tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315477600049539181.post7756015881816774232..comments2023-07-19T06:54:19.182-07:00Comments on Bump's Stump: Government Art / N.E.A. / CensorshipDixon Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202690322034731396noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315477600049539181.post-63565239727626774322009-11-03T08:09:15.724-08:002009-11-03T08:09:15.724-08:00Rain . . This time, though I pains me to admit it...Rain . . This time, though I pains me to admit it, you are 100% right. I especially agree with your last sentence.<br /><br />DixonDixon Webbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07202690322034731396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4315477600049539181.post-25879486831651150992009-11-02T13:49:57.168-08:002009-11-02T13:49:57.168-08:00Mapplethorpe was an extreme although art as a mean...Mapplethorpe was an extreme although art as a means of political protest has gone way back and for all we know even showed up in petroglyphs. <br /><br />Generally speaking the grants don't really fund any individual artist but go to traveling exhibits or programs. After reading your thoughts on it here, I went looking for who is getting it right now and found this: http://www.nea.gov/grants/recent/09grants/am09.php?disc=Visual%20Arts%20Touring. A person might or might not approve of the various exhibits but there really isn't much money going into them either. Most artists are supported or not by selling their work and a lot of those who sell the most probably don't get any grants-- nor need them. <br /><br />I always have a problem even with art museums as often the work (to me) is very questionably the best art of its generation. One time I was looking at an exhibit in Portland and said something to the guard about how it was more like the Emperor's New Clothes than real art. He was taken aback and definitely didn't agree with me; but it was the truth. Someone important said it was art and therefore it got in there but will a future generation think it is? Unlikely in my opinion. <br /><br />The thing is though without those small grants for like a local dance group, with schools cutting out the arts for budgetary reasons, where might that leave any support for budding artists in the future? I favor money for the NEA but know I won't always agree with who they consider worthy.Rain Trueaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.com