This is a project where I pay workers on Amazon's Mechanical Turk to review my art and website and pay them $5 for 500 words. This is the 35th review I've received:
I think that at
first look, this "art" might not be appreciated by a lot of people. I
think that it would be quickly dismissed as "out there" or "off
the wall." But I think that it is more like an opinion. When you peel back
the layers you find a very creative and talented individual. He may not be
using his talents in the best manner for all to see, however. Art
interpretation is very personal of course and many times all in the eye of the
beholder. I would encourage people to look deeper and not be dismissive. That
said, my favorite works of art were: The 7 second award. This is a classic for
those who have ever spent the afternoon or even days sitting at an art show
hoping for someone to appreciate your work, only to have them give it a quick
glance and move on. I love this award! The three hour tour. This hospital tour
probably was very profound for those who took it. As a hospital volunteer, I
would hope that the next tour could include some interaction. The patients
would love to have someone just to listen for a little while to their stories.
This would mean so much--perhaps the next tour. The free poster. People love
this kind of stuff. How could this not be a success? And in any color that you
want! I also liked Paul shocks Chicago. This puts an interesting and
interactive spin on an art show. Other pieces that I really liked were the
Literally and physically things. I loved the corner piece and the Please Do Not
Climb on Sculpture. That piece alone, I thought was brilliant! I also liked the
Collaborations.
The Thank you notes were my very favorite piece. Something so
simple and so needed were very moving. I would hope this would inspire others
to do the same. Missed connections was another piece that was so poignant. I
don't know how anyone couldn't have been moved by those. And how clever to
display them in that manner. I didn't care for Calvinball. I think this is a
display of a talent wasted. It was humorous for awhile, but the creativity
could have been used in another way. From the early works, I liked the
interactive signs. I am sure people got enjoyment from those. I liked the exit
and mechanical. I didn't like the strap-on balls. I know that was early work,
but I think it should be left out. I didn't feel that it served a point. It
also might be considered vulgar by some. Business of Selling Yourself was an
interesting concept, but (pardon the pun) I think Paul was selling himself
short. He is talented and probably not an asshole! I think that Paul is maybe
not using his talents in the best way. In order to reach a larger audience, he
might want to consider a few more conventional pieces. I know that he may think
that this would not suit him. And I would not want him to totally do that. I
think that if he could mix in the contemporary theater with a few more
conventional pieces, he could "speak" to a wider audience. Finally, in
the No Photos Please section, I had a love/hate relationship with this. I loved
the pictures from Chicago. I think that they were very cleverly done. But,
being a native of downstate Illinois, it broke my heart to see in Allerton Park
my beloved Foo Dog Garden with a red circle. The sunsinger with the red circle
also was not my favorite! All in all I think that Paul has a lot of talent and
creativity. Again, my suggestion would be to try and work in a few more
conventional pieces to get people in the door and then he could put out his
expressive pieces. There are all kinds of art and all kinds of people. I would
think the goal would be to reach a kind of middle ground to share with as many
people as possible. Good luck with your endeavors!
