guess i'll have to keep this in mind, aka karma

Oh yes, karma will get you for sure.  Last week we went to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  Yes, that's right, it's in Sheboygan, not in Kohler.  But, yes, it is THAT Kohler.  It is a totally wonderful museum.  They focus on "outsider" art and usually have really interesting exhibits.  An exhibit of artist books is what drew us there on this particular occasion.  But the space itself is really wonderful too.  I know that not everyone has the same taste, but when I go into a space like that, it makes me wonder why we can't have more spaces like that.  If I lived closer, I would have a big party there and make everyone come for a visit.  As it is, if you are ever in the neighborhood, or passing through on the way to Door County, I'd recommend a stop there, as well as at the Hamilton Wood Type Museum in nearby Two Rivers, Wisconsin (apparently pronounced "Trivers" though I never knew that - and I have been living in Wisconsin most of my life).

Anyway, the adorable girl came along.  Now, ordinarily, I am very mindful of everything the signs say and I was watching her very closely to make sure that she didn't touch anything, but chasing around after a two-year old is a little distracting.  And, I'll confess that as usual I was in my adoring Auntie role which includes snapping pictures at every opportunity. So I completely forgot that I was in a museum.  I only took this one picture and I've cropped it so you will just have to go to Sheboygan yourself to see what the focus of her gaze was.  Anyway, the museum guard gave me a scolding.  I'm sure that a two year old in a museum makes such a person nervous anyway so I'm also sure that I'm not imagining the close scrutiny that we were under for the rest of the visit.  Still, as someone who is very mindful of rules and perhaps overly sensitive, the scolding stayed in my mind for most of the day.  I was also sulking because I missed a couple awesome shots of her looking at art.  Don't get me wrong, it was offset by the wonderful space and the inspiring art, the great company and other lovelies such as the gorgeous Sheboygan store, NEST, and a visit to a lovely chocolaterie, a walk around a pond, and dreaming of a fantastically tiled bathroom at the Ann Sacks store.

So, what was I sulking over?  First, that darn karma.  I mean, I totally realize that the museum and the artists need to support themselves.  In fact, it's a similar case when people come into the store and take pictures of things that we have.  Of course, I have no idea why they are taking a picture, but sometimes there is some inkling that they are taking a picture so they can go home and make the thing themselves or that they are trying to replicate some aspect of Anthology in their own store.  A part of me bristles and wishes that I could be like that museum guard.  I can't help thinking that if I can't pay rent, then I won't be here very long for people to come and take pictures and be inspired.  It's a free country, of course, and there is very little that I can do - so perhaps there is some feeling of powerlessness that adds to (or detracts from) the situation.  It is part of our mission to inspire people, to get them to create, and it is a compliment that they like something enough to record it and share it with other people.  There is the potential that the picture is the first step to an eventual sale so you can't exactly forbid it completely (unlike in a museum where the items are not for sale so a photograph does not benefit the museum.... although, I think if you had seen the photographs that I was going to take, you might have been tempted to visit the museum yourself....Did I say that I was done sulking?). 

(There was no sign outside so I think I can at least give you this picture from our stroll outside among the stone castles.  I wrote a little story about these and made them into a mini altered book.  The last time I was here with the adorable girl, she was one month old and we had to take turns walking outside with the swaddled, crying infant).

An artist friend of mine once said that if she gains inspiration from someone's work, then she would at least pay the artist for their inspiration by purchasing something from them.  I think if we are true to ourselves, then whatever we create has our own unique quality to it, even as it also derives from other things that we see or experience.  So even if we are imitating someone else's work, it's almost impossible to exactly duplicate it, unless you are a forger and that's another matter entirely.  I try to practice that support of others' works - even just buy a postcard or something.  Just some way to thank the artist for doing what they did and for contributing to my own artistic journey. And, yes, I did make a donation to the museum.  I didn't see a postcard for some of my favorite pieces (and why not?).

There is that whole matter of copyright/credit/forgery... which is only finely separated from art/inspiration (see recent discussion by Michael DeMeng).  I mean, I don't really think there is anything that is completely of a single artist - they are inspired by people and forces outside of them so the whole matter of ownership gets tricky (see Lewis Hyde/The Gift), thus does the matter of copyright, thus does the matter of my right to draw inspiration from someone else's art, thus does my right to take a picture in a museum. But I'll try to stop sulking about that.  It just made me think about Art, accessibility, is there more harm than good, or vice versa, when I take a picture?  Are we all just constantly on the defensive, protecting ourselves from the possibility of theft and copying? can there be something that we are missing out on that could persuade us to relax those defenses?  Will I remember this feeling the next time someone is snapping pictures in the shop?

The guard did inform me that I could take pictures in the bathrooms.  They have really spectacular bathrooms there, no kidding, and you have to go visit all of them (just knock loudly.  The men's blue and white bathroom might be one of my favorites, which started that whole trip down "dreaming of riches and fame" lane that ended in the Ann Sacks tile store (I'm thinking about flat river rocks on the floor and green/blue glass tiles....).  Anyway, I'll leave you with one successful picture of the adorable girl.  Not quite as interesting as if she was peeking out of the house of words....

 

Comments

[Alisson Burda]

I know what you mean! I often struggle with people who take pictures of my art when I am selling at art fairs! I want to share and allow them to take inspiration home with them...but it would seem more fair if they purchased something from me. However, it is a free world...so what do you do...a constant struggle! One other note...the Art museum in Chicago...the great big amazing one...allows you to take pictures to your hearts content, as long as you do it only for your personal needs. I love that...they like to share and I so appreciate that I can take pictures of amazing masterpieces, such as Renoir! Definitely makes you think!

[Stefanie]

So I just have to comment about Trivers *smile* I grew up right outside of Manitowoc (know as Manty to the locals) and dont feel bad only the locals call it Trivers (and it is just because we say Two Rivers so fast it blends into one word)

I know this post is about so much more but I had to tell you not to feel bad about not calling it Trivers, I grew up there my whole life and didnt know about the museum so I feel ashamed of myself and vow to visit it next time I am home!

[Laura]

Hmm... good to know about the Chicago Art Museum - I'll go there when I need pics of the girl looking at art.

Someone who is not a Wisconsinite knew about "Trivers" (it was on one of those Facebook quizzes) but that's reassuring Stefanie.

Thanks!