Yesterday in one of my classes we discussed contemporary artist Matthew Barney. Barney is what we could consider a local boy from our own neck of the woods of Boise Idaho. He boasts a successful life of being a high school star athlete, a model for Ralph Lauren and Isaac Mizrahi, a drop out med student, married to crazy swan lady Bjork and a famous artist and performance artist that claims that Vaseline is among his favorite sculpting materials. This All American boy is more than all American. He has some pretty messed up images floating in his head. His ten year creation of conceptual film, Cremaster, is a contemporary creation myth that leaves any viewer questioning, "what the hell does it all mean?" It is surreal, absurd, and quite narcisistically promoting how amazing Barney himself thinks he is. He is not alone. Barney is the IT guy right now in the art world. But the question always looms, does he have any long lasting power. We'll have to see.
What interests me more about Barney is an idea he poses about growing up in the area that we did. Barney looks at the Rocky Mountains as a sort of literal and psychological wall that for people living by is difficult or nearly impossible to penetrate, conquer and jump over and leave. It does seem true that people who grow up in this area and in the giant Salt Lake Valley seem to stay forever. Why is that? Psychologically, could the looming mountains act as a wall to the east that gives us a feeling that we can't get over it? I have always felt that the wall of mountains acts as a screen, a sort of protective tool that keeps certain ideas in and other ideas out. It can be penetrated, but it is not easy. Could this same idea apply to people? I think so. Even more interesting, the people, most notably artists, that are from this area and do escape and climb over the wall seem to be very radical. Barney is THE perfect example of that! Maybe you have to be really radical and daring to leave and if so, is there any room for you if you ever want to come back? Is it even possible to really return to any sort of home after you have left?
These questions haunt my thoughts today. Will I ever leave? Do I really want to?
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