dumbing down of expressions (Freight+Volume's new exhibition)

I am thoroughly fatigued by the New York art world's over the top  illustrative fascination with sex imagery. Every season there are several shows promising some "revolutionary" expression that suggests we are going to, as viewers, be amused, titillated, moved, that we need to have some conventional conceptions broken by wholly dismally painted  or videoed crotch shots of pussy and cock in various forms and medium. If you are an adult past college years, the crotch shot is something most of us see a lot of in our own homes with the ones we love, pick-up, or watch on a screen. There's nothing particularly special about it unless it's under the sheets with me. Then, it's special. I feel the same way about strip bars, I just don't get the fascination, but when I have to see tits and ass and cock in art galleries I want it to kick my ass. Say something meaningful, or be beautiful, or so ugly to spur something within me. But I can't help but feel tired by the same juvenilia that I see again and again these days. It's like artists have embraced Beavis and Butthead (heh heh hehing their way to mediocrity) so fully that they've lost any distance and it becomes deadly poetic fallacy...Pretending to say something about something, but in the act, the art becomes the thing itself. Tired illustration saying nothing, doing nothing, being nothing. Porn, bad porn, fetish, is fine. It has it's purpose. Nakedness and sexiness are wonderful qualities for inspiration, but why engage the lowest common expression...? in Freight + Volume's new showhttp://www.freightandvolume.com/exhibitions/2012-08-16_the-double-dirty-dozen-and-friends/ I experienced the most dumbing down of expressions. Most of the work had the humor of a teenaged boy. There were a few nice pieces in the mix of some 20 odd artists, but they were completely colored and tainted by the miasma of Butthead urgency work all over the place. I actually like Nick the curator of this show. I think fundamentally the urge to reflect novelty, youthful urgency, can be a sticky and difficult thing to negotiate. I applaud the attempt in many of his curatorial efforts I've seen over the years. But, man, we want to see kick-ass work, not artistic drop-outs being elevated (even for a slap dash Summer show).

Romney/ Ryan want to destroy the Federal Government as we know it...

Now that we have a fully realized Republican ticket to consider in Romney/ Ryan it seems important to accept that this is an extremely threatening ticket to the American way of life as we have known it. In fact, I'm actually surprised that Romney has truly accommodated the most radical wing of the Right so completely. I didn't think, despite what all my Lefty friends offered, that he had gone over fully to the Dark Side. I imagined that he would aggressively move Right of Center, establishing his credential as a slightly more conservative, Bloomberg style, Capitalist politician.. advocating for less regulation in business, larger tax cuts for the already rich, but establishing a social moderation allowing for women's rights, civil rights, relatively inadequate but not unreasonable protections/safety nets  for the poor and elderly....

But that hasn't happened. Instead, he is, I believe, embracing a Culture in this country that can only be described as extremely radical and dangerously intolerant to anyone of modest economic means, to women, to the environment. In fact, the very social and economic fabric that holds this country together will be rendered inoperable if Romney/Ryan have their way. Of course, even many in Congress would be relatively opposed to many of the ideological stances these two candidates for President and Vice-President will take if given the reins of the White House, but I am truly nervous about the deep damage they might inflict on the way our Union functions.

I have written a piece suggesting we should allow the Tea Party to sign on the dotted line, abandoning all Federal Monies, but I wanted that to be a choice. If Romney/Ryan are elected they will fundamentally bankrupt the Government entirely, taking away any of the Federal Government's ability to help states with infrastructure, ensuring savings accounts and pensions, healthcare services, environmental tragedy for crops, property and people...

My feeling is, if specific representatives want to forego Federal monies for the local constituencies, by all means,  let them try that, and they will surely be booted in the next elections, but making it impossible for all states who fundamentally have little or no argument with Government's role in civil society to function with such a system is horrifically wrong and could irreparably ruin the system of the Great Society many of us aspire for for this country.

Romney/ Ryan want to destroy the Federal Government as we know it, sending us into greater and greater deficit for military spending, taxcuts for the top 5%(really 2%), cutting any and all strings between the Federal Government and States, wiping out Medicare and Social Security, and doing this. paying for any expenses on the backs of the other 95%. That is true Oligarchy....It's practically Feudal...

I will write more about what we can do to engage our communities, families, and Representatives who oppose this kind of extremism another time, but I think it's clear that, despite many hard feelings many of us on the True Left have had about President Obama's performance and positions, there is absolutely no choice but to make sure he is elected with a solid majority that renders the argument of this Extremist Right Wing culture Romney/Ryan are perpetuating mute!