Bad for your art
Louise Sacco, Director of the Museum of Bad Art in Boston. Interview by Paul Oswell
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It's the year 2000. A know-nothing rookie reporter somehow scores his first gig for a magazine and is sent to Boston to find out all he can about the Museum of Bad Art. In many ways it was a dream assignment, and one that I wished I got more of these days. Yes, because that newbie was ME. I was given a tour by Director Louise Sacco, and I thought it would be fun - for Shandypockets' first birthday issue - to catch up with the person that popped my travel journalistic cherry. (YOU CAN SEE MY ORIGINAL STORY HERE)
PO: I last visited the museum in 2000. I assume a lot has happened in the last 14 years. Would you care to give me brief highlights?
LS: The collection continues to grow, now at over 700 pieces. We’ve moved from our long time home under the Dedham Community Theatre because they decided to do some renovations. We’re now in 3 locations in the Boston area: The basement of Somerville Theatre, another wonderful old theatre that just celebrated 100 years of entertainment, the lobby of Brookline Interactive Group, a public access cable station and the New England Wildlife Center in South Weymouth, MA. In December and January, MOBA had a major show in Tapipei, Taiwan and that show is moving to Kaohsiung, Taiwan in July and August. We’ll also be in Indianapolis in July. Also, the London Times included MOBA in their list of the 50 best art galleries in the world – we were the only Boston art institution to make the list.
PO: What first drew you to the concept of bad art?
LS: My brother saw the potential and he managed to draw a lot of his friends and family into it. Jerry has moved on to other things, but I’m still running MOBA.
PO: Why does bad art deserve a public platform? What draws the public to view it?
LS: If you walk past an art gallery with a group of people, someone may call out “Wow! Look at that!” Until you turn around, you don’t know if it will be very good or very bad. Either way, people want to share it and talk about it. Just like very good art, MOBA art gets people thinking and talking about meaning, intention, definitions of art. But with MOBA, they have more fun.
PO: What themes are the most popular for the bad artists in your collection?
LS: Nudes, portraits, and animals seem to lead the pack. So many of our artists attempt female nudes even though they have apparently never seen a naked woman. The anatomy of these nudes can be truly baffling. Portraits are often very interesting and reveal a lot about the artist’s relationship to the subject. Animal paintings are popular because pets elicit emotional responses and those emotions often are channeled into creating art. We see a lot of still lifes, but they are often boring and not suitable for our collection.
PO: I last visited the museum in 2000. I assume a lot has happened in the last 14 years. Would you care to give me brief highlights?
LS: The collection continues to grow, now at over 700 pieces. We’ve moved from our long time home under the Dedham Community Theatre because they decided to do some renovations. We’re now in 3 locations in the Boston area: The basement of Somerville Theatre, another wonderful old theatre that just celebrated 100 years of entertainment, the lobby of Brookline Interactive Group, a public access cable station and the New England Wildlife Center in South Weymouth, MA. In December and January, MOBA had a major show in Tapipei, Taiwan and that show is moving to Kaohsiung, Taiwan in July and August. We’ll also be in Indianapolis in July. Also, the London Times included MOBA in their list of the 50 best art galleries in the world – we were the only Boston art institution to make the list.
PO: What first drew you to the concept of bad art?
LS: My brother saw the potential and he managed to draw a lot of his friends and family into it. Jerry has moved on to other things, but I’m still running MOBA.
PO: Why does bad art deserve a public platform? What draws the public to view it?
LS: If you walk past an art gallery with a group of people, someone may call out “Wow! Look at that!” Until you turn around, you don’t know if it will be very good or very bad. Either way, people want to share it and talk about it. Just like very good art, MOBA art gets people thinking and talking about meaning, intention, definitions of art. But with MOBA, they have more fun.
PO: What themes are the most popular for the bad artists in your collection?
LS: Nudes, portraits, and animals seem to lead the pack. So many of our artists attempt female nudes even though they have apparently never seen a naked woman. The anatomy of these nudes can be truly baffling. Portraits are often very interesting and reveal a lot about the artist’s relationship to the subject. Animal paintings are popular because pets elicit emotional responses and those emotions often are channeled into creating art. We see a lot of still lifes, but they are often boring and not suitable for our collection.
PO: What are currently your main avenues of obtaining bad art?
LS: We still get submissions from Friends of MOBA all over the world. People send us photos of the art from thrift stores or flea markets, paintings that were found while clearing out a dead relative’s house, and gifts: wedding gifts, gifts from old romantic partners, gifts from grandma the painter, and more.
PO: You have given out one lifetime achievement award. Do you have plans to hand out any more? Isn't the concept of achievement hard to reconcile with the concept of bad art?
LS: There are many ways people can achieve to lofty heights in the world of bad art. Garen Daly, our first and only recipient, provided our first exhibition space, donated paintings, served on the board of directors, convinced reporters to write about us, and supported our efforts in every way over a period of many years. We would be delighted to find another supporter so worthy of such an award.
PO: How many of the bad artists have you met? Do they attend their own exhibitions?
LS: We’ve met very few. Many of our works are anonymous. Even when they are signed, it’s seldom possible to locate these artists. When we do, we invite them to events that will show their works, and honor them in any way we can. Most get to at least one MOBA event to see what it’s all about.
PO: What does the future hold for MOBA?
LS: We hope to see more international exhibitions, and more shows around the US. We will continue to be volunteer-run and operate on a shoestring, but we continue to build audience and support. With about 26,000 followers on Facebook, and a place as one of the first museums on Googles Open Gallery, we are positioned to become a leading online art museum.
PO: Would you - after 20 successful years - ever consider opening Bad Art Museums in any other cities?
LS: Anything is possible, but it’s hard to imagine how that might work. Now and again we talk to someone about MOBA in another city, but I don’t think it will happen.
PO: How are YOU at art? Can you show us anything you've drawn or painted?
LS: I haven’t created any art since the elementary school art teacher came by once a week.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MOBA: The Museum of Bad Art Website
LS: We still get submissions from Friends of MOBA all over the world. People send us photos of the art from thrift stores or flea markets, paintings that were found while clearing out a dead relative’s house, and gifts: wedding gifts, gifts from old romantic partners, gifts from grandma the painter, and more.
PO: You have given out one lifetime achievement award. Do you have plans to hand out any more? Isn't the concept of achievement hard to reconcile with the concept of bad art?
LS: There are many ways people can achieve to lofty heights in the world of bad art. Garen Daly, our first and only recipient, provided our first exhibition space, donated paintings, served on the board of directors, convinced reporters to write about us, and supported our efforts in every way over a period of many years. We would be delighted to find another supporter so worthy of such an award.
PO: How many of the bad artists have you met? Do they attend their own exhibitions?
LS: We’ve met very few. Many of our works are anonymous. Even when they are signed, it’s seldom possible to locate these artists. When we do, we invite them to events that will show their works, and honor them in any way we can. Most get to at least one MOBA event to see what it’s all about.
PO: What does the future hold for MOBA?
LS: We hope to see more international exhibitions, and more shows around the US. We will continue to be volunteer-run and operate on a shoestring, but we continue to build audience and support. With about 26,000 followers on Facebook, and a place as one of the first museums on Googles Open Gallery, we are positioned to become a leading online art museum.
PO: Would you - after 20 successful years - ever consider opening Bad Art Museums in any other cities?
LS: Anything is possible, but it’s hard to imagine how that might work. Now and again we talk to someone about MOBA in another city, but I don’t think it will happen.
PO: How are YOU at art? Can you show us anything you've drawn or painted?
LS: I haven’t created any art since the elementary school art teacher came by once a week.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MOBA: The Museum of Bad Art Website