Klarinet Archive - Posting 000655.txt from 1997/12

From: "J. Shouryu Nohe" <jnohe@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Practitioner vs. Musician
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 14:25:01 -0500

Prof. (Dr.?) Garrett:
> Some interesting questions and thoughts. The only thing that ran through
> my mind was the big uproar that happened a few years ago when the National
> Endowment for the Arts paid an artist's commission who then turned around
> and produced a crucifix (I think) in a jar of urine as his central
> masterpiece. The whole nation went ballistic! A long battle over what
> determines art vs. vulgarities ensued.....and the NEA began the long
> chore of defining what they would and would not fund. The whole issue was
> over artistic merit and censureship. Your question regarding sounds out
> of an instrument, while not quite the same comparison, seems like a
> parrallel to me - I am curious about opinions.

I can kind of see it...actually, your example reminds me of how musicians
get screwed over by the NEA, and artists get millions for stuff like that,
and don't think to be how it's offensive...

"And in other news today, an uproar was created over a new art exhibit in
New York, a sculpture of a large rat sucking at the teet of the blessed
Virgin Mary. The artist, who received a hefty endowment of an
undisclosed amount from the NEA states that it is a representation of how
Mary may bless anyone. Authorities believe the riot was probably started
because it was of A HUGE RAT SUCKING AT THE TEET OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
MARY!!!" -- Norm MacDonald, Proprietor of the Obvious, SNL

^_^

Shouryu