2/12/09

Typing Class

Check out these images created on a typewriter by a man with cerebral palsy. Paul Smith made art by typing with one finger, the other hand used to steady the typing hand. He used the dash symbol a lot - and also some ^ * # etc. Thanks to Celeste for the link.






Addendum: I hesitated to post this artist's work, but I decided to because the against all odds and inventive solution nature of the story is so uplifting. But the problem I have with this sort of thing is that the overcoming a disability aspect will often take the focus away from of the art. Which I am thinking may be the case here. It's a slippery slope to where, in the market place, one sees the value of the art being decided by the severity of the disability and we end up with dealers saying things like, "I'll trade you a cerebral palsy artist for a two down syndromes and an autism." That would be a travesty.

7 comments:

Kym said...

A friend sent me an email with some of his work. And work it must have been to do that level of amazing detail.

headwrapper said...

Kym, you must be on the same list as Celeste.

Indie said...

The soul of an artist can't help but shine through, burst forth from behind the wall of whatever tries to hinder it or quell it.

That's what this says to me. As for dealers, ugh. But we all have to get by I guess. Commercialism and art are such strange bedfellows.

headwrapper said...

Thank you Indie. Your words carry a ray of light into this otherwise dreary day. I think you are exactly correct in naming the prominent aspect of his work the light of the soul.

I have to say here that all of the art dealers that I have met and dealt with are good people and truly value and love the art first and foremost. I think that the large majority are that way. From what I hear though, when one's art career becomes more successful, one starts to attract the sharks.

Kristabel said...

But the problem I have with this sort of thing is that the overcoming a disability aspect will often take the focus away from of the art.

Thanks for acknowledging this, Ruben. It's a huge issue people with disabilities face in art as well as in anything else they achieve.

Kato said...

Hi! I've peeked here before but I'm really moved to comment on this guy's work. The rendering would be lovely enough if done in a predictable medium, that it's done with a typewriter just tickles my literary side and my appreciation for the non-conventional (as does your work, Reuben).

headwrapper said...

K'bel, Thank you for your feedback on this one. I'd like to explore the relationship of the art to the context of its source some more. I think intelligent discourse from those who are immersed in the field is important in countering the saturation of interpretation by marketers of trendy artforms.

Thanks Kato, I like what you are saying, hope to hear from you some more.

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