Planet of the Arts -Vol 4-No.4-1989. 22 lettersletters letéers letters continued Dear Planet, S On the whole women’s art is different tha men’s. Sometimes the gender is recognizable before one knows the creator of a given piece or show. But regarding Margaret Bootsma’s article “Is There a Woman’s art?”, I have a few comments I'd like to raise. The first apprehen- sion I feel in reading the article is that this generalization of women’s art being autobio- graphical and/or based on our sexuality (circles, eggs, spheres, etc.) compartmentalizes our work into a rather narrow realm. There are other forms of women’s art. As an artist, a feminist, and a woman I have seen my own work and others’ cover vari- ous grounds with a wide use of media. And it always seems to fall in and out of classifica- tions (i.e. political, feminist, functional, etc.) I am not overly given to vulva imagery myself, though as sure as my biology, I am a woman creating art. I want to point out the danger of labelling one’s work in an art society where one artist creates “women’s art”, but another artist (with male genitalia) creates “art”, not generally known as “male art”. This brings me to my second apprehen- sion. In a patriarchal society such as ours, where almost all of the structures and rules (written and unwritten) are created by men, it’s no surprise that what is considered “high art” is almost exclusively male. Thus, any- thing that does not fit their definition of great art (or better yet, threatens their definition) can be easily dismissed into its proper classifi- cations: political, reactionary or, of course, women’s art. An example of this is the Museum of Mod- ern Art in New York City, whose art collection is virtually all male with a few notable excep- tions. Directly across the street at the Ameri- can Craft Museum one can view some spec- tacular creations, the majority made by women. The Craft Museum has much less prestige than the MOMA, is relatively unheard of, and is rarely said to house “great art”. Who created these boundaries and rules? The answer is obvious: it certainly was not women. Now back across the street...the excep- tion to the all-male rule at the MOMA allows a few women in, such as Barbra Kruger and | ali, -an unusual alliance of skinheads, unwed mothers, victims of sexual abuse, men incapable of achieving erections but still enjoying successful marriages, priests who dipped into the collection plate to feed crack habits, and the women from GLOW will corner Geraldo Rivera in the basement of the hotel once ane by Al Capone, and seal him into a mysterious alcove. -a Viet Nam veteran wil flip out at a World Wrestling Federation Main Event, perhaps at the Tacoma Dome, but will eventually be calmed down by Hulk Hogan. Unfortunately, Slick, Brother Love and the Big Boss Man will then mercilessly club the Hulkster and drive over him with a Zamboni. The enraged ex-Green Beret opens fire on the crowd, killing and wounding over a hundred people, ending for a while at least, _ arguments regarding the reality of professional wrestling. -as a direct result of the free trade agreement between Canada and the United States, Surrey, Tswassen, and Richmond will be sold to Cal Worthington and his dog, Spot. Louise Nevelson, among others. With all due respect to their work, they are the token fe- males. “Tokens” are always desirable in any institution to avoid allegations of sexism, ra- cism, etc. Yet it would sound strange to most ears to hear the MOMA described as an estab- lishment for “male art”. Not so strange for it to be called great art or “high art”. Let’s think about that. The male power structure protects itself. Anything that can be slotted into a category other that theirs is safely pushed further away from the high art ballgame. But women’s art does not appeal to eve- rybody, some might say. Not all of it will, but certainly much male art does not appeal to women (at times being little more than legiti- mised pornography). We are at least half the population so naturally our voice must count. It’s for our own empowerment and exposure that we work and show our art through women’s groups, and that kind of support is wonderful. However, it does deprive the whole of society by relegating it to less accessible or lesser known venues, often with little funding. Right now the VAG is holding a show of “Four Canadian Artists”. It’s not unusual that all four artists are male, though no indication of that is given in the title. However, if all four artists were female (imagine that!) surely the show would be called “Four Canadian Women Artists” or something similar. If the classify- ing word “Women” was dropped, wouldn’t the public be surprised when they walked into an all women show without warning? There’s a lot of women doing great art. I do not criticize Bootsma for attempting to look at “Women’s Art” as such (though the focus was quite narrow). Her article just brings to mind pressing questions about women’s art, men’s art, and where the control of power lies. By the way, the image by N.T.S. accompa- nying the article struck me as very strong and beautiful. Sincerely yours, Sarah Orlowski -after all these years of watching men in rubber suits kick over models of Japanese cities, finally a real monster, spawned from the loins of an eco-disaster, will rise up from Tokyo harbour and trample the city. - over-grown waif Michael Jackson, tired of looking like Diana Ross, will begin a series of reconstructive Operations to make him a pere-strikingly close resemblance to Raisa Gorbachev! -a tablet will be found in the Soviet Union made of a material which could only have come from another planet. Once deciphered, it will prove that DMSO is a wonder drug left here by space aliens. -as the last acre of Brazilian rain forest is clear-cut, channelers world-wide will be taken over by the psychic essence of Elvis. To the tune of Viva Las Vegas , he will lament the extinction of species of plants and animals that would have provided cures for AIDS, cancer, and the common cold. ts the Planet, I am a third year Graphic Design student. Being a foreigner, I feel concern about the proposal of the Board to raise foreign student fees from $1030 to $7500. (This possibility was never mentioned when I came to school). If this proposal is realized, I will not be able to afford to continue my studies in this school, which means that I cannot graduate. Also, I will have to go back to my country because Canadian immigration gives me a student visa as long as Iam registered in any school. I know there are other schools, careers and “opportunities” in the world, but I don’t want to start my career again nor to study commerce or nursing. I think that any academic institution needs foreigners, not just for economics, but for cul- tural exchange as well. Yours, Carolina Gil Dear Planet My name is Senta Tsuchiya. I’m surprised to hear of the change in tuition fees for foreign students. I believe that Canada hasa real international outlook and is free of discrimination. I especially believed this of B.C., which is the province most familiar to me. I think B.C. is one of the best provinces in Canada. Now B.C. has decided to raise the tuition to over $7500 a year, to follow the precedent set by other provinces. I don’t understand why my tuition should have to increase by 7 times. Why is it necessary to have such a big difference between Canadian and foreign students? The increase will just kick all foreign students out of the College, and also B.C. As a condition of our student visas, we foreign students are not allowed to work in Canada. So, though we don’t pay income tax, we do bring a lot of money into the country. Not only do we buy goods here, but we pay taxes on all those goods. By forcing us to leave, Canadians may lose more money than it costs now. We came here to study. We hope that we help to make a good atmosphere at the Col- lege for Canadian students. I hope I can continue studying with Canadian students. Senta Tsuchiya YPSYCHIC PREDICTIONS FoR 1989 RENOWNED PSYCHIC AND CHANNELER MADAM AVANTI ASTOUNDS PLANET READERS WITH HER ACCURATE & EROTIC AMAZINGLY PREDICTIONS -the space shuttle Discovery will be forced to make an emergency landing in a field near Yorkton, Saskatchewan. The astronauts will be slain by confused farmers armed with pitchforks and scythes. - Morton Downey Jr. will attempt to sink lower than the appearance on his show of a quadripalegic black woman who played the Star Spangled Banner on an electronic keyboard using her tongue. (August, 1988). Three Soviet teenagers mangled in grain harvesters will defect live on the air, and display their love for their new count y using their unusual disabilities to form the letters "U.S.A." Madam Avanti is a well known psychic and channeler. She is best known for the "really bad feeling" she had a few days before the space shuttle Challenger exploded. lettersletters letters letters continued before one knows the creator of a given or show. But regarding Margaret Bootsma’s article “Is There a Woman's art?”, I have a few ‘comments I'd like to raise. The first apprehen- sion I feel in reading the article is that this generalization of women’s art being autobio- graphical and/or based on our sexuality circles, eggs, spheres, etc.) compartmentalizes our work into a rather narrow realm. There are other forms of women’s art. ‘As an artist, a feminist, and a woman I have seen my own work and others’ cover vari- ous grounds with a wide use of media. And it always seems to fall in and out of classifica- tions (i. political, feminist, functional, etc.) T am not overly given to vulva imagery myself, though as sure as my biology, I am a woman creating art. I want to point out the danger of labelling one’s work in an art society where one artist creates “women's art”, but another artist (with male genitalia) creates “art”, not generally known as “male art”. ‘This brings me to my second apprehen- sion. In a patriarchal society such as ours, where almost all of the structures and rules (written and unwritten) are created by men, it’s no surprise that what is considered “high art” is almost exclusively male. Thus, any- thing that does not fit their definition of great art (or better yet, threatens their definition) can be easily dismissed into its proper classifi- cations: political, reactionary or, of course, em Art in New York City, whose art collection is virtually all male with a few notable excop- tions. Directly across the street at the Ameri- can Craft Museum one ean view some spec: tacular creations, the majority made by women. relatively unheard of, and is rarely said to house “great art”. Who created these boundaries and rules? The answer is obvious: it certainly was not women. Now back across the street..the excep- tion to the all-male rule at the MOMA allows a in, such as Barbra Kruger and -an unusual alliance of skinheads, unwed mothers, Victims of sexual abuse, men incapable of achieving erections but sil enjoying successful marriages, Priests who dipped into the collection plate to Teed ‘rack habits, and the women from GLOW wil corner Geraldo Rivera in the basement of the hotel once uned by Al Capone, and seal him nto a mysterious Icove, -a Viet Nam veteran wil fp out at a World Wrestling Federation Main Event, perhaps at the Tacoma Dome, but will eventually'be calmed down by Hulk Hogan. Unfortunately, Slick, Brother Love and the Big Boss Man will then mercilessly club the Hulkster and tive over him wih a Zamboni. The enraged ex-Green Beret opens freon the crow, killing and wounding over ahundred people, ending for a while at least, arguments regarding the reality of professional wrestling -as a direct result of the free trade agreement between Canada and the United States, Surrey, Tswassen, and Richmond will be sold’ to Cal Worthington and his dog, Spot Louise Nevelson, among others. With all due respect to their work, they are the token fe- males. “Tokens” are always desirable in any institution to avoid allegations of sexism, ra- cism, ete. Yet it would sound strange to most ears to hear the MOMA described as an estab- lishment for “male art”. Not so strange for it to be called great art or “high art”. Let's think about that. ‘The male power structure protects itself, Anything that can be slotted into a category other that theirs is safely pushed further away from the high art ballgame. ‘But women's art does not appeal to eve- rybody, some might say. Not all of it will, but certainly much male art does not appeal to ‘women (at times being little more than legiti- mised pornography). We are at least half the population so naturally our voice must count. It’s for our own empowerment and exposure that we work and show our art through women’s groups, and that kind of support wonderful. However, it does deprive the whole of society by relegating it to less accessible or lesser known venues, often with little funding. Right now the VAG is holding a show of “Four Canadian Artists”. It’s not unusual that all four artists are male, though no indication of that is given in the title. However, ifall four artists were female (imagine that!) surely the show would be called “Four Canadian Women Artiste” or something similar. If the classify- ing word “Women” was dropped, wouldn't the public be surprised when they walked into an all women show without warning? ‘There’s a lot of women doing great art. I do not criticize Bootsma for attempting to look at “Women's Art” as such (though the focus was quite narrow). Her article just brings to 1g questions about women's art, ‘where the control of power lies By the way, the image by N-T'S. aecompa- nying the article struck me as very strong and beautiful. Sincerely yours, Sarah Orlowski att al thse years of watching men in rubber suite kick over models of Japanese cites, finally a real monster, spawned from the loins of an eco-disaster, wil se up from Tokyo harbour and trample the cy + over-grown wait Michael Jackson, ted of looking ke Diana Ross, will begin a series of reconstructive operations to make him a pere-strikingly close resemblance to Raisa Gorbachev! -a tablet will be found in the Soviet Union made of a material which could only have come from another planet. Onoe deciphered, it wll prove that DMSO is a ‘wonder drug et here by space aliens. -as the last acre of Brazilian rainforest is clear-cut, cchannelers world-wide wil be taken over by the psychic essence of Elvis. To the tune of Viva Las Vegas , he wil lament the extinction of species of pans and animals that would have provided cures for AIDS, ‘cancer, and the common cold. to the Planet, Tam a third year Graphic Design student. Being a foreigner, I feel concern about the proposal of the Board to raise foreign student feos from $1030 to $7500. (This possibility w: never mentioned when Icame to school). Ifth proposal is realized, I will not be able to afford to continue my studies in this school, which means that I cannot graduate. Also, Iwill have to go back to my country because Canadian immigration gives me a student visa as long as Tam registered in any school. Ienow there are other schools, careers and “opportunities” in the world, but I don’t want to start my career nor to study commerce or nursing. Ithink that any academic institution needs foreigners, not just for economies, but for cul- tural exchange as wel Yours, Carolina Gil Dear Planet ‘My name is Senta Tsuchiya. 'm surprised rr of the change in tuition fees for students. [believe that Canada has a real international outlook and is free of discrimination. I especially believed this of B.C,, which is the province most familiar to B.C. is one of the best provinces in Now B.C. has decided to raise the tuition to over $7500 a year, to follow the precedent set by other provinces. I don’t understand why my tuition should have to increase by 7 mes. Why is it necessary to have such a big difference between Canadian and foreign students? The increase will just kick all foreign students out of the College, and also BC. ‘As a condition of our student visas, we foreign students are not allowed to work in Canada. So, though we don’t pay income tax, we do bring a lot of money into the country. Not only do we buy goods here, but we pay. taxes on all those goods. By forcing us to Ieave, Canadians may lose more money than it costs now. We came here to study. We hope that we help to make a good atmosphere at the Col- lege for Canadian students. I hope I can continue studying with Canadian students. Senta Tsuchiya RENOWNED PSYCHIC AND CHANNELER MADAM AVANTT ASTOUNDS PLANET READERS WITH HER ACCURATE & EROTIC AMAZINGLY PREDICTIONS he space shuttle Discovery will be forced to make an emergency landing in a field near Yorkton, Saskatchewan. The astronauts will be slain by confused farmers armed with pitchforks and scythes, ~Morton Downey ur. will attempt to sink lower than the appearance on his stow ofa quadripalegic back woman who played the Star Spangled Banner on an electronic keyboard using her tongue. (August, 1986). ‘Three Soviet teenagers mangled in grain harvesters will defect live on the air, and cispay ther love fr their new county by us ther unusual cisabies fo frm the letters "U.S.A" ‘Madam Avanti is a well known psychic and channeler. She is best known for the “really bad feeling” she had a few days before the space shuttle Challenger exploded.