence
granting the art high
cultural value even though it looks like nonsense
mainly to impress the high -brow museum curators who thrive
on such pretense
because it's their job
to relentlessly redefine art quality in a brave new manner
as well as launching careers of fresh-faced M.F.A.s waving their
graduation banner
who have written their
thesis papers to prove their claim
that the rooster of art history should include their name
so they can quit teaching
boring art subjects at a mediocre university
and engage on a full-time basis all their artistic perversity
with time left over to
mingle at art openings and cocktail parties
perhaps even get invited for a free lunch at Sardi's
to be persuaded to donate
an art piece as a fundraiser for an international charity
devoted to closing the 3'rd worlds modern art appreciation gap
disparity
thereby granting the
title to this artist as one who is world renowned
who's body of work is fated by the god's to travel around
to notable art institutions
eager to show the work of a rising star
with a splashy opening for the patrons who love exotic food
and a generous open bar
thereby boosting the
reputation of this artist from just being locally known
to an international star who is no longer accessible by cell
phone
instead appointments
must be made by the artists agent or dealer
while the artist is on retreat working with a psychic healer
to unblock the creative
flow that generously provided a comfortable lifestyle
which included, nice car, clothes and expensive dental work
for an Oscar night winning smile
that no longer masks
the polluted memories of the artists youth
made tolerable with prescription drugs downed with volumes of
Vermouth
or an assortment of other
popular drugs cheap and available
who's excessive use causes long-term artistic goals to become
unclear and less attainable
as well as eroding the
artists skills and abilities needed to be productive
but not those that invent the creative excuses that justify
not being constructive
then as the weeks, months
and years pass without anything new to show
it's blamed on the never ending list of errands to finish constantly
crippling the art flow
resulting in less and
less time spent in the studio making art
with a diminishing need to be creative thwarting every attempt
to start
barely comforted by the
fact that the same situation is faced by and old rival
coping with similar circumstances threatening their artistic
survival
all the while jealously
observing younger artists new work emerging
cleverly engaging new technologies that keep their art careers
surging
often aided by a mysterious
trust fund providing financial assistance
enabling their creative process to flourish without emotional
resistance
or it's a dedicated spouse
with a steady income paying the bills
grudgingly participating in the artistic lifestyle with all
its potential thrills
still many other artists
wait till they retire to indulge in their artistic muse
which they feebly attempt to find after reading the morning
news
then wandering through
the house in their pajamas looking for inspiration
enjoying a cup of coffee but distracted by their chronic constipation
and disappointed that
the art piece they submitted to the local art show was rejected
when it was very obvious their work as well as a few others
deserved to be selected
in particular were the
three prize winners who's work at the opening everyone was detesting
when it was obvious there were other more deserving pieces so
much more visually arresting
not chosen by the juror
who's impressive qualifications now appear in doubt
even though they are an art school graduate who's alumni have
a lot of art industry clout
nonetheless the artist
will keep submitting work for the next local art show exhibition
like so many other artists neurotically in denial about their
suffocating creative inhibition
that prevents them from
realizing a truly unique personal vision
churning deep in their subconscious waiting to be released with
a single mind-blowing decision
potentially undermining
the comfortable perceptions about their esthetic reality
and causing a sudden dangerous realization to emerge that their
art is saturated with banality
but lovingly appreciated
by friends and family who massage the artists ego with enthusiastic
compliments
while gently suggesting that the artists ongoing deeply rooted
depression can be helped with new age supplements
or somehow the problem
is related to the artists day job, position, or meager salary
instead of the ugly fact that the artist is not represented
by a real art gallery
who's business is to
sell the artists creations to their art buying clientele
by convincing them it's a good investment they could easily
resell
when they downsize their
excessive living quarters after they have retired
then moving into their smaller country home to liquidate the
collection of art they have acquired
or donate a certain piece
to a museum for the lucrative tax break
unless of course what their donating happens to be a fabulously
convincing fake
that for years proudly
hung in their home in a very extra special place
stimulating very interesting conversation with quests by the
arts elegance and grace
especially when the delicate
question arose as to what this trophy piece cost
except that now it simply represents how much money they stupidly
lost
when they could have
supported the work of a contemporary artist who's work is totally
unknown
who has labored exhaustively for years developing a body of
work that's rarely been shown
an artist who has boldly
explored many experimental stylistic directions
while consistently maintaining a level of craftsmanship in all
the artists multiple perfections
boldly injected with
design concepts that contain a universal message with spiritual
meaning
as well as criticizing pop consumer culture's obsessions with
fast food and toilet bowl cleaning
all carefully stored
at the artists home in flat files, closets, attic and garage
with some art pieces on display on every available wall in a
kaleidoscopic visual barrage
who's art the artist
has already accepted and written into a will
that all the artists inventory of art like 99% of all other
artists work after they die will be dumped into the local landfill
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