I am an artist, who came up through its ranks by being a part of the self taught art field, previously known as OUTSIDER ART. Their have been a lot of improvements in this field to say the least.
In the beginning biography was every thing and in some cases this eclipsed the work itself.
I mean if you were an old Negro from any part of the south and could draw on a piece of cardboard and then were found and promoted by the right person, who could use this biography as a selling point. They had it made, (not you) because you probably didn’t get much for your work any way.
I have been fortunate enough to have a gallery that taught me and the rest of the world some thing.
It’s in the work its all in the work. Its about Good work, Good work has no titles…….
Anyway
Having said this
Many of us have noted what I call the “spirit animal thing”. Which is, African Americans as they are portrayed in movies and the like, have historically been this spiritual presence? They appear out of now where; they never seem to have any money or any real place of origin. They find the white person in need, offer advice, straighten out their lives or show them how and then move on. These African Americans are almost always unschooled but blessed with an over abundance of mother wit, charm and God. Hey recently Latino’s can witness the same thing in the movies that they appear, Jenifer Lopez is always good for this. And all of the maid roles where the maid like on the show “weeds” comments and helps the silly white people
Where was I
Oh
This can be seen by watching any of the following movies. The Green Mile, Bagger Vance, Gladiator, and every other television show. And this portrayal goes all the way back to Gone with the wind. The nurturing Mammy.
In any case this election opened my eyes to other possibilities and uses for this spirit animal. So Lets make this an American thing. This thing inside of America that makes being poor somehow more noble.
It’s a trick and a trap just as damaging in the social political world, as in the Self taught art world.
Just take a look at the Republican Party and see what they are now doing with Sarah Palin.
They imported this “outsider” with all of her homey winks and nods and gotchas and Joes.
Gag me with a spoon
They present her to the public as the real deal, as some one that because of her limited contact with books and intellectualism would some how be closer to the source. Of common sense and wisdom as if being dumb is a virtue.
They portray Obama as an intellectual elitist, someone who has lost touch with the world,
Because he tends to pick up a book every once in a while
It’s the reverse of the spirit animal
If you look through the eyes of a republican
And a confirmation of the spirit animal if you are a democrat.
Its about this bagger Vance in white face and in a skirt.
This says more about America’s search for authenticity and identity.
Just like the search in the self taught field, in the early days to find a compromise between that ability to make good art work. And a biography that just might be better than the work itself.
But one real difference
Is that the Republican Party has turned this on its head.
Some how or another and I still almost believe in a master plan.
Or I should say a collective conscience of the money makers in this country
You don’t need a play when you have similar interest……..just follow your bliss
And you find each other
Anyway
Obama ill leave you out of this
.But if you are a black male in this country you have to still play Bagger Vance on some levels if you want to succeed.
But this is another topic.
Let’s look at it this way.
Liberals enjoy the spirit animal thing as much as the next person, I mean who runs Hollywood. Liberals in their kindness and in trying to give the black man a one up, they helped to continue perpetuate and promote this spirit animal thing. In their movies, their art and their souls.
Ok
No hard feelings
Conservatives on the other hand, or the evil men in the back ground. Were just as complicate in its design.
Except for one thing,
They figured out how to utilize this spirit animal,
Which they now call all kind of different things
But most of all Joe the plumber
Or Sarah Palin.
They found what they thought were the white counterparts of the black spirit animal. And highlighted the qualities that the liberal side thinks it loves ,
Things like mother wit, and a true honestly and belief in god.
They found a Sarah Palin
Full of fire and misinformation
And now they have sent her out to attack the ignorant masses.
And these masses
Are drawn to her like a moth to a flame,
Seeking sameness and understanding.
Sarah
Her ego all blown up
Doesn’t even notice what is happening.
No more then the republicans that passed before hers did.
Reagan was not a bright bulb but a charismatic.
And their last find George Bush.
Who by pretending to be home spun and wise stole a presidency?
This was the guy that most folks want to have a beer with. A Blue blood in fact, but its all in the promotion of the biography. Its all in the language and presentation.
And republicans became dazzled by the biography and never looked to see.
That his work his art, was damaged flawed and without vision or transcendence.
They put this idiot (George) up front and in the back rooms
They started wars,
Started profiles in hate manipulation and greed and distracted the public with this false prophet..
I thought the publics love for these fools was done
I mean the moneys in the bank and it’s a new election season.
Then came Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin
Yup America plays a nasty game
It turned my spirit animal theory on its head
And we wonder why our kids don’t like to be smart in school.
We are auditioning for the president of the United States and we are more concerned about whom we can drink and barbeque with, that some one who will sit and figure all of this mess out...
And like history always shows
How in dire times
America has a way of turning poor folks against each other.
John McCain in his arrogance knew exactly what he was doing. He selected a pretty face, if you think that Sarah is pretty………. I don’t.
Pretty starts from the inside and no one that can work up a crowd like she does is pretty.
Anyway the scary part of all of this is that I might be wrong.
And Sarah Palin isn’t really a dummy but the real deal
Maybe she is authentic
Sarah like many self taught artist is a charismatic people are drawn to her….its a gift
It could be a blessing if used right but in her case……….I don’t think so
Instead of guidance I see manipulation, like say Hitler,
Maybe the chickens have let a fox in the hen house
I mean in these bad times America is ripe, it was create a new movement to distract the masses.
It always does.
Or like my dear Langston says
They send me to eat in the kitchen when company comes………….
Yea Sarah Palin they are using and rewriting her biography.
And she is self taught riding the wave of someone else’s over reaching political ambition.
And the ignorant masses believe every thing they are told.
I have been talking to a lot of republicans and they believe all of the bile that is being spouted out.
Socialism, that Obama is an anti Christ, and so on.
Look in my opinion good art is good art, self taught, academic, it don’t matter.
It’s all in the work.
Obama is good work and there is some thing really insane about hating educated people.
Some thing really silly about believing if you read a book or believe in learning. That some how another you are disconnected, to real life.
It’s just a trick
A ploy
And they wonder why our kids don’t want to be educated.
And they wonder why our kids want to be thugs,
Or the real deal
Leroy the drug dealer
Tyrone the Hit man
Juan the Pimp
Or Joe the Plumber
Our kids just want to fit in
In a world that hates any one that seems to bright
That reviles genius. How many geniuses have we neglected or killed already
And On the national stage we are showing them that A
Sarah Palin is more viable
Thank God for the Drisdales to show them the ropes
and watch the money
Yup rather have a Palin then a Obama
Than a Obama or a Hillary because ………she can wink
I want some one that can read damn it
I want a president that is smarter than me
What wrong here
What wrong with this picture
Lord lord
I Outsider
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