The cat or a Rembrandt is easy as a choice. What if the choice is
between Hitler unable to help himself and
a Rembrandt.
mando
On May 5, 2009, at 11:40 AM, William Conger wrote:
Why is it that some people believe that artworks have to be saved?
From what? If from certain destruction or damage, the reasons are
primarily for the sake of value or sentimentality. If from
oblivion, for anticipated value or sentimentality. If for pride,
then for the sake of culture and sentimentality. The real question
is, What is worthy about sentimentality?
As for the cat or the Rembrandt, assuming it's an authenticated
Rembrandt painting and not a restruck print (can be rather cheaply
acquired) I'd choose the painting because the cat is animate and
evolved to provide for itself, more or less, and therefore has a
fighting chance to escape while the painting is inanimate,
defenseless, and more valuable. From a cultural standpoint at
least, it has more sentimental value that the cat.
We live in a material world and value everything in material
terms. We also live in a world of values and spiritual
aspiration. The two should be happily blended, whenever possible
since the extreme of each is destructive to both. This was
Goethe's theme and it's not bad. So who says one can't cheat in a
desperate situation and grab for the cat on the way out with the
painting snugly held?
WC
________________________________
From: Chris Miller <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2009 10:31:51 AM
Subject: Why is it that some people believe that artworks have to
be saved ?
Luc asked:
"why is it that some people believe that artworks have to be
saved ? or
rescued?"
Kirby touched on this question a few years ago.
A house is burning, and all you can rescue is either the Rembrandt
on the
wall or the kitten on the floor. Which would you choose ?
Being the good Lutheran that he was, Kirby chose to save the
living, beloved,
somewhat human creature -- while being an aesthete, I would rescue
the great
painting. (even if, as a cat lover, I realize that every cat, like
every
painting, is unique and irreplaceable)
My reasons?
They're really no better than Kirby's.
It's just that I love paintings more than cats, am grateful that
people have
saved them for me, and feel somewhat responsible for saving them
for future
generations.
Though, arguments could also be made that art works help create a
sense of
cultural identity that is the fabric of social life. I think this
is the role
that calligraphy was given in traditional Chinese civilization, and
why it was
patronized by every imperial court.
Aren't similar arguments still being made to justify various kinds of
institutional support, above and beyond whatever an open ,free
market might
provide?
Though in our polyglot society, such arguments are a bit weaker.
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