Caught between popular culture and personal truth

I read this quote today and recognized the experience. I think it is a common among artists who feel caught between commercial, popular culture and the need to stay true in their art.

“High, serious, uncompromising art has a disturbing effect, often distressing and torturing. Popular art on the other hand wants to soothe and distract us from the painful problems of existence instead of inspiring us to activity and exertion, criticism and self-examination, moving us on the contrary to passivity and self-satisfaction. The chances of success of important works are lessened by the fact that the new, unusual and difficult have a disturbing effect upon an uneducated and not especially artistically experienced audience and move them to take a negative position.”

Arnold Hauser, the Sociology of Art (1963)

Solicitation of artwork
The past week I have had 3 different groups come by my studio to solicit for art work for different causes; an internship program at the law school, an opera program and a public TV station. I am sure they are all working for a great cause and I can imagine how hard it is to go around and solicit strangers for free gifts, but still…. Artists are not a wealthy breed and I question the rational of giving away hours and hours of hard work for nothing in return. One organization, that is close to my heart, the Waldorf school and foundation, knows how to do it right. In the spring when they had a fundraiser for a new school they are building they gave the artists 50% of the money the work collected, a win for everybody. The school got lots of great art work and the artists made the same amount of money they would in a gallery. The artists were on top of that invited to a special opening where they were honored by the school.

My web page is done ! Thank you Jason. It looks great. Check it out: ninibaeckstrom.com.

We went sailing in the Chesapeake Bay this weekend, a great fall sail. Saw 7 dolphins and caught 2 Blue fish. Read Louise Bourgeoisie’s book:” Destruction of the father, reconstruction of the father”. She is so honest it shocks you and forces you to look at yourself. I like how she relates to the material and lives her art. As she chisels away at the marble she is hitting at the issue she is trying to work out inside of herself as well as portray. A therapeutic way of thinking of art. I always thought being an artist was a privilege too. She speaks of expressing her unconscious; I experience it more as if I hear the whisper of my soul.