> Well, I don't think that faith is in conflict with art.
I think it depends on both the faith and the art.
> What you may find is that people whose thought processes are defined by
> the social groups they belong to are often not open to other ideas
> because they feel it will put them in a position of conflict within
> their group and they may lose the society around them that they value
> so they choose to reject ideas from outside their own circle.
That certainly describes my impression of the crowd I entertained 10 years
ago. Well stated.
> Myke, your church
To which I have not been in about 4-5 years, but...
> is no doubt composed of fairly like-minded people in that
> you all share the same interpretation of your belief system (which is
> Christian if I remember rightly?).
Southern Baptist, to be precise. I don't know if that means anything
to UKers though. The denomination is rather well-known here in the
States - and quite utterly detested by the left. I don't march in
lockstep but there is a definite personal identification with it,
nonetheless.
> Myke if you find the people most prone to appreciate your faith detest
> your art they are likely closer to a fundamental conservative view of
> christianity.
> I wonder why you find that many people who share your faith
> dislike your art. Maybe it's not an issue of faith.
Perhaps "detest" is too harsh a word. It's more of an attitude of
indifference than something actively negative. If I don't air it,
nobody will ask to hear it. If I do air it, most will go elsewhere
or just be sure to not be present in the first place.
> have people actually said that they find your work difficult in the
> light of their beliefs?
No, because 99% of my work is already tempered by my own similar beliefs.
One of the unsung trademarks of my style is that I deliberately seek to
avoid recording obviously offensive material. This follows, I suppose,
in the John Cage style of using absense to illuminate presence.
I much prefer the music of The Brian Setzer Orchestra to that of the
Cherry Poppin' Daddies simply because the latter's lyrics are so raunchy -
even though the raunch is never very explicit. I like swing but only in
purer terms. It's more authentic that way.
> The only problem I can see are things such as performance where nudity
> or profanity is involved which people from certain faiths may find
> incompatible with their beliefs.
Yes, and I tend to stay away from such things in my art. For one thing,
I, like Jane's Addiction, believe "Nothing's Shocking". Nudity and
profanity in art is cliche'. Their use requires no talent either.
I just seem to only find appreciation for the avant-garde in societal
left-field - a place in which I am definitely an alien. Even then,
however, I supsect a lot of left-leaning people don't fully "get" my "clean"
avant-garde explorations because it doesn't kill any sacred cows of the right
which is so often a trademark of left-wing art.
What a mess!
Myke
