A Visit to the Bill Arnett Collection

[gabrielshaffer]

Ive been there multiple times. I cant express how powerful the experiences were. I could only imagine if they were presented in a museum exhibition.

[mmbbmike]

It would be nice if he would have his collection travel the world for others to view. I would love to see it on display.

[chickengeorge1236]

Art is attitude----------- and what Arnet is speaking is a believe about what is great

this problem is shit changes, and Tudes become dated,

Crits like to point this out,

[KudZuTreadwell]

well, i reckon there's the rudimentary semantical agreements we must make to function as a species, but generally...

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

in front of 600,000 people, Miles Davis takes the stage at the Isle of Wight festival to play some "jazz" and is asked the Name of the piece. he responds, "Call it anything."

[folkartkilla]

"rudimentary semantical "

lets try and stay on the topic, bringing up the "label/name" debate truely is a waste of time and mental energy, this is an art historical issue, of course if you knew what we were talking about, you would know that, but you don't, hence the fact you are bring up irrelevance....

ciao

[folkartkilla]

There is nothing in the world more stubborn than a corpse: you can hit it, you can knock it to pieces, but you cannot convince it.

-Alexander Herzen

this idea of tradition, is it Arnetts idea or theory? Do the these oppressed late 20th century artist have it or are they riding it?

-folkartkilla

[KudZuTreadwell]

"outsider" could be nullified by the internet etc. granted these folks are willing to engage in it!

ultimately, of course, labels don't matter. but, there are "precedents" set by labels; and we are social creatures.

it's what you say, not how you say it. we live in a world...we're talkin' about the enigmatic will to create and express.

a lot of these people had as much intention of living off their art as they did living off the proverbial winning lottery ticket...i can relate to that!

[folkartkilla]

labels do matter, if they didn't you would bump into walls, even outside a dark black cave, without labels, that hamburger helper you are eating might have dog food in it and that painting you bought might not be a Thomas Kinkade, it miht have been done by who knows, because labels don't matter? labels matter, for most though, it's just not cool to say they do.

[StevenChandlerArtist]

name one artist in the south 100 years ago that was making "abject art or pathetic art"

this just keeps pissing me off I need to go get drunk and break something now!

[chickengeorge1236]

Now calm down now, the problem is about people that want to put things is a timeline to validate a rise or "break through" its about creating a history so and artist knows where he stands,. Arnett sole ambition is to "educate " about this alternate Black vernacular culture we have victimized over the last millions years, its Artist validation are based on high or fine art guilt, He sees his role as a liberator to this part of unknown history ,y/n

[StevenChandlerArtist]

he's not educating, he's trying to pitch something, the problem is when he starts about these artist in the context of art history, he is greasing it, the work is good, but not good enough to change history, Dial, Holley,30 years too late.Whats wrong with just referring to them as great southern artists? Because they arent .This is why there is the hype and molding of the history to fit the artist. Aint right

The only tradition here is the tradition of the hustle

[chickengeorge1236]

his style is educational, meaning that, the reason for liking these southern folk artists are, its not based on the look its based on the cultural ramifications of the deal, the problem i have with Arntt is his conception of that he is the liberator of this kind of work, its sorta like art taste based on repression ,Dubuffet style i could imagine . But dealing in the imaginary world of what Arnett thinks how artists act, its very old school Modernism i figured aimed at his country club.

[StevenChandlerArtist]

"his style is educational"

But his art history is not accurate, and sure you can take any African American Southern Artist and tie in the Civil Rights movement and cultural ramifications, but is it really what the art is about? So many artist use the hackneyed label Outsider so they can seem edgy, but they are as much of an Outsider as a tire iron, If you have to call yourself an Outsider, yer not one it's a selling point, makes the art seem more interesting and important than it really is Y/N?

[chickengeorge1236]

ok outsider to Arnett means, not white America, he trys to back it up, by using artist form the 50's like they alon with there rest of 1950's American ripped off Black folks cuase we is souless Euro'fites , this is a cultural hot topic, "outsider artist" are used for educational purposes, this being the info about where art comes form, this is Arntts take on it.. dated that it maybe,. i suspect it aimed at buyers less up for a dialogue,

[folkartkilla]

yes, it is the other way around, Rauschenberg influenced Dial & Hollie, and picasso influenced them all because Picasso was influenced by everything,

it certainly is not the other way around,

no black oppression here, just Spanish genius and everything else.

[alabamamichimeko]

dont forget picasso ripped off the Africans...I seriously doubt Rauch influenced Dial.

[adriennegarrett]

@folkartkilla I may be two years late, but Good Sir, you are wrong. It was Rauschenberg who was influenced by the African American yard shows and assemblages he saw in his native South. Dial--and by the way, the artist's name is spelled Holl-e-y--Holley are the two undisputed masters of this vernacular genre.

[folkartkilla]

@adriennegarrett crack open a book , Rausch was influenced early on by comics if anything, no real exposure to art until after the war,in California at the Huntington library, studied pharmacy early on, went to New York-Abstract Expressionism.These artist you promote,who's work has been stockpiled, did not exist back then, this work looks like upper level college art, there is nothing new about it, it is just investment hype by a retired antique dealer who knows nothing about Art History

[adriennegarrett]

@folkartkilla

Whe' you from, white boy? You need to put down the books, lose the art historical yada yada  and take a ride South. Then-to the Indianapolis Museum and Joanne Cubb's show, Dial: Hard Truths; might change your mind, change your life-how this man, this genius, just plain dealt. Re: Bill Arnett. His unflagging support of Dial through some mighty tough times, brought Dial's career--in its current

manifestation--to life. Thank you, Bill. Rest of you: Hush, y'all.

Steve-get the Dial.

[folkartkilla]

@adriennegarrett no need to ride in the south when you are already there, besides it is too hot to do anything but sit and sweat, the cockroaches and mosquito are my friend... I am green not white by the way, Dial is nothing compared to true southern black artist like Sam Doyle, Z.B Armstrong, Jimmy Sudduth and of course Bill Traylor. Dial is a fabrication....Oh and Jasper Johns is a Carolina Boy, but probably not your color preference.

[StevenChandlerArtist]

no this art is at best neo expressionism made in the rural south, regardless of personal meaning, to be compared in context to what was happening in the 1950's and why that was happening is where Bill Arnett needs a refresher course.

[StevenChandlerArtist]

again don't get me wrong they are wonderful artist, my issue is with the historical impications and in my opinion is the reason why most of this work is sitting in a warehouse and a Dial on Ebay doesn't go for squat.

I think Robert Johnson had some pretty good ideas, they were recorded in the 1930's, as far as painting and artist during the civil rights, try Jacob Lawrence,

[StevenChandlerArtist]

"ART" well put, no need to bring up art historic dribble, but Bill is the one who does, when he brings up Rauschenberg and Picasso, it's like talking about how Mariano Rivera throws a football. Dial was not making art when RR was erasing DeKooning. Whos to say Dial didn't find an old Art Forum at the local Birmingham thrft store, a lot of this is totle bullshit to hype someones stock pile of work aint it! I got sock for ya Bill-HaHa

[chickengeorge1236]

no art material is time dated! artist use what they want there is no history in art!

[fox408]

absolutely incredible video james, thanks!

[jpapare]

There is a lot of control out there of who gets talked about and who doesn't. It is a power pyramid that gets a new crack in it every time a man like you comes along and puts in his opinion. People do want to make up their own minds, and with videos like this, that, as well as the art itself is addressed. Just Great!

[learningsfun4us]

JK, thanks again for taking us where we would not easily go, and facilitating our participation in the world of fine art. Brilliant interview! N.

[bobwilsonray]

Is it exploitation that a collector collects the art of a poor artist and the artist's lot in life improves? Was Dubuffet an exploiter or a wise man who saw art in the work of the outsider? What is Bill's financial state? Has he become a millionaire by collecting this work? Appears to me that he has it at home and not on the market. James, did he not suffer some (I thought I saw a docementary about this) financially or at least personally someway for his involvement in the art?

[jameskalm]

I have no idea of his financial situation, but he said he's lost considerable sums (millions) in the pursuit of this project. Like many people who have an unshakable belief in something, he's taken considerable grief, and his health and well being have suffered. The commitment to his vision should be applauded.

[jameskalm]

I sweep a collections of Gee Bend quilts in "Part II" stay tuned.

JK

[spawndawnacl]

I found this troubling. Wealthy white georgian explanations of the black experience. Not knowing the word "art,' etc. The commentary was filled with embracing insensate posteriors and scrubbing the nails. I thought the paintings great, but found the collecting exploitive. I was waiting for the N-bomb to be dropped. The background music should have been from Neil Young. No drool cup required here. Many, many thanks.

[jameskalm]

spawn,

your feelings were reflected by Morley Safer when he and the Sixty Minute crew did a hatchet job on Bill in the late nineties. Ive bee involved in the art world for over thirty years now, and its rare to see someone with Bills passion. What one person calls exploitation, someone else might call preservation or promotion. Without Bills intervention most of this work probably wouldnt exist. Dial remains very close to the family. Stay tuned for Part II.

[destroyer820]

On a ten point scale this video gets an 11!!!

[slaytonj5]

james, this was great. I'm from alabama and have met these guys, very thought i'd see their work on youtube. Lonnie is probably the wisest man i've ever met. //j

[quenchedinlife]

whooo this is a great one, outsider art is really intresting, but usually rather hidden.

[fredjhenzel]

fucking master!

[Badahwood]

I'm so glad you're going to do a Part 2. This is fabulous! Thank you.

[LawrenceCharlesMille]

James, I appreciate all your reports. This one, for me, is the most intelligent. "I got the thing that makes a bulldog break its chain". "I have radar in my hands." - artist statement.

Bulls eye. Best -

[CapricornArtist73]

Amazing collection!

[fromruinstudio]

You are truly blessed with the perfect opportunity!! LUCKY YOU! Do you need a camera person for part two? I can tell how excited you were by how shaky the camera was LOL.

[jeffreysart]

Fantastic ,the oppressed emotions ,the articles of his time and person ,you can 'feel' it ! That's art ! the originality in the paint can piece ,that's art . great art comes from great emotion,this is 'IT'

[purewonka]

Fascinating. Thank you. It's quite something to see all that work in one collection.

[rybgpo]

Terrific, what a treat, thanks!

[zoticus1]

excellent!