bLOGOS/HA HA: view

David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.

08 October 2016

view

"It is difficult to grasp the cultural devastation that is occurring across Australia. Even a partial glimpse is unnerving; surveying the whole is depressing beyond words. Despite the fact that in 2015 Australia's per capita purchasing power ranked 15th among the 25 wealthiest countries in the world, we are living in a nation in which poverties of every kind are being imposed from above.

In 2016 it became clear that Australian arts are facing the worst crisis since before the Australia Council was founded in 1967. But that is only a part of the story. The past three years have seen an unremitting ideological war on knowledge, inquiry and, significantly, cultural memory."

- Opening paragraphs of 'Culture Crisis : Critical failure and the Australian malaise' by Alison Croggon writing in The Monthly (October 2016)

That's your cue, James Paterson :

'Budget position... sell Blue Poles.'

Senator James Paterson
B. Commerce, BA (Melb).

Vice-President, Melbourne University Liberal Club 2008

Vice-President, Australian Liberal Students' Fed. 2008-2009
President, Young Liberal Movement (Vic) 2009.
Office of Senator Mitch Fifield* 2006-2010

(*present Minister for the Arts)
Victorian Employer's Chamber of Commerce & Industry 2010-11
Institute of Public Affairs 2011-16
Liberal Party senator in the Turnbull government 2016-

Gough Whitlam, Prime Minister of Australia 1972-75
Authorised purchase of Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles, 1973

Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy.
I knew Jack Kennedy.
Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine.
Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.

- Democrat Senator Bentsen to Republican Senator Quayle : remark made during the 1988 United States vice-presidential debate

detail

A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/

someone looks at something...

LOGOS/HA HA

Meanwhile, just announced on another planet :

France’s arts and culture sector will receive its largest amount of federal funding ever starting next year, with the allotted budget for the Department of Culture and Communication set to increase to €3.6 billion (~USD 4 billion). The leap of 5.5% marks the greatest boost in government financial support for the arts since 2010; the department’s budget now comprises 1.1% of that of the entire state.

The announcement arrived at the end of last month during Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay’s presentation of her department’s forthcoming budget, and makes good on President François Hollande’s announcement in July that a substantial increase was in the works. In her speech, Azoulay suggested that the renewed focused on culture was a response to the terrorism France has witnessed over the past year — from last November’s coordinated attacks across Paris to the devastating violence that shook Nice during this summer’s Bastille Day celebrations.

“I know the difficulties confronting museums today, between a drop in attendance, particularly linked to the drop in tourism, and a rise in security expenses,” Azoulay said, according to the Art Newspaper. As part of the new budget, museums will receive a 7% increase in annual funding.

France’s decision follows another recently announced, huge government effort to promote the arts nationwide: in April, Canadian officials pledged to invest almost CAD 1.9 billion (~USD 1.4 billion) into its own cultural industries over the next five years.