Our first inductee: semi-prominent artist Steven Chandler.
Steven Chandler has created a painting from what I am assuming is Georgia mud. You can view it here. It's a pretty interesting work of art, but the Great Moment In Honesty I want to nominate this man for is what he had to say about his motivation behind creating this provocative work.
The money from this auction? Will I donate to another horse charity? No, not this time. I have an adopted parrot and a bunch of stray cats to feed. The fallen race horse industry is y'alls problem, you created it, you fix it. You people invaded my mental art making space and I make art, that's what I do, deal with it. No, I'm going to roll around in the money, just like you all do. I'm gonna roll and think of all you horse racing people that race your horses, gamble and send your kids to college on that money. Thousands, millions even, you make on those horses-I'm gonna roll in it. I hope that disgust you as much as you disgust me.If the painting doesn't sell, well that's fine too. I'll hang it on my wall and when another horse goes, I'll paint another until there are no walls left or until there is a great wall to China made of Michael Vick Rides....whoever is next.......
So there you have it. Steven Chandler plans on using his proceeds not for charity (as he did in a similar painting he made of Barbaro last year). He's going to spend it on himself.
A couple of things here. First and foremost, Steven Chandler is the fucking MAN. An artist who has had a decent amount of success selling past paintings has told his public that he doesn't give a shit if his painting sells, and I find this to be a breath of fresh air.
Second, there are those of you who know of my recent attempts at satire by referring to Barbaro as a "fallen hero," an "inspiration" and "possibly even Jesus Christ the almighty in horse form." Can I just tell you that there is a method to the madness. Barbaro was just a fucking horse. He died racing against other horses, and when they found out his leg was broken from racing, they put him down. He's dead now. So is this other horse that went down at the Kentucky Derby recently. They are not heroes. They were animals pressed into service for the amusement of a diminishing group of enthusiasts.
Sports involving humans are a different animal entirely, if you'll pardon the expression. I love football, which involves the slamming of hormone-fed beeftanks into each other at speeds unattainable without drugs. It's badass, and it's barbaric all at the same time. But the big difference between that and horse racing is that these creatures (football players, not horses) volunteered for it. I have a problem with anything that involves one party's entertainment without the consent of another. Horse racing is no exception.
Steven Chandler is on to something with his parallel of horse racing and pit bull fighting. But more importantly, he doesn't give a shit what you think. So here's to you, Steven Chandler:
STEVEN CHANDLER
Georgian artist
For excellence in the field of not giving a rat's ass.
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