Keeping it real

I went to an artist talk up at Moore tonight with Nato Thompson and Zoe Strauss. The theme of the talk was about supposedly something about globalization... but Nato used a mantra of "keeping it real" and the importance of that within art. Artists expose the real.

And i formed some thoughts and ideas about this idea of "the real" afterwards... First of all, I believe this is why I prefer Philadelphia over New York. Philly is just more real. New York is too full of itself and keeping up the appearance of being America's greatest city. But Philly is more like....fuck it, we know we suck but we love this city anyway. I mean, just look at our sports teams!

But back to art... part of my struggle with creating art is finding a topic worth talking about. I struggle a lot in grad school finding that topic. I was really interested in trying to do something with street art but the reason i didn't was cause anything I came up with didn't feel real enough. Not to mention, when I first got into street art back in 2005, it was still somewhat underground but it had already been happening for quite some time. And now, it's very much entered into mainstream. So not only is it hard to find something that hasn't already been said or said enough, but the act of rebellion is not considered so rebellious anymore. Nato talked about a club that would let punk bands play but as soon as they signed with a label they weren't allowed to play there anymore. There is this point of once someone or an idea is sold-out and becomes commercialized/institutionalized, it loses it's edge and interest. It loses its realness. Everyone knows who Shepard Fairey is. Wait no. Everyone has heard of OBEY. They may not know that Shepard Fairey is the artist behind it or why he started it but they know it's "cool" and they'll wear t-shirts while ironically they are falling into the trap that Shepard was trying to warn us about in the first place.

So what can you do with street art now? It started as a rebellion. Art for the people by the people. It was a warning. Beware of mass consumerism forcing you into buying products and ideas. But it's turned on itself.

But isn't that what all art movements have been? They start out fresh and radical. They rebel against the ideas that came before them. They're ignored or villainized at first. But that outsideness, the left of center attitude seduces the young crowd. Somehow. Eventually. Perhaps because the young crowd grows up and gets to make their own choices of what they consider good art. Or perhaps the system accepts them in order to recreate order and make money off the youth. Either way. The art that was once outside, becomes inside. And then it starts all over again.

So what's the next step? What would be the rebellion this time? I don't know. Which is why I've had such a hard time figuring out what to do with my art. I don't want to do somethign that going to be just another drop in the bucket. But do i want to be the one that defines the next movement in art?! That's an awfully idealistic and precarious goal. I don't think I really want that kind of responsibility. Nor am I in much of a position to make such a direction.

Sometimes I think I just want to sit and draw pretty pictures. But then what's that? Oh, here's a landscape with some happy little trees. But so what? Maybe some family would like to see a landscape of happy little trees on there wall at home. Maybe a picture of a sailboat above their couch in their living room. But is that art? ...or just decoration?

I think the thing that makes art "art", what makes it really exciting, is not just the ability to reveal the real but to view, experience and talk about the world differently than how it has been in the past. To become an artist is to take an oath to do such a thing. And that is what separates artist from hobbyist. And it's hard to stay on that edge, constantly thinking in new ways because you do want to make money and have a living. And if you find something that makes you money, why not cash in on it. But I think that's why it's important for artists to have a job outside of art. The one that makes the money to pay the bills but frees your mind to seek realness and truth. It prevents your ideas from being tainted or corrupted. That's not to say you shouldn't try to profit from your work. But it think it's important to be conscious of what it is you're selling...or buying into.

And speaking of buying into something... Religion. You grow up being told what to believe and eventually you choose whether to buy into it or create your own beliefs.

I have been thinking a lot about religion lately. There's been a big hub-bub on facebook (and of course the media) about the new Pope. And maybe it's because I wasn't raised Catholic (or maybe I'd feel this way even more if I had been) but I just don't get why he has such great importance. The Bible too, is another weighty force that people tend to use as some form of guidance and Yeah, I guess there are some poignant lessons in there; Thou shall not kill, love thy neighbor. But there's also some weird contradictions and antiquated rules. People pick and choose the ones that they want to believe. If a man is to lay with another man, it's still considered wrong because the Bible says so. But it also says so is eating shellfish and getting tattoos, yet no one protests that. Maybe I should go hang outside of Red Lobster with a bunch of signs and hiss the "words of God" at those who go in. All contradictions aside, how do we even know they are the real "words of God"? Some guy said so? Maybe he made it up. Maybe it's been told, rewritten and translated so many times that it's so far from what the original was anyway. What I take away from it, and what I had the good fortune of experiencing at the church I grew up with, is a sense of community and being kind, forgiving, accepting and truthful to others. Yet so many "religious" groups promote the exact opposite. "IN THE NAME OF GOD" It just makes me laugh.

But I get why people believe in it. In God. In Heaven. We need to believe there is some reward for the hell we go through on Earth. It does provide some moral guidelines in which to follow that do make sense for the sake of peace and order. It gives hope.

So wow. Those are my thoughts after this evening's talk. And I definitely will be revisiting this topic of religion some more. Perhaps this is my real to reveal.