Thursday, November 01, 2007

Towards the new Rhetoric of Purity

So I went to the U of M open studio and saw a lot of fantastic work by some really cool people. That is not why I'm sitting here writing this.

I actually heard an artist foist up and defend the position that of course oil painters are naturally better than acrylic painters because ones choice of medium is dictated by ones level of skill. In other words, oil painters are better painters, hence they paint in oil.

The whole time he's talking I'm just thinking to myself, "Go ahead and say what you mean: Oil is the one true medium."

4 comments:

Chandler Pritchett said...

ouch.

Chandler Pritchett said...

ouch

Justin W. McGregor said...

There was a version of this post where I wasn't nearly this kind to him. I can't say why the whole "I'm better than you because I paint in oil" thing bothers me so damned much (considering I'm not a painter).

Mary said...

So I not only use oil - but acrylic, gouache, etc. etc. does that then make me superhuman? :)