Comments for John Kester

Comment on Guest Post: Kastoory from Pomp and Circumstance by JXL11

JXL11 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:34:16 +0000

Ask your advisor, other committee members, and other graduate students about the archives you are considering visiting, if they have done research there. ,

Comment on Jacksonville found art (but lost it later) by Portia-Pie

Portia-Pie — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:21:16 +0000

And I was there… it isn’t lost… we know exactly where it is.

Comment on _Hand_Lettering_ by portialot

portialot — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:08:31 +0000

All this lacks is a smiley face at the end.

Comment on Guest Post: Naked vs Lewd by John

John — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:08:09 +0000

I won’t speak for the author, but I actually agree with what you say, rejcel – to a large extent. I think there is potential for an artist to pervert a subject for some reason other than “art.” The #1 thing that pops in my head is money. But, something offensive, can still be “art.” What offends one person or one society, falls into the realm of “opinion,” which by definition, can’t be argued.

I think the distinction between “porn” and “art” is much more clear cut. But, I read this commentary as more nuanced. For instance, someone may find Betty Page pin-up photos offensive, but it would be a stretch to term it “porn” by any common definition. I’m not sure if lewd is a substitute for pron semantically.

To echo the comments though, I think American culture is senselessly devoted to violence because it makes money (among other weird moral decisions). And all the examples of perversion of that are above.

I enjoy hearing all these viewpoints! Very interesting!

Comment on Guest Post: Naked vs Lewd by rejcel

rejcel — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:58:15 +0000

porn should NEVER be called art, or a part of an art show. it promotes no degree of respect between genders or of either gender. i agree with most of what you say, excepting this: i do not believe in gratuitous violence or cursing in movies or any other form of “entertainment”, and therefore, if i don’t want to see nudity in movies or any other form of “entertainment” (although not all nudity offends me; like you said, it depends on how it is presented), then at least i am not hypocritical in my preference. i do not excuse violence anymore than a sex scene.

while a viewer may see something that the creator did not intend, it is not necessarily a viewer’s perverted mind that leads the viewer to see something that is offensive. the “artist”/creator could very well have created something offensive purposefully, while trying to feign artistic ignorance.

Comment on Bring the Chill Back by John

John — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:16:02 +0000

thanks Kastoory. I’m hooked on a feelin’.

Comment on Bring the Chill Back by kastoory

kastoory — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:12:21 +0000

i really like this… maybe because it is suddenly freezing here again. like toes and fingers numb cold, like beast crawling into my bones cold. not just cold but chilly. like this picture.

Comment on Guest Post: Naked vs Lewd by Portia-Pie

Portia-Pie — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 19:41:54 +0000

“What you see is what you get,” or, “Have it your way.” Either way, my friend JK, I see it as you say… we bring to all our endeavors, including the act of experience, to experience art, ourselves. With ourselves come our filters, prejudices, love and disdains. It is as a songwriter once said- paraphrasing here, of course, we create what we are compelled to create because it will kill us not to let it out of ourselves. But once we do, the viewer, reader, listener, etc. does with our creation what they want. The audience experiences our creations, our arts, and turns them to their own purpose to understand their own experience, their own lives, their own worlds…. IF we have done our jobs well. And so it goes…

Comment on Guest Post: Naked vs Lewd by John

John — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:48:15 +0000

In many of my photography forums, there’s always one thread at minimum discussing art vs. porn, or erotica vs. sensual, or the like. I really enjoyed your commentary because it nails a few points that aren’t really part of those conversations.

There’s a personal bias that everyone has, and in the case of art, they get what they see. If someone asks me what my art is about-whatever I say is irrelevant. Getting my viewpoint is one thing, supplanting yours with mine isn’t going to happen unless you’re incredibly impressionable.

Regardless, I really enjoyed this, and thank you deeply for writing it.

Comment on My camera needs a defibrillator by John

John — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:24:40 +0000

Is this the one you’re referring to: