I cannot believe I am actually going to write out this response publicly. This is going to be long, so if you got that quarantine boredom, hop on in. I praise anyone who can make it through all of this ranting.

This piece above has been circulating amongst some of my art circles and I feel it is highly elitist, condescending and not particularly helpful. This was not the intent of the author, but I want to give some perspective on how the ‘mere mortals’ might possibly interpret some of this, since it clearly wasn’t written for them and their understanding and comprehension are so low in times of crisis. I have no doubt this will be incredibly unpopular and antagonistic with the art community at large, but as an artist myself, I just wanted to share that not every artist has the same viewpoints laid out in that opinion piece. I’ve got plenty of time lately, so strap in, shots are being fired. This self-isolation got me the grumps.

There are some good points that I would agree with. You will have to read it to gauge for yourself, but I do understand the insight the author is trying to convey. I do find some of these qualities in the creative-types that I know. I understand that this author is trying to promote positivity, and me attacking this is probably not a good look and will most likely piss off some of my artists friends. Meh, you guys probably don’t like me anyways.

I learned that this author really views themselves and artists as a separate kind of being. Like, the next advancement of the human species. I’m talking ubermensch levels. I learned that there are some unique things that only artists are capable of as “few people have the range, depth of practice, and follow-through to discover and manifest new visions”. There is a list of qualities that all begin with the ever-perpetuating “We” which really puts a bad taste in my mouth. We. We sets us apart from them. This dichotomy is always meant to set up the proposition that one group (artists, in this case) have unique and singular traits that make them more than another group. From the list of these particular qualities, I learned insights such as “We bear witness - We listen to and reveal what it is like to be alive right now”. What it is like to be alive right now? What does this mean? More so than a father right now? A mother right now? More than a doctor right now? Artist’s also apparently “understand rhythm, flow, and negative space - Not everything we do right now needs to be doing. Silence is a way of telling. Stillness is movement.” These are common troupes you hear in these academic art circles, (for those of you not in the informed “We” group). Supposed mastery of these concepts is not something beholden to artists. Flow? You understand flow? Specifically or generally? How one thing moves to another thing? Economically? Socially? Kinesthetically? Are we comparing viscosity rates? Geographically? Or do you mean ‘flow’ in a metaphysical sense? A sense that cannot be measured, proven, disproven, validated, or even observed, in which case, being an artist gains you no more access to this concept of ‘flow’ than anyone else. Additionally, this pseudo-mystification of what we do as artists has been one of the very things that often alienates us (and cuts funding) in higher education. You want more art in higher education? Then stop promoting purely self-indulgent practices and stop this art-speak that correlates “We” artists as somehow being mystical shamans with metaphysical insight that only “We” can bestow upon “you”.

I’m getting off on a tangent, and that would be a much longer rant…

Other things in the piece, however, are a bit less nauseating. “We are connectors, conveners, community builders” which I would have to agree with to a certain capacity. Perhaps the most important and true statements the author makes, in my opinion, is that “artists build possible futures, challenge assumptions and reframe the world”. I would agree. Artists do participate in these avenues, but they are by no means the sole proprietors on anything on this list, as the author impolitely suggests and words.

I also learned something else from reading this piece. I learned that some artists, no matter what the situation the world finds itself in, at any given time, are actually capable of growing a third arm to needlessly pat themselves on the back. Again, the author uses such typical self-important language and jargon that you find in these elitist echo chambers, that I can only amass it to a form of willful ignorance.

Do you know what I have really learned in the past week, not from the article, but from the current ‘climate’ we find ourselves in? I have learned how incredibly and profoundly grateful I am to live in a world where I even have the luxury to make art. Many aspects of my daily life have come into focus, things that I am ashamed to say that I took for granted. Things that I never looked at in this light. Perhaps the author would agree that this is the artist in me, but you don’t have to be an artist to see the change and flow of things now. I feel a tremendous amount of respect for those that are literally on the front lines of this thing, doing their best to keep us safe, supplied and informed. I am supremely grateful of all of the things I still have. I am grateful that a magic light comes on whenever I flip a switch. I am grateful that I have a magic box to keep my comfort food hot-pockets frozen and a magic box to heat them up when I am ready to eat. I am grateful that without any real farming or hunting skills, I can go to a place, literally ANY time of the day, week, year, and get WHATEVER I want to eat. I have access to the entirety of human knowledge at my fingertips and I am spending my time writing this asinine response that maybe a couple people will read. So yes, I am extremely grateful right now in this time of crisis. Imagine my surprise when I see this piece extolling the virtues of artists and what ‘we’ do in times of crisis. Is that part of what we do? Are we so insecure that we have to publicly announce how important and needed we are when there are workers out there that haven’t slept and eaten in over 24 hours? We don’t get to determine our importance in times like this, the world does it for you. Think of it this way, with this dumb analogy that I know everyone can relate to. You know a guy. Guy’s name is Mike. Or Michelle, cause that’s cool too. Mike/Michelle goes around talking about how bad-ass, tough, important…etc. they are. Do you believe it? Now let’s say you know a girl (for equality’s sake, in this totally made-up and hypothetical scenario). Girl’s name is Gwen. Gwen doesn’t talk about herself much. Yet, EVERYONE else talks about how bad-ass, important, and amazing she is. Do you believe it? You don’t get to validate yourself with yourself when it comes to what you think your art practice does. The world will decide whether the artist does the things on that list, the artist doesn’t claim them.

Let me tell you what we actually need right now. “We” need the health care workers who are pulling 16 hour shifts with drastically limited supplies to continue to take care of the sick. The author rudely describes artists as being ‘first responders’ in times of crisis. I understand the metaphor the author is making, but now is not the time to refer to artists as ‘first responders’ in any capacity, metaphor or not. “We” need the long-haul truckers to keep making cross-country deliveries of food and resources so our cities do not collapse in on themselves. “We” need grocery workers to keep showing up, putting inventory out and maintain order in the stores so that we may get the food and supplies we need. These people are out there, at risk, everyday. “We” need janitorial staff to not only maintain, but increase sanitation practices, which they have been doing, working overtime to help slow the spread of this thing. “We” need our workers at the Board of Water Supply to ensure that when we turn our faucet’s on, water magically comes out of it. “We” need our scientists and researchers to toil over this tirelessly as they have been doing to find the best possible prevention and treatment options so that we can beat this thing. “We” need to support our teachers and educators that have found themselves in the unprecedented situation of having to move their entire course loads online, working double and triple time. What “We” as artists can do right now is stay the fuck home, nice and safe and protected and taken care of, so that afterwards, we can share all of the amazing insights and knowledge we gained that nobody else was able to because they were too busy saving our asses. I think you get my point.

Clearly, the way we move forward is going to be challenging and things may not ever quite be the same after this. I think artists will always play an important role in these times of crisis, but I lay my criticism out as an artist myself. Yes, we play an important role. Yes, we can do all of the amazing things the author lays out, and yes we will be needed when it comes to finding meaning and connections in all of this. But I don’t feel like people need to be reminded of this right now, (or maybe insecure artists do), nor is it the time to try and shine the spot light on us. Your art practice is not that important right now. Let’s shine the light on those that are actually making the country run so that “We” incredibly privileged artists can continue to try and live up to those things on the authors list.

For everyone working so hard keeping our country afloat, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am sorry I took you for granted.