the double text #16
is all art political?
Friends,
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, or maybe it’s —I am always thinking about this a lot— but wondering what you think, wondering what everyone thinks:
Is all art political?
Now that you have your answer, my follow-up question is:
Can you separate the art from the artist?
I’m sure a lot of conflict came to mind about work you’ve encountered over the years. Sometimes, I think both questions have clearer answers than others and shapeshift as society changes. Sometimes, I think we answer this depending on what a piece of work by someone meant to us at the time of discovery. It’s tough. We must constantly read, revise, reframe, research, and conceptualize. There’s so much responsibility in that, which can be exhausting, but I think that is one of our greatest gifts as humans. We can change our minds because of how something impacted us. It’s quite extraordinary if you allow the shift to happen.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Now, here’s your double text—
The City in Which I Love You by Li-Young Lee (Poetry)
The Solar Eclipse in Libra Will Force Confrontation by Aliza Kelly
Okay, I’m sharing this particular link because the title of this article is hilariously lame— Man Has Wildly Bizarre Reaction After Buying $4,000 Autographed Taylor Swift Guitar. I think it should read: Man discovers Taylor Swift is not voting for Tr*mp and bids on and smashes guitar signed by popstar in a public display of rage and immaturity. Watch the video to see this weirdo.
How to Help Communities Affected By Hurricane Helene by Quispe López
Will Ferrell Asked Netflix to Release Documentary ‘Will & Harper’ Before the 2024 Election by Samantha Bergeson
A Timeline of Chappell Roan’s Rapid Rise From YouTube Covers to Global Stardom by Abby Monteil
The New Yorker Union Members Unanimously Authorize Strike Ahead of Festival by Katie Kilkenny
‘The Outrun’ Review: From Rock Bottom to Recovery by Alissa Wilkinson
Caviar: The Supplier by Dade Fairchild (Fiction)
Banned Books Week 2024: PEN America Rallies to Turn the Page on Book Bans by Lisa Tolin
Toni Morrison, The Art of Fiction No. 134
INTERVIEWER: How many times would you say you have to write a paragraph over to reach this standard?
MORRISON: Well, those that need reworking I do as long as I can. I mean I’ve revised six times, seven times, thirteen times. But there’s a line between revision and fretting, just working it to death. It is important to know when you are fretting it; when you are fretting it because it is not working, it needs to be scrapped.
Georgia Judge Lifts Six-Week Abortion Ban After Deaths of Two Women Who Couldn’t Access Care by Ziva Branstetter
Go anywhere you want with City Walks. (Interactive)
What Kind of Writer Is ChatGPT? by Cal Newport
Were We the ‘Fat Couple’? by Courtenay Hameister
In Appalachia, Hell Hath No Fury Like a Trans Goth With a Banjo by G. Samantha Rosenthal
Israel Deliberately Blocked Humanitarian Aid to Gaza, Two Government Bodies Concluded. Antony Blinken Rejected Them. By Brett Murphy
Nothing like waking up on your birthday to realize you married not the right man. ‘I Just Turned 40 and My Husband Blew It’ — Advice by Emily Gould.
Fact checking VP debate claims from Walz and Vance's 2024 showdown By Laura Doan, Emma Li, Jui Sarwate, Alexander Tin, James LaPorta, Camilo Montoya-Galvez
US port workers and operators reach deal to end East Coast strike immediately by Doyinsola Oladipo and David Shepardson
Personal essay: Kim Kardashian says it’s time for the Menendez brothers to be freed by Kim Kardashian
NB: If you get hit with a paywall, shoot me a DM, and I’ll try to get you the words. No reader is left behind.
Hillbilly Goth
You can stim to Clover Lynn all day, babes.
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The Outrun
Directed by Nora Fingscheidt. I’m so excited about this film and can’t wait to sink into the memoir, which I’ve also heard is the
pick for October. If you haven’t dropped by Memoiring yet, know you will love it there — a super welcoming creative group meeting monthly to discuss craft and storytelling. Also, see what I said about Hollywood and Memoirs in Memoiring’s latest newsletter : )NO MORE GROUP CHATS
The right energy for a group chat always starts with something like, “Omg guys, should we have a group chat?” If the answer is not a RESOUNDING YES from all parties, don’t do it! If you want me to know, then tell me. I will forget to respond to your mass text in a group of 20+ people. My adhd can’t handle it! I stand with Rachel.
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Sally Rooney always has so much to say.
And I’m here for all of it. Here’s a fantastic clip of her interview at the Louisiana Literature Festival that’s making its rounds from a few years ago—
And the full thing if you wanna keep going. (Yes, we will be devouring Intermezzo, and spoiler— it’ll be on the booklist for October!!)
Your favorite artist’s favorite artist
I’ll go to a Chappell Roan with you, Sarah. We can scream-sing our heads off.
Her new film, HOLD YOUR BREATH, is out now on Hulu. This is definitely tonight’s watch.
The Substance
Directed by Coralie Fargeat. This is gonna be a wild ride. I love to love Demi Moore.
WE’RE SO BACK, BABY!
Season 7 of LOVE IS BLIND is here! Give me relationship mess! Give me your crazy stories about your ex! Tell me you’ve been searching for love for so long that you can’t take it anymore, and you’re only 22! Tell me you love me because I also love popcorn!! Marry me or not, just give me a brand deal!!!
“I’m a farmer! And a carpenter!”
Grow a tomato once, and it’ll change your life. (Speaking from experience!!)
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See you next week! And please share this newsletter with anyone you think would enjoy reading it. xVLB
The fact that I was writing a piece on separating art by the artist before this is such a coincidence that I don't know whether I should be scared or impressed. Could I mention this post if I ever share my essay (prone to leaving so many un-published drafts) the whole question is mind boggling and I thank you for sharing it.
This is a great question. I'll go first. All art is produced by the hands heart and mind of a person touched by simply existing in a socioeconomic and cultural climate. exposure to life is political. The circumstances surrounding the artists very birth were political. The question of whether that life should or shouldn't exist was and is politics. The artist and the art are not and can never be separate. They are forever enmeshed in the same experience...borne from the same impetus, facing the same consumption, digestion, interaction and adjudication of the world. An artist is born. Art is borne. Art is born. An artist is borne.
This question was art. The answer is art. We are art. Can you detangle unsprouted seeds from the root? No. Can you detangle or extract the chemistry in progress of art from the essence of an artist? No. A human being is a walking & talking compilation of worlds and galaxies, their art just a taste of that blended potion of every politic traced back to every beginning that ever had an effect on anything. Politics are like the air we breathe, you can not always detect it or see it, but is everywhere and it is what makes the world turn from days of old to this very second. Imagine taking tweezers or forceps and separating the very fibers of a human seen and unseen, the fibers of life seen and unseen, and all thoughts seen and unseen. This is how I imagine politics, a million splinters in flesh where you do not know what is splinter and what is flesh anymore. - T.T. Lauren