Boxing the Art World

So I've never really been that into art. I don't understand most of it. I think a lot of art is boring. Occasionally I'll see something and love it or be intrigued or amazed or whatever. But I probably love street art (not graffiti) the most at this point. Because four out of five times I go to a museum or gallery or whatever I kind of look at stuff like... so?... and? ... but? why is that here? I never really had any sort of art education so maybe I'm just one of them what you call em art ignororamasauruses.

Anyway, the other night I was watching a show about Andy Warhol. And they were going on and on about the coolio stuff he was doing. Yadda yadda. And I gotta admit that his stuff seemed pretty coolio. I'm not a huge fan of his soup can and pre-photoshop art-- but I could see how it worked for back then. And how greatly talented he was. When I thought about what I know about 'modern' art (frankly, alot based on the movies I've seen) Pollack, Basquiat, Keith Haring, Schnabel, IM Awang, Hans deShmuck...whatever. The whole painting world used to seem much more rock star. Artists were actual celebrities. Right? But in the last 20 years has there been a painter rock star? Is it still possible to be one outside the art world?

Maybe their impact and attention got inflated over the years but it seemed like more people were into art back then. Right? So where did that all get derailed and put off to the side? Who was the last new painter to make any sort of major mainstream splash? What happened? Did cable TV kill it? Did people just get fed up with kissing jerky artist's butts? Did kids get bored of pictures that don't move? I know people in the art world are probably reading this and being like, 'What?! You've never heard of Suki Mokoyopajama?' No. I haven't.

Nowadays it seems the only things that get big art attention is garbage like the dude who painted the virgin mary with dung or the sculptor shmuck who did 'Pregnant Britney Spears' or doing stuff with urine. What-ever. Stuff that seems built for the media in a way.

The more I think about it, the more it seems the downfall of the mainstream art world seemed to have gone hand-in-hand with the downfall of mainstream boxing. I have to assume for the same reason. (well I don't have to but it seems interesting enough so what the hell.) Something must have gone all wrong when the money got too big. And then the whole business side got all corrupted and silly and taken over by jerks who don't care about 'the art' enough.

But this is just the opinion of one ignororamasaurus! Don't get me wrong. I know I know I know there are some great artists out there doing way coolio stuff. And art is still alive and well and always will be (even when it's sick-- maybe moreso then). And maybe it's for the best that art isn't shoved in people's faces by the media dongs.

But the whole thing used to seem so much larger than life. Now it's just one other part of life that really I don't know much about....obviously.

ok bye!

tOdd