Friday, April 24, 2009
24th
Like so many other people, i seem to be watching "The Wire" quite obsessively.
I'm on Episode 9 of the third series. It's actually hard to stop.
These box sets seem to take the place of those massive nineteenth century novels: created as a serial, and with the highest ambitions.
To create a portrait not simply of an individual, or even a group of individuals, but of a whole city.
And a whole city that in its turn exemplifies on what's going on in a whole society.
And to do so with a high moral purpose, at least so it seems.
To use all the resources of its medium to do so.
One difference is that while "War and Peace" or "Great Expectations" were created by one individual, in this case the series is created, at least originated by one or maybe two.. but using a massive team of incredibly gifted artists to realise their vision.
Maybe that's important, too: because it's vision is so huge, so about much more than individuals. That it reflects the collective.
Which is what art needs to do now.
Now the age of the individual is over.
Like so many other people, i seem to be watching "The Wire" quite obsessively.
I'm on Episode 9 of the third series. It's actually hard to stop.
These box sets seem to take the place of those massive nineteenth century novels: created as a serial, and with the highest ambitions.
To create a portrait not simply of an individual, or even a group of individuals, but of a whole city.
And a whole city that in its turn exemplifies on what's going on in a whole society.
And to do so with a high moral purpose, at least so it seems.
To use all the resources of its medium to do so.
One difference is that while "War and Peace" or "Great Expectations" were created by one individual, in this case the series is created, at least originated by one or maybe two.. but using a massive team of incredibly gifted artists to realise their vision.
Maybe that's important, too: because it's vision is so huge, so about much more than individuals. That it reflects the collective.
Which is what art needs to do now.
Now the age of the individual is over.
Labels: the wire
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]