Re: RARA-AVIS: Clancy Blah blah...

Mark Sullivan (ANONYMEINC@webtv.net)
Tue, 8 Sep 1998 21:22:54 -0400 (EDT) Anthony,
I agree that popularity, in and of itself, is not sufficient evidence of
bad art (I've never been comfortable about an arttist's breakthrough
book, album, whatever, being praised when it comes out only to be
dismissed as a sell-out when it becomes popular), but are you actually
saying that popularity, in and of itself, is sufficient evidence of good
art? That the most popular book is, by definition, also the best book
artisitcally?

I also agree with the flip side, that lack of popularity does not
necessarily mean an artist is too good or cutting edge or etc., to be
understod by the masses. However, are you claiming that lack of
popularity is sufficient evidence of bad art?

And what do you do with an author whose popularity waxes and wanes over
time, say his art gets better and worse as time goes by? I like a lot
of authors, some popular, some remaindered, but I would never rank them
artistically based solely on their sales figures.

Mark

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