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September 11, 2005
Art and the mob
“The mob not only grabs hold of art without being entitled to do so, but it also enters the artist. It takes up residence inside the artist and smashes a few holes in the wall, windows to the outer world: the mob wants to see and be seen.
With sweaty fingers, that cloddish mob is tapping out something that rightfully belongs to her alone. Unmasked, unbidden, they sing along with the cantilenas. Moistening their forefingers, they pursue a theme, looking for the secondary theme, but failing to find it. And so, nodding their heads, they are content to rediscover and repeat the main theme. Recognizing it, they wag their tails. For most of them, the principle charm of art is to recognize something that they think they recognize.”
The Piano Teacher, Elfriede Jelinek, translated by Joachim Neugroschel
Posted by john at September 11, 2005 11:28 AM