Scottish artist Anthony Schrag exhibited the Bible as part of Made in God’s Image at the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, inviting the audience, specifically gays and lesbians, to “write their way back” into the Word.
(Story here.)
Schrag:
Some artists make things – I think my creative urge comes from more destructive places..
When scrawled commentary proved to be (no surprise) robustly negative,
organizers bowed to complaints by putting the Bible behind glass and inviting spectators to participate by writing on blank sheets of paper.
Not close to the same thing, and not enough to reassure the Pope. He called Schrag’s project “offensive and disgusting” and added:
They would not think of doing it to the Koran.
If he’d stopped at offensive and disgusting, fair enough. He’s the Pope. It’s his job to defend the Bible. But the second sentence represents him better. He’s right, of course. Few would hazard open commentary on a Koran. Why? Pure fear. The radical fringe of the Muslim faith defends its orthodoxy with car bombs, guns and beheadings. Is the Pope jealous? Does he long for the days when popes silenced the critical with burnings at the stake?
Michael Kimmelman bemoans the moment: After spending what he called an idle morning watching people drift through the Louvre, seeing few stop to stare, Kimmelman contrasted our crude age with an educated one, long gone:
Travelers who took the Grand Tour across Europe during the 18th century
spent months and years learning languages, meeting politicians,
philosophers and artists and bore sketchbooks in which to draw and
paint — to record their memories and help them see better.
The fair comparison isn’t the one he makes, between the 18th century audience and the 21st’s. It’s between the most ratified upper crust and the middle classes who can and do go to art museums today. If he’d framed his essay in those terms, his point would have disappeared.
In the real world, more people are looking at art than ever. What do they think of it? I wouldn’t presume to guess, especially not after spending a morning watching them in the Louvre.
Kimmelman is a fine writer, flawlessly smooth, but frequently I find myself disagreeing with every sentence, every word, including the a’s and the the’s.
Kimmelman:
Visiting museums has always been about self-improvement.
There he goes again, speaking for everybody. I go to get out of my skin, to hear my brain click, for pleasure and passion and connection. When I want to improve myself, I go to the gym.
Kimmelman’s story here. Edward Winkleman called the piece a “thoughtful reflection,” here, which is exactly what it is not.
Other links:
Chuck Berry and the homing instinct from Go Head On! here. Bob Hicks wrote nice profile of Oregon artist Rick Bartow, here. From Eyeteeth, rightwing street art, otherwise known as fat cats in the hood, here. Roberta Smith on the Rococo phase of street art, here.
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