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

[Keith Gerling]

Not to tell Carl how to do his job, but won't these Drive-Ins look a lot
more "picturesque" after they are abandoned for a few years and all crumbly
with faded paint and covered with vines?  Sorry, but the urgency isn't
doing it for me.  Let them "mellow" a bit.

On the other hand, I happen to photograph old grain elevators, which
require the same degree of travel, and they really ARE falling apart, and I
have to get there NOW - so any spare change is welcome!!

On Tue, Apr 3, 2012 at 10:25 AM, Diana Bloomfield <
dhbloomfield at bellsouth.net> wrote:

> 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/<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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