Theoretical Frameworks Pt1

Burger pg 49 "In bourgeois society, art has a contradictory role: it projects the image of a better order and to that extent protects against the bad order that prevails. But by realizing the image of a better order in fiction, which is semblance only, it relieves the existing society of the pressure of those forces that make change."

I though this passage really hit the bullseye. Some of this conceptual art that is only seen in NY galleries and in wealthy dinning rooms only serves as a band aid for the bourgeois societies disconnection from society. People feel they are connected to culture through art but often the only connection the art signifies is that of the buyer to the market. We get a sort of mixed education here (in the MFA program), on one hand we are encouraged to think apart from the art market and produce art that interacts with society on a different level but at the same time we are required to present ourselves within the element of the Bourgeois Art defined by Burger. The idea of the artist being a facilitator of a working piece or contemporary "open" artwork (Eco), creating a defined set of rules for the participant to function within is fascinating because it works outside of this element of the genius individual (aesthetic genius). I dont think most artists want to recognize this type of art because they still think of themselves as creative geniuses, at some point someone told them they are different than the rest and they hold on to that. If the definition of artist becomes too broad, who needs an MFA, we should just all study cultural anthropology and theory (yuck.. just kidding,kind of..).