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As someone with a vested interest in the arts dialogue in D.C., I’ve been curious about this newly developed “Beneath Contempt” (2/14) column that has sprung out of the otherwise seemingly intelligent mind of Glenn Dixon.
At first I was vexed, then humored, and finally complacent about the tone and overall slant of the first installment of said column. But now, after the second installment, my complacency has been replaced with disgust. Though I believe that antagonism breeds dialogue, which in turn results in change, Dixon needs to be a bit more informed before he goes about his drive-by reviews, e.g., his review of the Washington Center for Photography’s “Your Shot Our Show II”:
“Any marginally ambitious artist should know that a taste-free grab bag serves no one well.”
Any marginally informed critic should know that fund-raising shows like YSOS2 are vital to keep nonprofit organizations like WCP open, thus allowing any marginally informed gallerygoer the opportunity to see shows like “The Picture Man” (photos of the Appalachia people from the 1930s), “Nagaski Journey” (the only known photos
of the day after the bomb was dropped), or the upcoming “Russian Chronicles” (contemporary photographs from Russia).
Board Member
Washington Center for Photography
Mount Pleasant
via the Internet