This argument is characteristic of our times, I think – times when computer games stylistic became a message in itself, when thoughtless anime characters, with their fluttering nylon lashes, substituted beauty. The times of mindless Chinese fakery and general ADD, extended well into adulthood from normal pre-teenage years.
I’ll reproduce here one characteristic comment and my reply to it, edited for grammar and clarity of intent.
–I think it’s brilliant! I would be so lucky to have planned my once in a lifetime trip to Versailles to coincide with this exhibit.
I love how it’s irreverent. Art should never take itself too seriously. Murakami has always mixed high and low together. Some people may consider his art tacky, but then again, some people may consider Versailles’ over the top opulence to be tacky as well.
I find the juxtaposition is highly entertaining and thought provoking.
posted by Jen Chung
-And what thought would it be, Jen Chung? Please attempt one. One original thought that might stem from observing this artifice.
Opulence of Versailles has a meaning. It’s full of allegory, of historic references, of continuity with antiquity, of ties with science/social movements/political structure/economic prosperity/ideals of its times. It speaks of Culture, in all its wonderful variety of its meanings and forms.
Even its form has content, underlying structure, order, purpose.
Is any of it present in kitchy thoughtless concoctions of Mr. Murakami?They mean nothing, they represent nothing, it’s just a “mixing of high and low”. Low indeed.
posted by Etat
Ghastly.
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…and I used so many words trying to say exactly that!
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