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Why the kerfluffle? City Hall's costly and
idiotic interference with KCI's terrazzo project has much longer-term
implications for Kansas City arts. Yet, for months we have heard almost
nothing about that travesty, instead being subjected to endless criticisms
of CowParade—none of which withstand the slightest bit of scrutiny.
Some say the CowParade has been done before. The relevance of this escapes
me. Others complain CowParade is a money-making venture. Again, so what?
I don't see many Crossroads galleries giving stuff away. A few anti-cowsters
even have the gall to suggest the beneficiaries of the cow auction are
not sufficiently worthy causes. This perspective would be offensive if
it weren't so laughably arrogant.
But anti-cowism is all about arrogance—the arrogance of those who
say CowParade isn't "real" art. Poppycock. Finger-painting is
art. Gardening is art. Pumping gas is art. Debating aesthetics may be
an interesting intellectual exercise, but opposing a harmless project
by making pompous, public pro-nouncements about What Art Is merely reinforces
the (sometimes accurate) stereotype of artists as being disconnected from
mainstream American life. No good comes from that.
Suppose a fellow drives from Lenexa to see the cows. Suppose he is lucky
enough not to know he isn't seeing "real" art, and simply enjoys
the experience. He might seek more art. He might start visiting galleries,
collecting works, and becoming involved in arts philanthropy. Multiply
that effect by ten thousand, and more people from more backgrounds are
enjoying more art in more parts of the city.
But anti-cowsters say our hypothetical Lenexan is a rube. They say his
enjoyment is wrong. So he feels alienated, intimated, held in contempt.
Naturally, he loses interest. Multiply that by ten thousand-fold and huge
numbers of people who could have been excited by public art are now completely
turned off to the scene—ironically by the very people who claim to
care about it most.
Art is not a zero sum game. More cows don't mean less sculpture or ballet.
Very much the opposite. Art begets art. How could anyone be opposed to
that?
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"CowParade",
a fund- raising stunt of the American Royal, the Kemper Museum and the
Kansas City Zoo, is a franchised gimmick proffered as a "public art
project". As a professional artist and concerned citizen, I am opposed
to such nonsense.
These projects are bad for the art economy. With meager financial support
in town for public and private collections, $5,000 cows yank $1 million
out of direct support for Kansas City artists. Cow purchases at the post-parade
auction economically damage the galleries, art supply stores and photographers
who depend on artists.
The project is embarrassing to the city. Even fresh, it was unimaginative
and second rate; as a third generation knock-off, it's plain degrading.
It is equally onerous that such a gimmick balances on the backs of artists,
who support with donations of time, money and art a dozen annual local
fundraisers/auctions for groups that work to support artists. If "Cow"
organizations want a tony money-raising party, let them hire the expertise
fair and square.
There is a peculiar sense of entitlement to "public art" events
in this town. Is this a holdover of the former mayoral administration,
tourist-centric to the exclusion of citizens' needs? I'm all for art and
public coming into contact with it, but we don't need to manufacture corny
faux-culture carnivals to do it. Over 140 local galleries and museums
regularly announce art exhibitions free and open to the public—and
the public flocks to them.
The dynamic and creative managerial energies of the Kemper Museum, the
Kansas City Zoological Park and the American Royal could have embarked
on a real public art crusade. They could have marshaled all this corporate
and individual support to buy works of art by local artists for their
businesses and homes. A $5,000 investment in Kansas City talent would
continue to show its worth long after the cows have gone home.
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