Art and Idealism

I had a professor who hated hated hated Americans for being so puritanical and earnest.

Two good things came of that experience. I have him sitting on my shoulder to this day, reminding me that I am completely implicated and that I cannot hope to be enlightened. That art is dirty, and that this dirtiness is where it gets all its power.

And of course understanding that I am soaking in it just makes me that much more puritanical and earnest.

Note to art establishment: this is why artist's statements are always so bad. Art is often driven by paradox and conflict. These paradoxes are usually hard to verbalize. If you could just say them, then why bother buying all this extra material and getting yourself all dirty and tired and ruining another pair sneakers?