The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

What Canadians Consider ‘Art’

Posted on | November 24, 2013 | 42 Comments

This painting — a crude and childish cartoon that would not deserve praise if it had been done by an fifth-grader — was part of an “art” project in Toronto that was funded by Canadian taxpayers.

M. Joseph Sheppard called attention to this project, a “lesbian haunted house” that was open to the public last month. It was intended as a parody of the “Hell Houses” that some evangelical churches sponsor as a didactic alternative to secular Halloween haunted houses.

What is important to know is that the “Hell House” phenomenon was organic in its origins: Some Christian youth leaders saw that young people were flocking to gory commercial spook houses and decided to create events that would teach moral lessons in the same way. It doesn’t matter whether you embrace the message, or approve of how the message was delivered; the point is that the church-sponsored “Hell House” is a voluntary activity conducted at private expense.

However, there was neither commercial demand nor voluntary support sufficient to bring into existence the lesbian haunted house in Toronto, so it could only be funded by coercive action of government:

Allyson Mitchell, the artist behind “A Lesbian Feminist Haunted House,” has received thousands in government grants.
Acknowledgment is posted on the outside of the rented location at 303 Lansdowne Ave., also called Killjoy Kastle, that funding was provided by the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council (OAC) and Canadian Council for the Arts. The artist undertook her work in collaboration with the Art Gallery of York University (AGYU).
Mitchell refused to discuss the funding for her project. . . .
Research shows the AGYU received $55,000 from the City of Toronto so far in 2013.
The Canadian Council for the Arts 2013 allotments are not yet available but documents show Mitchell was granted $20,000 in 2011 from the council and a total of $61,000 since 2005.

This type of subsidized bohemianism — épater la bourgeoisie at taxpayer expense — is most effective as an argument against government funding for art. Like “green energy,” if there were any market demand for this stuff, there would be no need to subsidize it.

Allyson Mitchell is the Solyndra of the art world.

You will perhaps not be surprised that this celebration of artistic failure was applauded by its intended audience of socialists:

As a female, queer tax payer who enjoys this kind of “deviant” art (oh my!), I’m happy the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council funded this project. Their funding allowed for free entry into the haunted house so that everyone, no matter their income, could access the art inside.

Oh, I see: If it weren’t for these government “arts councils,” the pleasures of “deviant” art might only be available to the rich. And I’m sure that the impoverished children of inner-city Toronto were edified and uplifted by Allyson Mitchell’s exhibit. She gets tens of thousands of dollars annually, and the starving kids get . . . art.

M. Joseph Sheppard confesses his mystification:

But, leaving aside the Palin Derangement Syndrome the fact that there exists on this planet a “lesbian haunted house” is a marvel of our age and something to be wondered at. What it means in the broader context of society — well I have absolutely no idea but it must mean something, perhaps you can puzzle it out!

I’ve done my best, Joe, and let me make one final point: The image at the top of the page was shamelessly swiped from the aforesaid Female Queer Canadian, an act of expropriation I can justify because (a) the painting itself was not hers, (b) a work commissioned at taxpayer expense is arguably public domain, and also (c) fuck Canada.

 

Category: Art, Canada, Feminism

Comments

42 Responses to “What Canadians Consider ‘Art’”

  1. Annie Turner
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:44 am

    I just don’t see it as the role of gov’t to fund any art projects. Particularly at this time when we are broke as a nation and are borrowing money to do this. Our children and children’s children will have to bear the burden of our folly.

  2. Chris Smith
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:47 am

    When the government decides it wants to destroy a culture, the government floods the culture with dreck and calls it “art”. Highly corrosive.

  3. sourthentrad
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:49 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ http://t.co/cagzOY5u4f http://t.co/DHyOxT1HtF

  4. rsmccain
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:49 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ http://t.co/yEL1xr79E6 hat-tip @MJosephSheppard cc @kshaidle @AmPowerBlog @EdDriscoll @texasbryanp

  5. MrEvilMatt
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:51 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’: This painting — a crude and childish cartoon that would not deserve praise if i… http://t.co/H2p2hXm7GG

  6. CHideout
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:51 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’: This painting — a crude and childish cartoon that would not deserve praise if i… http://t.co/NDcsTRmAZt

  7. Lockestep1776
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:51 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’: This painting — a crude and childish cartoon that would not deserve praise if i… http://t.co/S7h1AasTwK

  8. Resista38176897
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:51 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’: This painting — a crude and childish cartoon that would not deserve praise if i… http://t.co/k9kRq2YrFd

  9. Citzcom
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:51 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’: This painting — a crude and childish cartoon that would not deserve praise if i… http://t.co/3OKjNncAHQ

  10. jwbrown1969
    November 24th, 2013 @ 8:51 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’: This painting — a crude and childish cartoon that would not deserve praise if i… http://t.co/bcxG3U9bNM

  11. vermontaigne
    November 24th, 2013 @ 9:00 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ : The Other McCain http://t.co/RhnOtqoXM3

  12. rsmccain
    November 24th, 2013 @ 9:05 am

    In this 600-word post, the most important words are the last two. http://t.co/yEL1xr79E6 #tcot

  13. Matthew W
    November 24th, 2013 @ 9:06 am

    You would think that WHO would be trying to solve the problem of Palin Derangement Syndrome has gone international.

    FUCK CANADA !!!!

  14. FemaleQueerCanadian
    November 24th, 2013 @ 9:10 am

    Thank you for writing about my post! You’ve given a fledgling blog some great publicity. — The Female Queer Canadian

  15. tlk244182
    November 24th, 2013 @ 11:28 am

    And the horse she rode in on.

  16. AmPowerBlog
    November 24th, 2013 @ 11:38 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ http://t.co/QF4N9Qnrz6 via @RSMcCain

  17. rsmccain
    November 24th, 2013 @ 11:39 am

    RT @AmPowerBlog: What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ http://t.co/QF4N9Qnrz6 via @RSMcCain

  18. SHAWSBLOG1
    November 24th, 2013 @ 11:43 am

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ http://t.co/jF9zs11R3a

  19. JBinRC
    November 24th, 2013 @ 12:34 pm

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ : The Other McCain http://t.co/4eh4RX8qmX via @rsmccain

  20. Professor_Why
    November 24th, 2013 @ 12:47 pm

    What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ http://t.co/QLwQ3CNZOr

  21. MJosephSheppard
    November 24th, 2013 @ 12:53 pm

    @rsmccain Valiantly attempts to puzzle out mystery of the Palin-hate “Lesbian Haunetd House” with a degree of success
    http://t.co/tMh1I8nb2Y

  22. jenny2
    November 24th, 2013 @ 12:54 pm

    (c) fuck Canada

  23. What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ | Dead Citizen's Rights Society
    November 24th, 2013 @ 12:54 pm

    […] Read the rest … […]

  24. rsmccain
    November 24th, 2013 @ 2:14 pm

    RT @MJosephSheppard: @rsmccain Valiantly attempts to puzzle out mystery of the Palin-hate “Lesbian Haunetd House” with a degree of success
    …

  25. rtoberl
    November 24th, 2013 @ 2:17 pm

    RT @MJosephSheppard: @rsmccain Valiantly attempts to puzzle out mystery of the Palin-hate “Lesbian Haunetd House” with a degree of success
    …

  26. SomeassholeCanadian
    November 24th, 2013 @ 2:19 pm

    Like you guys have a shortage of people just like this. Fuck Canada???? FUCK YOU Stacey!!! As a Canadian who has shown tremendous support for what your nation is going through I can’t believe you would tar an entire nation just because of some psycho bitch and a few fuckin retards in the government!! Fuck you Canada…..nice. Asshole!! Consider your fuckin blog deleted.

  27. tlk244182
    November 24th, 2013 @ 2:59 pm

    Don’t let the screen door etc. etc….

  28. Someassholecanadian
    November 24th, 2013 @ 3:14 pm

    Hey tlk244 don’t forget to flush twice while your country swirls the shitter buddy. Assholes like you are getting what you deserve. Enjoy dipshit!!

  29. politics_right
    November 24th, 2013 @ 4:13 pm

    RT @AmPowerBlog: What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ http://t.co/QF4N9Qnrz6 via @RSMcCain

  30. Adjoran
    November 24th, 2013 @ 4:34 pm

    Underlining once again why governments should have NO role in art, or education.

  31. Adjoran
    November 24th, 2013 @ 4:36 pm

    So I see the whole “deleting” thing didn’t work so well.

    Careful how you talk up there, someone may haul you before the Hate Speech Commissions.

  32. Matthew W
    November 24th, 2013 @ 4:50 pm

    Spot on !

  33. Bob Belvedere
    November 24th, 2013 @ 5:24 pm

    Pull that pole out of your arse for a minute and have your sense of humor restored, eh.

  34. Bob Belvedere
    November 24th, 2013 @ 5:25 pm

    Tell it to Mark Steyn, Clyde Canuck.

  35. bridget
    November 24th, 2013 @ 5:50 pm

    Sarah Palin is gorgeous; the art is twisted and the product of an ugly mind. I find it really ironic, and quite sad, to see so many liberals who just hate Sarah for being pretty, smart, successful, married, and a mom.

  36. Matthew W
    November 24th, 2013 @ 6:42 pm

    She is a mighty handsome lass.
    Bit looks aside, she is a genuinely good person (which is what provokes the hate from the left)

  37. DJM1968
    November 24th, 2013 @ 10:47 pm

    What (Some) Canadians Consider ‘Art’ http://t.co/1rGQ5pU91I

  38. The Other Jeff S.
    November 25th, 2013 @ 9:28 am

    Stacy, I don’t have a problem with a thing you wrote, except for the blog post title and of course part (c). I’m sure you’d react with umbrage if some lefty, no-talent, NEA-subsidized “artiste” from Soho did something stupid with a Canadian conservative’s image, and a Canadian writer used as wide a brush as yours to suggest that Americans consider it art and finished up with a hearty “f*** the USA”.

    Give a kick to the sickos from Toronto, but leave your friends north of the border out of it. Please.

  39. andycanuck
    November 25th, 2013 @ 9:36 am

    Yeah, because there are no leftist artists in the U.S. living off taxpayers’ “grants” “creating” offensive shit.

  40. andycanuck
    November 25th, 2013 @ 9:39 am

    There are conservatives in Toronto too, Jeff. At least 25% judging by how many voted Canadian Alliance for Stockwell Day.

  41. The Other Jeff S.
    November 25th, 2013 @ 9:46 am

    Sorry – I guess I just painted Toronto with the same wide swath, albeit unintentionally. I meant it in the narrow sense of those who set up this art show.

  42. FMJRA 2.0: Riding With The King : The Other McCain
    November 30th, 2013 @ 8:08 pm

    […] What Canadians Consider ‘Art’ […]