Art Pottery, Politics and Food
Thursday, May 17, 2007
 

In this ludicrously early presidential spring, top Democrats are blooming amid the soft dappled pigments of the leftward art community.
The feel is an easily digestible, however umbral, neo pop with more than a hint of tribute to the past’s heroes with the classical attitude of the charismatic subject matter.
"Hillary Clinton #2" (above, left) is by Zina Saunders and is merely one of many very interesting portraits displayed on her Art Talks webpage.
Senator Obama (above right) was painted by Dana Schutz for a New Republic cover and accompanies a brief Art Newspaper report on a few of the Illinois Senator’s more prominent art-minded backers.
An indirectly busy art week for Senator Obama had campaign staffers emulating John Ashcroft by tossing neutral drapes over several provocative exhibits prior to their candidate appearing before a 500-person rally held at the Plant Zero gallery in Richmond, VA last week.
Tastefully sheeted was a 6ft by 10ft canvas, titled "Snake Charmer " by Jamie Boling wherein an image of tarnished pop goddess Britney Spears (yawn!) is painted uncovering the remnants of her publicly tattered maidenhood.
Eyeball weary Obama staffers also found drapery for another of Mr. Boling’s seemingly edgy paintings entitled simply “Kill Lincoln”.
Memo to Obama staffers: Unlike pols, art isn’t necessarily all things to all people all the time and artists rarely take to scripting…Count your blessings because the art gallery event could have, with a surly artist and a slipped drape, been a Bush-sized fiasco.

Image: ArtNewspaper.com, Drawger.com, WackyPackages.org
- posted by Sean @ 2:23 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
 
Old Press Hand on The Rio Grande



With non gardening and cooking time currently augmented with fascinating old texts, I thought it appropriate, in light of the journo-endtimes band competition between Tony Snow and Bob Schieffer as gleefully described by morning TV this AM, to consult my ancient 2nd Edition copy of The Complete Reporter by Julian Harriss and Stanley Johnson published by The MacMillian Company in 1965.
The book, a text for both high school and college classes attended by your humble blogger, is, sadly today, a time capsule of journalism as it was once practiced in these United States.
The book is still available.
Amazon.com has The Complete Reporter’s 7th Edition available for a stunning $87 (with free super saver shipping!!!!).
The 7th Edition, no doubt, explains to eager young students all the ethical elements that come into play when a major news player’s Western Swing band competes with the Presidential Press Secretary’s Honky Tonk band in a public space for $60 a pop.
My puny, pre-digital, 2nd Edition, however, does offer succinct advice:

The reporter cannot lose sight of the fact that the public welfare may be involved in much that he writes…the public is dependent directly upon him for its knowledge of affairs by means of which, individually and in the mass, it must solve its problems. Careless, slipshod, inaccurate or biased reporting is inexcusable under this responsibility.

And, from the famous journalism text’s proposed Ethical Code for an imaginary news operation, we have Item C:

The [news entity] should report news and not attempt to “make” news.
Exaggeration of a minor incident “to write a better story” is making news. So is the “publicity stunt” planned by the reporter or within the knowledge of the reporter.

Oh, Bob, first you knife poor innocent little Katie (blink, blink!) but now you are worshipping the pagan idol of publicity with a known hound.
Shame.

Modified Image: CBS, CNN, BuckleImpressions.ca
- posted by Sean @ 9:15 AM 0 comments

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