Boy let me tell you, talk about how you don’t like some artwork and they start crawling out of the woodwork. I’ve got the Chair of the Art and Art History Department at UNL after me now. Here’s the email he sent me.
I saw the blog you wrote about art, and naturally I am concerned
about it because MEDICI is our only external source of fundraising for students
and equipment here at the UNL Art Dept.MEDICI is a group of community volunteers who raise funds through one
annual art event. They get artists to donate work that is then purchased
with the small proceeds used to help our students.Many of the badly photographed pictures you posted on this blog were
not part of any recent MEDICI event. In fact, I saw the framed magazine cover
at Robert Duncan’s house last week. You probably don’t know who he is
or anything about his famous art collection either.Your comments indicate that you have no education in art, and think that it would be fun to
criticize and harm the only small event that my department has to financially
assist students. Maybe you should learn how to take photos, and
research the things you are attacking before you shoot your mouth off.Edward Forde, Chair
Department of Art and Art History
University of Nebraska- Lincoln
120 Richards Hall
Lincoln, NE 68588(402) 472 5522
(402) 472 9746 FAX
And here’s my response.
I have no idea what the MEDICI is and if you read the blog I wrote you will see that I made no mention of that word and have no idea what it is, nor do I care to to tell you the truth. I have no interest in disrupting your funding nor would I have any power whatsoever to do so and what I wrote was just meant as a time killer on a slow night and was my own personal opinion about the stuff I have to look at every day.
Of course the items are badly photographed, they were taken on a junk camera phone which was all that was available at the time. It was never my intention to show them as high resolution photos that were suitable for printing and framing. They were meant to give a quick representation of what I was talking about to the people who read my writings which for the most part is family and friends. Your comment “Many of the badly photographed pictures you posted on this blog were not part of any recent MEDICI event.”. If that is the case then what is the problem? Do you even know the point you are trying to make? I thought I was hurting your funding?
In fact, you DID NOT see the framed magazine cover at Robert Duncan’s house last week. That is a flat out lie. It is in fact still hanging on the wall in the lobby hallway at Duncan Aviation where I walk by it every single day. I am well aware of who Robert Duncan is, no need to name drop. I know all about his famous art collection and have also been to his house and seen it in person.
I think it is rather pretentious of you to assume that because my opinion does not agree with yours than I have absolutely no education in art whatsoever. I obviously do not have the background that a Chair of the Department of Art and Art History at a major University does, but really what normal working person does? I was always interested in art but not enough to make it into a lifelong career such as yourself. I also did not just fall off the turnip truck however. I took art classes during all 4 years of high school when it was not required to take any. If I recall I have taken 3 or 4 art related classes in college and I have also been to the Louve and other art museums and witnessed great works of art in person. I am not completely ignorant to art and art theory so I suggest that YOU research the things you are attacking before you shoot your mouth off.
In conclusion Edward, my opinion on the artworks that I talked about were exactly that. MY OPINION. That opinion on the subject has not changed one bit and I will not be bullied into saying that I do like something when I don’t. I think you need to leave the classroom every once and a while and talk to some real people who aren’t just trying to blow wind up your skirt and learn what people really think instead of telling you what you want to hear. The general consensus by the vast majority of people that have seen the items in question which includes employees, customers and even Robert’s own family members was that they don’t care for them. This opinion does not threaten your funding one bit however because none of these people would ever be someone who would buy any artwork to begin with. They are more concerned with using their money to pay their bills than worrying about what the current trends are in the art world. The people who fund your program obviously have a different opinion and don’t really worry about what other people think and that is pretty much as it should be. To each his own.
Steve Korgie
Boy people are touchy about art aren’t they? Still doesn’t change my opinion though.
That is great! You were very articulate in your response to this guy. Excellent! Way to put him in his place! Make sure to put any reply he makes to you in here so we can read that too.
It really amazes me how much the Art? post has pissed people off. Especially when that was just a quickie filler type of thing when I really didn’t have anything else to write about that day. People are acting like I am the be all and end all of art opinion and what I think drastically affects them in any way. And what the hell kind of name is MEDICI anyway? Sounds like something out of the Davinci Code. Now I’m paranoid that some albino monk is going to come out of nowhere and kill me because I’ve inadvertently stumbled on to a two thousand year old secret with my comments on the car hood that was cut in half. If anything mysterious happens… AVENGE ME!
Apparently Edward just wanted to prove that, due his position at the always prestigious UNL, only his opinion is worth a shit. I especially like how he came across as a complete dick in writing, which was an obvious attempt to try to scare you. MEDICI? This effects us how? I guess when you make a 6 figure salary you can find a little free time to browse the internet only to recklessly bash the hell out of someone else’s opinion.
Art Defined:
Art – noun
1.the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
2.the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria; works of art collectively, as paintings, sculptures, or drawings: a museum of art; an art collection.
3.a field, genre, or category of art: Dance is an art.
4.the fine arts collectively, often excluding architecture: art and architecture.
5.any field using the skills or techniques of art: advertising art; industrial art.
6.(in printed matter) illustrative or decorative material: Is there any art with the copy for this story?
7.the principles or methods governing any craft or branch of learning: the art of baking; the art of selling.
8.the craft or trade using these principles or methods.
9.skill in conducting any human activity: a master at the art of conversation.
10.a branch of learning or university study, esp. one of the fine arts or the humanities, as music, philosophy, or literature.
11.arts,
a.(used with a singular verb) the humanities: a college of arts and sciences.
b.(used with a plural verb) liberal arts.
12.skilled workmanship, execution, or agency, as distinguished from nature.
13.trickery; cunning: glib and devious art.
14.studied action; artificiality in behavior.
15.an artifice or artful device: the innumerable arts and wiles of politics.
16.Archaic. science, learning, or scholarship.
Note the words Aesthetic Principles and Aesthetic Criteria in definitions 1 and 2. Does that not in itself imply that perception, and therefore opinion are factors in defining what art is?
Is this where we are supposed to apologize for not only our opinion but also the way we perceive the world that surrounds us? Don’t hold your breath on this one Edward. In my OPINION, you deserve an apology for having to read a rude email from an assuming, judging, and ignorant individual.
By the way, I framed my Michael Jordan rookie card. Is that art? I’ve always thought so.
Sorry Edward: Steve 1 – Edward 0
I really wish you wouldn’t make Tara stay up late writing your diatribes. She needs her sleep. We all know you aren’t edjumacated enough to write anything intelligent or have your own opinion on anything. Get back on the turnip truck where you belong you stupid hick.
On an unrelated matter is the rookie card autographed? Cause that would be sweet. You could probably eBay that for like 20 bucks, and if Edward approves of it then it could go for like $2000.
I get the biggest kick out of you and your friends Steve! It just makes my day! Oh yeah…I DID make the big mistake of criticising a work of art on my website too…OH CRAP!!! Oh, wasn’t that what started all this? Crap art, or whatever…?
This cracks me up steve…..you rock Im going to send him email calling for his resignation of his chair this should be good
Hey Steve, show Edward our work of art with the 3 naked chicks in front of the Mona Lisa, now that is art. Or the Shamu looking hog from Australia that you licked the side of her face like it was gravy, now that is art. Edward would appreciate that.
Especially the Mona Lisa.
Nope that was Morris who was licking the fat chick like gravy, it’s on video.
That almost spoiled my love of gravy…almost
Gosh Steve, I had no idea your opinion carried such weight! I sure hope the Husker football team doesn’t lose their funding because of all the bad stuff you’ve said about Callahan!!!
Oh yes Janine, I carry a lot of weight in certain circles. We win the national championship this year or heads will roll.
WOW! It’s nice to be related to someone with that kind of POWER!!!! Could you maybe say something that could get Peterson out of there? PLEASE???
On a totally different subject…HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY STEVE!!! You sure are old!!! (I wonder what that makes me?) Love ya!
Way to go Steve, you pulled the string of a “big whig”. ROTFLOL. By the way Happy Birthday from me too. If she thinks that makes your Mom old, what about me? Grandma = old as dirt.
Loved your answer to Edward—just amazes me the high opinion these people have of themselves. I “know” some of these people and they give me a royal pain in the (ah, people of my advanced age, do not use words like this in public!!!) but you get the message. AND believe me I wouldn’t fork over any $$ for what some of them call ART!!! Hold your ground and call “em as you see “em!! AND your absolutely correct and your opinion is just as valuable as Eddies.