California (Bay Area, Northern) Artist has work removed from Ritual Coffee Roasters, deemed too "Serious"

blw said:
Okay...I've read the entire thread (every word Gabriel) and I'm in agreement with semilog on this one( for what it is or isn't worth).

It's really kind of sad for both parties here. On the one hand there was a written agreement (I didn't bother looking for the contract, though). I'd love to know if the contract had any language regarding early pulling of the display. I'd be tempted to think there isn't. If that were the case, is 6 weeks really that long a period of time for the owner to put up with art on her walls that she doesn't like? On the other hand, taking your dirty laundry to the public realm like this is a bit petulant and childish. I'm reminded of those times when I happen into some local weirdo I don't always like to get cornered by; and they go on to me with their problems and I'm looking for a way to escape. Neither party has reacted to the situation in an adult and professional manner and it seems they're both coming out smelling less than rosy. As I've learned from my father in law...."most pain in life is self-inflicted".

Then again...reading some comments on the blogs and news stories reminds me that my opinion doesn't carry very far past my nose and plenty of people have chosen their side in this.
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Well, not to disparage your father-in-law, but I respectfully disagree about most pain being self-inflicted, at least in my life and most recently my family.:angel: Maybe we are the in the minority section of the distribution curve.

But I digress. I went back over the artist's photos because the first time, I hurriedly looked at the first one, liked it, second one, sorta okay, and the third one, not so much. This time, I looked at all of them and even without knowing what they were about, I was not impressed enough to say they were good but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.

Still, they would have been fine in any coffe shop I frequent. Yesterday, I stopped by Starbucks, got a coffee and a bite to eat while filling out yet another medical form for the hospital. Noticed a few people reading the paper, or talking, or using their dumb "smart" phones. I also noticed no one was looking around. There were a few pictures on the wall that were barely noticed and it struck then and there that customers coming in there would not even notice a photographic display on the wall unless it was nudity! Seriously.

In retrospect, I don't know why anyone would be upset over being kicked out as the publicity is better than the gallery.:) Still, though, the shop owner was not business-like but like the bumper sticker says, Shiznit happens! (Note: ref. Memphis' comment above)
 
thompsonks said:
Here's a serious artist's treatment of the same theme:

http://www.bethkientzle.com/Portfolios/Nana's House/
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A good statement and a cohesive body of work. That's someone's life we're looking at, and interpreted very gently in a way that anyone with elderly relatives can identify with. But remove the objects from their environment to another place and they would become less, and without context.
 
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