Digital/paper collage: Naughty / Impressionism is so 20th century!

RTomens, 2021

Naughty is made of a photo I took some years back and a woman I cut out. That's it. There's another print version where she's integrated into the background image. I can't recall which ad it comes from but it's funny how she appears to be sticking two fingers up to the world. 

I am naughty. Most of the time. Here's to all the naughty artists - rebels, renegades, rule-breakers. Join the historical legacy, if you wish. Go on, attach yourself to the Futurists, Dadaists and others with disregard for convention. It won't do to make big claims about being a Naughty Artist. That would be akin to declaring yourself 'Hip'. Others must anoint you.

You're naughty in the 'wrong' way as an artist if you're called 'naughty' by the Art World because, as you know, recognition by the professional class is the death of you with respect to any pretence at 'rebellion'. Historical figures can do nothing about that. Dada is as much a part of The History as Impressionism, although without such a sizable common fan base. Talking of Impressionism, Christie's have dumped it and 'Modern' art, choosing instead to just settle for 20th and 21st century as categories. History is bunk! It's probably a shrewd marketing move aimed at not putting off rich youngsters who wouldn't dip their toes in the crusty old 19th century. Is everyone under 30 that stupid? 

Don't call yourself a 'bad' artist, though. People might think you're being literal; too self-effacing. I've made a lot of bad art. Some of it still exists, even only as a file. Looking back through what's stored on the computer I sometimes wince and delete, but often let it stay there. Without the bad, can I tell what's good? Surely some relativity comes into play. Perhaps I need the bad stuff like we need bad times, to remind us to appreciate the good. Sunshine and rain, are like joy and pain, as Kahlil Gibran wrote. On that philosophical note, I bid you farewell!