At the local art exhibit of the Utah State Fair: a smug reminder of what we already know, thankyouverymuch. As our submitter wrote, “We’re not animals, after all!”
related: Signed, R. Mutt
But do people recognize ‘fine art’ when they see it?
October 18th, 2011 · 72 comments
FILED UNDER: art · Salt Lake City · touching
72 responses so far ↓
#1
looney
But do *people* know how to address other *people* appropriately and with a minimum level of snark?
Oct 18, 2011 at 12:31 am rating: 8
#2
Roundredhead
1) People know not to touch fine art.
2) People have touched this art.
3) This art is not fine.
Oct 18, 2011 at 12:37 am rating: 74
#3
jen
…you sure this isn’t an exhibit? because it’d be a pretty good one
Oct 18, 2011 at 12:38 am rating: 24
#4
gadtwo5
With a great deal of my family hailing from the land of milk and honey, I feel as though I can say that the people of the Utah State Fair probably wouldn’t have a great impression of fine art and how to handle it.
Oct 18, 2011 at 12:50 am rating: 4
#5
Canthz_B
The penalty for touching fine art is probably a fine, but that’s self-explanatory, so people probably already know that.
Oct 18, 2011 at 12:57 am rating: 13
#6
Rhamza
well then, if the people attending the Utah State Fair are not touching the art work, then the animals must be…what is that saying about the patrons? Were I the ‘people’ who have been touching the art, I’d file a discrimination suit against the curator! He is obviously calling them animals. ’0′
Oct 18, 2011 at 1:01 am rating: 0
#7
litchic
“You want the art?”
“I want the FINE ART!”
“You can’t HANDLE the fine art!”
from A Few Good Docents
Oct 18, 2011 at 1:13 am rating: 45
#8
Somebody Else
Then why post a sign?
Oct 18, 2011 at 1:43 am rating: 6
#9
Canthz_B
What about fine braille art?
Oct 18, 2011 at 2:02 am rating: 5
#10
chainsaw annie
What is fine art doing at a state fair, anyway? I’m from IA & we had butter sculptures, livestock displays, tractor pulls & corndogs.
Oct 18, 2011 at 8:16 am rating: 19
#11
Dr. Chalkwitheringlicktacklefeff
If I visited that gallery I would probably make a point of touching every single piece of art. Because I’m an obstinate jerk.
Oct 18, 2011 at 8:20 am rating: 8
#12
Dee
This sign makes me want to touch the fine art and maybe knock down a couple of things.
Oct 18, 2011 at 8:27 am rating: 3
#13
squib
So we can touch it if it’s crap art?
Oct 18, 2011 at 8:31 am rating: 17
#14
bookworm
Sign posters know how to get people to touch fine art.
Oct 18, 2011 at 9:32 am rating: 11
#15
Canthz_B
It’s OK to touch fine artworks, just steer clear of their naughty bits.
Oct 18, 2011 at 9:40 am rating: 5
#16
Canthz_B
Fine art at the State Fair?…Yes, because the greatest honor for an artist is a blue ribbon the same as is affixed to the winner of the Best Hog competition.
Oct 18, 2011 at 9:52 am rating: 6
#17
aaa
Well, knowing and doing certainly are two different things, aren’t they?
Oct 18, 2011 at 10:38 am rating: 9
#18
divaandwriter
However, animals are welcome to touch the crummy art.
Oct 18, 2011 at 10:47 am rating: 3
#19
gus
So maybe animals haven’t figured out not to touch, but the fact that they’ve evolved enough to read AND show up to art exhibits is impressive. Do we really need to rub in the fact that we have better manners than them?
Oct 18, 2011 at 11:49 am rating: 8
#20
The Elf
Where do those “touchable” exhibits for kids figure into all this? Does that mean that fine art is not for children or that children aren’t people?
Little of both, probably.
Oct 18, 2011 at 1:06 pm rating: 1
#21
trinity67
Annoyingly, there actually are people in the world, who touch art. So, I guess this means that I’m part of the snarky/snippy bunch who think this sign is necessary.
Oct 18, 2011 at 1:53 pm rating: 0
#22
Allie
Sure, but what is “fine art”? It’s subjective, so it means I can touch anything I don’t think qualifies. Why don’t you knock off the douchebaggery and just say “Please don’t touch this art”.
Oct 18, 2011 at 2:27 pm rating: 10
#23
je
I watched a grown woman rub her hands over a oil painting at Windsor Castle. If I would’ve been closer to her in line I would’ve smacked her hand down off of the painting. And I would’ve smacked the cellphone out of the hand of the woman taking a picture, I did see someone confront her and she said “it’s not a camera it’s a phone” (you can’t take pictures, eat, or talk on your cell phone in the castle). It drives me nuts when I see people doing things like this. Let’s all go to the zoo and take pictures with the flash on at animals who are in darkened rooms. Sounds like a great idea!
Oct 18, 2011 at 3:28 pm rating: 7
#24
Scot Mathis
Unfortunately, today we have a tour group from New Jersey coming through.
Oct 18, 2011 at 4:57 pm rating: 2
#25
ShellyB
I went to high school with a really fine Art. His girlfriend told me the same thing.
Oct 18, 2011 at 5:13 pm rating: 6
#26
pony girl
They had to laminate the sign to protect it, and yet they think that sign alone will stop people from touching the so-called fine art?
Oct 18, 2011 at 7:01 pm rating: 9
#27
Spooky
I used to work at a (very) fine art museum. One day, Tony Randall was there with the woman who eventually became his wife. He was touching the (fine) art. I was too abashed to actually tell him to stop it, so instead I went into gushing fan mode, and asked to shake his hand (you know; the one that had just been touching the painting). He was a douchebag about it all.
If I had the chance to do it all over again, I’d have just yelled at him like I should have.
Oct 18, 2011 at 8:24 pm rating: 4
#28
Ish
Please, this is Utah, where people clap between movements, take flash photography in Symphony concerts and wear jeans to opera.
Oct 21, 2011 at 12:28 am rating: 0
#29
Rykan
I’ve actually just finished my masters dissertation on the issues of people touching stuff in museums they shouldn’t. It didn’t really include paintings specifically, but people DO and WILL touch stuff even (and sometimes especially) when asked not to. Finding the right signage to discourage this kind of interaction is tricky.
Oct 22, 2011 at 5:16 pm rating: 0
#30
sofi
I’ve worked at a few art museums and noncommercial art galleries and have seen many, many people touch artwork. I have even witnessed people dragging their hands across paintings as though they’re stroking a cat. Despite the frequency, I’m still shocked every time I see it.
Some museums have alarms that sound when someone steps closer than arm’s length towards a work. Brilliant.
Oct 23, 2011 at 2:56 pm rating: 0
#31
tamr
I don’t believe this here signage was generated by any genuine IA born individual. This is the work of some ‘high minded, red wine drinkin’,douchebaggery, east coast-type’. Everyone knows ‘art,fine or otherwise’ is in the eye of the beholder. Shameful.
Oct 29, 2011 at 5:10 am rating: 0
#32
Tours in Venice
But do they? I want to a museum with a friend’s mom where we were reminded to touch only with our eyes. And still the evening ended with about 3 security personnel approaching us exclaiming “you can’t touch anything at a museum!” I would have reminded her but I don’t like to correct my elders.
Nov 11, 2011 at 2:36 pm rating: 0
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