Bruce High Quality Foundation

When I arrived at the building to go to this presentation, they were letting nobody in. We stood out front while a mass amount of people gathered in the lobby, half of the people not even signing in like they were supposed to. A band was playing music behind the locked doors and outside of that there was no real sign that anything would be going on here tonight. We waited outside for at least 10 minutes past when it was supposed to start and I was beginning to wonder if I had my timing wrong or if something was up. Finally they opened the doors and we were greeted with Temple's marching band playing music. A guy behind them was dancing around and had a t-shirt gun. He was wearing the mask of a president, that I know, but I couldn't begin to tell you which one because it was just disturbing to me... but that's besides the point. Balloons were scattered around the seating and I was really confused as to what to expect because I could see nobody around who looked like they'd present anything to us. There was the creepy guy up front but I felt like he was just for show. Then there was a few people in the same tie-died shirts they were shooting out into the audience.

Suddenly the music came to a close and the lights went off. The creepy guy unmasked and everyone sat down as one lone, modest, bearded individual stepped forward to the podium. As he began to speak, I felt all the excitement and craziness going on in the room vanish. His voice was monotone but not in a boring way. He had a seriousness that went with his words that meant you had to listen, really listen. He wasn't just up there talking out his ass about something. He was actually speaking to us. He was actually talking about something - passionately. Something which I don't hear in much speakers anymore. He was telling a story and behind him flashed a series of images and sometimes video clips. Some of the images or statements he made were clever references to today's culture. He started out lightly, speaking about some made up girl and asking questions like why are there so many artists when so few are actually successful? Why is our education so expensive? Why is our education set up the way that it is? Basic questions. General questions. Harmful questions. Suddenly, things were serious. He started speaking of how few jobs there are. How colleges make tuition high and max out classrooms with expectations, not even hopes, of people dropping out to get a greater profit. Again and again he brings up our fictional girl and how she's in her studio and needs to talk to someone. He keeps making more and more controversial things in an aggressive way. Asking more and more questions. Making more and more accusations. But what stuck with me the most is he asked something along the lines of would you still make art if you didn't get paid for it in any way... that's where he got me. Would I? Why do I make art anyways? After he hit there I was really anticipating him answering some questions that he brought up or making suggestions or something that deals with something as important as art school. But he didn't. It just ended with the unmasked creepy guy inviting us to get drinks with them....

What? That's it? For something so important and that was made to seem like such a huge thing, I feel really cheated. In the beginning I felt like this was so important to be listening to and like this would be something that would really have a great impact on me but with the way it ended totally ruined it for me. I felt like the presentation was structured in a way that captured my attention so I was practically on the edge of my seat only for them to throw the Bruce High Quality Foundation University (aka BHQFU) in the picture so that I'd want to join in. It felt like an advertisement. I was even let a bit confused as to what the point of the lecture was. So I went on their website and read this "The Bruce High Quality Foundation, the official arbiter of the estate of Bruce High Quality, is dedicated to the preservation of the legacy of the late social sculptor, Bruce High Quality. In the spirit of the life and work of Bruce High Quality, we aspire to invest the experience of public space with wonder, to resurrect art history from the bowels of despair, and to impregnate the institutions of art with the joy of man’s desiring. Professional Challenges. Amateur Solutions." 


Did I miss something in that lecture? Their mission statement is to basically revive the art world right? But, to me anyway, that lecture was almost discouraging. Telling me I'm going to fail because my university expects it of me. Telling me I probably, or rather I won't, get a job as an artist. Telling me I won't even make it in the art world period because so few do. The only thing that really got to me was him essentially asking me why I do art. It's not something I think about often so he easily got me listening and really thinking about the rest of what he said. I paid attention. I paid attention closely so I wouldn't miss anything because I felt this was a big deal to be a part of. But what was I apart of really? Them networking their "university?" Initially after it was over, I thought it was a great lecture. I felt inspired by them in the sense that I was like "man if I don't make any money doing art, fuck it. I'll still do it anyway." But after taking almost a week to digest it I don't feel that way anymore. I feel like I should have left questioning whether or not to continue what I was doing. Better yet. I should have been questioning what the hell was the point of all that. I feel like there was much more to talk about and much more to be said. This is important. "Amerika" did a very poor job teaching me anything but that BHQFU is a great place to go to make art and volunteer my time.