Listmembers,
Having spoken to Bruce privately I feel he is sincere in his opinion and a nice chap to boot. I don't have a problem with anyone who chooses to appreciate the functional aspects of a bicycle as opposed to that which some people call "art". Everyone has a right to their opinion, including Bruce. I sort of also get a slight feeling that a sense of humor and a little "test" was incorperated therein. Good way to find out who takes themselves too seriously and who doesn't sort of, maybe. Got to love a sense of humor. Just my .02.
Brian Baylis Me serious? Get serious!
>
> And then there was Duke Ellington, "If it sounds good, it is good!"
> David Feldman
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "D. Kennard" <d.kennard@home.com>
> To: "Jerry Moos" <moos@penn.com>
> Cc: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2001 8:54 AM
> Subject: Re: [CR]Is it art or engineering?
>
> > Gang,
> >
> > I remember a friends high school art teacher saying:
> > "who is to say what IS art, and what is NOT?" Something like
> > "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".
> > My neighbor walked into my garage full of collectable (to me) vintage
> > lightweight bikes, shook his head and said "They all look the same
> > to me; just a bunch of bikes. Why would you want more than one?".
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Duane "lover of art I recognize" Kennard
> >
> > > Then, what, pray tell, is a "true artist"? Only painters and sculpters?
> Must
> > > a statue be in marble the be art, or can it be cast in bronze? Steel? If
> > > steel, must it stand in front of a bank, or can it grace the hood of a
> > > Packard, or Deusenberg or Rolls or Bentley? What
> > > about the headbadge of a Hetchins? Are great furniture designers not
> artists
> > > because one can sit on theit works? Was Frank Lloyd Wright not an
> artist
> > > because one can live in his works? Must an object be devoid of any
> practical
> > > use to be art? And if buildings and furniture
> > > and engraved gold pocket watches are art, why not bicycles?
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Jerry Moos
> > >
> > > brucerobbins@worldmailer.com wrote:
> > >
> > >> To suggest that framebuilding is an artform is to denigrate true
> artists.
> > >> What I admire in a frame is not its artistic qualities but its
> engineering.
> > >> It's similar to an old Leica or a Bristol Blenheim II: the appreciation
> is of
> > >> the craftsmanship. Bob Reid can speak for himself but I suspect that
> the fine
> > >> engineering behind the Flying Scot is what turns him on, cycling-wise.
> > >>
> > >> Elevating the Californian Masi makers to the level of artists merely
> confirms
> > >> everything the outside world (and there is one outwith California)
> thinks of
> > >> people who come from that state. (Email me off-list if you want to know
> what
> > >> that is but it's not for the squeamish).
> > >>
> > >> Bruce "Oops, there goes the special transatlantic relationship"
> Robbins.
> > >>
> > >> Get your free email with GroupWeb Worldmailer at
> > >> http://www.worldmailer.com. Send and receive e-mail
> > >> from any computer with a web browser.