*casually draping my arm around your shoulder and gesturing with my other hand*
Now hear me out, pal, what if– what if I think ALL culture, art and writing are important and worth preserving, regardless of who wrote it and whether or not they’re deemed marketable by the capitalist institution?
I went to an exhibition of folk art once at a major national gallery. It was so vibrant and fascinating and culturally important – more so in a lot of ways than some of the art in the main galleries because this was art made by common people as something for pleasure or to express something in their lives. Sometimes it was made as a commission for someone but not for the aristocracy necessarily, it was made to be lived with and to be enjoyed.
The other notable thing about this exhibition was that it was so sparse.
Folk art, craft, it isn’t kept. It doesn’t last. A rich person hasn’t deemed it the cream of the crop and declared it to be worth a whole bunch of money so unless it is kept out of sheer love, it disappears when it’s owner is gone. It’s an ephemeral act of craft and creativity made by people that might be an expert in their specific field but one that isn’t currently deemed ‘high art’ or commercially popular or just plain fashionable enough to be kept after the owner or the artist is gone.
Sometimes this can be because the creators are marginalised groups and sometimes they don’t have the access to artistic and creative training. Sometimes they are just doing something they love and are good at but which no one else appreciates at that point in time.
Sometimes their motivations aren’t based in getting published or bought by collectors or whatever. Sometimes someone just wants to create.
The act of creating is what makes art art. It’s the intention. It’s not the result.
So yeah. Like. Fuck you dickweed. Not everything is about you and not everything is for you.
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