Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2008 20:10:15 -0700
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
From: The Independent Eye <eye-AT-independenteye.org>
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] G.K. Chesterton,


Exploring the life of an artist can be extremely valuable in opening 
up aspects of his/her work.  But the key phrase is "opening up."  If 
you can't approach the gritty skin & warts of the person who created 
this thing without closing off to it, then you're better not knowing. 
But with a work of art, you have to assume, I think, that whatever 
miserable sonofabitch created it, s/he reached deep for that one 
insane span of time and found the bit of true gold amid all the 
cinders & petrified turds, and left us that as a legacy.  If you 
can't get past the turds, it's your loss.

We all want heroes & role models, even the most cynical of us.  And 
so artists standing high in our esteem are ripe for debunking.  Guess 
what, they're human.  But the great thing about an artist, especially 
a dead one, is that you can shuffle through all his artifacts and 
choose what you like, and he'll never know.  You don't have to invite 
him to dinner.  He doesn't have to marry your daughter.  He's simply 
usable.

Peace & joy-
Conrad
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