comes around -- art precedes

Did you hear about the liberal fond of Andy Warhol but who doesn’t like Donald Trump, so alike in so many ways I’m here to tell you. Andy was one clever marketeer but he was venal and shallow -- virtues in his world. He stole, show me an image he created that isn’t a lumpy shoe, and he cheated, no one knows what’s actually ‘authentic,’ made at his direction, and there’s no way to tell. He exploited all around, paid minimum to the production people in his ‘factory,’ and resorted to a mannered misdirection when confronted directly. It’s all there in his art.

So now time has passed, and now it seems we have come to live with those virtues, those values, in ‘real life’ -- imagine that. In this case the art preceded, revealed the mind set of the wealthy upper classes, and announced the agenda for debasing the culture and trivializing any complaint about anything. Was there a cabal of capitalist dukes and barons using Warhol as forward artillery, softening up the impact population with soup cans and brillo boxes -- doesn’t work like that. It’s somehow more mysterious, but don’t pretend the connection isn’t clear and obvious. In real life they admired each other, Warhol and Trump, recognized each other, wore the same feathers. 

Resisters look to thy walls and ask yourself, ‘do I see integrity, do I see commitment, am I invited to share a vision I find inspiring,’ or does my art reflect the current situation? Maybe you’ve been sabotaging yourself. What’s the answer, gosh, I don’t know, but will make a suggestion. Art is not mysterious. It’s the most direct, non-prejudicial, easily understood thing in life, all the rest is advertising. No one knows more about it than you, and that’s the beauty don’t you see? Experts who look sideways at each other and not straight ahead at art have lost their way, and you get to choose your own direction -- art precedes.