Frank Louis
An important message for Ivanka Trump: There are many artists and musicians who support you and the president elect. Support them.
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By Frank Louis
December 26, 2016

I have been hearing more and more about "celebrities" boycotting the inauguration, even recently telling you, Ivanka, that they do not want their artwork – stuff that you paid good money for- in your collection, or even hanging from your walls. Ivanka, please hear me out. Read this.

This is not a full fledged thesis on the topic, but a brief overview. Once, in 1951, there was an exhibition of art in New York curated by Leo Castelli: The "9th Street Show." The show featured artists who were military veterans who were being left out of the "mainstream" art world. (Keyword: Being left out of the mainstream). It was a one-time event. It was highly acclaimed.

Since that exhibition, veterans and pretty much anyone who shares traditional American Values (as defined and evidenced by the Trump victory last month) have been shunned from the mainstream art world, from the higher education environment, from Hollywood, etc. The post-Korean War and post-Vietnam "Conflict," were a highpoint in this anti-American, anti-veteran era in the arts. No veterans or conservative leaning people were hired in the arts. None! None are being hired in any meaningful way now.

In this "anti Rockwell era" as I call it, works like the Andres Serrano "Piss Christ," or Chris Ofili's 1996 painting entitled "The Holy Virgin Mary," (a portrait of the Virgin Marry covered with elephant manure) are praised, purchased for "important collections," and etched into the history books as "great." As a college professor in the humanities, I can assure you that this is BS!

The National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institute (in 2010) held the exhibition: "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture." The exhibition received multiple reviews that often quoted David C. Ward, a National Portrait Gallery (NGP) historian and co-curator of the exhibit saying: "This is an exhibition that displays masterpieces of American portraiture and we wanted to illustrate how questions of biography and identity went into the making of images that are canonical," The exhibition explored important (lol) themes such as "the role of sexual difference in depicting modern America," and how artists explored the fluidity of sexuality and gender. And I thought America was more than that!

This 2010 Smithsonian Christmas-Season Exhibit Featured an Ant-Covered Jesus, Naked Brothers Kissing, Genitalia, and Ellen DeGeneres Grabbing Her Breasts. If this does not make my point, I do not know what will. Do not real-life experiences -roles- like serving in combat, hard-work or high moral standards also "depict modern America?" Are these themes not expressible in abstract work as well? I think so.

Why would elitist, high-brow opinions of what is good or bad art matter to you, Ivanka? There are many, many artists, musicians, actors, etc out there who are ignored and discarded by the elite. You have a chance to get rid of this elite anti American structure and "drain this swamp" and recognize a totally new cadre of Americans in the arts who emulate the America your father's supporters are, for the most part, demanding.

This is a lesser known fact but, the fact is, that the visual arts have all but blatantly excluded veterans and others whose lifestyle do not support these leftist liberal values and /or make artwork that could be considered as "upholding traditional values." You know, that good old "Angry white male, racist, misogynistic ... ," well, you get the drift. Can the arts be salvaged from this leftist mentality? Not if you allow yourself to be inhibited by these artists who are actively attacking you and the inauguration of our 45th President. I do not want to allow these people the ability to ruin an event so many of us have fought so hard to realize. You should not bow to these elite either.

Work that is not Left Leaning (and artists who are not) has been ignored and declared irrelevant. If veterans make art, we are told it is "interesting" and nice therapy for these "baby killers" guilt. If transgender, pro-abortionist, leftists make some art, it is reviewed as being "cutting edge," "significant," "meaningful," etc. And, it seems you buy it. I have yet to hear the work by any minority artists being termed "therapy." How much artwork by Veterans or Christian artists have you collected? I am sure this demographic of artists would not mind having their work on your walls... at the inauguration.

The fact that we allow for this celebrity of art, music, cinema, and those who maintain this front is, in itself, "Fake News." It is a mutual admiration society set in motion by those in the ivy-covered halls, concert halls and museums who all share in a common Leftist view and look upon one another approvingly. Few if any of whom have ever risked life or limb for this nation. And you seem to be letting it happen and supporting it, buying their "art" and letting them attack you for it. Creating the fake news that these people are knowledgable... cultural leaders.

Donald J. Trump has exposed the reality of this group-thought in the political world. You can take the leadership role in exposing this celebrity sham in the arts. While it makes for a great aesthetic, post-modernism deconstructionism is a very poor standard to live by.

Just look at a list of exhibitions (like the one I sited above) at the major museums around the country; many funded by NEA or other grants from those supporting the Left Wing Agenda. Many of the same donors that make Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street and others possible.Exhibitions that tout themes that are in direct conflict with the America you claim to be in support of. Read essays and remarks by the leaders in this field who are obviously very vocally adverse to the very things your father claims to support. These people are playing you for a fool and you are letting them.

The talk (the "snicker") on the street (and all over the media) is that "no A-Listers" are willing to perform at the events planned to celebrate "draining the swamp." The "Beautiful People" are all very insulting as well. Hollywood celebrities insult everything I stand for and everything you claim to believe as well. I, for one, do not go to very many movies as a result. We do not need these people at this inauguration. They are exactly representative of what we are trying to rid our nation of.

I can live without these people, these "pretenders." Think about it. These actors are just that; they play "dress-up" and "pretend." They dress up and pretend that are the very war heroes and decent people many of us actually are. (yes, they also portray SiFi and some bad folks too). And, the ultimate insult: They get paid more to pretend they did something meaningful than the people who actually did it ever made! Something is wrong here.

I remember, a few years ago, some "reporters" seemingly confusing Tom Hanks and others with folks who actually fought (and won) WII. Calling them "heroes" for depicting such bravery. Not for actually being "brave," just acting brave in a movie But you seem to be allowing these fakes demean you. They are insulting this election, the inauguration, and the values we are fighting to save. And they seem to have the 45th inauguration in a strangle hold.

Remove their artwork from your walls, as they demand. Ivanka, burn it all! Throw it all out. Replace it all with artwork that is equally great but is not sanctioned by the Leftist Liberal Elite who have set themselves up as the experts since right after VJ Day. Think of it as reversing executive orders. Easy! Hire patriots to head these institutions. Patriots can have sophisticated tastes.

Don't hire these "A-list" musicians. Their music, for a large part, is in poor taste anyway. Much of it promotes an America I do not want to live in nor leave for my grandchildren. Their lifestyles are trash as well. Get some great musicians who endorse and live out the same beliefs that you tell us you do. And get off of Jet Blue while you are at it! It is just another avenue for attack from this "mainstream" fake news press.

© Frank Louis

 

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Frank Louis

Frank Louis is a print and on-air commentator who offers opinions and solutions on and for the economy, social issues, and the future of this nation. In the Old Testament, Nehemiah 4: 14 instructs us to fight for our houses; something we need to be doing now. Our future generations depend on it!... (more)

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