tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post354999244492792660..comments2023-10-17T05:41:41.681-04:00Comments on Katharine A. Cartwright Studio: Self-censorship and Fine ArtAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037549177881696434noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-25564480953627780902011-01-13T12:30:47.946-05:002011-01-13T12:30:47.946-05:00I've not thought of censoring my work until la...I've not thought of censoring my work until last month, because last year a few paintings were rejected by juries or had to be taken down on grounds of unsuitability due to nudity. It rather surprised me. In film I think that censorship is too lax, and that idiotic violence far too prevelant but British censors are more worried about sex which doesn't seem as important to me. Ho hum. I paint the idea, whatever jumps out of my head, neither being sensationalist or conservative, but if I'm aiming to show something in a quiet public space I might now err towards selecting quiet public paintings for those places.Mark Sheekyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00710485457283053795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-20778054343598078022011-01-11T11:26:26.756-05:002011-01-11T11:26:26.756-05:00Dear Katharine,
Forgive me if I not join the disc...Dear Katharine,<br /><br />Forgive me if I not join the discussion on self-imposed censorship, as the picture of Venus de Milo recalls an even of censorship to which i was exposed.<br /><br />I believe I was eight or nine years old when I first saw the statue in France at the Louvre. There were pieces of art that made an impact upon me, Winged Victory and de Vinci's painting Mona Lisa.<br /><br />My mom purchased for me a postcard of each artwork and when we returned to the US, I took the Venus de Milo card to class and during art, I pulled it out and wanted to recreate the statue.<br /><br />Well, the card was confiscated and my parents notified that this was inappropriate.<br /><br />It is something I have never forgotten.<br /><br />Warmest regards,<br />EgmontThe Artist Within Ushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08081658641380811738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-73712145925553086712011-01-08T19:47:57.381-05:002011-01-08T19:47:57.381-05:00Reading about the life of Egon Schiele and studyin...Reading about the life of Egon Schiele and studying his works on paper right now, I find this post very relevant. Could I - would I - paint nudes the way he did? What would be the reason for that? I would never do something just to shock but to delve into something and discover something about the subject. I think some of his work could be seen as pornographic and yet the delicacy of line and the use of color (the things I look at) are so appealing even if the subject is in-your-face. It reminds me of Jenny Saville and her paintings of obese women - subjects that make a statement and definitely aren't just a pretty pictures. Maybe that's what we want to accomplish with our work - a statement. But I, too, want to be seen as nice, so I do self-censor.RH Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05497161758269292809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-7059467291787792442011-01-08T15:08:08.939-05:002011-01-08T15:08:08.939-05:00I think I self-censor. However, I applaud those w...I think I self-censor. However, I applaud those who step over the line. And I hope to be at the front of the line when your and Celeste's uncensored work is shown at the museum. I hate censorship in any form. (I remember the furor over Mapplethorpe's exhibit at the Corcoran.)hw (hallie) farberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11636182620056350811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-1629290654359463412011-01-08T13:18:19.661-05:002011-01-08T13:18:19.661-05:00Kathy, I would say that Margaret's comment sta...Kathy, I would say that Margaret's comment states my thoughts. I don't want to censor the work of others, but I am who I am. Recently I went to an exhibit at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and viewed part of their show, "Exposed<br />Voyeurism, Surveillance, and the Camera Since 1870."http://www.sfmoma.org/exhibitions/408<br /><br />When I got to a room that had a picture of a victim of war in Southeast Asia lying totally naked on a narrow cot missing his two lower legs and unable to prevent being exposed to the world, I had to leave. That's just me. I would rather spend my time on art that pleases me. I would never say that SFMOMA should not display that piece, nor would I say it's not art. It's just not art that I want to view.Mary Paquethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05847021818957221109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-31789919881948361402011-01-08T12:05:00.105-05:002011-01-08T12:05:00.105-05:00Some time ago I went out to dinner with friends fo...Some time ago I went out to dinner with friends followed by some gallery hopping. We went to 2 galleries and then came across one that had all it's windows blacked out. There was a sign that warned people, that stepping inside might offend or disturb. <br />well, we stepped inside. The entire gallery was blackened and there were lights flickering in yet another room..so we inched our way in there and in the middle of the room was a naked female body surrounded by red blood (fake blood, but whoa, it looked real). It was still very dark in this room and the "body" was only illuminated by a "slideshow" of words being flashed onto the wall. The words were derogatory of women. Well, we walked around the "body" and left. My dinner mates were fairly horrified. This was a "regular" gallery, BTW. I don't remember one specific painting or piece of pottery from that night..but I do remember that "show" (that I took to be a statement about continued violence against women). I wouldn't have ever censored this...as a matter of fact, I am grateful to the artist and the gallery for being brave enough to create it. My dinner mates hated it..and I thought it was genius. This is the fantastic thing about art--we each make our own determination about things like what offends and what enlightens.Celeste Berginhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06791708298070342301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-51494654019198327062011-01-08T07:23:15.076-05:002011-01-08T07:23:15.076-05:00Censorship is not something I think about very oft...Censorship is not something I think about very often with reference to my own work. I am obviously interested in more mundane things as content or it would be crossing my mind. I've always felt that my work is a whisper and not a shout. I don't set out to shock but to engage the viewer in subtle ways to take a closer look. I think much of how we respond through art is directly related to our personalities and I'm a peacemaker. What else is there to say?Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12726740154167156916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-49463667264113487162011-01-07T23:55:38.718-05:002011-01-07T23:55:38.718-05:00I sometimes yearn to make a social statement...but...I sometimes yearn to make a social statement...but I usually revert to "nice art" that does not offend anyone. I would like to think that if I have a huge idea that is burning within me that I won't censor myself...that I will go ahead. It hasn't happened yet...but stay tuned..it may!Celeste Berginhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06791708298070342301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-56574287435611881992011-01-07T22:57:32.794-05:002011-01-07T22:57:32.794-05:00Hi Kathy,
Maybe self-censorship is part of the b...Hi Kathy, <br /><br />Maybe self-censorship is part of the balancing act we have to do or choose to do to navigate the sticky world of clients, collectors, art galleries and people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324184304367023797.post-58289901777052283162011-01-07T17:31:12.486-05:002011-01-07T17:31:12.486-05:00A wonderful post Kathy! Thank you.
My latest blog...A wonderful post Kathy! Thank you.<br /><br />My latest blog post was about this topic although I didn't clarify it well enough for most to realize it. It's hard for me to step out of my role as a "nice" person. And I'm not really so nice. I do believe that someday, I want to put that in my art. I'm still afraid because I worry I won't be liked. It's a risk.<br /><br />For me, I don't think I impose my own self censorship standards on other people. My standards for other's work is much more tolerant. <br /><br />I find you to be very tolerant Kathy. And no, you shouldn't be so polite. :-)))Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com