Pointe of Art

TOP SECRET - Do Not Read 8/03
by Robert Maniscalco

With some of the recent changes in our community, namely the upcoming closings of two prominent galleries in Grosse Pointe, the question comes up, "what does it mean to support the arts?" We sometimes talk about the need for supporting the arts, as if our humanity hung in the balance, which incidentally, it does. The trouble is we tend to present the idea of support as a sacrifice, a burden to carry, like eating our vegetables. We call it "serious" art and beg people to tolerate it. Then we're surprised when they'd rather spend a quiet evening around the TV.

It occurs to me that I spend a lot of time trying to convert those who might like the water if they only dared to enter. After all, I've watched and experienced the transformative power of the arts so I have a deep faith the arts will work their magic on them as well. For instance, about 40% of the artworks sold at my gallery were purchased by first time collectors.
On the other hand, there isn't a whole lot one person can do to support the arts. Not everyone can afford to buy art, even though there are some excellent values in Metro Detroit. We can't always attend the many inspiring openings, concerts, poetry readings, fund raisers, etc. going on all the time. Maybe we should take attendance. Maybe we should have a card punch like they do at Starbucks. Ten concerts and you get a free cup of coffee.
People often tell me I'm preaching to the choir. I'm well aware that if you're reading this you probably don't need an incentive to be inspired. So listen up choir: you are officially absolved of any obligation to support the arts. Stop doing it. It's not working, so quit. The charity bit will no longer be required. Thank you very much.

There, now doesn't that feel better. Let's just "veg" in front of the TV for a while and imagine a world where other people derive sustenance from the arts, not because they should but because they want to. Not you. You and I are finished with all that running around, chasing artistic epiphanies like so many broken dreams. Let the others take over for a while.
It reminds me of the book, "Atlas Shrugged," by Ayn Rand, where all the movers and shakers stop compensating for the "others," the ones who talk the talk but can't walk the walk. What if atlas shrugged? What if the network went down, like in those recent high-speed internet commercials? What if the choir refused to sing?

Well, for one thing it would be pretty quiet. Arts programs would fall flat on their face, more galleries would close and after a while people would begin to complain that their lives were kind of dull. But because there were no artists to lead the way they wouldn't really know what to do about it so they'd begin to fight with their spouses, just to keep from going insane. Eventually, whole communities would rise against one another and even entire nations. And certain people would rise up, using fear and ignorance to control the masses who've found no meaning in their lives but who know they need to fight to protect their families.
Sound familiar?

The fact is we've long abandoned the arts as a vital form of nourishment and the cost to our society is the dull aching feeling that something is missing but we don't know exactly what it is.

It's called JOY, folks and it comes from participating in the creative process. And if you and I don't wake up to that fact soon it may be too late. It's not the others that aren't supporting the arts. It's us, the ones who feel it needs to be supported in the first place. We don't need their support. As of this moment, I'm finished trying to spoon feed arts and culture to them. If they're content with BMWs and granite counter tops and plasma TVs then so be it. Let's you and I hog all the arts for us, what do you say? Let's not ruin our fun by telling other people about what's going on in our community. Let's not give them the satisfaction of knowing what they're missing. Don't share this article with anyone. Don't tell anyone about your personal experiences with the arts, certainly don't share any more epiphanies. It sounds like candy anyway. Let's just sit back and enjoy the ride. It's a tough job but someone's got to do it.

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