March 25, 2019
I recently visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to view the exhibit, Epic Abstractions. It is a terrific show. I am not an art critic or curator, but I think I know that abstract art is often in the eye of the beholder. There is usually much left to the imagination and to interpretation. The better the art, the greater are the possibilities. One aspect that jumped out at me, however, was not open to interpretation. I was struck by how many of the artists emigrated to the United States from their home countries, and became citizens to escape oppressive governments. Rothko, deKooning, Ossorio, and Sterne among others came here to fully enjoy our freedoms, and to express themselves in a nurturing environment.
With the Epic Distraction that is the Trump administration, how many artists are willing to come to the United States today because it is a beacon of freedom of thought and expression? I am afraid that we are no longer that place. We have become a place where we worship the past, and don’t have the courage to look ahead. We vilify people who do not look like “us.” We attack freedom of the press. Great art and freedom of thought will continue unabated, but it may have to find a new home if it hasn’t already.
The Spin Doctor 