Comments on: apr 9 http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/ the sketchblog of Catherine Hamilton Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:57:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Catherine http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-434 Catherine Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:45:39 +0000 http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-434 Touché, MOM. At least taxes aren't rocket science. But you would know all about that.. Touché, MOM. At least taxes aren’t rocket science. But you would know all about that..

]]> By: Mark Lynch http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-433 Mark Lynch Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:36:38 +0000 http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-433 Catherine's Mom: Many thanks for "high falutin'" and thanks for making us move on, and you are right. Sorry! "high falutin"=very Yosemite Sam of you too. Mark L, whose taxes are done professionaly Catherine’s Mom:

Many thanks for “high falutin’” and thanks for making us move on, and you are right. Sorry!

“high falutin”=very Yosemite Sam of you too.

Mark L, whose taxes are done professionaly

]]> By: Mom http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-431 Mom Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:37:41 +0000 http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-431 The old engineer in me is compelled to do something to put an end to all this high-falutin' philosophizing. Cath, have you filed your taxes yet? The old engineer in me is compelled to do something to put an end to all this high-falutin’ philosophizing. Cath, have you filed your taxes yet?

]]> By: Mark Lynch http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-430 Mark Lynch Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:47:32 +0000 http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-430 Catherine: What owls are found in Central Park? Obviously Eastern Screech, but Great Horned? Barn? All the owls around here are well into or just starting nesting, and are vocalizing like no tomorrow. Great Horneds are feeding young in the nest, and are really out at dusk trying to nail hapless rodents. It's a great time to hear owls. Mark L Catherine:

What owls are found in Central Park? Obviously Eastern Screech, but Great Horned? Barn? All the owls around here are well into or just starting nesting, and are vocalizing like no tomorrow. Great Horneds are feeding young in the nest, and are really out at dusk trying to nail hapless rodents. It’s a great time to hear owls.

Mark L

]]> By: Mark Lynch http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-429 Mark Lynch Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:43:37 +0000 http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-429 Future culture? Now that's a pleasant thought. Friday I am interviewing SUSAN JACOBY about her AGE OF AMERICAN UNREASON. What a rant! But after reading it, at the mo I am not in the best frame of mind to think about what passes for American culture. It's all MTVs and E!'s "reality shows" fault. That and fundamentalism. But I'm just quoting. Mark L.(off to record American Idol for future generations) Future culture? Now that’s a pleasant thought. Friday I am interviewing SUSAN JACOBY about her AGE OF AMERICAN UNREASON. What a rant! But after reading it, at the mo I am not in the best frame of mind to think about what passes for American culture. It’s all MTVs and E!’s “reality shows” fault. That and fundamentalism. But I’m just quoting.
Mark L.(off to record American Idol for future generations)

]]> By: Jed http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-428 Jed Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:28:00 +0000 http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-428 You know it's a funny thing, "to the victor go the spoils". Did you know that in the Roman era, a slave was always in the General's chariot, standing next to him and whispering in his ear that the victory celebration was only temporary. We are a waning civilization, with other cultures on the rise. Our penchant for isolating an object's "art" qualities from its historical religious history is peculiar to only our Euro/North American existence due to the psuedo-philisophical intellectualism that reigns supreme amongst Scholars and perpetuates an imaginary context for the production of "art". Should museums spring up in other cultures as a result of emulation or some other drive to house "objects of antiquity", I would be very surprised if they didn't cover them with their own cultural context, again altering their meanings and reasons for existence. On one hand, I really ENJOY the possibility of learning about past (present) peoples through the objects that are left behind, (or stolen(not that I condone such activities)) and exhibited in museums. On the other hand, it might be high time for, gasp, a good spring cleansing. Whatever magic was breathed into these objects at the time of their making, has been sucked out of them the moment they exit their intended functions. What we see in the museum/mauseleum, are apparitions of these objects sans context. If they, the objects, were to cease to exist, what then would we be forced to do by way of understanding our past (present) world? Perhaps we would be forced to reconsider our future if we had not the baggage of the past. I'm not saying this is the most desirable path (present day cultural value), but a future culture may eventually take such steps if the collective will of those people finds it necessary to advance their own civilization. Interesting to think on what that would be like.... You know it’s a funny thing, “to the victor go the spoils”. Did you know that in the Roman era, a slave was always in the General’s chariot, standing next to him and whispering in his ear that the victory celebration was only temporary. We are a waning civilization, with other cultures on the rise. Our penchant for isolating an object’s “art” qualities from its historical religious history is peculiar to only our Euro/North American existence due to the psuedo-philisophical intellectualism that reigns supreme amongst Scholars and perpetuates an imaginary context for the production of “art”. Should museums spring up in other cultures as a result of emulation or some other drive to house “objects of antiquity”, I would be very surprised if they didn’t cover them with their own cultural context, again altering their meanings and reasons for existence. On one hand, I really ENJOY the possibility of learning about past (present) peoples through the objects that are left behind, (or stolen(not that I condone such activities)) and exhibited in museums. On the other hand, it might be high time for, gasp, a good spring cleansing. Whatever magic was breathed into these objects at the time of their making, has been sucked out of them the moment they exit their intended functions. What we see in the museum/mauseleum, are apparitions of these objects sans context. If they, the objects, were to cease to exist, what then would we be forced to do by way of understanding our past (present) world? Perhaps we would be forced to reconsider our future if we had not the baggage of the past.

I’m not saying this is the most desirable path (present day cultural value), but a future culture may eventually take such steps if the collective will of those people finds it necessary to advance their own civilization. Interesting to think on what that would be like….

]]> By: Mark Lynch http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-427 Mark Lynch Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:22:18 +0000 http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-427 Jed: Make no mistake, I know and ENJOY exactly what you are talking about. My point is that as an educational experience to the general public, museums fail to explain well why all this stuff is there. FURTHERMORE, there has been a lot written and heatedly discussed about subtexts of Euro/North American museums showing the plundered loot of the cultures of the world all under one insensitive roof. A good example is the Somaskanda bronze I mentioned. It is exhibited in a state no Hindu would ever see it. It is a processional piece that would be covered with paint and festooned with flowers and carried through the streets for very specific ceremonies. At WAM, isolated under a glass case it becomes an object separate from it's cultural purpose. Furthermore, it is "mashed" in a gallery with sacred objects from the following faiths: Muslim, Buddhist (several types) and Jain. It becomes a bunch of weird objects mixed in with utilitarian stuff too. Labels may cover some ground, but frankly few musuem goers read labels. Theer is something akin to showing the "treasures of the world" aspect to it. Very Victorian British. As for mash-ups, go to my station's archive site and check the list of guests on my show: www.wicn.org. This week it's Ethel Merman and Golden Books! The Poky Little Puppy meets Annie Gets Yor Gun. Now THAT'S a mash-up! Mark L Jed:

Make no mistake, I know and ENJOY exactly what you are talking about. My point is that as an educational experience to the general public, museums fail to explain well why all this stuff is there. FURTHERMORE, there has been a lot written and heatedly discussed about subtexts of Euro/North American museums showing the plundered loot of the cultures of the world all under one insensitive roof. A good example is the Somaskanda bronze I mentioned. It is exhibited in a state no Hindu would ever see it. It is a processional piece that would be covered with paint and festooned with flowers and carried through the streets for very specific ceremonies. At WAM, isolated under a glass case it becomes an object separate from it’s cultural purpose. Furthermore, it is “mashed” in a gallery with sacred objects from the following faiths: Muslim, Buddhist (several types) and Jain. It becomes a bunch of weird objects mixed in with utilitarian stuff too. Labels may cover some ground, but frankly few musuem goers read labels. Theer is something akin to showing the “treasures of the world” aspect to it. Very Victorian British.

As for mash-ups, go to my station’s archive site and check the list of guests on my show: www.wicn.org. This week it’s Ethel Merman and Golden Books! The Poky Little Puppy meets Annie Gets Yor Gun. Now THAT’S a mash-up!

Mark L

]]> By: Alina http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-426 Alina Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:35:48 +0000 http://mydogoscar.com/birdspot/2008/04/09/apr-9/#comment-426 Catherine, Do you think you'll make it to this exhibit? http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/exhibitions.php?id=3990 I'm curious your opinion on this show. If I was in NY I'd go see it. Catherine,
Do you think you’ll make it to this exhibit?
http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/exhibitions.php?id=3990
I’m curious your opinion on this show. If I was in NY I’d go see it.

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