The Citizen

Dear Sir:

I am, by no means, a stranger to criticism of my work and am well beyond the notion that it need be defended, but this is the first time that I've been accused of an "Abuse of Art" (Chris Ramezanpour, November 14, 2007). I applaud Mr. Ramezanpour for taking on the mantle of champion for those he believes share his opinion, however, he is somewhat naive in his understanding of some of the tenets of contemporary art. Among the many tasks of the artist is to bring to the fore some of the more troublesome issues faced by society. Yet, artists are often branded as "sensationalists" or "shock jockeys" for doing so. If that is what it takes to break the ice on discussions about racial stereotypes and their impact on contemporary culture, I gladly accept whatever labels people might choose to put on me. My aim is, and has always been, to challenge assumptions and stimulate dialogue. And I'm pleased to report that it's working.

I believe the opponents of my work generally fall into one of two categories: 1) those who, on a subconscious level, identify with the images and consciously reject them as an "appropriate," learned, behavioral response; and 2) those who have successfully suppressed their predilection towards racism, intellectually recognizing its social repugnance. In either instance, emotions run high and the viewers' only protection lies in putting as much distance as possible between themselves and that which offends them. This emotional distance takes the form of condemnation.

I'm not insensitive to those who might be repulsed by the work. To be sure, this is potent and disturbing stuff. I have found that everyone views these images through a lens of experience that dictates whether they will allow themselves to engage the work on any level. I don't presume to judge those who find the work contemptible. I do take exception to those who believe the work is without artistic merit, and I have serious problems with those who would pass moral judgment on any artist's right to express himself.

Nonetheless, the art world has weathered much bigger storms than this, and while I respect Mr. Ramezanpour's right to express his opinion, I will continue to do this work until dialogue reaches critical mass. Perseus could not have destroyed the Medusa without having first glimpsed its reflection.

Sincerely,
Mark Steven Greenfield

Mark Steven Greenfield is the artist behind the solo exhibition "Incognegro," which explores the infamous American tradition of black-face performance. In an op-ed the Nov. 14 issue of the Citizen, Chris Ramezanpour (MPP2) criticized the work as "insulting" and "an abuse of art."

Leadership or Armchair Quarterbacking?

Dear Sir:

In response to Anthony Stinton's view ("Spending to Stop Climate Change Flunks the Common Sense Test," November 14, 2007) of taking a wait and see approach to climate disruption is deeply disconnected from the Kennedy School's ethos and is the antithesis of leadership. Is it leadership to indulge in armchair quarterbacking and wait for someone else to conjure a global solution? The responsible policy maker will heed the 130 nations, 450 lead authors, 850 contributing authors and 2,500 scientific experts that produced the 4th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment of thousands of peer reviewed articles and take dramatic action.

As a tax-paying Oregonian, I couldn't be more pleased with the foresight and leadership my governor has shown by requiring 25 percent renewable energy supplies by 2025. We bought renewable power for our Oregon home and paid a miniscule price for it: $3 a month. I'm willing to make that sort of sacrifice to see Oregon lead a growing global industry.

Leaders, like Oregon Governor Kulongoski, research the issue, the options and the consequences. Then they make responsible decisions for the long term, in the face of uncertainty, cost and risk. In the end, we are each responsible for the emissions we can control. Making excuses and waiting for someone else to start, as Stinton advocates, is not leadership, it's a cop out.

Sincerely,
Letha Tawney, MPA/Mid-Career

From the Editors:

With the first semester behind us, the Citizen would like to thank the individuals from the faculty and administration, without whom we wouldn't have been able to put out a single issue: Nancy Palmer, Esten Perez, Tom Fiedler, Richard Parker, Marie Danziger, Edith Holway, Joseph McCarthy (not that one), Erin Ward Bibo, David Ellwood, Melodie Jackson, Doug Gavel, Arthur Applbaum, Joao Abbs and Jenn Smetana. And we are deeply, deeply indebted to all of our contributors. Thank you.

Article Tools