fessie, I’d like to thank you for your efforts in elucidating just why TK is such a turd burglar. As an artist, I think that current patronage of the arts in America is absolutely pathetic. Although I’ve not had art history or appreciation classes, I have expended a significant amount of time learning about all styles of art.
I’ll happily mention taking my young Vietnamese friends to a fabulous display of “A History of the Etching.” The Chabot Gallery went Full-Goose-Bozo displaying everything from original Rembrants out to Tolouse Lautrec. The depth of variety was comprehensive and the quality was exceptional. I made a point of walking my friends through the entire display and, when appropriate, pointing out to them the use of shading, crosshatching, nuances of color and intentional tinting. After touring the entire show (Scot free with wine and cheese), I walked my friends through most of the show again and asked each of them to indicate which of the prints was their favorite and explain why. I know that my friends had a true and educated glimpse into the masters of etching. One or two of the gallery staff suggested I should apply for a job there.
I only wish like Hell there were such field trips back when I was in school. To have an experienced hand clearly demonstrate the intricacies of expression would have accelerated my own artistic ability. As you mentioned, classes that cover materials, subjects and incredibly boring minutiae instead of dealing with the elements of style and composition are worse than useless. It is like a history class that consists solely of memorizing dates and names. Such pedagogues can stifle or, worse yet, kindle a hatred for the arts that often mars a person’s life forever.
I’m glad to hear that you also have a knowledge of music besides art. I play the flute, sax, guitar and keyboards. When I publicly perform, I might start with “Careless Whispers” on the alto sax, but you better believe that Mozart’s Rondo is not far behind on flute. I’ll even throw in some Brubeck or a French Renaissance dance for jollies. Most media (thank goodness for PBS) broadcasts such a narrow scope of music or programming that it is nearly impossible to broaden one’s tastes by relying upon them. I am obliged to commend your rather honorable efforts at outing such an incredible fraud like TK. I have already compared him with Madonna and am glad to see that others feel the same way.
I suppose what we need to do is to organize artistic “picketing” of TK’s slopbuckets … er, galleries. People would place posters of timeless classics on handheld signs and gather around TK’s outlets in an attempt to expose people to something more akin to real art than his mindless drivel. Again, thank you, fessie for all your efforts at exposing this poseur. He represents everything that is wrong about commercial art and this doesn’t even address the sickening religious angle he blats about so freely.
