mel jacobson on fri 11 jul 03
if you really think you know all about
a foreign country, or a culture, remember,
you may know nothing. a bit of knowledge can
really be a bad thing.
but, saying that...here i go.
all cultures have a vast variety of
cultural levels. that is the same in
japan. it has an extreme in art
culture, it has a kmart level of
culture. you don't ask the
first person you meet in america,
a salesperson in a mall...`what do you
feel about the aesthetic of the `trash can
school of art in america?, or, what was the
influence of milton avery on pop art?`
duh.
who? what you talking about dude?`
`see my new tatoo.`
i think you have to look at a cultures icons, and
history. we have to consider religion and education,
societal highs and lows.
japan historically has kept its icons in the arts. the
higher level of sophisticated people will collect fine
craft, swords, pottery. they will appreciate poetry
and fine music, historically aesthetic things. the numbers
of people in japan that appreciate fine art is much higher
than in many other cultures. it does not mean that the average
`tanaka` on the street gives a damn.
because of our lack of fine art as a cultural icon here in
america, the average person turns to `pop stars, and
athletic stars` as heros. the reality is, they mean nothing.
i did not discuss art with my `aunt charlotte`. she thought that
buying collectibles that were advertised in magazines was fine art.
she spent thousands of dollars collecting commemorative coins
and prints. it was all dumped in the trash when she died. it meant
nothing. she was not an icon of culture. she bought everything she
owned at montgomery wards. she was a typical american.
we do not judge our artistic culture by what the `aunt charlottes`
of the world would judge as good. we always look to well educated,
tasteful people for that information. the people that buy season tickets
to the opera, the symphony, and of course support art centers
and museums. we ask artists and crafts-people what they think.
professors of culture and art have respected things to say. we do
not accept everything, but it is a start.
the same philosophy would be used in japan. it just seems to
me that there is a higher proportion of folks in japan that love
aesthetic things, and will buy and support the arts. the country
has a history in doing just that. `hand made` still means a great
deal to japanese intellectuals. fine craft is admired and collected.
the japanese love of wooden objects alone testifies to a
higher culture.
pop culture is alive in well all over the world. billions of dollars
and yen are spent each year to promote and push it on
people. it takes strong willed folks to resist it. those trained
in the arts and have cultural ties will beat it back. but, remember
we are losing the fight.
it was interesting to note in a small article in the minneapolis
rag paper that the major symphonies in the united states
out drew the national football league in paid attendance.
(tv kicked their butts though.) it is good to note that many
classical music venues sell out. art museums are turning
away people...and the shows are in many cases are at record
levels...have an Impressionism show anyplace and you have
a line. many of the people that attend these shows are
`average folks`. i love to be at the minneapolis museum
and have the place jammed with people. (i actually go on
tuesday morning, just as the place opens..then i get
to have it to myself.) sunday is like being at a rock concert.
levels of culture, we have to be aware of the levels. we cannot
say things like...`japan is cultural`. it does not mean a thing.
japan has a level of culture that is very sophisticated and
understands aesthetics. europe stills has an elite society that
understands a high level of aesthetics. but, that culture is a small
slice out of a big pie.
here in america, we like to think we have a nice slice of culture
that is sophisticated....many of you right here on clayart think
that you know a thing or two. and, you do. and, for sure, it is
up to many of us to fight back against the philistine pop culture
that is invading us like a plague. and, it is a war.
i sell art, that is what i do. every day i am selling art. i do it
at my morning work out with seniors, i do it every day. i sell
art to everyone i meet. i sell art to guests in my home. i try
and set an example of `the love of craft and fine art`. we display
our best pots and paintings, prints...and we use hand made things
all the time. our guests are often stunned that we `live our art`.
`hey, mel, are you serving food in that 500 year old pot?`
`of course`, that was the intention of the maker...hold food`.
i just don't put it in the dishwasher.
(i actually changed sinks in my kitchen because i dropped
a great pot and it broke on the cast iron....took it out a week later
and replaced it with stainless steel....it bounces pots.)
that was a seven hundred dollar exchange...but i would not
have a sink that killed pottery.
sell art, what a concept. sell craft, what a concept.
it is our job. it is our dedication, it is what makes us
get up in the morning and face the world.
whining about why folks don't buy your art and pots is stupid.
get out and sell. take pride in your work, make stuff that people
will love. brown is good, but, so is porcelain with pink glaze.
just do it with taste. and, if you do not have any taste, what
are doing making art?
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
psci_kw on fri 11 jul 03
----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"
To:
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2003 5:06 AM
Subject: japan/art/society (long)
> (i actually changed sinks in my kitchen because i dropped
> a great pot and it broke on the cast iron....took it out a week later
> and replaced it with stainless steel....it bounces pots.)
> that was a seven hundred dollar exchange...but i would not
> have a sink that killed pottery.
>
Mel, you could have saved yourself $699 by simply getting a rubber mat for
the bottom of the sink, or $700 even by simply putting a folded towel in
the bottom of that cast iron one. I too dislike things that kill pots, kids
and pets aside. But as one gets older, one finds ways around problems.
So too with popular culture. Just because we are inundated with it (and it
is everywhere, TV, radio, most print media, even here on the 'Net) does not
mean that we must succumb to it. Adhering to a higher standard will always
make you stand out in a crowd. It might not make you extremely popular
(except with those who recognise quality for what it is truly worth) but it
will make you noticed. Always. And "marketing" is not an evil either. One
can choose to market one's work to the swarming masses (a friend with a
sharp tongue calls them the "worker bees") or one can settle for less
production, and market to a higher quality "patron". Just how many of the
swarms do you think spend $140,000 for a Voulkous plate? Sometimes it is
simply a matter of stepping back, taking a deep breath, and looking from a
different angle.
Wayne in Key West FL
>
>
>
>
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
> or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
> new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on fri 11 jul 03
...and as for us over 'here'...
Grab a root an' dig...
Phil
lasvegas
----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"
To:
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2003 2:06 AM
Subject: japan/art/society (long)
> if you really think you know all about
> a foreign country, or a culture, remember,
> you may know nothing. a bit of knowledge can
> really be a bad thing.
>
> but, saying that...here i go.
>
> all cultures have a vast variety of
> cultural levels. that is the same in
> japan. it has an extreme in art
> culture, it has a kmart level of
> culture. you don't ask the
> first person you meet in america,
> a salesperson in a mall...`what do you
> feel about the aesthetic of the `trash can
> school of art in america?, or, what was the
> influence of milton avery on pop art?`
> duh.
> who? what you talking about dude?`
> `see my new tatoo.`
>
> i think you have to look at a cultures icons, and
> history. we have to consider religion and education,
> societal highs and lows.
>
> japan historically has kept its icons in the arts. the
> higher level of sophisticated people will collect fine
> craft, swords, pottery. they will appreciate poetry
> and fine music, historically aesthetic things. the
numbers
> of people in japan that appreciate fine art is much higher
> than in many other cultures. it does not mean that the
average
> `tanaka` on the street gives a damn.
>
> because of our lack of fine art as a cultural icon here in
> america, the average person turns to `pop stars, and
> athletic stars` as heros. the reality is, they mean
nothing.
>
> i did not discuss art with my `aunt charlotte`. she
thought that
> buying collectibles that were advertised in magazines was
fine art.
> she spent thousands of dollars collecting commemorative
coins
> and prints. it was all dumped in the trash when she died.
it meant
> nothing. she was not an icon of culture. she bought
everything she
> owned at montgomery wards. she was a typical american.
>
> we do not judge our artistic culture by what the `aunt
charlottes`
> of the world would judge as good. we always look to well
educated,
> tasteful people for that information. the people that buy
season tickets
> to the opera, the symphony, and of course support art
centers
> and museums. we ask artists and crafts-people what they
think.
> professors of culture and art have respected things to
say. we do
> not accept everything, but it is a start.
>
> the same philosophy would be used in japan. it just seems
to
> me that there is a higher proportion of folks in japan
that love
> aesthetic things, and will buy and support the arts. the
country
> has a history in doing just that. `hand made` still means
a great
> deal to japanese intellectuals. fine craft is admired and
collected.
> the japanese love of wooden objects alone testifies to a
> higher culture.
>
> pop culture is alive in well all over the world. billions
of dollars
> and yen are spent each year to promote and push it on
> people. it takes strong willed folks to resist it. those
trained
> in the arts and have cultural ties will beat it back.
but, remember
> we are losing the fight.
>
> it was interesting to note in a small article in the
minneapolis
> rag paper that the major symphonies in the united states
> out drew the national football league in paid attendance.
> (tv kicked their butts though.) it is good to note that
many
> classical music venues sell out. art museums are turning
> away people...and the shows are in many cases are at
record
> levels...have an Impressionism show anyplace and you have
> a line. many of the people that attend these shows are
> `average folks`. i love to be at the minneapolis museum
> and have the place jammed with people. (i actually go on
> tuesday morning, just as the place opens..then i get
> to have it to myself.) sunday is like being at a rock
concert.
>
> levels of culture, we have to be aware of the levels. we
cannot
> say things like...`japan is cultural`. it does not mean a
thing.
> japan has a level of culture that is very sophisticated
and
> understands aesthetics. europe stills has an elite
society that
> understands a high level of aesthetics. but, that culture
is a small
> slice out of a big pie.
>
> here in america, we like to think we have a nice slice of
culture
> that is sophisticated....many of you right here on clayart
think
> that you know a thing or two. and, you do. and, for
sure, it is
> up to many of us to fight back against the philistine pop
culture
> that is invading us like a plague. and, it is a war.
>
> i sell art, that is what i do. every day i am selling
art. i do it
> at my morning work out with seniors, i do it every day. i
sell
> art to everyone i meet. i sell art to guests in my home.
i try
> and set an example of `the love of craft and fine art`.
we display
> our best pots and paintings, prints...and we use hand made
things
> all the time. our guests are often stunned that we `live
our art`.
> `hey, mel, are you serving food in that 500 year old pot?`
> `of course`, that was the intention of the maker...hold
food`.
> i just don't put it in the dishwasher.
>
> (i actually changed sinks in my kitchen because i dropped
> a great pot and it broke on the cast iron....took it out a
week later
> and replaced it with stainless steel....it bounces pots.)
> that was a seven hundred dollar exchange...but i would not
> have a sink that killed pottery.
>
> sell art, what a concept. sell craft, what a concept.
> it is our job. it is our dedication, it is what makes us
> get up in the morning and face the world.
>
> whining about why folks don't buy your art and pots is
stupid.
> get out and sell. take pride in your work, make stuff
that people
> will love. brown is good, but, so is porcelain with pink
glaze.
> just do it with taste. and, if you do not have any taste,
what
> are doing making art?
> mel
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
> or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
> new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
>
>
____________________________________________________________
__________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your
subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached
at melpots@pclink.com.
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