Questions Concerning Art and Artists:

I found this quote in this article here at the CBC website, and I found the statement to be funny, in a way, but more sad than funny:

"It is the job of artists to provoke and challenge...It is vital that artists
push the envelope and sometimes make us feel uncomfortable."

I think that this is a pretty standard approach to art these days especially at a popular level, but not having a background in art or art history/criticism, I don't know for sure.

What bothers me is the consequences of such a statement, and such a way of thinking. If this is truly the case, then pretty much anything can be called art, and anything can be condoned. Who decides what is appropriate 'envelope pushing' and what is just wrong? And, more fundamentally, is it the artist's job to push the envelope at all? Is there not perhaps a different and better function for artists? My own thoughts and ideas about art are not thoroughly formulated yet (although I have been meaning for some time to change that), so I can't provide any answers right now, but I think there is something wrong with this person's statement, and the world-view behind it.

On a related note, I have these two books to read on the subject, all I need is some time (hopefully this summer):

• Art in Action by Nicholas Wolterstorff.
• Rainbows for a Fallen World by Calvin Seerveld. (sorry, I couldn't find a good link for this one)