“Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” Coco Chanel (from The Painter’s Keys)
One writer sees the culture of creative people as “crashing” leading him to lament about the state of the current art world. He believes artists are seen as “cultural elites” “idle dreamers” or “self-indulgent parasites.” Perhaps he should get out more and take a look at where the productive artists are. His descriptions may fit artists in the places that think of themselves as centers of the art world among people who decide what is and isn’t art. Most of today’s working artists are outside of that world and too busy making art to care.
Scott Timberg has written two articles, one for Salon and one for Arts Journal Blogs, and now a book on the demise of the creative class. He mourns the downfall of the “creatives” and discusses possible causes of what he sees as the current creative crisis. While Timberg may have valid points, he is, quite possibly, missing the bigger picture. In my opinion, only one area of the creative class is dropping. And that area may be one of “idle dreamers,” “cultural elites” and “self-indulgent parasites.” It seems likely, the art world Timberg writes of has created this gang of dreamers, elites and parasites and is now reaping the consequences.
If there truly is a “crashing” of the creative culture, is it not the natural order of things? When a group no longer serves a purpose, it ceases to exist. Many of today’s working artists are entrepreneurs. They don’t have time or inclination to engage in elitism or idle dreaming. And they wouldn’t survive long as parasites. Timberg’s creative culture may be crashing but the rest of the creative world has too much to do to pay attention. They are focused on making art and that’s all that matters.
Wow, do I ever agree with you. He’s looking in the wrong place. It’s the same with publishing. The Gate Keepers don’t have a real job any longer. The Gates are UNLOCKED and OPEN. Art is EVERYWHERE and artists don’t have to sell out or jump through hoops to get noticed, shown, heard or published any longer. It’s the Gate Keepers and the critics who have crashed, not the artists. Great post.
Well said!!! Thanks!!
You’ll probably know I agree with you. I think there is an amazing amount of creativity pouring forth and crashing onto the shores of communities around the world. It’s the democratisation of the arts and it must get right up the noses of the toffs who’ve lorded it over the art world until now and thought they were the bees’ knees. Unfortunately they’ve been cut off at the knees and about time, no more service kowtowing to a self-serving elite whose choice is often money over substance. I remember seeing a programme on BBC TV where a toffee-nosed bunch in Paris refused to authenticate a painting because their father hadn’t, so everyone knuckled under to this bunch of pillocks and said: “Oh, alright, we’ll abide by your ruling”. It was absolutely pathetic. Long live the creative dreams and wonderful out put of so many wonderful, really gifted people around the world!
Here, Here!!!! Thanks, Mo! Beautifully said!
Yes, and that’s really all that matters!
Exactly!!!