[I’d like to say all the things I’m going to point to here, but I didn’t. I thought them, but Mike Barthel wrote them.]
Reading The Awl today and came across this wonderful meditation on transgression in art by Mike Barthel.
‘In Defense of Offensive Art…‘
Why should, Mister Barthel questions, offensive art be judged on moral and not aesthetic values. I won’t waste any more time detailing his arguments as his writing is lively enough. Take a moment to check it out; it’s a quick read, but a clarifying one.
Published by Pol Rosenthal
Pol Rosenthal has been working in Seattle's theater and music scenes for over 20 years. He used to publish a cultural arts journal then moved to Seattle to be in a rock band, TCHKUNG. This lead to him working with DK Pan's senses altering Butoh company, the P.A.N. In the late 90s he worked for sonic conspiracy company Muzak and while
walking out the door helped found radical street art/action group the Infernal Noise Brigade. There he befriended and became a member of multi-disciplinary effort The Degenerate Art Ensemble. Eventually, he
moved in next door to Seattle theater company Implied Violence (now St. Genet) and has enjoyed a multi-year, unhealthy relationship to
their demanding work and philosophies. Last year he was in Curtis Taylor's 'The White Days' as an "actor". Presently he's wrapped up dancing in Paige Barnes' modern dance piece 'Lead Bunny' (Oct 2012) and is working on Dayna Hanson's rock musical 'Gloria's Cause'. In October he collaborated with Real Change editor Rosette Royale on a wonderful installation, 'JungleBox', for City Arts Fest.
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