November 30, 2005
mad kings
It kills me to write this because I love the Museum of Modern Art. Aesthetically speaking it's where we all come from, where we go to commune with our ancestors and become new again. Yet the more I go to the new MOMA--and I've been there over 50 times since it reopened a year ago this week--the more I think this crown jewel is becoming a beautiful tomb. At MOMA the unruly juice of art history, the chaos, contradiction, radicality, and rebellion, are being bleached out. Instead, we're getting the taming of modernism--modernism as elevator music.An observation by Jacques Lacan might describe the dire straits MOMA is in: "A madman who believes he is king is no more mad than a king who believes he is king." Of course, this statement means a king who believes he possesses an inherent "king gene" is implicitly mad. Second, and more pressing, it means that to be king the people must believe you are king. Being king is a relationship.
MOMA is becoming a madman who thinks it is king.
more from Jerry Salz at the Village Voice here.
Posted by Morgan Meis at 10:24 AM | Permalink
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» Natural religion from Monkeymagic
Child psychology seems to indicate that religion, rather than being a corruption of rationality, springs from the same source. [Read More]
Tracked on Jan 18, 2006 5:21:53 AM
» Natural religion from Monkeymagic
Child psychology seems to indicate that religion, rather than being a corruption of rationality, springs from the same source. [Read More]
Tracked on Jan 18, 2006 5:46:53 AM
» Natural religion from Monkeymagic
Child psychology seems to indicate that religion, rather than being a corruption of rationality, springs from the same source. [Read More]
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Comments
By classical definition there are six ways of governing a state.
1. Having a King who governs for the benefit of all
2. Having Enlightent philosophers who govern for the benefit of all
3. Having many governing for the benefit of all
4. Having a Dictator governing for his selfinterest
5. Having few Oligarchs governing for their own benefit
6. Having a Democracy where many rule for their selfish interests.
There are later alternations to these basic methods no doubt. My question is not sarcastic nor am I not interested in challenging a debate, but rather willing to learn...
Why do smart people not like Kings?
Posted by: Markus Petteri Laine | Dec 2, 2005 7:58:57 PM
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