Four Quarters Volume 204 Number 1 Four Quarters (Second Series): Spring Article 1 1990 Vol
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Four Quarters Volume 204 Number 1 Four Quarters (Second Series): Spring Article 1 1990 Vol. 4, No. 1 4-1990 Four Quarters (Second Series): Spring 1990 Vol. 4, No. 1 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/fourquarters Recommended Citation (1990) "Four Quarters (Second Series): Spring 1990 Vol. 4, No. 1," Four Quarters: Vol. 204 : No. 1 , Article 1. Available at: http://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/fourquarters/vol204/iss1/1 This Complete Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at La Salle University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Four Quarters by an authorized editor of La Salle University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. |t)|€lO|Q| Quarter^ VOL. 4, NO. 1 Second Series SPRING, 1990 Four Dollars Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Lyrasis IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/fourquarters411990unse m€)\oo\<^our' Quarter^ VOLUME 4, NUMBER 1, SECOND SERIES SPRING, 1990 Table of Contents QUARTER NOTES Eugene Fitzgerald, Selective Indignation: Art and the Government Bill Wine, Rude Awakening John Lukacs, A Valley's Voyage Through Time 9 Nancy Fox, "Treadle" 16 Vincent Kling, A Conversation with Bobbie Ann Mason 17 Jack Hart, "Teaching Literature" 22 Jane Sathcr,"A Prayer in Four Seasons," "Death in Midwinter* 23-24 Sonya Senkowsky, Grandfather's Wake 25 David Curtis, "Creative Process," 27 "Mater Diminuendo" 28 Michael Toner, Phantom Soldiers 29 Claude Koch, "A Nurse Addresses Her Patron" 36 Mary Clearman Blew, The Snowies, The Judiths (short story) 37 Kairen Green. "Sonnet to My Father: After His Stroke" 45 J.B. Goodenough, "Pestilence" 46 William J. Scheick, Watchman, What of the Night? (short story) 47 Emilie Babcox, "Dead Classmates" 55 " Bertolt Clever, "Gloom," , . .And a thousand miles behind" 56-57 BOOKMARKS Patrick Ellis, FSC, review of John Silber, Straight Shooting: What's Wrong With America and How to Fix It 58 Anne Higgins, "Open Hearted" 60 Alysia K. Harpootian, "Bcdaincing" 62 K.K. Bush. "A Fruit Fell Down" 62 CONTRIBUTORS 63 COVER: Louis Appian (1862-1896), "A Mountain Pass." Charcoal, sepia wash with touches of white gouache. Our thanks to Curator Caroline Wistar of the La Salle University Art Museum—for her assistance and for permission to reprint this drawing. Editor: JOHN J. KEENAN Associate Editor: JOHN P. ROSSI Business Manager: EUGENE J. HALUS JR. Editorial Assistants: Kathleen Gallagher, Stuart Somershoe Desktop Publishing Specialist: Steve Durfee Editorial Board: John S. Baky, Richard Lautz, Joseph Meredith, Glenn Morocco, Margaret Ellen Wall, Zane Robinson Wolf The editors gratefully acknowledge the editorial assistance of the following La Salle faculty: James Butler, Daniel Burke FSC, Gabriel Fagan FSC, Howard Hsinnum, Vincent Kling. FOUR QUARTERS (ISSN-00 15-9 107) is published semiannually in the Spring and Fall by the faculty of La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA 19141. Four dollars per copy. Subscriptions: $8.00for one year; $13. 00for two years. Copyright © 1990 La Salle University. Unsolicited manuscripts must be accom- panied by a SASE. Available in Microformfrom Xerox University Microfilms, Ann i)i€|0|0 Quarter Notes Jesse Helms' credentials as an art EUGENE FITZGERALD critic are not the issue, nor is his repu- tation as an arch conservative. Most people know that the Senator from North Carolina was dragged reluc- Selective Indignation: tantly into endorsing many civil rights Art and the Government programs for Blacks and other minori- ties. Academics cind members of both political parties have been genuinely FYee lance artists, public and univer- upset by his frequent criticisms con- sity museum directors, many news col- cerning the propriety and worth of umnists, and a number of liberal courses and programs offered at the members of Congress have expressed University of North Carolina. The Sen- outrage that the federal government ator will not win any awards as the will not subsidize certain works of art champion of academic freedom. that Senator Jesse Helms considers of- fensive to the sensibilities of American taxpayers. It all started when Helms Funding certain types of questionable wanted a rider to an appropriations art, however, rests not on the ideologi- amendment for the National Endow- cal posture of Senator Helms. Essen- ment for the Arts. The rider excludes tially, the issue revolves around two grants for art that the North Carolina questions: What should or should not Senator and some others regard as ob- be subsidized by taxpayer's money? scene. Cut off from public money Secondly, should we inquire into the would be art which "denigrates, de- integrity—and consistency—of those bases or reviles a person, or group or critics (artists, columnists, etc.) who class of citizens on the basis of race, maintain there should be absolute free- creed, sex, handicap, age or national dom of expression, no matter what the origin." theme or depiction of the artist may be? Specifically, the controversy was sparked when Senator Helms objected Each of us believe and live by certain to the homocrotic art by the late pho- values and priorities. Those values de- tographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who fine us. We protest long and loud died recently of AIDS, and the photog- when we discover that our convictions raphy of Andres Serrano that depicted about such matters as race, color, reli- an image of a crucifix in a jar of urine. gion, sexual preferences, or handicaps Helms and Senator Robert C. Byrd (D., are being ridiculed or compromised or W. Va.) believed American taxpayers stercotyjDcd. would be offended by such cirt, which included among the exhibits by Mapplethorpe photographs of a maai Consider some of the following hypo- urinating into ainothcr main's mouth thetical examples where groups would and that of a bullwhip protruding from be outraged should the government an anus. subsidize "art" depicting individuals. «)|€I0|0 Quarter Notes scenes and symbols in a denigrating Should the government fund such manner: "works of art?" Could we expect an out- cry of indignation from Italian -Ameri- • A painting entitled "Guido and His cans, Blacks, Jews, the homosexual Blood" featuring an Italian male eating community (as well as public headth offi- a bright tomato pizza while firing a gun cials), and feminists? Perhaps there at the head of an old man. would be individuals deriving pleasure from the absurdity of the stereotypes in • Three Black men and two Black that hypotheticcd "art," but in all proba- women laughing and winking at young bility their approval had more to do children using crack. The photograph with ingrained prejudice against the is called: "The Pun Of Being ain African- groups so thematically portrayed. American." But what about the sincerity of such political figures, • A photograph of the Torah and the people as columnists, Star of David lying ripped and ragged in and even art critics who would protest a gutter and about to be shoved into a the burlesque, the profanation, and the trash trunk. Title: "Louis Farrakhan's pairody of those "art works," yet would Love For All Refuse." argue that placing a crucifix in a jar of urine was somehow "artistically redeem- ing" and worth funding? It is no less de- • A photograph of a naked male blowing disgusting to both up a condom like a balloon while dis- meaning and heterosexuals and homosexuals who playing a hypodermic needle in his left are repelled by a photograph of a arm. Title: The Freedom To Be Gay." man urinating into another's mouth than the depiction of feminists as prostitutes. • A painting of a prostitute carrying a NOW sign and spitting on the belly of a Censorship is abhorrent and rightfully very pregnant woman. Title: "Feminist has been the traditional enemy of art. Making Two Choices." Yet artists who choose to express their originality outrageously or not—as Who determines whether these hypo- — free lancers and without public subsidy thetical pieces are not art? All of them do so with all the anticipated possibili- have been extolled by artists, critics, ties of winning approval or suffering re- and museum directors for their great jection. They are free to be creative and originality and impressive technical ex- unfettered. If they die on the vine, it is cellence. "Art should be appreciated for not simply because they are censored. art's sake," it is claimed by those seek- When they flourish and are recognized, ing federal funding. A chorus of consen- much depends on the tastes, whims sus characterizes the paintings and and idiosyncrasies of private patrons, photographs to be ones with "aestheti- commercial galleries, and endowed mu- cally redeeming significance." One seums. group in New York feel the works repre- sent a "welcome return to American nat- uralism." i)€00 Quarter Notes Artistic freedom and censorship are re- ing who should or should not receive Na- ally red herrings in the scenario about tional Endowment for the Arts grants. denying public funds to art considered Federal appropriations come from objectionable. Instead, attention should money out of the taxpayer's pocket. be focused on the integrity of those who Their representatives in Congress ac- preach freedom of artistic expression cordingly cannot ignore the sensibilities when another group's ox is being gored, of those who elected them. but who feel (to mix a metaphor) that their own sacred cow should never be While most voters lack sophisticated ar- demeaned, profaned, or vulgarized, no tistic discernment, it is nevertheless a matter how original or technically excel- fact of life that their tastes, moral values lent a piece of art may be. and beliefs have to be taken into ac- count. They expect their representa- Selective indignation has a parallel in pol- tives to be conscious of their attitudes itics.