Чужак в чужой стране

           Theywentalloutforabstractions,notdeigningtopaintorcarveanythingthatresembledthehumanworld."

           Jubalshrugged."Abstractdesignisallright–forwallpaperorlinoleum.Butartistheprocessofevokingpityandterror,whichisnotabstractatallbutveryhuman.Whattheself-styledmodernartistsaredoingisasortofunemotionalpseudo-intellectualmasturbation?whereascreativeartismorelikeintercourse,inwhichtheartistmustseduce–renderemotional–hisaudience,eachtime.Theseladdieswhowon’tdeigntodothat–andperhapscan’t–ofcourselostthepublic.Iftheyhadn’tlobbiedforendlesssubsidies,theywouldhavestarvedorbeenforcedtogotoworklongago.Becausetheordinaryblokewillnotvoluntarilypayfor‘art’thatleaveshimunmoved–ifhedoespayforit,themoneyhastobeconnedoutofhim,bytaxesorsuch."

           "Youknow,Jubal,I’vealwayswonderedwhyIdidn’tgiveahootforpaintingsorstatues–butIthoughtitwassomethingmissinginme,likecolorblindness."

           "Mmm,onedoeshavetolearntolookatart,justasyoumustknowFrenchtoreadastoryprintedinFrench.Butingeneralit’suptotheartisttouselanguagethatcanbeunderstood,nothideitinsomeprivatecodelikePepysandhisdiary.Mostofthesejokersdon’tevenwanttouselanguageyouandIknoworcanlearn?theywouldrathersneeratusandbesmug,becausewe‘fail’toseewhattheyaredrivingat.Ifindeedtheyaredrivingatanything–obscurityisusuallytherefugeofincompetence.