Apart from Abbie LaFleur, what an embarrassing debate on Art, engaged in by Steve McKinney, host of Immediate Response, his guests, LaFleur, Nita, Spice and those who called in yesterday, Thursday, October 12.
As usual, I got to watch rebroadcast on TV 13, which began half-past-eleven, following the late night news. Unable to call in to contribute to a recording, I make my input here and now.
This though might be a totally different debate. Debate might not have been their aim. Are these talk shows representative of the nation debate on these issues they raise or are they just shows – talk to throw away? If this is the case, why is the national debate instead not located centre stage?
Coca-Cola bottle shape; getting hit on; drawing a crowd by how much body you bare; born again and not born again I found insulting - nonsense and annoying initially. I was about to shut off this show I usually turn to, to be informed, to keep in touch and usually drink all of. I did hang in and I did, after all, drink all.
Such a debate needed to be fixed upon and centered around, not the nonsense giggled about, petty complaints and concerns which took up most of the two hour show, but craft, instrument, art. Abbey came closest to evoking these concerns.
The audience, the public, everybody involved, must be directed by the artist to focus upon these central, sacred elements: instrument and craft. The body as sex object belongs to the profession of prostitution.
A singer’s instrument is the voice. A dancer’s instrument is the body and a body is filled with memories, personal and cultural and speaks many languages. The singer of popular music is usually a singer and a dancer, like Michael Jackson or Tina Turner and has therefore two instruments to perfect and to play.
Too often though, especially where popular culture is concerned, fascinated by the phenomenon of fame and fortune, out to exploit the public, persons take to the stage with a bit of talent and a little training, dreaming of being stars.
A large part of what we in our country call entertainment and culture is inspired by and is part of this crude phenomenon. I turn away from this. I turn my back upon it.
Many do attempt to disguise a lack of craft with what is gratuitous and cheap: gyrating, near-nudity; emphasizing what should not be emphasized, attempting to distract from what they have not had and have not got: training.
Abbie very rightly mentioned the need for a national theatre but what was not ever mentioned during this two hour show were institutions like factories, through which a Ford, Chrysler, Jaguar, BMW or a can of Campbell’s soup must pass before it is stamped with approval and placed in the public domain.
In our country, we seem to delight in yuckin up vee sef . Even our children, most recently, are mostly yucked up. Few seem to have the patience to place themselves in the knowing hands of long tradition for processing – for refinement.
I was one of 120 persons in Trinidad recently for Carifesta IX. Timothy Gibson’s grandson was there, a genius musician and an exquisite pianist. Chris Justillan who studied music in Boston and lectures in the Music Department at C.O.B. was there. He has trained hundred of Bahamians to play wind and other instruments. Senovia Pierre was there, without Coca-Cola bottle shape, singing “Imagine” divinely. She has a degree in Music and heads the Music department at L.W. Young.
The element in the debate about being born again or not born again, though interesting is a none-debate. Sweet Emily’s movement from pop music to gospel music, which is also pop music, has little to do with art. The training she lacked as a musician before, she lacks still. Her transition has not made her Jessye Norman.
I have a recording of negro spirituals, “Spirituals” by Jessye Norman, one of the finest sopranos on the planet. I’m in heaven when she sings these spirituals or Bartok or Schumann or when Leontyne Price sings Strauss Arias or Gershwin’s Porgy And Bess.
Our musicians, our artists, need to be trained. Without training, where can they transport us to. So-called artists, directing us to their bareness, their sexiness and taking us nowhere and in addition, complaining when, having nothing else to direct us to, they directed our eyes, our senses to what is earthy. Where are our institutions to train and to enlighten Bahamian artists to enable them to raise consciousness as art and artist should?
The Bahamian public needs to hear the voices and ideas of the true artists among us. Not surprisingly, quite a number of them are of Haitian descent: Poitier, LaFleur, Justilian, Pierre, Ferrier, Benjamin. Too often, the more indigenous among us, with lower standards, are settling for so much less with our eyes upon foolish, empty things like stardom and fame.
Invite the giants among our visual and literary artists as well to join this debate.
By Obediah Michael Smith, 2006
3:35 p.m. 13/oct/06
As usual, I got to watch rebroadcast on TV 13, which began half-past-eleven, following the late night news. Unable to call in to contribute to a recording, I make my input here and now.
This though might be a totally different debate. Debate might not have been their aim. Are these talk shows representative of the nation debate on these issues they raise or are they just shows – talk to throw away? If this is the case, why is the national debate instead not located centre stage?
Coca-Cola bottle shape; getting hit on; drawing a crowd by how much body you bare; born again and not born again I found insulting - nonsense and annoying initially. I was about to shut off this show I usually turn to, to be informed, to keep in touch and usually drink all of. I did hang in and I did, after all, drink all.
Such a debate needed to be fixed upon and centered around, not the nonsense giggled about, petty complaints and concerns which took up most of the two hour show, but craft, instrument, art. Abbey came closest to evoking these concerns.
The audience, the public, everybody involved, must be directed by the artist to focus upon these central, sacred elements: instrument and craft. The body as sex object belongs to the profession of prostitution.
A singer’s instrument is the voice. A dancer’s instrument is the body and a body is filled with memories, personal and cultural and speaks many languages. The singer of popular music is usually a singer and a dancer, like Michael Jackson or Tina Turner and has therefore two instruments to perfect and to play.
Too often though, especially where popular culture is concerned, fascinated by the phenomenon of fame and fortune, out to exploit the public, persons take to the stage with a bit of talent and a little training, dreaming of being stars.
A large part of what we in our country call entertainment and culture is inspired by and is part of this crude phenomenon. I turn away from this. I turn my back upon it.
Many do attempt to disguise a lack of craft with what is gratuitous and cheap: gyrating, near-nudity; emphasizing what should not be emphasized, attempting to distract from what they have not had and have not got: training.
Abbie very rightly mentioned the need for a national theatre but what was not ever mentioned during this two hour show were institutions like factories, through which a Ford, Chrysler, Jaguar, BMW or a can of Campbell’s soup must pass before it is stamped with approval and placed in the public domain.
In our country, we seem to delight in yuckin up vee sef . Even our children, most recently, are mostly yucked up. Few seem to have the patience to place themselves in the knowing hands of long tradition for processing – for refinement.
I was one of 120 persons in Trinidad recently for Carifesta IX. Timothy Gibson’s grandson was there, a genius musician and an exquisite pianist. Chris Justillan who studied music in Boston and lectures in the Music Department at C.O.B. was there. He has trained hundred of Bahamians to play wind and other instruments. Senovia Pierre was there, without Coca-Cola bottle shape, singing “Imagine” divinely. She has a degree in Music and heads the Music department at L.W. Young.
The element in the debate about being born again or not born again, though interesting is a none-debate. Sweet Emily’s movement from pop music to gospel music, which is also pop music, has little to do with art. The training she lacked as a musician before, she lacks still. Her transition has not made her Jessye Norman.
I have a recording of negro spirituals, “Spirituals” by Jessye Norman, one of the finest sopranos on the planet. I’m in heaven when she sings these spirituals or Bartok or Schumann or when Leontyne Price sings Strauss Arias or Gershwin’s Porgy And Bess.
Our musicians, our artists, need to be trained. Without training, where can they transport us to. So-called artists, directing us to their bareness, their sexiness and taking us nowhere and in addition, complaining when, having nothing else to direct us to, they directed our eyes, our senses to what is earthy. Where are our institutions to train and to enlighten Bahamian artists to enable them to raise consciousness as art and artist should?
The Bahamian public needs to hear the voices and ideas of the true artists among us. Not surprisingly, quite a number of them are of Haitian descent: Poitier, LaFleur, Justilian, Pierre, Ferrier, Benjamin. Too often, the more indigenous among us, with lower standards, are settling for so much less with our eyes upon foolish, empty things like stardom and fame.
Invite the giants among our visual and literary artists as well to join this debate.
By Obediah Michael Smith, 2006
3:35 p.m. 13/oct/06
posted by Obie Quiet at 9:54 PM
4 Comments:
Hear, hear, Obie. I've linked to this post on my blog.
I missed this "debate" and,
it seems, fortunately so.
Thank you though
for sharing your
insight
in my sight.
What is art? Oh Bee Dye A...
In the absence of the straining of training... can we still not have art and artists?
Yes training and tradition and transit are some of the implements that help to transform our base expressions into art. But.. Art is also cultivated and cultured by audience and response and critique. The artist's results are as much shaped by their own instruments as they are by the instruments of a demanding and discerning society; and a knowledgeable and hungry environment.
Unfortunately, the blinding rays of the “instantification” of “us” is reflecting off our artists and so called artist and our audiences and our so-called audiences. No one has the necessary time for dedication, diligence, inspection, introspection… no one has the time or even think they need it; no one wants to grapple with the “problem of time.” Time has been placed in a bottle, pretty much as the late Jim Croce wished he could do, but with diriment results. Its whizzing around in tubes and wires and wireless connections… it doesn’t feel endless anymore Oh Bee Dye A… Eternity is passing away; And so much is moving at warp speed. So frigging unfortunate.
Thank you again
Oh Bee Dye A…
This time for being aware
For awakening my “awaring”
Thank you again
Oh Bee Dye A…
For caring.
Hope this one gets to you- looking for your email address and came across this- I suspect my age has alot to do with my abilty to work the Computer as well as being painfully aware of how outdated my tastes may be for a younger audience. However, at the risk of sounding preachy, I applaud your comments Obediah. For what it is worth from an old one, I could not have expressed it better myself. Bravo! Raising standards, that is, the quality with which artists must strive for surely is at an all time low today. I think it has much to do with the balance with which female artists are 'allowed' to control and develop their own self concept in a male dominated arts and cultural community. Truely, it does appear that any female who tries to break out of such stereo-types is either marginalized or characterized as unimportant. Although the search for empowerment is both important to men and woman, the debate should continue where all artists should be conscious of what their product is and its impacts on society at large. RESPONSIBILTY!!! Please do not let rabble rule!!!! We are responsible for what we put out there folks. For the fragile young mind who is developing his/her sense of self, It does seem that the 'sexploitation' of the female gender in which she merely appears as an object within the subject of the 'male gaze', is due more to economics. CNN, paid programing on Cable Bahamas and pop culture all equal one thing $$$. We truely are all being marketed to death including our poor little tikes. Training is incidental and a privilege of course but does provide space for development of skills and intellectual growth. Surely, Tony Mackay and Joseph Spense are exceptions rather than the rule. Perhaps those Artists and Culturalists who insist that they are the only ones to develop culture in the Bahamas should take a closer look at all who create here irespective of politics, race,creed or colour in order to expand on their horizons. To me it does appear that much of what is being produced today has more to do with the male ego and vanity. Jesse Norman and Kathleen Battle's spirituals has been a timeless healer to me over the years and for those classical enthusiasts reminds us of the divine spark within that manifests true genius. Thanks for stating what needed to be said. Continue to be of good courage.
I'd gotten responses and I didn't even know. This feels so much like when my brother, Kevin, my cousin Cedy and I were kids with a passion for catching tobacco doves. One morning we arrived at our father's farm, here on Soldier Road to prop our bird trap up with stick to which a long string was attached, only to find that two doves had generously given us their lives. They'd dig beneath one side of our trap and entered to partake of the chicken mash we'd left upon the ground our trap covered. How fortuitous, how very fortunate we felt. What favor it was not to have to labour to trap these two which insisted upon placing themselves in our hands. Such favor I've not experienced often a fifty-two years. Your having contributed, responded, when I wasn't looking, and such very fine responses are similarly delightful and I am similarly thankful. Note though, these sentiments are an attempt to cheat you of responding specifically to what you've added to this debate. I shall have to do that too, though not here and not now. Dawn and Ian, I'll print what you've written to digest your words fully. When we meet, we'll talk. God bless and many thanks.
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