I knew there was something essential about you I had forgotten. The Farm looms as large in the ethos of the 1960s (origin point) counter-culture as Owsley's acid tests, Haight-Asbury, the 1969 Woodstock festival, the Grateful Dead's earliest performances, and more that I grew up with. I am glad to see that you are a direct descendant of counter-culture royalty, that important work was done, and that against long odds, The Farm persisted and did good work. Almost every child rebels against their roots, whether very square and suburban, or outside the typical grid. That you internalized the best is sensational. Try to get a copy of the art critic Dave Hickey's short book of essays, "Pirates and Farmers." The title essay is revelatory.
Yes! The essence of Hickey's essay is a fictional girl born in the 1970s with a name like Earth Luna, raised in a hippie commune in Northern California, eating tofu and mung beans. In adolescence she begins to rebel: smokes a tobacco cigarette; is excommunicated when caught eating a Big Mac. Eventually she moves to suburbs of San Diego, changes her name to Karen or Alice, and works as a dental assistant. I occasionally read the title essay to some of my criticism classes, and talked about who is a pirate? Who is a farmer?
Oh great. Let me know how you like it. The late Dave Hickey was the real pirate of art criticism, and I reread his essays often for the pleasure of his prose, his pitiless depictions of the false values of the gallery world.
I knew there was something essential about you I had forgotten. The Farm looms as large in the ethos of the 1960s (origin point) counter-culture as Owsley's acid tests, Haight-Asbury, the 1969 Woodstock festival, the Grateful Dead's earliest performances, and more that I grew up with. I am glad to see that you are a direct descendant of counter-culture royalty, that important work was done, and that against long odds, The Farm persisted and did good work. Almost every child rebels against their roots, whether very square and suburban, or outside the typical grid. That you internalized the best is sensational. Try to get a copy of the art critic Dave Hickey's short book of essays, "Pirates and Farmers." The title essay is revelatory.
Thank you for the book recommendation! I've never been one to rebel...I still eat tofu haha
Yes! The essence of Hickey's essay is a fictional girl born in the 1970s with a name like Earth Luna, raised in a hippie commune in Northern California, eating tofu and mung beans. In adolescence she begins to rebel: smokes a tobacco cigarette; is excommunicated when caught eating a Big Mac. Eventually she moves to suburbs of San Diego, changes her name to Karen or Alice, and works as a dental assistant. I occasionally read the title essay to some of my criticism classes, and talked about who is a pirate? Who is a farmer?
I've just ordered a copy. Sounds right up my alley!
Oh great. Let me know how you like it. The late Dave Hickey was the real pirate of art criticism, and I reread his essays often for the pleasure of his prose, his pitiless depictions of the false values of the gallery world.
Will do! Looking forward to reading
Dope essay. Mississippi and Detroit are my origin points.
What a fascinating background, Brianna!