Comments on: Opening Up the Creative Class

By: Ide Bouldin

Ide Bouldin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:57:53 +0000

Daniel,
Isn’t the individualized assignment of meaning, “It’ll mean whatever you want it to mean,” the primary essence of art today? If you read the theories of Duchamp, you begin to understand that art is not some physical thing. The Mona Lisa is nothing more than hardened goo laid over a taught piece of linen. Art is contained within, and indeed dictated by the perception of the viewer. That lens is what assigns the work with its value. I can see how you would infer that it is akin to the ambiguity of a daily horoscope, however I believe not everything is as black or white. When dealing with a community or large group of individuals, it is indeed the individualized differences which provide the context for the unifying ideals, and therefore defines the parameters of the group’s identity.

By: Michael Thorpe

Michael Thorpe — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:26:36 +0000

Kwende,

I think it is important for people to understand from what perspective they are coming from and vitally important for them to believe that their own paradigm, their lens, is valid, useful, and desired when approaching and critiquing the things we observe in the world. Thanks for highlighting this and inviting others the way Richard did for you to engage creative class in a way that shows them if it makes sense or not, to them.

By: Daniel Carins

Daniel Carins — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:00:13 +0000

Kwende,

I’m instantly critical of any discourse that claims to be as broad as you want.

If it is, then what’s the point? It’ll mean whatever you want it to mean, which, as a discourse, is surely utterly meaningless.

You set your stall, you defend against the hits. If it’s still standing, it’s valid. If it falls over, it isn’t.