Thursday, April 19, 2012
Between World Wars Era Discussion Question 2
During the time between the World Wars, economic hardship plagued many parts of the world. In some places the 1920's was a time of economic boom while others were in dire straights. Did you experience increased financial security in this era that allowed you to create new works of art? Was financial security necessary in order to be an artist?
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In the earlier years of my life, my family was economically stable. I was exposed to the opera and symphony, and many other arts. I also had the chance to play insturments, compose, and go to school. But when my father died when I was about 16, I had to get a job playing as pianist for the cinema, to support my family.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it helps to have money, but no, I don't think you need money in order to be an artist. As long as you allow your mind to be open and just do what you love, anyone can be happy. Those are my thoughts.
My thoughts exactly, Mr. Shostakovich!
DeleteI agree with you completely Mr. Shostakovich!
DeleteWell said Mr. Shostakovich
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ReplyDeleteI was never in any severe hardships. My family always had food, and when I moved to the United States I almost immediately found a job as an apprentice in a fur shop for $4 a week. When my friends and I invested in the Penny Arcade we had on average $500-$700 rolling in every night. So I devoted all my time into the Penny Arcade. In 1916, Famous Players merged with the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company to form the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, I was President. I arranged for a loan of ten million dollars to improve and buy theaters, thus giving Paramount control over the creation, distribution, and exhibition of movies. In the 1920s, Famous Players-Lasky began releasing their films under the Paramount name.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mr. Shostakovich when he says money helps artists, but only for some types of artistry. Producing movies, for example, money is necessary to create the real movie effect. Nowadays people are putting millions of dollars into shooting one movie. That is a little over the top if you ask me, but when you think about it you have to pay actors (which is a real hefty sum), pay for any supplies you use, and an rights needed as not to be sued. You must also remember that artists are humans as well and they require food, shelter, water and other necessities such as proper clothing. That is only the beginning. However I can see how a simple musician would not understand something as high class as the movie industry.
Excuse me. That's a total insult to me. If it was for us so called "simple musicians" you wouldn't have any successful movies. What, you gone' make the true definition of a SILENT MOVIE. Little do you know it, us musicians make the movie. If there was no music the movie would be pretty dry. It would be like your life, DRY. You never worked hard to make it in life. You have always had thing handed to you in your life. No one cares how big of a movie producer you are. WHATEVER YOU ARE. Don't even try to argue with me because I know things about you, that no one knows. Kayy. Thanks. :)
DeleteMr.Waller, even though his words offended you I don't think you took the right approach to handling it. It isn't very polite to call peoples lives dry. I am sure he worked hard just like you and I have. Yes, it is true your music helps silent movies,but being an actress myself I would say acting is certainly as important as the music in a movie.
DeleteMs. Temple I do agree he handled it wrong. However I do agree with you Mr. Waller a silent movie would not be the same without music. Trust me, I acted in many silent movie films and I believe that the music made the film more emotional.
DeleteYes I do agree it makes films more emotional, but as I said I believe they are equal. I would assume you, Ms. Swanson, being a fellow ACTRESS and all would agree with me that the ACTING is just as important as the music. Neither is more important than the other.
DeleteMs. Temple I never said I thought acting is more important all I said was that music is important to the plot of the story also. =]
DeleteOk Ms. Swanson.
DeleteHeh, well Mr. Zukor a simple musician like me composes and plays the music for your productions! How DARE you insult such a fine artist as a musician. To be quite frank, I haven't even heard of you before. Do you direct? Oh, how I would love learn more about you. Maybe we can get to know each other better when the entree's come.
ReplyDeleteYou may not have heard my name, however I am sure you have heard of my company Paramount Pictures. You do bring about an excellent point my good man, my productions would be quite bland without artistic workings of those such as yourself. You wouldn't know when the climax of the scene was aproching without the musical score.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, I have heard of Paramount Pictures. And I am very glad that we agree on the artistic... importance of what we both do.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem that when it comes to defending our own artistic practices we become quite feral and forget our senses. My good man I have come to mine and decided that since I am no expert in your ways, nor you in my own, we are not good judges on each others artistic ability. Therefore I fully retract my statement from before of you being a 'simple musician' and apologize.
ReplyDeleteWell said sir. And I fully accept your apology, along with my comment full of very hasty and angry words. I hope you shall forgive also sir.
ReplyDeleteI accept, it seems the other guests are late, how rude.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I come to the wrong table after using the, facilities. Anyways I hope you are all getting along now laddies, and try the shrimp very good if I do say so myself.
DeleteYes, my companions have not been very good company, maybe you should stay and liven things up a bit with your Irish humor! I agree with you, the shrimp is quite good but not my favorite.
DeleteI am very sorry Sir Zukor. I have been rather busy.
DeleteI apologize about my tardiness. Traffic was HORRIBLE.
DeleteOh my goodness I am terribly sorry. That wasn't adult like for me to be tardy.
DeleteHow is it that I, from another table, arrived before the invited guests? Peculiar...
DeleteExcuse me boys, I am just FASHIONABLY late!
ReplyDeleteTo answer the question: I was very lucky, Alfred (my loving husband) supported me financially, and this helped tremendously. Before I met him, I was at my wits end teaching and I had no time for art work. However, I have been very lucky in my life, my artwork has always sold well and I am financially independent. It was tremendously important for me to have Alfred's support, It gave me security and the gift of time.
Ms. Georgia how do you think your lfe would have been different if you didnt have Alfred?
Deletesorry life
DeleteMiss Swanson, how are you this evening? Yes I think my life would have been very different if I had never met Alfred. He was a great promoter of the arts and he worked for years promoting my work. His photographs of me , especially the nude ones, also added to the whole promotion thing! We were the celebrity art couple of New York City for many years. He always encouraged me in my painting.
DeleteWhy yes, Brougham. The prawns are spectacular!
ReplyDeleteMr. Schreck, by my life I have never heard of prawns being spectacular, but I guess thats your theatrical side coming out.
DeleteLife is better with more prawns, Ms. O'Keefe!
DeleteIndeed, we all have our little weaknesses, Mr. Schreck!
DeleteDue to the lack of participation of the kind people at my table, I have made the decision to venture to this wonderfully talkative table!
ReplyDeleteMr. Schreck, you may sit next to me... after all, whats the difference of a few years!
DeleteIt appears that Ms. Lorraine has come to the gathering after all. Farewell my companions!
DeleteFarewell Mr. Schreck !
ReplyDeleteYes, there was a great economic growth in America after WW1 and also people had more time for leisure. Art, film and radio became an important features in peoples lives. Americans had money to buy art . I always sold my art well , even my first exhibition was nearly sold out. My husband ,Alfred Stieglitz was from a wealthy family and initially that gave me a great start in my career but I would have painted no matter what...... would i have been so well known ....... it's hard to say. Luck played its part!
ReplyDeleteMr. Zukor, you are quite right, everyone is very late (and not "fashionably" either).
ReplyDeleteMs. O'Keefe, I also agree with you about how luck plays a part in and artists career. You could be the best dancer, writer, musician, painter, actor, and so on, but if you aren't debuted well or no one with the right connections finds you out, well you most likely will not have a very financially successful career, and will not be well-known.
Mr. Shostakovich, Yes money plays an important part, for example during the great Depression the government introduced a program named ' Works Progress Administration' . this program employed 3 million men over a eight year period 1935 to 1943. Many public buildings and roads were constructed all over America during this time. Artists were commissioned to work on murals, sculptures and paintings. Over 100,000 art works were made and many artists were given a chance to create new art work and get paid. Some of the artists involved are now important figures in American 20 century art, for example, Stuart Davis, Thomas Hart Benton, Philip Guston, Jackson Pollok, Lee Krasner, Arshille Gorgy . It was a wonderful time for American art but it came from a period of great poverty.
ReplyDeleteMr. Shostakoviich did artists get any chances like that in your country?
I know I am not Mr. Shostakovich,but I would like to say that this is very interesting indeed. Where I am from (Switzerland) we never had opportunities such as these(Well not while I was aspiring to be a musician). If I had, along with many others, it would of helped us out tremendously!
DeleteUnfortunately, we did not have opportunities like that in the Soviet Union Ms. O'Keefe. It would have helped many artists get back on their feet though. If only...
DeleteWhen I was in the process of becoming a musician my family had enough money to get by, but we were not "overflowing" with money.And as you can see I have become a successful musician. I would have to say that Finacial security is not NECESSARY, although it does help.I know plenty of musicians who were not "rich" and are fine musicians today.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in the process of becoming a musician my family had enough money to get by, but we were not "overflowing" with money.And as you can see I have become a successful musician. I would have to say that Finacial security is not NECESSARY, although it does help.I know plenty of musicians who were not "rich" and are fine musicians today.
ReplyDeleteMoney . . . . . where to begin. Money can give you an advantage, you are never falling over yourself looking for money just to pay the rent and not starve. During the Great Depression I felt that everyone should experience the cinemas. I wanted everyone to feel what I felt, so I made movies at my first theater only a nickle.
ReplyDeleteArt was something that shouldn't be kept in a private collection for only few eyes to see. I feel that art should be open to everyone, shared for everyone to love. I don't just mean visual art but also music, performances of plays. You never know it could spark new ideas, new creations.
I always carry nickels with me. I suppose I could have afforded more films then!
DeleteDuring this time period, it was sort of a crush and a lift for me. It was a crush in the sense that the economy was going down, but at the same time it was a lift. Since I'm a jazz musician, many people would come down to the local bars that I would perform at and listen to me perform because it gave them some sort of comfort. I never really wrote music that had no meaning behind it. All my music is based off of real life experiences and I do that so I will connect with my audience in a deeper state of mind. During that time period, my name was then exposed even more because more people were coming to bars to hear relaxing music.
ReplyDeleteBut to answer your question about financial security being necessary. It's not always necessary. I was never brought up from a wealthy family. My family was very low class and we didn't have a lot of money to purchase any and everything I needed in order to become a successful musician but, I worked with what I had and was happy with what I had.
ReplyDeleteIn a way Mr. Waller I some what disagree with you on the whole financial security not being really necessary. I mean I understand where your coming from and how you weren't brought up by a wealthy family, and you and me have had a lot of success in our life time that is obviously why we are here today. I just feel as if a person doesn't try hard enough it just won't be your best, and i'm not saying that you need money to get places in life, but if you want to go above and beyond then yeah you kinda do.
DeleteWell, just to let you know. You don't always need money to get places in the world. Yes, it helps but also if you have resources and connections, that can get you somewhere in life. Obviously you never had to just meet people to get places in life. You paid your way to fame and that's not really rewarding because when you pay your way to fame, you don't go through anything that's going to make your trip to fame worth while
DeleteI never really had many financial problems whenever I needed money I would just marry someone new. Hahahahah, I'm only jokeing, but it is true I did have have husbands that had money, and with me being a famous actress I never really had many problems.
ReplyDeleteI almost took you seriously Ms. Swanson. Haha, but I would have to say, being a fellow actress, I never really had money issues either.
DeleteHaha Ms. Swanson it's funny you mention that. I have had five wives myself, although none of them helped me financially some actually hurt me.
DeleteI believe the time period helped me become more famous than I would have been in another period. My work was ment to lift peoples spirits during the depression and put a smile on everyones face,so for a moment they could be happy and forget their worries for one second.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the question if money is needed, no it isn't needed, but it does help if you got it. If you don't have it then make the best of the situation.
I agree with you Ms. Temple the time period did help me with my career. My dance company Salder’s Wells it was ignored by the fashionable dance world. Sadler's Wells Ballet had became more known through the 1930s, and moved ahead still more strongly during the war, especially on tour.
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ReplyDeleteI very much agree that financial security is necessary in order to be an artist. I mean between the wars and the Great Depression there was a high unemployment rate and everyone having financial problems and it became hard for me. I had lost some of my male dancers in my company because they had to serve in the military causing my Sadler's Wells Theatre to close. That caused me and my company to loose money. Though in 1946 Sadler's Wells Ballet won a new home at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and we had gotten some of our dancers back.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the table Ms. Valois! I hope our fellow table members will rejoin us in conversation.
ReplyDeleteMs. Valois, I see your point. I can agree, but only in some forms of art. As I understand it the supplies that you need to buy for dancing is amazing. The pointe shoes you have to replace quite often. There are others though that all they need is time to sit and play piano, or a blank sheet of paper.
ReplyDeleteArtists need to eat and have shelter just like everybody else and that costs money!
DeleteThat is a good point Mr. Zukor. Dancers and also actors have to pay a lot for their costuming.
ReplyDeleteI do agree! A wealthy back ground does help but it is not needed. My family wasn't wealthy but i'm still a well known actor and singer. My dad was Pastor, so, I was brought up around music but my acting skills were natural. I didn't travel the world much with my family but yet I made it to London by myself. With a wealthy background you are able to see the world, learn about different troubles of the world and open yourself up to different arts to engage in. But with a non wealthy background you only pursuit what you know. Either way you put it you can success in the art only if you try...its not based on your'e background.
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