At Hunter College’s MFA open studios last weekend there was an artist displaying “Art Punk” T-shirts emblazoned with defiant art slogans. All the Tees were lame, but one in particular—the one that said, “Fuck Clement Greenberg”—struck me as extra-lame.

Ah, to be back in the days when Clement Greenberg ruled the roost: tough-minded artists’ used to sweat it out in their vast SoHo lofts, pondering the notion of “flatness.” Painters would dutifully comply with Michael Fried’s latest marching orders in the pages of ArtForum. There were lots of acrylic stains being mixed up and applied to unprimed shaped canvases. To be considered an “advanced” artist there was only about three things you were allowed to do…

Those were the 1960’s. By the 1970’s there was lots and lots of conceptually-minded work being made with one underlying message: Fuck Clement Greenberg. It may have reached a fever pitch in the 80’s when Greeny (my pet nick-name) came to represent the iron fist of the Patriarchy.

But 25 years later to be making a “Fuck Clement Greenberg” t-shirt and expect it to be transgressive is sad, sad, sad. It would be much more punk rock to wear an “I Love Clement Greenberg” Tee. In fact, I’m wearing one right now.

Thanks Clem. It’s a little disappointing that you seemed to think that all popular art was shit. This would certainly disappoint my comic book-loving comedy friends. But I still respect you anyway…sort of.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2005 at 7:42 pm and is filed under art.