The Meaning of “Art”
August 27, 2009
Painting by Melville Holmes
“Who is art for and what is it for? Is it essentially for artists to express themselves, philosophers to think about, honorable art dealers to offer to discriminating collectors, or a vast company of mercantile parasites who see artists as a non-unionizable labor force? In the end, the philosopher encompasses the most, but in this everyone is part philosopher, because in this egalitarian age there is no more room for attitudes derived from class distinctions. Art, per se, cannot be for any special group. Most simply, art is for people. And what do people do with art? Well, they look at it, consider it, respond emotionally and intellectually to it. In short, they contemplate it. All the disparate things known as art are, in their “artness,” treated somehow as objects of contemplation. A work of art is anything made by human beings that is set apart as an object of contemplation, beyond any other use it may have, from the still life painting to the fine Greek amphora no longer used to hold anything to the gallery installation, even to the temporary, conceptual project or the found object set on a pedestal. Natural things like rocks or dry leaves can be treated this way, though to be as faithful to the root meaning of the word “art” as we hope to be with “style,” it seems more meaningful to exclude them here, unless a person is considered to have exercised some art or cunning upon them. ” ~ Melville Holmes
When I take note of what passes for art these days and when I read the artists’ own commentary regarding their artistic vision and philosophy; their reason for a particular creation, it appears to me that very often they are more skilled at marketing than painting, sculpting, or whatever. In other words the art world seems to be awash in BS. It’s interesting then to read an honest attempt to come to terms with the definition of “Art” . It’s probably not the end of the discussion but it does make for some stretching without wallowing in self indulgent pretensions. (Besides he’s my sister’s friend. ) For the whole discussion see the link below.
Sunday Hours
August 27, 2009
Aquinas Library will be open on these Sundays in the near future: Aug. 30, Sept. 13, Sept. 27, and Oct. 4 from 2-6 PM. I will post changes if necessary and additional days later in the semester.
Mongolia?!!!
August 27, 2009
Eat your heart out Mother Earth News…here’s an underground house with style! Yeah, it has an upstairs component to it for a more expansive living arrangement but who would have thought Mongolia would be the setting for cutting edge archetecture? Well, China certainly has some remarkable new buildings so maybe it’s not such a stretch after all. Nice.
http://oztech03.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/the-ordos-project-living-underground/
The Answer To World Hunger?
August 26, 2009
BUGS! Yeah, that’s right. BUGS! I remember seeing a chart on the hallway wall in the entomology department describing the subtle differences in the flavours of various aphids. Sweet to spicy; an avacado-like flavor vs sesame seeds. Uh-huh. Below are several links to illustrate the pros and cons of this ready source of protein. In some cultures these …insects…are already a mainstay of the local diet. The way things are going that may be a trend… but some of us will still need convincing!
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/edible-bugs/
http://www.life.illinois.edu/ib/109/Lab/Edible%20Insects/edible%20insect%20lab%20photos.html
Stormy Weather
August 26, 2009
This doesn't look good Margaret.
Photo by Tim Morris
The above quote, posted by daren_gray, is referring to Wired.com’s article about what’s in Slim Jim’s. Another one of those, “You probably don’t want to know “, questions in life. For those still curious, check out Wired.com and stock up on penicillin. (Just kidding….Yum!)
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/17-09/st_whatsinside
Our New Fall Line Up
August 24, 2009
Joe & Nathan #1
It’s ok…really. These are just two of this semester’s student workers. If you need assistance feel free to ask them. They’d LOVE to help you. They know stuff…Library stuff! Just ask them!
Joe & Nathan #2
You’re Back!
August 18, 2009
Happy Feet!
There’s no place like the Library. There’s no place like the Library.There’s no place like…..
Fall ’09 Library Hours
August 18, 2009
Welcome back! Monday through Thursday August 17th-27 our hours are 7:45 AM to 6:00 PM. Friday August 21st and August 28th we’re open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Saturdays we will be closed and Sunday’s we will remain closed until further notice. (We’ll let you know as soon as WE know!) We will post any updates here.
Librarians Without Borders
August 18, 2009
Some student librarians enrolled in the Master of Library and Information Science program at the University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada). “ were so inspired by the efforts of an Angolan colleague to build a library for his community that they decided to partner with him in achieving his dream and to found an organization that would benefit libraries around the world.” The Catholic Archdiocese of Huambo has partnered with LWB to build and develop Biblioteca Tutangi, “a desperately needed nursing and medical Portuguese language library that will support the learning needs of university and college students in Huambo. “ For more information you may contact them at :
Librarians Without Borders
PO Box 30313
RPO York Lanes
North York, Ontario Canada
M3J 2C1
http://www.librarianswithoutborders.org/projects/index.html
