Comments on: Episode 140: Tony Matelli

By: Mark Staff Brandl

Mark Staff Brandl — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:24:59 +0000

Richard, you are right about “business,” but don’t forget that any categorization is incomplete and /or partially wrong. Anything, anyone, is always more and less than any category in which it or she/he is described or shoved into. E.g., you are a father, but also more than that (artist, lawyer, art critic, art fair organizer, etc.), yet also you are less, in that you are not a fulfilment of nor identical to all other fathers. Likewise art is a business, yet is much more and less. It is one of the most idiotioc businesses on earth, a cottage industry nestled among upper class privileged cliques, yet also is still far more. The lack of any attention to the “more” whiile wallowing in the “less” is what is so depressing about big ar fairs.

By: katie sehr

katie sehr — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:35:50 +0000

I won’t try this at home!

By: katie sehr

katie sehr — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:34:35 +0000

I was talking about Matelli’s actual exhibition. I am very impressed with his candidness and honesty during the BAS interview. I now want to set a drawing on “fake fire”.

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:46:26 +0000

Hamlett,

Art fairs always generate a debate because the rile some people up philosophically. Also they force the high and mightier of us (guilt at times myself) to confront that in many ways art is ultimately a business like all other businesses. People get mad and throw opinions and some insights around and much melee is had by all. The more animated discussions are why I like the message board part of the blog. When an individual artist is discussing her/his/it/their work there is not a whole lot of dialog that goes on as you either like what they do/ have to say or you don’t and this tends not to yield that much discussion.

Anyway thanks and keep contributing!

By: hamlett

hamlett — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:43:05 +0000

sure Mark, you’re totally right. I wanted to point out the difference in the Tony Matelli posts (at that time 11) and the previous show’s post (then a whopping 65). I didn’t mean to imply that the Matelli interview was any more or less interesting, just that it was a different kind of show. I do think it’s interesting that the shows that interview one or two artists about their studio practice seem to generate fewer posts on the site, it points to what you said about the cotroversiality of it. Now if only BAS could score an interview with Karen Kilimnik…(cue the theme from “Jaws” for the Shark)

By: Balzac

Balzac — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:36:57 +0000

And whether or not Wesley chimes in!

By: Mark Staff Brandl

Mark Staff Brandl — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:03:20 +0000

I don’t think the number of comments has anything to do with the quality of a show — or even popularity of it — it is more a measure of the level of controversiality of the subject.

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:11:02 +0000

Including you and Duncan’s Mom, 5 downloads per week.

By: hamlett

hamlett — Sun, 11 May 2008 03:08:57 +0000

i was totally unfamilar with tony matelli’s work before the episode, but i didn’t want that episode to be over. it was really great, not a show that would generate a 65 comments on the message board. . . but a great, interesting, funny, honest conversation all the same. and we got some funny duncan mixed in at the beginning too. you just can’t go wrong with muppets. i’m looking forward to the next show tomorrow.

just out of curiosity, i wonder what the number of downloads is for an average bad at sports episode? how many people are out there listening to the podcast?

By: John Doe

John Doe — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:38:19 +0000

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PB6sH3RwGYA