Comments on Reviews

This is my comment
on Sam Durkin's review
Monday March 9th, 2009

First off for those unfamiliar, my Collections section displays valuable pieces in my possession that I exchanged for my own work, including a Picasso etching and an early Günter Brus drawing (compare imkinsky). I will add more pieces over time and if you are interested in art exchange you can contact me here.

I am surprised that Sam opted for reviewing my website which is merely a “presentation medium” rather than a piece of art. Do I want to be a painter or a poet, do I even have to make such a decision? Is there a difference?

If art is an unmated entity not linked to media itself, then why choose or even having to. If art is to carry a message, its creator should have the freedom to choose media of any type, in any combination and form. Early Viennese Actionism comes to mind, Günter Brus chose the most unthinkable media (excrement, urine, violence) to manifest his performance art. The ‘Art and Revolution' event brought Brus to trial and a sentence of several months in jail (source Barcelona-Metropolitan). People did not realize back then that jail might have been an intended part of the performance, they do recognize such facts now. Austrian artist Otto Mühl was sentenced to 7 years in jail on terms he never acclaimed. These noted examples show that the medium of art can be so diverse as to reach far beyond people’s imagination.

Sam also quotes “The coloured paintings remind me of those children's colouring books, that start out black and a special pen removes the black to reveal the colours below”.

I like this analogy very much, and in particular the idea that children can be the better artists. It intrigues me that children are clearly not as much trained to follow rules, provisions and obey orders. Michael Jackson is one captivating example and his novel “lost childhood” may be the rationale behind his greatness that made him the "King of Pop".

How should I respond to the fundamental question Sam appears to imply “What is Art”? I would personally give the following answer “Art is, only if it is Art”. Therefore Art is always to "whom", that is if the roundup of observers decides so and therefore everything else does not matter.

Meng Qiu

Comments on “it’s the fish that live and die”

oxygon, member of American Poems Says:
In response to “it’s the fish that live and die”
January 4th, 2009 at 3:02 pm

A beautiful, touching, and well crafted poem, meng. Ah, and what of that big/little word, why, the one that has stumped the philosophers through the ages? As for war, I’ve in part taken the easy way out of the dilemma by assuming a genetic propensity for humans to be violent—the beast that lurks in the shadows of the intellect that jousts unceasingly with rage and serenity. I have carefully observed humans act like animals when in anger and at the point of fighting, how they snarl and expose their teeth as if to let the enemy know, don’t tread on me! We have evolved, and our “cultivation” has mitigated the tendency toward violence, but how can we forget the carnage of the 20th Century, and not to forget the wars since time immemorial? Thanks for sharing this important poem.

Best wishes,

art

Roy Conant, member of American Poems Says:
In response to “it’s the fish that live and die”
January 4th, 2009 at 4:41 pm

Hi Meng — What a thoughtful, thought-provoking, and beautiful poem, both for it’s content and its structure.

I was feeling somewhat bad after my first comment to your first post thinking perhaps it was not a very thoughtful welcome to a site frequented and enjoyed by so many marvelous talents. Living (sometimes too much so… ;-) ) in the momence of the moment can have its drawbacks.

About using one of my comments on your website, I would only like to know which one before you do — If it was my welcoming comment to your first post, by all means please do feel free to use it.

Salut!

yann rolland, member of American Poems Says:
In response to “it’s the fish that live and die”
January 5th, 2009 at 12:44 pm

Hi Meng, I feel a little sad reading your poem cause I see there are constant ups and down, when people live in peace they sometimes (or their governants ?) seek for war, and then they are killed or wounded and they wonder why…I enjoyed the metaphor of a fish in its bowl as we all are….We are mortal and as you say we even don’t know why….It makes us miserable and seeking for eternity with help of God…Thank you for the meaningful poem.

yann