Things that puzzle me
1. Why people believe in ghosts, homoeopathy, religion.
2. Why Americans all claim to be 'Irish', 'Italian' etc.
3. Why people wear ties (they seem pretty ridiculous to me)
4. why people with no artistic training feel competent to talk about art and why doesn't this apply to other things.
5. What connection the crisis in Palestine has with cuts to public services in the UK, or any of the other myriad protests you see the Palestinian flag waved at for that matter.
6. Why is it acceptable to wear clothes branded with the emblems and names of the Soviet Union but not ok to go around wearing the equivalent symbols of Nazi German.
7. Why trainers are so expensive.
( WormuIus, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:45, 5 replies, latest was 14 years ago)

Also magnets

( WormuIus, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:45, Reply)

I agree.
Magnets are the devils work.
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:53, Reply)

No, that's peppers.

( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:54, Reply)

Do you not like peppers?

( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:55, Reply)

There's obviously some chemical in them that doesn't agree with me.
I can't be in the same room as them. And I can tell if they've just been in the rrrom before I got there. And on the odd occasions I haven't been able to get out of eating them, I discovered they taste horrible too.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:57, Reply)

Interesting
I like them though they do not like me

*burps*
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:58, Reply)

Answers:
1. Stupidity
2. Stupidity
3. Not a clue
4. It does!
5. They like to riot
6. I NO RITE
7. ??
8. Profit
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:47, Reply)

Art is purely subjective.
It doesn't matter how well you wield a paintbrush if no-one likes your paintings.
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:52, Reply)

Liking pictures, sculptures, etc is all well and good
I just hate the pretentiousness of "It show mankind's struggle agsint consumerism, juxtaposed with the suffering of the red squirrel" fucking bollocks that they all go on about.

No, its a picture/sculpture/etc...
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:02, Reply)

There is so much art in the world and you don't have to like or understand all of it.

( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:08, Reply)

For me, it isn't about understanding it at all
I dont have to understand the Mona Lisa but I can appreciate that is is quite well painted
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:10, Reply)

No problem. Modern art is more about ideas and concepts than beauty or storytelling.
Art can make us think as well as smile or feel sad. A lot of modern art leaves me cold too and I went to art school.
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:14, Reply)

I have nothing against modern art per se
It is just the whole unmade bed with condoms shite that gets on my tits. I even like some of Damien Hirst's stuff
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:15, Reply)

Haha! You should have seen my installation in my final year.

( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:17, Reply)

Tell the group please.....

( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:18, Reply)

Is was about violence against women and it was crap.
It involved a life size rag doll and a video on loop of my face being slapped. There were other factors but for the life of me I can't remember.
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:20, Reply)

My mate's boyfriend is an "artist"
He stood in the corner of a room with a lampshade on his head and a video camera as a piece once

W.T.F.
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:22, Reply)

Was his cock the light switch?
Like Jesus
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:25, Reply)

I have to say I do not know the answer to this

( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:26, Reply)

I could see how not understanding something would frustrate you when it isn't instantly accessible.
A person who understands art a little better might get more from it than you and might well be better qualified to talk about it.
( WormuIus, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:20, Reply)

So there is art for the masses and art for other artists?

( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:22, Reply)

This is the puzzle for me.
If I wrote a novel, it wouldn't be reviewed by people who couldn't read very well, people who couldn't read at all couldn't really hope to experience it as it was intended, obviously they could get an audiobook or have someone explain it to them but something essential to it would be lost.

It would be common ground amongst most people that an expert in literature would be better placed to pass judgement on the novel and whilst people with no formal education in literature were free to read the novel and comment on it, in any consultation about the novel their opinion would not carry the same weight.

It seems to me that people with no formal education or training in art seem much happier to chime in with 'I know what I like' and 'a 5 year old could have done it' and expect to be taken seriously. This puzzles me and I don't think it should be indulged.
( WormuIus, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:24, Reply)

I doubt very much Joe Bloggs expect to be taken seriously when passing judgement on art or literature.
They are just giving their opinion whether right or wrong. I'm quite well read for a non literature buff but I wouldn't expect anyone to take my opinion seriously when judging a book.
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:30, Reply)

So people who read a book and don't like it should not be allowed to tell others why they didn't like it
because they have no formal training in literature?

*edit* What I mean is the same as Blousie really. just because people have an opinion on something doesn't mean they will be taken seriously at all. I went to Vatican City and had a look at all the fancy paintings and statues. I know nothing of Ancient Roman Art but I still felt qualified to say to people, hey you should go see that stuff it was awesome.

The people who comment on art with no formal training seem to only get told off for it when they say something negative. When they say "I love that bed/shark/glass of water" no-one has a problem. When they say "That's shit" they're opinion isn't valid because they aren't trained.
( Peej, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:31, Reply)

It was the elitist eliment in art school that really pushed my buttons when I was there.

( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:38, Reply)

I work for a top 20 art college/university
99% of the stuff I see created is toss but the students strut about like they are geniuses. My brother has a fine art degree, he is 23, unemployed and has only ever found unskilled labouring jobs.
( Peej, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:43, Reply)

Would you say literature was purely subjective?

( WormuIus, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:14, Reply)

In so far as what the story is, yes.
Obviously spelling and punctuation are the artist's paintbrush in that respect.
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:26, Reply)

I saw art attack once, I feel fully emboldened as a result to pass comment on 'art'

( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:59, Reply)

Buchanan!

( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 12:59, Reply)

Bukkakke!

( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:00, Reply)

*SPUNKS*

( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:02, Reply)

1) Because they want to explain what is conceptually unexplainable to them; I am one of these people.
2) Because they're seriously culturly insecure in regards to their roots.
3) To add an air of occasion to an occasion; in my case.
4) Because unless the 'art' is made to only be viewed by the fellow art comunity, then it is made for public concumption, and as such, they are allowed to have an opinion on that something.
5) Donno
6) Donno eaither.
7) Gross mark-ups between the manufacturing owners and the high street. I don't see 'nike' as the ones taking advantage of the poor, but more like who Nike are paying to manufacture. And to tell you the truth, a lot of people in these poor countries are waaay better off under a sweatshop system than not; at least they can eat. Not saying it's right, not in the slightest, but it's the owners of these sweatshops who are doing the grose abuse of people... but ask any of them if they'd rather earn $1/day and be able to eat, or earn nothing and not, most of them would say they would preffer it.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 21 Sep 2011, 13:20, Reply)