Mark Landson asserts:

>Indeed, communication IS the object of art.  A concept that would be highly
>debated by the avant garde.

Of whom, exactly, is this "avant garde" (quaint locution) comprised?
I would appreciate it if Mark would name some names here, because most
of the artists who have been branded "avant garde" (N.B.:  few artists
call themselves "avant garde") have used new and unfamiliar techniques,
procedures, sounds, materials, whatever because they felt that the
established ways of doing art had become so familiar that their
communicative potential had been diminished.  Thus they felt that their
(sometimes) radical techniques would be *more* communicative.  Many
listeners, readers, viewers have agreed with them, though like all art,
avant garde or otherwise, their work has not appealed, or communicated
effectively, to everyone.

If an artist truly has no desire to communicate that's easily enough
accomplished.  All this artist needs to do is complete his or her work and
then lock it in a desk drawer--or better, burn it--telling no one about it.
I don't think any of the artists Mark does mention, Schoenberg, Cage, and
Etc., have followed this procedure.

David Cozy
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