Our own Deborah Lawrence was asked to create an ornament for the White House Christmas Tree, to be unveiled tomorrow by Laura Bush. If you know Deborah’s work, you’re probably not surprised that a virtual fist fight has broken out over her ornament. The debate is primarily centered around whether Deborah should or should not have used a Christmas tree ornament as a political platform.
I had to add my two cents:
Deborah Lawrence is a thoughtful, highly regarded artist participating in the international contemporary art community. She was asked to make an ornament. She made one. She was invited to the White House. She went. I think any contemporary American artist would jump at the chance to do these two things. And they would do it their way, just as Deborah did.
I think this is a great project, and I am impressed with Laura Bush’s decision to leave the artist selection process to the professionals, rather than manhandling every ornament. With a president as disastrous as her husband, she must have considered that a dissenting ornament was a possibility. In taking this risk, she clearly values the integrity of the project over a politically homogeneous Christmas tree. Applause.
* UPDATE on Dec.3rd *
ha ha ha! I knew something was fishy about giving Laura Bush that much credit.
