2005-03-16 - 12:10 a.m.
i had meant to explicate some on why i am so intrigued by the v.o.l.'s "skin" that put down a couple weeks ago. it's the idea of art as an act of love, not in the general, philosophical, and (frankly) nebulous sense that we sometimes talk about love as a motivating factor. but love as a bumbling, frantic, frightning attempt to communicate the depth of the feeling in your soul to the "other". and the kidnapping of vincent van gogh for the purpose of analogy i think is brilliant. van gogh stands as such a strange figure, the original tortured artist (though i cringe to use the term, as it has become synonymous with self-indulgent mucking about in the mire of one's own psyche, rolling through an ether of sighs, as one of my favourites put it), van gogh shamed those who self-consciously came after him, wearing their inner torment proudly for public admiration like a french barret and coat tails. his art conveys a sense of hurt bewilderment, legitimate loneliness, weak humanness... and so much beauty. but i digress, the analogy actually pertains not so much to vincent's art as to the gift that he gives to his lover...
"the package comes wrapped up (there is a lesson here)"
mallonee intentionally makes the connection between the bloody offering that van gogh made to his lady and the offering that the artist makes to the world. "you know you come with empty hands or you don't come at all". the gift of art is an act of intentional vulnerability, of "sewing your heart onto your sleeve and waiting for the axe to fall," knowing that most of your audience will not understand. art is an offense like love is an offense because it is particular and specific and because it is invasive in its requirement of a response.
i think that is all i have to say on it right now, but you all should go find that song. or better yet, go see bill mallonee while he's on tour. i promise you will not be disappointed.
