Tuesday, January 13, 2009

After 1st class Biennial, visual arts still 2nd class in NOLA

Most visual artists in New Orleans have long been certain of their role in our local culture as second class citizens. The Gambit Weekly’s recent redesign has certainly made this once again apparent. The dominant flavors in our cultural stew are without doubt the temporal arts of music and cuisine. These are the ones that get the writeups and bring in the advertising dollars. Perhaps visual arts is sidelined by other parts of our effusive visual culture, like Mardi Gras. So, aside from continuing to write letters of outrage to the Gambit (and perhaps demanding more from the alternatives, or the T-P and Art Voices), perhaps visual artists need to rethink what they actually do provide to our city. Not that I’m suggesting an art by the mob, but just a reflection on how contemporary culture in general consumes images and actions. Again and again, it's up to local visual artists to act on their own, to create the critical forums they require, such as this very website.
submitted by d.s.

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