As you may have seen on multiple blogs by now, artist Tim Biskup is releasing a book in conjunction with his new show at Jonathan Levine. I'm not going to talk too much about it here as I may write about it for Hi Fructose, but basically it is a series of rants, observations, and ruminations about the nature of art and it's creation.
However, I did very much enjoy this diatribe about the art "intelligencia". I like that Tim had the balls to say this, being in the position he is in as one of the more successful Lowbrow/Pop Surrealists. Mainly I found a few of the essays very cathartic as I feel what I do and this movement in general is dismissed by certain art critics here locally. Honestly- if I hear the word "kitsch" trotted out one more time...talk about boring and misinformed.Here is a particularly vitrolic rant by Tim:
"Fuck you art intelligencia. Weak fuckers. You can all get in circle and talk about how art is dead and in need of re-contextualization, but it is your art that is dead. Your fake meaning and questions have spiraled into a post-art wasteland. Your need to control the situation and fear of risk and truth is what got you here. You must continue with your high art jack off if you want to maintain your relevance. It is only in the flimsy context that you and the other pathetic vampires have put forward as important that you retain a shred of meaning. Faced with time tested professional artistic ability and deep conscious personal truth you will wither and die. Put me in context and I will stomp your fucking head into pulp. Your greed has created a blood sucking, soul shattering beast that is growing full and sick and purple with the blood of the weak and brilliant. You can’t be like us and you don’t want to do what it takes to get to that point because you are so full of pain, evil, denial, mountains of bullshit, miles of rocky path and insurmountable passages. When the brave return they are battered and strong. If you control them, then who will doubt your power?
They may be strong, but your shame is stronger. Hear this: there is no elephant in the room. It is far worse. There is a crippled and shaking old theorist taking their last breath. We are coming. We are here." - Tim Biskup from "The Artist In You"
Text yoinked off of Kitsune Noir's blog
