Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/11/29

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Subject: Subject: Re: [Leica] OT:Photo grad school: now DUCK CINDY!
From: Alexey Merz <alexey@webcom.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 00:10:20 -0500

John Collier trolled:

> OH goody, let's bash Cindy Sherman again!

...and like a fool, I bit:

Yes, let's.

>  Let see....hmmm...how about a sing
> along. I will write the first stanza and then perhaps everyone 
> could take a
> turn?
>
> Lead complainer in small caps and all the rest of you talented 
> bums join in
> on the all caps. Think more liturgy rather than Neil Diamond.
> - ----------------
> She started small,
>
> AND WE HATE THAT!

Whatever that means.

> She is hard working,

So are coal miners. That doesn't make their work good art.

> AND WE HATE THAT!
>
> She is very talented,

Technical competence is boring and relatively easily acquired (cf. 
Geddes). Artistic merit is decided on entirely subjective bases. I 
think Sherman's work is boring, pretentious, and pandering.

> AND WE HATE THAT!
>
> She explores social issues,

Not in particularly interesting ways.

> AND WE HATE THAT!
>
> Her work is highly regarded outside of inbred photographic groups,

You mean, inside inbred art scene groups?

> AND WE HATE THAT!
>
> She is doing so well she really does not care what we think,

She's welcome to do whatever she wants; it's her life and 
(arguable) talent to waste. It's a pity, though, that she's gotten 
so much limelight when so many other more deserving artists (IMO) 
do not.

> OH AND THAT REALLY BURNS US UP!

Yes, it does.

> PS: Can we finish with a rousing rendition of "God Bless Anne Geddes" ?

You can. I think of Sherman as a Geddes for poseurs, anyway.

Alexey Merz
Department of Biochemistry
Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover NH 03755-3844
alexey@webcom.com | alexey@dartmouth.edu
603-650-1702 | http://www.webcom.com/alexey/

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