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11/15/2005: "No Cure For Cancer" by Michael Corbin
It's what people tend to say when they're justifying (or apologizing for)
some project they've adopted.
"I know it's no cure for cancer, but ..."
Why do we have to justify something that we believe in? When did other
people become judge? There are so many causes in this world ... so many
personal pursuits that we can follow. We spend so much time judging people
by their appearance, where they live or the type of vehicle they drive.
However, our personal convictions and the way in which we support them
really speaks volumes about who we really are. Should I run in a marathon
that benefits diabetes research? How about a silent auction for the
homeless? Or, should I just stay home and read a book? Regardless of our
pursuits, someone will have something to say about them ... positive or
negative.
That pretty much describes what I've been experiencing since I've been
writing about art. Some people think it's frivolous, some think I'm trying
to be something that I'm not, but here's what really led me to this point
...
After many years of visiting art museums, galleries and fairs, one day I
just decided to bring along my notepad. Quite frankly, I had been resisting
this for years. In my career, I take notes all the time. "Do I really want
to do this during my off-time?" I would often ask myself.
Back in my college days, whenever I visited an art gallery, I felt the need
to take notes, but I never did. I wasn't an art scholar or critic, nor did
I have money to buy anything. Why take notes? "Just go and enjoy," I would
think. So I did.
Then, one day, I decided that art was just that important to me. It wasn't
about trying to impress people or joining the ranks of established writers
and artists. I just needed to gain my own understanding of art outside of
an art history course or docent tour in a museum. I also wanted other
people to realize that art, more often than not, is ABOUT THEM and the
entire human experience and not just some high-cultured, big-money endeavor
for a select few.
Since I've been writing about art, I've become even more passionate about
collecting and more importantly, supporting living artists. It's a cause
that I believe is worthy of some of my time on this planet. What truly
convinced me is some of the artists with whom I communicate regularly. They
have been very supportive of me in my quest to build a collection that will
honor emerging artists and contemporary art in general. My artists are all
over the world. Merv Slotnick, who does fantastic abstract works on paper
lives in Maine. Jean Grenier, who does elegant portraits, resides in the
Atlanta, Georgia area. Brian K. Elston, who paints edgy urban-inspired
scenes, now lives in Chicago and Russian artist Alexander Vojik, whose work
is a mixture of figurative and abstract, lives in Israel. This is just a
few of them.
Art, artists and collecting definitely aren't cures for cancer. Not even on
their best days. I do not apologize for that. However, I do think that if
we embrace art, it will lead us in the right direction. People need to know
that by supporting striving artists, they're encouraging vision, creativity
and most importantly, human potential and the great push forward. Who are
we? Why are we here? How can we get along? What more needs to be done?
Art asks these questions and gets the dialogue going.
Again, I'm no art scholar or critic, but I really wish that I had begun
taking notes on my art trips long before I actually did. I think that I
would be even more in touch with art, myself and other people now.
Art is no cure for cancer, nor is it the answer for world peace, but it
mirrors and addresses the human condition and that's a fantastic start in my
book ... or perhaps I should say, notepad.
MICHAEL CORBIN IS A WRITER AND AVID ART COLLECTOR
