Now I know not everyone will love my artwork, they may not like it, understand it or appreciate it in any way, and I am fine with that. I am not doing it to please the masses. So when I heard that one of Provincetown's newspapers, The Provincetown Banner had passed on covering my exhibit, it didn't really bother me. The gallery owner told me they don't usually cover exhibits that run less than two weeks anyway, and with my last minute venue change I was lucky to get the time for the show that I did. However, I have had brushes with the Banner in the past so I know they have a prudish attitude when it comes to anything sexual, especially male.
When I heard that two of the women, I believe it was the editor and arts editor, poked their heads into the gallery with my show hung, turned up their noses, derogatorily remarked, "this is soooo Tom of Finland" and promptly left, is when I got ticked.
Like I said I could care less if they put me in their pretentious paper. But, I am appalled by the fact that these two 'women' running a paper in gay mecca P-Town would so off handily dismiss the work of Tom of Finland. Like his work or not, most gay men would recognize it whether they know who drew it or not and it has had such an impact and been a mirror to gay culture. I have gotten many comparisons to Tom's work, and while I see vast differences, I am certainly honored to be in his company. The fact that they have no understanding of Tom's work and didn't even bother to try to understand mine seems a bit brash for a GLBT community and an artists community.
It's these overly pretentious types that have always soured me on the 'art community', but at least in contrast, I have always found other artists to be open, welcoming, and receptive to my work, whether they be male or female, work in male nudes, landscapes, or abstracts.
I also have pleasure in knowing that they made the same omission when Steve Walker had his first big showing in Provincetown. So I'd much ra ther be in the same company as Steve Walker and Tom of Finland than in the P-Town Banner.
I have found out that the member of the Banner staff who made the actual comment was not one of the editors but an ad rep..
When I heard that two of the women, I believe it was the editor and arts editor, poked their heads into the gallery with my show hung, turned up their noses, derogatorily remarked, "this is soooo Tom of Finland" and promptly left, is when I got ticked.
Like I said I could care less if they put me in their pretentious paper. But, I am appalled by the fact that these two 'women' running a paper in gay mecca P-Town would so off handily dismiss the work of Tom of Finland. Like his work or not, most gay men would recognize it whether they know who drew it or not and it has had such an impact and been a mirror to gay culture. I have gotten many comparisons to Tom's work, and while I see vast differences, I am certainly honored to be in his company. The fact that they have no understanding of Tom's work and didn't even bother to try to understand mine seems a bit brash for a GLBT community and an artists community.
It's these overly pretentious types that have always soured me on the 'art community', but at least in contrast, I have always found other artists to be open, welcoming, and receptive to my work, whether they be male or female, work in male nudes, landscapes, or abstracts.
I also have pleasure in knowing that they made the same omission when Steve Walker had his first big showing in Provincetown. So I'd much ra ther be in the same company as Steve Walker and Tom of Finland than in the P-Town Banner.
I have found out that the member of the Banner staff who made the actual comment was not one of the editors but an ad rep..
3 comments:
Utterly their loss. You don't have to be gay to enjoy your lovely art - just like seeing beautiful images and beautiful guys. Really glad the exhibition was a success for you.
Never let bigotted views cloud your vision of beauty. You have a great talent and as long as you want to share it with those that appreciate it we will enjoy it. It is their loss if they do not want to cover your exhibition.
I think I mentioned my experience with the staff at the Banner and my experience with them trying to get an editorial posted. It was like running into a brick wall. Friend of a friend of a friend couldn't be written about! There is a group of long timers in Ptown who unfortunately take the liberty of censoring the town "news" and the events for themselves and their political and business friends. I will stop there because I don't want to bring their negativity and give more attention to the "Banner Mafia" lol. There are too many good things to focus on like your art, your writing, and the person that you are, kind, talented and generous. Some people need to feel like they control a small vacation town and what passes and what doesn't. A small group of bigoted people who try to write a weekly paper that is of little interest to me anyway. A group of individuals who control a small town paper with biased content. I am sure you received good press, it was their loss.
I always do that, say I will stop now and go on anway. Just some left over love from my dealings with that rag.
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