Posted on 12/19/2001 6:32:50 AM PST by chance33_98
PORTLAND (AP) -- The denial of a federal grant to show off the work of an unconventional artist from Lewiston is raising questions about the role of politics in promoting art and culture.
The Maine College of Art in Portland sought $42,000 for the exhibit by William Pope.L, whose work takes on issues such as class and race.
The National Endowment for the Arts isn't saying why the grant was denied. The NEA had reportedly delayed its decision because of the exhibit's potential for controversy.
Pope.L expressed disappointment and said the decision jeopardizes the exhibit, which was planned for this summer. But he said the good thing is that people now get to know what their government wants culture to be.
The NEA approved eight grants for Maine, bringing the state a total of $143,000 to support poetry, dance, music,
visual arts and literature.
I think he was talking about that one specific work...
I was talking specifically about the controversy regarding NEA funding of his SM exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery (sorry the date escapes me). Thanks for clarifying.
That's what I was alluding to when I mentioned the peer review system not always working. In reality, artists' peers are their own worst critics. I served on a State Grant Panel, and we actually visited grant applicants to determine two things: 1.) The effectiveness of the organization (i.e. budget controls, effective staffing and board, marketing effectiveness, etc..) and 2.) Artistic Quality--and we did get into involved discussions regarding what constituted a work of high enough quality to merit state funding.
The system, as I see it, has two weak links:
1.) It relies heavily on the quality of the panelists selected.
2.) The depth to which an organization can be evaluated is inversely proportional to the number of applications that need to be processed.
We work with these people, they are our neighbors. They donate money to the musea and other non-for-profits that promote this "art." They do not discuss such matters with their children at the dinner table; the family hour is hommage to television.
For about three decades now, my friends, co-workers, and neighbors all think that this voice must be heard. Do not so hastily look down at these "artists." I do not know whose stupidity we should lament.
Education is the key, my friend. Unfortunately, the general public (sometimes myself included) seems in many cases to be too lazy to research and/or learn about what constitutes a good product--whether it be art or software.
Now excuse me while I go waste $8 on "Lord of the Rings".
Given the recent reviews, my hope is that FOTR is one of these true works of film art that will happen to have a popular following as well. I think more work that transcends the "pop-art/cultured-art" boundary is a good thing.
Yup the part clown bit definitely sounds like an ally of the Boston Prowler! *L*
I've never seen "musea" as the plural of "museum" before.
Is this all tax funded? This is what folks are s'posed to do on their own time, in the back yard on weekends. Now if y'all will excuse me I have an art exhibit to stage. It's called "Max Sits Around The House In A Lazy-Boy And Boxer Shorts Eating Nachos And Smoking Like A Friggin' Train And Watching Dallas Get Its A$$ Kicked." It's a partially-nude neo-postmodern commentary on the significance of phallic imagery in the realization of inner resonance. Contributions welcome. Particularly beer.
So you're headed for CPAC, huh... Well I might show up, I don't know. Not if everybody's gonna sit around in suits and corsets though. I'll be in a bar-hopping mood. You in?
http://artsnet.heinz.cmu.edu/current/cur112095.html
From 1995
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Two Maine artists, William Pope, a performance artist from Lewiston, and Mark Wethli, a painter from Brunswick, recipients of $20,000 NEA fellowships were recently honored at the Portland Museum of Art, along with 21 artists who received awards from the Maine Arts Commission. Mary J. Herman, wife of Governor Angus King, presented eight $3,000 fellowships and 13 apprenticeship awards. The Maine Arts Commission fellowships are designed to provide financial support for artists to advance their careers, acknowledge excellence and promote public awareness of Maine artists. Eight $3,000 fellowships were awarded in the categories of Visual Arts, Design Arts, Film and Traditional Craft. Due to a generous challenge grant given by the Evenor Armington Family Fund, the Commission was able to award two additional fellowships this year.
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