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Entirely non record related, of course, but I always love these threads and it's been a while since we had one, so here goes.
By far and away the best thing I've read of late has been What good are the arts? by John Carey.
A book that manages to be witty, scathing, scabrous, enlightened and angry all at the same time. This is essentially a demolition of various ways in which we, the public, have had Art - with a big capital A - pitched to us: art as religion, art as embetterment, art as social glue, etc. It rips apart the whole idea that paintings have any intrinsic value in and of themselves - and offers a hilarious critique of what the hell art actually is anyhows.
It then goes on to get all punk of yer ass by flipping things round and asking if, instead of wondering what intrinsic value art supposedly has, maybe instead we should be asking is how can engagement with art - as readers, as viewers, but first and foremost as active co-creational participants - impact upon us as people.
Suffice it to say I now have intellectual validation of a life-long interest in DIY culture, punk, zines, etc. Splendid stuff.
By far and away the best thing I've read of late has been What good are the arts? by John Carey.
A book that manages to be witty, scathing, scabrous, enlightened and angry all at the same time. This is essentially a demolition of various ways in which we, the public, have had Art - with a big capital A - pitched to us: art as religion, art as embetterment, art as social glue, etc. It rips apart the whole idea that paintings have any intrinsic value in and of themselves - and offers a hilarious critique of what the hell art actually is anyhows.
It then goes on to get all punk of yer ass by flipping things round and asking if, instead of wondering what intrinsic value art supposedly has, maybe instead we should be asking is how can engagement with art - as readers, as viewers, but first and foremost as active co-creational participants - impact upon us as people.
Suffice it to say I now have intellectual validation of a life-long interest in DIY culture, punk, zines, etc. Splendid stuff.
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