Saturday, January 2, 2021

Goofy Gray Lady

Frederick R Smith has moved to Frederick R. Smith Speaks (substack.com)

Caution, this paper contains references to salacious topics. The author wishes to show respect for those who have morals, values, and principles; something missing in the authors of the source documents at the New York Times. So, this suggestion: do not read this if you think you will be offended. If you read and are not offended, I rest my case. If still offended, then perhaps you possess traditionphobic or moralphobic tendencies.

The above photograph [1], snapped by your author at the end of 2020, sparked some lively thoughts and discussion. Curiously, an associate stumbled on a New York Times (aka Gray Lady) article from December 8, 2003, titled “Transvestite Potter Wins Turner Prize in Art.” After reading the article and conducting some added research, here is the scoop.

The Turner Prize, based in England, has “artist” endowment rewards with few paintings entered as works. An earlier story in the Goofy Gray Lady (GGL) reporting the result of the Turner Prize was titled “Shocking! Offensive! But Being Pleasant is Beside the Point.” That story title certainly illustrates GGL’s warm and fuzzy feelings and introduces us to the new art worldview.

The 2003 Turner “award” went to the transvestite by the name of Grayson Perry who received £20,000 ($33,000) for his fine work. Mr. Perry appeared at the December 7 exhibition as “Claire,” dressed in a “flowery blue frock” embroidered with the word “sissy.” Perry, who is married and has a daughter, has been making waves in the art world in recent years. Domestic violence, class division, and pedophilia are the main elements of his imaginary world. And stay tuned for further details.

In addition to the commotion about Mr. Perry, GGL focused some love on the “Chapman Brothers.” This artistically [??] inclined duo is well known for their first work consisting of child mannequins with genitalia growing from various body parts. This sounds just cute! So, what was the Chapman entry for the 2003 Turner Prize? Get ready sports fans. Here it goes - two blowup dolls positioned in such a manner as to show an act of oral sex. While this author does not know the gender (or otherwise) mix of these two adult bookstore blowup dolls, reports say this fine piece of work is anatomically complete (or perhaps incomplete by today’s standards). The Chapman’s have also created other elaborate models showing unnatural sex acts, death, and mutilation. Subsequently, the art fans noticed their chess set in which the board pieces have male organs for noses and rear ends for mouths.

And my, oh my, the GGL has just a wonderful sense for good art. Their December 8, 2003, article showed that Mr. Perry’s vases addressing pedophilia and child abuse are more shocking due to his “… good draftsmanship and sense of design.” So, the good writers of the GGL believe that Mr. Perry’s depiction of pedophilia is a result of good draftsmanship. I wonder if the GGL would have similar views for an artist who used his or her “good draftsmanship” to depict the gory result of an abortion. We know the answer to that question.

The GGL must feel sorry for Mr. Perry as they reported that he had a bad childhood. So, there you have it. Let the GGL know that you had a dreadful childhood, and you find yourself knighted into the brotherhood of good artistry. Without a doubt, this is in line with the bleeding-heart philosophy of our good friends at the GGL.

What were the titles given to some of Mr. Perry’s vases? How about “We’ve Found the Body of Your Child,” “I Was an Angry Working-Class Man,” and “Weeds Are Just Plants in the Wrong Place.” Real thought-provoking to say the least. It is a wonderment how many linguistic professors conjure up these wonderful titles. On the vase “We’ve Found the Body of Your Child,” there are the phrases “All Men Are Bastards” and “Never Have Kids.” It is a wonder if the GGL and the “arts” community at large would have been enthusiastic with Perry’s “work” if it said, “All Women Are Bastards.” Me think not.

Later in their article, the GGL indicated that the transvestite’s art is “… seemingly appealing to primitive instincts, [and] Mr. Perry’s drawings on the vases are more subversive, designed not to shock but to raise questions.” Again, it is necessary to raise the question — would the GGL make the same statement concerning artwork about abortion. Imagine the GGL writing: “The artist’s finished product depicting the aborted unborn baby is appealing to primitive instincts and the illustrations are more subversive, designed not to shock but to raise questions.” Again, me think not.

One of Perry’s earlier stunts was to have himself photographed, as Claire, standing on the steps of a British art gallery and holding up a banner reading: “No More Art.” During this “protest” he challenged the strange people of the world to produce even more outlandish ways to express themselves. Mr. Perry claims that his status as a potter and his penchant for cross-dressing nicely fit together: 

“One of the reasons I dress up as a woman is my low self-esteem, to go with the image of women being seen as second-class… It is like pottery. That’s seen as a second-class thing, too… I didn’t get here by being serious. I got here by dressing up in frocks and mucking about. That’s basically what artists do, isn’t it?  They’re paid muckers-about. You’re not solving the world’s problems. You’re mucking about.”

And the Turner Prize endowment has judges on their staff. Yes indeed, but why are there judges? Surely, the “artists” (for lack of a better word) could simply have done anything imaginable which makes it impossible (in this author’s mind) to come to a conclusion. For example, how does one judge the work of the Chapmans who have said: “We mean to create a model of two people engaged in oral sex and call it ‘Death.’” 

All the above aside, it is clear that the art community has succeeded in being overtly shocking and offensive. It is beyond imagination how the arts and crafts community continue to believe that this detestable garbage is somehow “art.” Two blowup dolls engaged in oral sex is art. It must take some exceptional mental ability and physical dexterity to take something off the shelf of an adult bookstore and make it “art.” Now that’s a real talent!

Note

  1. The object in the photo exists along the side of a busy street in a large city. The location will not be disclosed to protect the guilty and innocent. And oh, your author was not actively operating a vehicle at the time but stuck in a stopped traffic jam.  

###

Author and Publisher, Frederick R. Smith
Editor, Sean Tinney 

Recommended Websites (bold is top shelf)

    Recommend (serious) Humor
    Recommended Videos (all top shelf)


    Posted by at

    No comments:

    Post a Comment

    Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)