Comments on: ART IS WAR: An Interview with Hazel Dooney, Renegade Artist

By: Internet Marketing: Why Artists And Creatives Have an Unfair Advantage

Internet Marketing: Why Artists And Creatives Have an Unfair Advantage — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:43:25 +0000

[...] is the route chosen by artists Natasha Wescoat Hazel Dooney, Hugh MacLeod and John T Unger, graphic designer David Airey, musicians Steve Lawson and Tobias [...]

By: Scott Kahn

Scott Kahn — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:18:58 +0000

It is interesting to note that b_rood himself “hides behind an opaque and false identity” when he criticizes others of doing so. There is an undeniable and consciously expressed component of vexation in Donney’s work which should not be equated with its “power” when people respond to that. Great “power” in art always reveals some truth. It is not the product of intentional vexation.

By: Scott Kahn

Scott Kahn — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:12:56 +0000

I credit Dooney with great entrepreneurial skills. All artists can learn from her expertise and advice in marketing themselves and taking control of their business. Like Dooney, I believe the internet has contributed enormously to the weakening power of the traditional gallery system. Despite not being a fan of her work, I admire her success. Time and people will ultimately be the judge of her work. Personally, I find it intellectually driven, lacking in depth and poetry, stylisticly cartoonish and derivative. It looks and has the feeling of a pre designed, pre thought out manufactured object. But this is only my personal reaction to it; it is not my preference. There is precedent for this kind of work and it obviously draws its audience.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:56:20 +0000

@ b/rood – Indeed. If they spent half as much energy on actually making something original…

Edit: b/rood’s comment referred to another commenter who was deleted for personal abuse, which we don’t tolerate on Lateral Action.

By: b/rood

b/rood — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:36:02 +0000

It’s interesting i) how these very vitriolic dissenters hide behind completely opaque false identities and ii) just quite how upset they become (and just how many words it takes for them to express why this is so). If Dooney manages to provoke such strong emotion, that alone says something about the strength of her art.

By: Malcho

Malcho — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:32:37 +0000

Dolandro Feinstein – Dave, Don –
whatever your name is, you’re
still pathetic.

-Malcho

By: Angela Pena

Angela Pena — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:19:45 +0000

I appreciate articles like this. I am a new Dooney follower. I am not into porn, but I love sex with my husband! I don’t see her hurting anyone. She is making a living. I really don’t understand why people (sometimes other artist) get jealous of other artists. Usually, I believe, it’s because they are not any good or haven’t found there niche. BUT WHY do we have to condemn people for being talented or different then ourselves. I can go on forever, I like controversy, it gets your blood going to let you know your alive!!! Who said that or is it something people say frequently? I’ll have to look this one up on quotes.

I think your intriguing Dooney!!!

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:26:37 +0000

Dolandro – No, the lesson is you can’t please all the people all of the time. Better to thrill the people who get it and annoy the ones who don’t.

In your case, I’d say she’s doing a terrific job.

By: Jimmy Kelly

Jimmy Kelly — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:44:19 +0000

I’ve been following Hazel’s blog for a while and she is a breath of fresh air in the art world, what she’s doing makes perfect sense in taking responsibility for defining her own path. Galleries will sell anything, as long as it sells, if it doesn’t its not art. She’s an inspiration for me, and I think you’ll see more artist going down a similar path in the future. Thanks again for the interview, and a cool site.

By: b/rood

b/rood — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:41:56 +0000

Actually, there’s a very complete bibliography on Hazel’s site that gives the lie to the contention that all Dooney’s coverage has been web-based: http://hazeldooney.com/hazel_dooney_bibliography.asp

Feinstein conveniently overlooks other articles in Melbourne’s The Age newspaper: http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/stateoftheart-selling-rivals-traditional-play-to-the-gallery/2006/07/04/1151778936440.html + http://www.theage.com.au/news/arts/seeking-sexuality/2008/07/24/1216492621693.html

And from Vogue Australia: http://www.hazeldooney.com/Hazel_Dooney_Bibliography_Details.asp?ID=35

And NY Arts Magazine: http://www.nyartsmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5643&Itemid=25

Yeah, I too suspect an axe to grind.