Dear Madawg,
Thank you for your answer.
Let me point out that we did not provide our definition. We asked for your definition. Then we took David-Baptiste�s advice and we referred to the dictionary. The definition we provided comes from the Oxford English Dictionary. We don�t ask you to agree. We simply offered it as one definition from the dictionary that many of the Queen�s subjects see as the arbiter of the Queen�s English.
You�ve answered the question you asked about why we don�t see what we are doing as kitsch. The Fluxus artist we named are visual artists, to be sure. They are also composers. We are not reproducing their visual art. We are performing their music.
Sincerely,
Secret Fluxus
From: ArtnAnts Subject: Re: FLUXLIST: Kitsch Date: Fri, 02 Jul 2004 09:44:34 -0700
In a message dated 7/2/04 6:52:22 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
To make something kitsch is �to render worthless, to affect with sentimentality and vulgarity�.
Now that I�ve answered your question, I�d like to turn the question around to ask you something, Madawg.
Do you feel that the work of artists like Dick Higgins, Alison Knowles, George Brecht, Mieko Shiomi, Ken Friedman, or Robert Watts is kitsch? Do you feel that their work is �characterized by worthless pretentiousness�?
I dont know that I agree with that definition of Kitsch. Certainly the people making Kitsch dont see it as worthless. People who make Kitsch generally arent being pretentious-they are being authentic. It�s the cultural elite who judge it so.
No I wouldnt say the above mentioned artists were making Kitsch and you are right in that musicians who play works of long ago artists arent considered Kitsch. However Kitsch seems to be reserved for visual artists.
Madawg
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