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| think it is safe to say, that one of the greatest indicators F
of quality in today's society is the concept of consistency. Al- )
though the terms are not specifically connected in Merriam Web-
ster, | feel that, in the field of art, consistency plays a /
major factor in the quality of an artists work.

In this age of Media, we are constantly inundated with informa- {
tion in an incredible array of sensibilities. In order for any of i
this data to have any prokonged effect on us, it becomes neccess- ;
ary to present the information in a manner which is going to
leave an imprint on our memory. ?

There are two basic methods of achieving this; the first being ’
the more popular "dynamic'', larger-than-life, Hollywood style of
image. The second, more traditional method is Pavlovian concept ‘i
of repetitive programming, otherwise interpreted in the art field
as 'consisténcy'. This method is a direct extension of the Pav-
lovian theory, in that repetitiveness of theme and image over a
period of time, will inevitably etch itself on the memory of the
recipient, tunneling it's way into the psyche of the observer.
This basic premise is utilized in every field of the arts today

and in my opinion, has managed to entrench itself into the very iN
framework of ‘quality! itself.

An excellent example of this ideology of consistency is well
represented in the current exhibit at the Equinox Gallery; the
Gathie Falk-Richard Prince collaboration. The concept of con-
sistency is taken to the extreme in this exhibition, not only
in the relative sameness of imagery, but also in the ultimate i
criteria, the price of the work; | don't think it varies more
than $200.00 throughout the entire show. In market terminology,
this consistency is a boon, for it serves to assure the recog- i

}

nizability of the artist; an essential ingredient for the sale
of work these days.

---So what if the titles of the paintings are absolutely arbi-
trary and have nothing to do with the content of the work {
(‘Federal Budget', “Squamish Highway')? As long as everyone |