July 20, 2009

Where I am today: I have two things on the table top, one a turkey that needs redeeming, and the other a turkey being born.

I'm interested in achieving full membership in the Society of Layerists, but I'm discouraged by the requirements of the application. They want 10 pieces submitted (no problem, there), accompanied by a statement of intent about each. I have no intent; or, if I do, I don't know what it is.

While it is useful for the artist to step back and analyze his or her purpose in making art, I can't help but think that it matters little what I tried or wanted to do. The whole thing is what I did do. This is why we're told that a piece should speak for itself--at least, that's what the art historians say, those folks whose careers are made on speaking about art, and always somebody else's art at that. But there is a point, here: If a poet followed each poem with an explanation of what the poem meant, it wouldn't be a very good poem. Again, the piece should speak for itself. Of all the arts, poetry bubbles up from the experiences of an entire culture. If its meaning is cloudy and resonates with no one, can it be a poem?

Well, so much for that. I'm going to think about this application further and see if I can come up with an intent for each of the rescued turkeys. Dear Blog, there is more on this coming.

PW