by Jerome du Bois
I need to get back to Part Two of "The Pride of Phoenix," but this was just too good to pass up, since it refers directly to another of our series, "Democracy in America at ASU," which opened last night. One of the pieces which was excluded ended up, in reproduction, on ten T-shirts in attendance.
From Mark Saxon's ASU Web Devil online article:
More than 10 supporters, at least one of them a child, wore black T-shirts with an artist's piece omitted from the show -- "Angry Americans" by Ryan McNamara.
He's talking about these brats.
"We're not really sure how his artwork didn't fit in," said Betsy Bretharte-Lyon, who was wearing the shirt, along with her son, Cooper. "We are here to represent Ryan's piece in another way."
McNamara's "Angry Americans," a series of eight large photographic portraits assembled in a long rectangle, depicted close-ups of Bretharte-Lyon's son Cooper and seven other children conveying their best attempts to show anger.
Bretharte-Lyon said she believed McNamara's piece showed the emotions of those who do not believe they have a way to express their feelings to the world.
"Not including the piece is just another way of silencing us," she said.
Museum curator Marilyn Zeitlin said she had the final word for what was included in the exhibition.
"I chose not to put it in, and I, as curator, have that freedom of expression," she said.
Let's imagine the scene in the Bretharte-Lyon home as mother and son peruse the New Times update which announces that Cooper's little blond face will not appear on the museum wall, no matter his mother's and Ryan McNamara's assurances . . .
(In what follows, some would go with the mother as the pushy one. We go with the son.)
. . . Mother looks at son as at something ticking.
He slams the paper down. "MAAAAWWWMM!"
"I know, I know."
"I mean what the hell -- !"
"Cooper!"
"Oh, come on, mom! What happened? You gotta call --"
Holding up her cellphone. "I already did, while you were reading. I left a message with her."
Head down, mumbling, squeaky voice. "It's not going to happen. I thought this was America!"
Holding up the cellphone. "She'll get back to us. . . " Squinting, leaning forward. "What's that on your t-shirt? Let me --" licking thumb, scraping at something.
Jerking back. "Mom! This is serious! It's just egg or something. There's more important things --"
"Like what?"
"Like what about Maitlin and Caitlin? What are they going to say?"
"I know, I know . . . are you sure that's egg?"
"Maawwm! And Ryan and Brian?"
"I know, I know."
"And Addison and Madison?"
'I know!" Pause. Holding up calm palm. "I mean, I know --" brushing the chest of this t-shirt. "I have an idea."
And she did. Pop it up.
It's a triumph for freedom of expression, idn't it?. McNamara's piece got in, even if on a t-shirt, and only for one night. What does that matter? Was it ever meant to be a unique work of art? Cooper's cropped image got looked at, if one of ten people stood still for the viewer. Thank God a concerned and loving mother found an outlet for, in her words,
those who do not believe they have a way to express their feelings to the world.
Cooper found a way, and now he is refining his way. Dr. Crow, Marilyn Zeitlin and five curators got aced by a ten-year-old and his attentive and doting mother. (What's that music? I'll be . . . wrapped around your finger . . .) Not often do we witness, in public at least, the actions of a nascent operator. (Some of us with children know some of these tactics well.) Go get 'em, Cooper Bretharte-Lyon! Hell, you and your mom got eight others on the string already! But stay away from us, son, since we saw your number a mile away.
Pity the other adults around you don't.
Alert: We will be posting Part Two of "The Pride of Phoenix" late tonight, which will flatten Richard Nilsen's, Amy L. Young's, and Michelle Laudig's latest pieces on downtown art like Frances over Florida. Stay up and gnash your teeth.
Posted by Jerome at September 1, 2004 03:07 PM | TrackBack