Ender100@aol.com
Date: 09/21/03-03:34:57 PM Z
I somehow doubt that Jeffrey Dhamer was inspired by Joel Peter Witkin. I
would tend to think he was more inspired by Ed Gein—who was a fellow
Wisconsinite and designer of lampshades. I don't think Jeffrey had a library card
either. I also don't believe that most of us who have seen Witkin's work have
become psycopaths....well, except for myself perhaps.
What is the limit to art? The imagination? What is the limit to the
imagination? I sometimes believe we live in an era where knowledge and truth are
seen as dangerous, but that's a whole other bandwidth burning, off topic
discussion that will tickle the "delete key digit" (the Indigo key on your keyboard)
As far as Joel Peter Witkin being a "solid citizen", I'm not sure what you
(Arthur) mean by a solid citizen. I'm not sure I would even like a lot of
"solid citizens". Perhaps you personally know Mr. Witkin and his foibles and are
thus able to judge better than I, but I do think that it is quite a leap to
take to use the terms "psychopathic" & "evil" in reference to Mr. Witkin.
However everyone is entitled to their opinion. It might do just as well to just
say you think "his work sucks". hehehehe
Besides, I think our President has just about used up the word "evil" in his
speeches for current times.
With regards to the silver heads in Jeffrey Dhamer's fridge....I think I read
that one of the cops responded to Dahmer after opening the door to the fridge
and seeing the silver heads—"Too bad you didn't win the Gold". Probably a
mutated form of Wisconsin humor.
My daughter is about to move to Madison, Wisconsin to teach computer
engineering at UofWis, providing she completes her doctoral dissertation in the
allotted time....I certainly hope she is able to avoid all the cereal killers there
and does not overindulge herself on the cheese—and yes I am a proud dad.
But again, I digress. My apologies for doing so.
Mark Nelson
In a message dated 9/21/03 3:41:02 PM, kateb@paradise.net.nz writes:
>
> Well, it's a philosophical argument, surely - and relates to the censorship
> issue - if nobody thought Witkin was a genius, evil or not, he wouldn't have
> achieved the level of fame he has. If there are limits, they're the limits of
> what the public will stomach. And btw, I've often wondered about the
> influence of films, t.v. etc on psychopathology, but not art. I think there are
> plenty of ways for psychopaths to get ideas without having to resort to the art
> shelves in the library ;).
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From:<A HREF="mailto:ARTHURWG@aol.com"> ARTHURWG@aol.com</A>
>
> To:<A HREF="mailto:alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca"> alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca</A>
>
> Sent: Sunday, September 21, 2003 9:41 AM
>
> Subject: Re: PS About Witkin Re: Diane Arbu s
>
>
>
> Yes, I know Witkin is immensely popular-- as well as financially successful.
> But if he's a genius I think "evil" must be the operative adjective. Yes,
> perhaps it's only his imagination that's "psychopathic," and that in every
> other regard he's a solid citizen. But I doubt it. Yes, it's only "shadows," as
> someone put it. But there are limits, don't you think? Perhaps Jeffery Dhamer
> was a Witkin fan. I remember that when the cops opened his fridge and saw
> those silver painted severed heads, Dhamer told them they were artworks. And
> the cops believed him. ...... Arthur
>
>
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