The Artist : Why sometimes they are A**holes?

On 2010-06-18 08:25, Johnny Dollar wrote:
¿donde esta la sentina?

Snort

Wait. There was Children-Punching and I missed out?!

I'm also REALLY REALLY fake offended that people consider BigToe a bigger A-hole artiste than me. I'm TWICE the A-hole artist that BigToe is.

Proof:

1. BigToe punches one child before starting a painting. I require two.
2. You probably haven't seen too much of my art because Christian groups burn it as fast as I make it.
3. I have a fake hemophiliac-card that lets me get free blood from the Red Cross. I use it to paint depressing vampire pictures, because that's what sells right now.
4. I have a successful gallery show under the pseudonym "Big Shmoe" filled with paintings of goats having sex in hot rods.
5. "A successful artist gets paid to hang his art in a gallery. A brilliant artist gets paid by the City to take it back down." - Me
6. The BP Oil Spill is one of my performance pieces.

I've worked in animation for Disney, Warner Bros. Universal, Turner, and etc. for about 25 years and I've worked with hundreds of artists on many productions with hard deadlines. In all that time, all those artists were the best, most friendly, hardworking people to work with, and the most giving and helpful. Only a few artists in all those hundreds could be considered a$$holes. Executives, management, mid-management, studio heads, etc. were filled with A$$holes. So, to characterize artists as a$$holes based on a small few loud mouth a$$hole artists who got a lot of attention because they were a$$holes is totally unfair to so many artists that already have put up with so much negativity in their lives. It's hard enough making a living doing art.

There have been a few auctions and moneymaking events to help out Tiki Kate and Marie recently. It was the artists who donated their art for these auctions, but we also bought tickets for the event (in the case of Mariepalooza), bid on other artists pieces and we bought raffle tickets. Yeah, artists are such assholes.

This thread sucks. The thread title should be changed, Zeta!

[ Edited by: grog 2010-09-19 00:00 ]

But how many Asshole Artists are really good Artists?

I agree with GROG, except for the part of this thread sucking. Cuz it blows.*

The asshole artist is largely a myth built around a few famous artists.

The pretentious, too serious artists who feels the world doesn't appreciate them enough is fairly common. But their art usually sucks and is overpriced.

Back to GROG's comment...The biggest professional assholes I've ever encounter are all business people. (The types moving product or service, all made or done by others, around for money.) Business people also tend to be the least imaginative or creative people I ever meet.

Artists are awesome.

*I just said that for laffs. The serious discussion of this thread was interesting. Sort of.

Hey GROG, hate the post not the poster. This thread was created only to point out the characteristics of the "damned artist stereotype" as a misanthrope and sometimes weirdo (In the bad sense of the word) and it's graphic representation. To uncover the prejudice and descrimination that the real artist suffer and why it happens in the first place.
Wrimshaws comments where very clarifying in that aspect, talking about Hitler's "degenerate art"... Too bad he erased them.
The thread "got a life of it's own" and went loco. Not my fault, but liked it anyway. (nothing is sacred rule for me) The only part I didn't like was the kid punching comments and the intentional derailing.

Oh well... Sink into oblivion, oh damned thread.

I LOVE ARTISTS (Even the asshole ones.)

I think this thread is about me.

Though, I never thought of myself as an "assh0le" (The evil ones rarely realize they are evil)...I do admit to being highly eccentric, in a "Howard Hughes with no money" kind of way!

the parameters of replying to this topic
can't and shouldn't be dismissed or molded,Zeta.
Let it flow
remind gently to keep on topic
and let it flow...

Here's an anecdotal observations which could help answera part of your thread subject
from Edward Leeteg
kind of a rascal more of an a-hole

-- a letter from Leeteg to Aloha Barney,his friend

"Nuts to art. Genius is just the compelling desire to excel, to express one's self, to give enjoyment to others, this plus nature's gift of a super-abundance of energy over and above the requirements for daily living.

A surplus of exuberance to share among those around us.

this could be mistaken for a-holism.

Art is, always has been and, if it is to survive, always must be emotional. To make it coldly intellectual by abstractionism and impressionism is to destroy it or mold it into a monstrosity that is better kept locked up in musty museums. I frankly would rather prefer to have my paintings displayed in a gin-mill rather than buried in a repository together with the rest of the dead art, which is where this modern crap will end up.

He was very opinionated and,from his vantage point,couldn't understand the abstract school and didn't quite care to.Some people may interpret this as a-holism

"I refuse to be converted. The other day one of these 'artsy artists' from the Metropolitan in New York was sitting right on this lanai and he did some sketching of this bay. He showed me his finished canvas. I wanted to vomit when he showed me what a sacrilegious abortion he painted of my beautiful Paradise. I was quite frank with him. I told him I had seen better similar art on a stableboy's shovel!"

This one
there is no denying it
he is being stubborn and lies about being frank
to equate that NewYork fancypants artsy artist's work as a "sacriligeous abortion
AND poopy is pretty A-HOLISH
So there you go....

Maybe there should be a thread entitled
*A-hole Artist funny/snotty comments only thread

*A-hole Artists/Damned Artist testimony-vote thread

leave this one exclusively for the WHY part of the question

or just leave it be as it is
and let it evolve....

sometimes threads can be interesting
but still suck
no worries!
you're still an odd little treasure of information,Zeta!
:)

*"Maybe there should be a thread entitled
A-hole Artist funny/snotty comments only thread..." -Liloti-

We already have a place for those sorts of comments.

http://www.lagunaartmuseum.org/Current-Exhibit.html

Signora, no! The world wants you!
Prima donna first lady of the stage!
Your devotees are on their knees to implore you !
Can you bow out when they're shouting your name?
Think of how they all adore you!
Prima donna, enchant us once again!
Think of your muse and of the queues 'round the theatre!
Can you deny us the triumph in store?
Sing, prima donna, once more!

In this opinion, a lot of people who are not artists are also afs-hose. A lot. Artists are out there and available for criticism.

Artists in this opinion almost have to be some form of malcontent; not quietly happy or at best, resigned to go to the mine, 7-11, assembly line, office or whatever, and "produce basically nothing" every effing day of their adult lives.

They need to create something bigger than their "real job" and that need can be agitated by the existing and concurrent realities of their lives.

And sometimes artists look at the great lowing herds and wonder why more of them are not artists. After all, what the eff are they doing in/with their lives? Nowadays, watching TV....

And in tis opinion, artist are born, inspired and sometimes self-created.

(Haole Jim is a writer, musician and artist...and admittedly, on occasion, kind of a butt plug.)

Ooh, wait, one more thing.

In defense of artists, they are 239.476821 times more fun to hang with than non-artistic dullards.

And if an artist leans a hair or up to 21.48 toward afs-holiness, 'am willing to cut them more slack than the "somebody" rambling into their second hour about the Golf Channel.

I have recently ailienated 90% of everyone I know who is NOT an artist because of their A-hole-ness towards me for being an artist.

"I have recently ailienated 90% of everyone I know who is NOT an artist because of their A-hole-ness towards me for being an artist."

I, on the other hand, am still friends with all the people I wanna be friends with. So I guess that could prove somethin I had suspected: I'm not really an artist.

On 2010-06-19 09:16, lucas vigor wrote:
I think this thread is about me.

Though, I never thought of myself as an "assh0le" (The evil ones rarely realize they are evil)...I do admit to being highly eccentric, in a "Howard Hughes with no money" kind of way!

That painted metal looked familiar....

On 2010-12-07 18:35, woofmutt wrote:
"I have recently ailienated 90% of everyone I know who is NOT an artist because of their A-hole-ness towards me for being an artist."

I, on the other hand, am still friends with all the people I wanna be friends with. So I guess that could prove somethin I had suspected: I'm not really an artist.

huh?

So, what about Shepard Fairey?

On 2010-12-17 05:30, foamy wrote:
So, what about Shepard Fairey?

He has nothing to do with tiki.
Personally, I think he is no longer a graffiti artist. He is a designer/marketing/publicity great young talent. I do not like how he achieved fame (exploiting the street art movement) but it was also inevitable to be absorbed by the mainstream.

OBEY
GIANT

Plus, he looks like a nerd.

"So, what about Shepard Fairey?"

I wasn't consciously aware of Fairey so I looked him up and found this:

Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey
A critique by artist Mark Vallen
"Fairey has developed a successful career through expropriating and recontextualizing the artworks of others, which in and of itself does not make for bad art. Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein based his paintings on the world of American comic strips and advertising imagery, but one was always aware that Lichtenstein was taking his images from comic books...By contrast, Fairey simply filches artworks and hopes that no one notices - the joke is on you."

Which all sounds pointed and lofty until you get into the article and discover that Vallen doesn't like Fairey's work, doesn't like that Fairey doesn't credit original sources for his images, and doesn't think Fairey has solid artistic reasons for making his work.

I don't find Fairey's work to be all that interesting and I think Vallen's nitpicking is pretty pointless but it does provide one answer to this thread's core question...

"Why are artists sometimes assholes?"

Because sometimes they're bitching about succesful artists who they think are less talented than themselves.

"Plus, he looks like a nerd."

Good point. The appearance of the artist is a valid point in any critique of an artist's work but it's a point that is often overlooked.

On 2010-12-17 08:54, woofmutt wrote:
"Plus, he looks like a nerd."

Good point. The appearance of the artist is a valid point in any critique of an artist's work but it's a point that is often overlooked.

Woof,

your baiting me, aren't you?
I would like to go into a big tirade right now.
but I am biting my tongue
:wink:

Jeff(btd)

Sophista-Tiki, that was funny enough to make one spill their cocktail.

Sometimes this artist LIKES being kind of an A**hole in the presence of non-artists.

Maybe sometimes, intent is to shock them into turning off the golf channel and getting a life.

I don't find Fairey's work to be all that interesting and I think Vallen's nitpicking is pretty pointless but it does provide one answer to this thread's core question...

"Why are artists sometimes assholes?"

Because sometimes they're bitching about succesful artists who they think are less talented than themselves.

That's pretty much right on.

[ Edited by: foamy 2010-12-18 08:01 ]

(Some) artists are anuses because they are substances abusers and are often high or in withdrawal.
(I am sorry, I love this thread)
Viva los artistas hijos de puta!

On 2011-02-15 11:03, Zeta wrote:
(Some) artists are anuses because they are substances abusers
and are often high or in withdrawal.

shocking I tell you, shocking!
:o :roll:

Jeff(btd)

Hey! BigTikiDude, I know it's simplistic, but very true and wasn't mentioned before.

WHAAAAA?
what were we talking about?

Anuses?

Oh, forget it...

Thing is, Vallen's all pissed because that was Shepard's intention in the first place. Vallen fell for it!

And Shepard was way cool in "Exit Through the Gift Shop"...

"(Some) artists are anuses because they are substances abusers and are often high or in withdrawal." -Zeta-

There is a difference in acting like an asshole because you're on some substance or getting off of it and being an asshole because you've never made the attempt to be a decent person.

A decent guy who acted like an asshole when he was a drunk and who is drying out will probably feel bad that he was a problem to his friends and family while a drunk. An asshole in the same situation will be angry and irritated that everyone else "doesn't understand" what he's been through and is going through.

It's always the same. Feed the ego, kill the spirit OR kill the ego, feed the spirit. I've been told, "If a person doesn't solve their problems they are basically walking around mentally ill." Make a conscious effort. You wouldn't ignore what your physical body says (hunger). Ignoring the spirit has consequences as well. Feed it.

Damn Tarzan, that was deep.

Jungle Trader for President!

Why are they assholes?

Because if they are really gifted, for them, it is like being in a room full of mentally (can I say retarded) people all day) all day. That's not to say they should be assholes, but it is too point out that when you belong to a group that comprises 1 percent of the population, you pretty much have no role models you can relate to, your tired of explaining yourself, and would really like to communicate with someone else who sees, hears, and understands the world in the similar way as yourself.

Case in point. No one would consider putting average children with 100 IQ's in a room with students two standard deviations (70 IQ) below the norm. These average students, if left in this room to learn day after day would eventually become very damaged.

Gifted artist are no different. In terms of their gifts, they might be up to three standard deviations above the norm. Interacting with the average populace takes its tow - drugs or alcohol aside. In fact, drugs become a way of self-medicating.

You can toss this observation aside, but as a teacher of the gifted, I am telling you, it is hard on them to be placed with the average population - and yes, many - not all - do become assholes.

On 2011-02-21 09:26, GROG wrote:
Damn Tarzan, that was deep.

Jungle Trader for President!

Jungle Trader/Grog 2012: Vote For Real Change, More Clams For Your Family.

"Why are they assholes? Because if they are really gifted...it is like being in a room full of mentally...retarded..people all day...That's not to say they should be assholes, but...when you belong to a group that comprises 1 percent of the population, you pretty much have no role models you can relate to, you're tired of explaining yourself, and would really like to communicate with someone else who sees, hears, and understands the world in the similar way as yourself..." -telescopes-

That might explain the behavior of some of the truly gifted but in my experience interacting with extremely intelligent people***** it's not a hard and fast rule. One of the most intelligent people I've ever known manages to lead a very successful life which requires him to deal with people far below his level on an hourly basis yet he manages to do so with kindness and a friendly manner. Other highly intelligent and gifted people I've known (or have heard about from others) are also completely decent people.

"I am so special and unique in the world that I can barely deal with it!" is a not uncommon claim of many in the artistic set. There are those who actually can't deal with the world at large for one reason (maybe they have Asperger syndrome) or another (maybe they've never addressed their social anxieties). But as the mysterious socially inept genius artist is seen as an ideal by many who fancy themselves to be great artists it can be difficult to separate those actually possessing an "artistic temperament" from those who are merely posing.

Someone who is completely unaware of his or her behavior or incapable of controlling it might act like an asshole but someone who consciously behaves self-indulgently and antisocially is the true asshole.

*****For the record: I definitely do not consider myself to be in the category of the gifted or highly intelligent.

Well said woof.

ZZZ

[

*****For the record: I definitely do not consider myself to be in the category of the gifted or highly intelligent.

But do you consider yourself to be in the category of a**hole? lol.

I do agree with your observations. I am not suggesting gifted equates automatically with being an asshole. But I am suggesting that the question of this thread could use some alternative thought and reflection in terms of the a**holes.

[ Edited by: telescopes 2011-02-22 18:29 ]

The I-95 Song

"Were you born an asshole, or did you work at it your whole life? Either way, it worked out fine, 'cause you're an asshole, tonight."

On 2011-03-02 13:08, Limbo Lizard wrote:
The I-95 Song

"Were you born an asshole, or did you work at it your whole life? Either way, it worked out fine, 'cause you're an asshole, tonight."

Next, we'll be quoting that great wanna be governor of Texas, "I'm just an asshole from El Paso".

i just think the word a**hole is funny!
:lol:

it's a butt,but you're calling a person one of them!
hahahahahaha!

funny stuff.

On 2011-03-03 08:26, little lost tiki wrote:
i just think the word a**hole is funny!
:lol:

it's a butt,but you're calling a person one of them!
hahahahahaha!

funny stuff.

I think ahole is more of a spatial issue. Butt & a would be the same but, not butt & a**hole.
I thnk the word is funny , too. :lol:

*"...It's a butt,but you're calling a person one of them!
hahahahahaha!

funny stuff."*

I had never thought of that way. You're right, that is funny! It would probably also be funny to just call someone "a butt."

I bet there are other body parts you could use as an insult...

"You big elbow!" (Someone who is sort of pointy but bends easily.)

"He's a scalp." (Someone who's thin skinned but hard underneath.)

"Like I care what you have to say, ear lobe!" (Someone you'd poke a hole through if you could.)

"She's a total nostril." (Someone already full of holes but you'd still like to put another one in them.)

This is really cool cuz it means there is essentially no end to the way we can be mean to each other or talk badly about other people!

File Under: Fiction

[ Edited by: woofmutt 2011-03-03 08:49 ]

QUESTION

When people write "a**hole" I assume they mean "asshole" but made a typo or the "s" key is out on their keyboard or something. With this assumption in mind when I see "a**hole" I just read it as "asshole." Am I correct in my assumption or is "a**hole" a word I'm unfamiliar with?