Tuesday, February 23, 2016

The Illusion of the Elitist Artist

"Sport is more popular. Why should tradies tax dollars go to pay for an elitist pass time. the average person arent remotely interested in the convoluted navel gazing of the art community. Supply and demand. If there are too many artists and they can't make a living then it's not up to the tax payer to fork out more dosh. I would rather some disabled kids get funding than a load of pretentious wankers."

This was someone's legitimate response to arts in Australia.
This is why I often eat only frozen vegetables.
This is why I either make my costumes or source them from thrift shops.

My work critiques woman's roles in society in a dreamy, fantastical, cinematic way. Does that make it less valid? Less worthy? Am I simply too bored to get a real job? Really? Given I just lost a job that I loved because Australian's don't read books either...

This makes me so mad.

Australian people as a whole need to realize that we are brainwashed by media to only enjoy simple, straightforward things. By all means, sport can be fun, but there is more to life than it! TV shows don't have to be black and white, movies don't have to be all action and boobs. Music, oh dear Loki, don't even get me started on popular music; you guys know that there are more than four chords right? Beer is not the only alcohol available. Why do the masses chose to be so influenced by peer pressure?

Despite what the stereotype suggests, I don't come from money, nor will I inherit any great sum of it. I don't do this just for fun, I do this because it's the only way I know how to fight; fight for my world to change, fight to make my children's world better. I do this so that I might inspire someone else to join the fight, to give them hope that things could one day change.

That doesn't sound very elitist to me.

Now, here's some of my latest work...