[alt-photo] Re: Carl Weese's Drive-In project

[Diana Bloomfield]

Hey Chris,

Well, I read about this, and it seems like a great and really  
worthwhile project.  I've certainly photographed a lot of drive-in  
movie theaters over the years-- they are definitely a wonderful part  
of American culture and certainly of another time and place.  I love  
the whole idea and would love to travel across the country and do the  
same.

But I have to say-- unless I missed something in here-- and, no doubt  
I probably did-- is he just asking for monetary support to help with  
the travel and the project itself?   If so, this has got to be the 3rd  
(and I just received yet another this morning, from a multi-media  
artist) request for monetary support for an artistic venture that I've  
seen in the last two months.

I guess I must be seriously out of touch, because I remember a time  
when you'd have a photographic project in mind-- and no matter how  
impressive the project was, or what it might do for others-- or how  
much it might ultimately resonate with people-- and, hopefully, sell  
like hotcakes-- you just forged ahead and carried out your project,  
because you believed in it, even if it was years-long, and hoped for  
the best.

Now what seems to be the norm is for artists to ask for monetary  
support (from regular people, not from grant panels) to travel all  
over the country, or to help hang a show (under the guise of selling  
prints and then donating money to some food group or whatever), or to  
keep their co-op gallery doors open (basically paying their mortgage,  
because it will help us all, as we're all-inclusive, and anybody can  
hang work there!), or whatever.

The last time I mentioned this to someone-- that I simply go out and  
photograph and print and hang shows (all with my own funds-- or, if  
I'm lucky, with a grant)-- and that I've never once thought about  
sending out a call for money to individuals, so I can essentially do  
my work I've elected to do (nobody is making me do it)-- never once  
thinking about sending out a call to everybody I know for money to  
carry out those projects-- I sounded like some sort of curmudgeon--  
but, seriously, I'm so confused.  I just don't get it.

Maybe Carl's call for support is slightly different-- I'm not sure--  
at first glance, it just seemed to be the type of request I seem to be  
seeing all the time now.  Given this economy, too, I just find it odd  
that people are doing this.

So is it just me?  While I understand the need for funds to support  
artistic projects, wouldn't going straight to corporations or  
foundations that often fund artistic projects, or book publishers or--  
as Bob said-- some high-powered movie mogul-- be more worthwhile?

The request I received this morning was from a multi-media artist who  
wants to make 100 prints or something, hoping to sell it all, and then  
donate the proceeds to some Hunger group.  That's admirable.  But if I  
was gonna give any money, I'd simply donate to our local food bank  
directly.  This request, of course, is from a person who has received  
at least two (possibly 3?) State Art Fellowships (worth $10K each) in  
the last several years and who also has a 'regular' job.  She's asking  
for a little less than $3,000 to complete her project.  I'm just  
dumbfounded by that.  It seems to me she's savvy enough to know how to  
ask for money from established foundations, not from other individual  
artists.

So . . .  before everybody jumps on me, is this some kind of new  
trend, and are 'regular' people out there (including struggling  
artists) really donating money all the time to other people's artistic  
projects?  Does that really work?  If so, could someone give some  
pointers here, because I think I might start doing that, too.  I  
cannot believe I've been bopping along here (mostly) paying for my own  
printing, traveling, supplies, etc.  How dumb is that??

Diana
On Mar 31, 2012, at 10:07 AM, Christina Anderson wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> One more shameless promotion, by one of our own listees. Carl Weese  
> of ziatype fame. When going through the 60,000 emails in the  
> archives I found lots of help from Carl over the years, though he  
> does not actively post anymore.
>
> Carl is doing a drive-in theatre project across the country and you  
> can read about it here!
>
> http://courantblogs.com/rick-green/vanishing-drive-in-theaters-carl-weeses-big-dream/
>
> I really believe in this project because I am sentimentally attached  
> to the drivein theatre as it was part of my childhood. In fact, the  
> one in Minnesota I used to go to in the summers was resurrected a  
> number of years back. WIll have to check if it is still so.
>
> Carl has teamed with Kickstarter to fund this very ambitious project.
>
> Chris
>
>
> Christina Z. Anderson
> christinaZanderson.com
>
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