I, admittedly, don’t know much about art but I’m with you regarding An Oak Tree. I’ll die on that hill with you! This piece gave me a sense of nostalgic melancholy if that makes sense? I enjoyed it!
I don't know a ton about art either, though I do appreciate Duchamp calling out the elitist institutions that dictate what gets to be valued as "art."
Duchamp’s Fountain argued (and so did my old flame) that art isn’t defined by talent, beauty, or institutional approval, but by concept and choice. By selecting an ordinary urinal, placing it in an art context, and signing it, Duchamp exposed how museums and critics—rather than inherent qualities (whatever those are!)—decide what counts as “art.” The provocation was radical because it challenged elitism and authorship itself, not just aesthetics.
But Oak Tree simply inherited the gesture without the shock. Duchamp’s move landed because it was a first strike against institutional authority; decades later, repeating the same conceptual maneuver felt ... meh, like theory without stakes. It's derivative conceptualism!
In any case, welcome to the hill. It's warm here, from our rage ha.
Wow knowing it’s derivative makes it so much worse! How fascinating though, I’m officially on board with the urinal art because I love that concept. Thanks for teaching me something! Hahaha the hill is warm with rage 😂 Lot of that going around right now!
I love this. Also the paragraph about being eighteen and impatient and cheap shoes--yes, I have vivid memories of running through the rain at that age in my inevitably cheap shoes. In our youth we didn't seem to mind, did we?
Is there room on that hill for one more?
My favorite line: "...desire sprang fully formed, like a rock that had been waiting its whole life to tell me it was a statue."
The rock is desire unacknowledged. But when you accept it, embrace it, it turns into a statue.
Your story reminded me of a song, 'London In The Rain' by Variety Lab.
Thank you! There is so much room on this hill :D We welcome you. And I haven't heard that song - will check it out now.
I, admittedly, don’t know much about art but I’m with you regarding An Oak Tree. I’ll die on that hill with you! This piece gave me a sense of nostalgic melancholy if that makes sense? I enjoyed it!
I don't know a ton about art either, though I do appreciate Duchamp calling out the elitist institutions that dictate what gets to be valued as "art."
Duchamp’s Fountain argued (and so did my old flame) that art isn’t defined by talent, beauty, or institutional approval, but by concept and choice. By selecting an ordinary urinal, placing it in an art context, and signing it, Duchamp exposed how museums and critics—rather than inherent qualities (whatever those are!)—decide what counts as “art.” The provocation was radical because it challenged elitism and authorship itself, not just aesthetics.
But Oak Tree simply inherited the gesture without the shock. Duchamp’s move landed because it was a first strike against institutional authority; decades later, repeating the same conceptual maneuver felt ... meh, like theory without stakes. It's derivative conceptualism!
In any case, welcome to the hill. It's warm here, from our rage ha.
Wow knowing it’s derivative makes it so much worse! How fascinating though, I’m officially on board with the urinal art because I love that concept. Thanks for teaching me something! Hahaha the hill is warm with rage 😂 Lot of that going around right now!
I love this. Also the paragraph about being eighteen and impatient and cheap shoes--yes, I have vivid memories of running through the rain at that age in my inevitably cheap shoes. In our youth we didn't seem to mind, did we?
Totally. I never cared. I was in luuuuuust. Pretty sure those shoes got moldy, haha.