Paige Wery and I were amused to review this email that came into my mailbox today.
When I read it to Paige her first response was, "Probably some kind of ultra conservative person." Interesting, because I knew immediately that the person was the total opposite.
Here is what who I will call "Opinion-Writer" wrote me:
"I'm sorry. I am unable to appreciate this work as art, which is putting it mildly. If this is art, then there are several tableaux in my garage and yard that qualify for a similar exhibition were I more ambitious. In addition, I find some of this work alarming from a psychological standpoint. Please. I understand her self-expression claim as outlined in the undoubtedly self-generated press release, and I respect her for somehow getting this far with this "mixed media" line, but…..really. Please remove me from your mailing list. Thank you."
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AAHHHH, Google. Gotta love it. The person who wrote me:
a. is an assistant to an attorney in OC. (that's Orange County - sadly but truthfully notorious as an extremely conservative place)
b. comments on several sites that are anti-war, anti-bush, etc.
c. comments on sites that are pro-animal rights.
d. has an opinion lacking in the knowledge of how my gallery (and other legitimate galleries) work and how I run mine.
e. is not even on my mailing list.
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Most interesting to me is the level of offense we seem to be drumming up here.
Testimonial to my credibility if you ask me.
Thank you Opinion-Writer for being so obviously offended by Wery's work.
Thank you pointing out that your
garage garbage could also be used for art.
However, it is my job to point out to you that Paige's work uses "art trash" specifically comprised of art packaging materials that she purchases to make her art with.
Rather than throwing away packaging or tubes that one would normally throw away when making art, she uses these too. She is not making art out of whatever is laying around,
The materials are very specific, as seen historically in other artists work as well.
And thank you for expressing
your psychological unease with the work. I feel very
privileged to be a part of your internal dialog. After all, I am here to inform and educate people about art. Specifically to take risks on work that I know is alarming on some level, despite the fact that I personally am not so easily offended, I understand that others are.
And thank you for pointing out that the press release is "obviously self-generated".
I think I can understand how you would think that.
However, using the word "obviously",
is not valid to substantiate your opinion, since I can state that Paige Wery did not write her own press release.
I personally write
All Press Releases for the Gallery Revisited.
Luckily for you Opinion-Writer, there is no need to worry about getting any more of my offensive announcements about the art I show here, because you are actually not on the mailing list anyway.
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On another note:
I know I do not show work that EVERYONE will entirely like.
Impossible. Think about it.
I show work that Anyone Could Like.
Contingent on IF they are open enough to learn and understand it.
And not impose their uninformed opinions in a devaluing and ignorant way.
I put the work out there and I do not impose my beliefs on the validity of it,
I just say what it is that needs to be said, not whether the work is art or not.
In this way, Opinion-Writer is ironically, imposing on me an opinion,
which in my opinion, seems in total polarity with the public displays of
social justice and animal welfare that he/she blogs about.
It is an oxymoron if I have ever seen one.
However,
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
But when I say Everyone in the context of their opinion, I mean Everyone.
And that includes me.
Leora Lutz
Gallery Revisited
