[Milton-L] Attacks on Milton and Civility on Milton-L

[Yuko Nii]

Dear (Professor??) Flannagan:

I am sorry that my essay is over your head.  When I talk about the  
"Death of God," I am referring to a point in the history of  
philosophy.  Also, I do not own anything, not even my paintings. So I  
do not make any money from them.  I do not paint any more. I gave a 2  
million dollar collection of art and antiquities to the Yuko Nii  
Foundation and I now live in poverty on social security. I am given a  
free apartment by Yuko Nii, a philanthropist. You do not undertstand  
my motives, so you should not be addressing them. That, to me, is  
STUPIDITY. I know that I am being "uncivil." But I am responding to an  
uninformed, licentious, unbridled, ignorant attack upon my integrity.

My apologies to the list!

Terrance Lindall
On Sep 29, 2008, at 5:25 PM, FLANNAGAN, ROY wrote:

>
> Dear Mr. Lindall,
>
> Well, I read your essay, and it says, among other things,
>
> Before the Death of Art, there was the Death of God. This occurred  
> when thinkers began to rely more on a created system of value than  
> on the absolute and unchangeable Values of the idea of God. Humanism  
> was born and Nihilism was at the door. The value of anything became  
> interpretable. Belief systems were to take the place of God's Word.  
> Think about this. I have more to say at another time.
>
> Mr. Lindall, I have no bone to pick with what you consider to be  
> your art, but your current show is supposed to celebrate the birth  
> of a poet who did NOT believe that God was dead and did NOT believe  
> that "the value of anything became interpretable."  You are riding  
> on Milton's reputation to call attention to your show and your  
> enterprise.  I imagine that your soliciting reviews of the show and  
> your promoting of the show does make the exhibits there more  
> valuable than they were before the show, right?  An exhibit of art  
> helps make the art profitable, as well it should.  Please don't say  
> that publicity does not have monetary value: the adage is "There is  
> no such thing as bad publicity."  So, Mr, Kirmss was pictured  
> triumphantly with the "armed guard" you hired to protect his statue  
> against a bunch of wild, uh, Miltonists.
>
> Mr. McGrath's article distorted Milton's reputation and his  
> biography. and that is what many of of us scholars have the argument  
> with: there is no biographer of Milton living today who would agree  
> with anything McGrath wrote about Milton's supposed contempt for  
> women.  So, according to educated and well-informed opinion, McGrath  
> was spreading false information, in the name of supporting your show.
>
> Your show itself showed little respect for the dead poet whose  
> birthday you were riding to success.  The Kirmss sculpture seemed  
> ridiculously inappropriate to apply to the historical Milton, and a  
> long, stuck out tongue always represents ridicule in our society.   
> Your paintings may represent your "channeling" of Milton, and you  
> are entitled to paint them and sell them, but no one has to believe  
> you are the reincarnation of Milton or that Clive Milton is a  
> collateral descendant of the poet's brother.  Don't promise lack of  
> greed and then promote yourself over the dead body of the poet you  
> claim to inhabit.
>
> Roy Flannagan
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu on behalf of Yuko Nii
> Sent: Mon 9/29/2008 4:23 PM
> To: John Milton Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [Milton-L] Attacks on Milton and Civility on Milton-L
>
>
>
> Sorry to add another email. Roy Flannagan defames me personally and  
> my museum. We are a not for profit organization. We do not sell art.  
> I am opposed to the association of art and money that has lowered  
> standards and I oppose the idiocy of the so called  "avante-garde."  
> Please see my essay on A New International Surrealist's Look at  
> Progress, Overcoming and the Irreversibility of the Avante-garde,  
> Massurrealism and The Death of Art: http://beinart.org/info/essays/terrance-lindall-avant-garde.php
>
> If we all got our facts straight, as scholars are REQUIRED to do if  
> they wish to retain their reputations, we could have a civil  
> discussion. You can attack my stated ideas. But at least find out  
> what we are a;ll about. .
>
> Terrance Lindall
> On Sep 29, 2008, at 10:37 AM, FLANNAGAN, ROY wrote:
>
>
> 	This is a list that I helped to found, alongside Kevin Creamer,  
> many, many years ago, and I certainly value its usual civility and  
> intellectual integrity.  John Leonard's suggestion to send only one  
> message a day (which I just this minute violated) is a good one, and  
> I admire the suggestions for moderate and cool-headed interchanges  
> from Gardner Campbell.
> 	
> 	When I saw the NY Times review of the Williamsburg show, I was  
> affronted by the unjust picture of Milton put out as truth by  
> Charles McGrath, and I admit I felt immediate distaste for what  
> others have called the ugly sculpture that illustrated McGrath's  
> provoking article.  I did want to go on the attack, because "our"  
> poet was being unjustly defamed in print in an article in one of the  
> best-respected newspapers in the country.
> 	
> 	I continue to believe that Milton has been defamed and devalued in  
> the process of celebrating him at a pop art birthday party in New  
> York, and I do think it is our business at least to correct the  
> misapprehensions that seem to be promoted by the continued  
> publicity.  Of course we are playing into the hands of a publicity  
> machine designed to make money for the gallery owners and the  
> "artists" on display there, and that is a sad and fallen process, as  
> we well know from studying Paradise Lost.
> 	
> 	Roy Flannagan
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