Art is in the eye of the beholder

Published 10:51 pm Thursday, July 31, 2008

For one dealer, collecting items such as “Spider-Man” artifacts is just as valid as collecting the works of a famous painter. Tip to those following this path: When you say you collect fine art, you might not want to mention the precise nature of that art. Not everyone — including dates — views an original Stroomtrooper helmet in the same way.

A local artist finds beauty in erotic artwork, which is the focus of a show she organized. She says art should trigger a response. “If we don’t take risks, there are not huge rewards. How much kitten art, tulips and lighthouses can we endure?” Valid point. While kitten photos trigger a response, “Ah, cute!” doesn’t really count as emotionally stimulating.

Now for something you can’t really call art. The police chief in L.A. says there’s not much need to control paparazzi now that stars such as Lindsey, Britney and Paris are giving the photographers fewer juicy scenes. Um, Mr. Police Chief? Do you think all the stars are going to keep playing nice? That’s about as likely as Paris buying her clothes at Wal-Mart.