Artists. We're a funny bunch.

This is a listing that I noticed in Akimbo* today. I suppose it's best described as a joke on the Toronto art community, which has gone a little overboard in recent years with glitzy, self-congratulatory award ceremonies:

"The Anonymous Art Awards, 2005 presented by Miklos Legrady and OCAD Student 2225233, along with Those Who Remain Anonymous.

The Anonymous Art Awards 2005 will celebrate and honor those artists who have shown excellence this year but wish to remain anonymous. The art community, while an endearing crowd, like all groups will enforce their own sense of social conformity. Some artists on the other hand are shy, socially inept, or badly confused.**

Anonymous art could be more interesting than art history; it's a known fact.This is an opportunity to let your imagination soar to what those anonymous works could be, would be, if we knew about them. Awards will be given in all categories of work. Unfortunately, since the work could lead to indentifying the artists,no work may be entered in the competition or shown to the public.

Since the winners will wish to remain anonymous, there'll be no need for prizes, no walking up to the podium under the glare of spotlights. In fact, since the winners won't show up at all, there's no point in expensive award presentations,which have been very successfully cancelled.

Thank you all for participating."

Yeah, whatever. Those OCAD students must be sniffing solvents again. Jokes which are at the expense of the art community always amuse me, though admittedly it's a bit like shooting fish in a barrel.

*Akimbo is a web site and e-mail list that informs an interested public about cultural events throughout Canada, most of which take place in Toronto.

**Oh, wow, no stereotype here. And for the record, I'm not badly confused. Only slightly dazed.

In other news, I have some of my artwork appearing in a radical feminist anthology called "Red Light: Superheroes, Saints and Sluts". The book launch in Toronto takes place next Wednesday, October 5th. Richard & I have arranged the babysitter and am looking forward for a (radical) night out. Hopefully, Richard won't feel too emasculated by the time the evening ends . There's more information on the book at the publisher's web site.