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Yale, Abortion, and the Limits of Art

Hoax or no hoax, student Aliza Shvarts' attempt at abortion "art" was morally repellent and Yale University’s response was a masterpiece of evasion.

April 20, 2008 - by Roger Kimball

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5 Comments

1. bindare:

I’m tired of no-talent hacks and their
“art” being tolerated and even praised by other no talent hacks. Let’s end taxpayer subsidy of this B.S. and see what gets supported by art devotees with their own dollars. Maybe we will have another renaissance.

Apr 20, 2008 - 7:33 am 2. Bugs:

If I understand correctly, the artist’s intention was to spark debate about the relationship between art and the human body. The only people who give a crap about the relationship between art and the human body are other artists. I don’t think they care what we think. Criticizing them only reinforces their belief in their own special sensitivity and insight into…stuff. Instead of reacting, which allows the artist to control the discussion, try asking “Why?” Don’t stop asking until the artist learns something.

Apr 20, 2008 - 6:15 pm 3. Richard Whalen:

Aesthetic arrest; Ideas of art by James Joyce via Joseph Campbell. ( I am not a great fan of Campbell but he has a few good ideas.)

The feelings excited by improper art are kinetic, desire or loathing, Desire urges us to possess, to go to something; loathing urges us to abandon, to go from something. These are kinetic emotions. The arts which excite them, pornographic or didactic, are therefore improper arts. The esthetic emotion is therefore static. The mind is arrested and raised above desire and loathing.

Apr 20, 2008 - 11:20 pm 4. BMoon:

Supposedly this is “performance art” which is code for obscenity used for shock value to make up for the utter lack of any real art, unless you need to call adolescent obsession with genitalia and its secretions “art.”

Apr 21, 2008 - 9:37 pm 5. artschmart:

I read with weary disbelief that Yale University and the arts have stooped to this level of vile pandering. This woman no doubt comes from a family that can afford an elite education for their precious daughter. They got the elite part but listening to Shvart’s rant on her puny soap box, it didn’t sound like she spent much time in the english department. In fact Mz. Shvart sounds like a spoiled brat with zero oratory skills.

I am fed up to way above my uterus with this garbage being promoted by morally bankrupt institutions. I hope lots of yale alumni will withdraw financial support. My husband has already done so. This stuff isn’t art. It is propaganda folks.

Apr 29, 2008 - 8:49 pm

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