Crap as Art - Final Exam

Crap as Art…
I know the idea of
objective standards sucks,
but what is that crap?
Just because it’s subjective does not mean it comes from
the soul , or the heart, or the gut, or the mind
where the muse sources passion, anger, love,
and infinity; some shit just exits
from the asshole and begs to be
called what it is…
CRAP.

And it ain’t art because it’s lying there
and begs to be noticed
unless you choose to experience it
as art and
be so moved
but if ignorance is
bliss, I would
choose LIFE and
all the coiled, tangled,
fettered, wrangled, roiled
emotions that we are
here to unravel and make
sense of. In that
mess is the embryo of art.

Every kid of 3 years does not make art.
Every grandma in her second coming does not make art.
Every student that displays affectation does not make art.
Every con man with a business connection does not make art.
Every esoteric pursuit is not art.
Just because you stroked it, spoke it, played it
Thought about it, conversed with your oracle,
Plunged your inner depths, vomited and have
been psycho-analyzed and were
really, (I mean really), well intentioned
does not make that piece of crap
anything other than a piece of crap.

Why do I have to subscribe to art as mere
expression, when art can possess study and
discipline, a journey, a passing, an
enlightening, a realization, a story that
transcends moments, particulars, specifics and
joins us with the universe
and substantiates that expression
with Truth. Otherwise,
Its only defecation and
that stinks.

But for the sake of political correctness
Who is about to say
‘Jeez’ that is one douche bag performance or
Canvas or song or art installation.
Who wants to presume to know more,
or better, or suggest the standard?
Who wants to be a hated critic?
who has never touched a bristle,
or toed a tap, or rhymed a verse,
or completed a novella, and thinks
they have a right to sit at the ‘bench
and officiate?

Now I know
it gets a little
hairy
when the guy sitting next to you
asks the question,
“Then who is the final arbiter” who
Is able to judge what art is or is not?
What I know is that If
we don’t know
then they…
the ‘artistes’
won’t know
what’s demanded
of them.
And
rather than reflection, observation
and aesthetic,
noise and incessant
commentary…will represent the art world.
the ‘Limbaugh-ization’ of discourse
NO INSIGHT…
NO DIALOG…
NO GRAPPLING…
NO GROWTH…
NO RESOLUTION…
NOISE…
SHIT!

It’s really our choice, to be numbingly
Absorbed with technology,
web 2.0, ‘Blackberryland’
human separation, distance
and indifference
Or dare to touch and be touched
dare to share our common humanity.
Eric Fromm said, "Love is the only sane and satisfactory
answer to the problem of human existence."
Maybe…
but maybe,
art offers some insane and satisfactory
sane and satisfactory
meaningful and satisfactory
answers too.