Comments on: Appreciating Box Sets and Biographies http://d332.com/2005/10/appreciating-box-sets-and-biographies/ Love, Ideas, Sex, Humor, Original Futanari Art Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:27:02 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: www.d332.com http://d332.com/2005/10/appreciating-box-sets-and-biographies/comment-page-1/#comment-43 www.d332.com Sat, 29 Oct 2005 15:04:16 +0000 http://d332.com/2005/10/25/appreciating-box-sets-and-biographies/#comment-43 Which brings up an issue my sister and I continually argue about: Predisposition. If one were to read ecstatic reviews, good write-ups, and positive bios about an artist or his/her work <i>before</i> experiencing the actual work: will it "color" one's judgement and appreciation of that work? I know I said if the work is strong enough, it shouldn't matter. But most of the time, it isn't. I guess that's why covers of books are plastered with <i>"If you had to read one book this year..." -Josephine Blo, New York Times</i> on the front and back jacket. Which brings up an issue my sister and I continually argue about: Predisposition. If one were to read ecstatic reviews, good write-ups, and positive bios about an artist or his/her work before experiencing the actual work: will it “color” one’s judgement and appreciation of that work?

I know I said if the work is strong enough, it shouldn’t matter.

But most of the time, it isn’t. I guess that’s why covers of books are plastered with “If you had to read one book this year…” -Josephine Blo, New York Times on the front and back jacket.

]]> By: Whitey http://d332.com/2005/10/appreciating-box-sets-and-biographies/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Whitey Sat, 29 Oct 2005 14:16:01 +0000 http://d332.com/2005/10/25/appreciating-box-sets-and-biographies/#comment-42 Now I understand; and I concur. In the last little while I read bios of Jorge Borges (who I know you greatly admire) and Patick O'Brian who wrote sea-faring novels that I love. In both cases I felt their lives, as presented by their biographers, took away from their works. I still think highly of their works; despite, or perhaps because, I think less of them. Now I understand; and I concur.

In the last little while I read bios of Jorge Borges (who I know you greatly admire) and Patick O’Brian who wrote sea-faring novels that I love. In both cases I felt their lives, as presented by their biographers, took away from their works.

I still think highly of their works; despite, or perhaps because, I think less of them.

]]> By: d332 http://d332.com/2005/10/appreciating-box-sets-and-biographies/comment-page-1/#comment-41 d332 Thu, 27 Oct 2005 16:18:21 +0000 http://d332.com/2005/10/25/appreciating-box-sets-and-biographies/#comment-41 Oh I do understand that. And I think it's natural to want to know more about someone who's work you admire. But appreciating a person's life is not the same as appreciating his/her work. What I was meditating upon was the notion that the artist does not necessarily want his/her readers to know about the background processes that went into creating the works. Notice I did not include autobiographies. I think an autobiography is a fiction, but an authorized one, from the same hands of the creator. I guess I just think if a piece of artwork isn't strong enough to speak on it's own, no amount of title cards, liner notes, extra color photographs is going to enable it's chances of doing so. Oh I do understand that. And I think it’s natural to want to know more about someone who’s work you admire. But appreciating a person’s life is not the same as appreciating his/her work. What I was meditating upon was the notion that the artist does not necessarily want his/her readers to know about the background processes that went into creating the works. Notice I did not include autobiographies. I think an autobiography is a fiction, but an authorized one, from the same hands of the creator. I guess I just think if a piece of artwork isn’t strong enough to speak on it’s own, no amount of title cards, liner notes, extra color photographs is going to enable it’s chances of doing so.

]]> By: Whitey http://d332.com/2005/10/appreciating-box-sets-and-biographies/comment-page-1/#comment-40 Whitey Thu, 27 Oct 2005 15:41:19 +0000 http://d332.com/2005/10/25/appreciating-box-sets-and-biographies/#comment-40 I think your over-thinking things Princess. When I look for a biography or an essay about an artist it is simply because I want to know more about someone who's body of work I admire. I am sure that is all that was behind the request for you to recommend a bio on Carson McCullers. I think your over-thinking things Princess.

When I look for a biography or an essay about an artist it is simply because I want to know more about someone who’s body of work I admire. I am sure that is all that was behind the request for you to recommend a bio on Carson McCullers.

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