Author: Alex Hall Date: To: AML Discussion List Subject: Re: [AML] Re: States of Grace: James Goldberg's response to the movie
On 10/3/07, D. Michael Martindale <dmichael@???> wrote: > We have zero responsibility for all the weird ways people
> can react to art.
[responding to this a bit late, just glancing through..]
First off, weird is relative. There's no absolute normality which
"weird" can be held against. The words almost exclusively apply to
subjective objects. I realize this implies I believe art is
subjective, and that this is inherently offensive to people whose
favorite sport is holding art up to absolute standards and crucifying
anyone who disagrees.
But second, that's pure crap. If an artist creates something he is
*aware* may needlessly provoke or harm his audience, he is
*accountable* for what he *knows will cause a certain result*, at
least for some in his audience. I _hate_ the set of beliefs that set
artists above their audience, and make them answerable to nothing,
while the audience is answerable for everything. How unequal is that?
I realize that I have implied that art can harm, and that some believe
there is no art which can harm people. That belief also is pure crap.
Now all that said, I was glad Dutcher *didn't even* handle the
nonexistent scene in question; as it did not exist. Leaving the
audience to wonder what the heck happened is a far more powerful
technique.
