The Art Snob Archive

Cosmopolitan - March 24/06

I recently came across a CD called “Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited.” The French-iness of the title didn’t sit well with my Freedom Fries, but I picked it up anyway and was shocked to find that some of my favourite uber-hip, super indie, ultra clutch bands were on it, paying tribute to this chain-smoking leftist Frog boy. What’s the deal oh knowledgeable one? What do the Rakes, the Kills, Cat Power, and Franz Ferdinand have to do with this baguette?

Forever yours, Pippa Passes, aspiring elitist”

Oh dear, dear Pippa! You have much to learn! Most importantly, understand that Franz Ferdinand have lost their indie status and thus can no longer be admired! Silly girl!

But otherwise, you have to realize that the world is a large place! The arts snob must acknowledge this fact; we cannot be restrained by the Anglo-Saxon mentality of North America! Our openness to other cultures is a defining trait! We are the ones who are supposed to appreciate Haitian artists and Asian cuisine, the students who are supposed to fill our passports with stamps and our messenger bags with iron-on flags! Chile! Greenland! Kenya! Saskatchewan! Knowledge of these foreign lands is essential!

France especially, you must learn, holds a special place in the heart of an arts snob. The home of pretty much every major art movement since the 19^th century, France is the land of snobs; a paradise of fine wine, long cigarette holders, and black clothing. Pippa, you must learn to recognize those Freedom Fries for what they really are: French fries. Yeah, I said it. French fries.

The point is, the arts snob recognizes that the global community has much to offer the eager mind, and is willing to exploit it for all its goodness. This considered, it is not difficult to see why Serge Gainsbourg may have influenced the artists you listed in your letter. Gainsbourg was the “dirty old man” of French music, a singer/songwriter who pushed boundaries with his genre experimentation, and more notably his use of the sounds of female orgasms in his songs. He was never really successful in North America, however, and remained a cult figure beloved by us elitists. His ‘taboo-shattering’ output and interest in all types of music from jazz to Baroque to reggae has no doubt inspired many bright young minds to create, especially those in the “uber-hip” bands you mentioned. Beck has sworn allegiance to him. Belle and Sebastian even wrote a song about him.

It can be hard out here for an artist, really. Feeding off the accomplishments of other cultures has become an important way of keeping Western art exciting and interesting; people like Gainsbourg have been essential in stimulating new intellectual activity. But international awareness is about more than just being able to appreciate the influence of Ethiopian art on Picasso’s sculptures, it’s about not being an idiot. As arts snobs, it is our privilege to know things that others do not.

On St. Patrick’s Day, for instance, we enjoyed our pints that much more because we knew that Ireland is in fact a country, not merely a slogan on an American Eagle trucker cap. We also recognize that ‘Fubar’ has its roots in the German word ‘furchtbar’, which means ‘awful’ or ‘shocking’, a fitting description of that abominable night club. Germany, by the way, is a country in Europe, which is a land mass beyond the Atlantic Ocean, which is a body of water to the East of Canada, the country we live in. Arts snobs can also appreciate the fact that the bearded, beret-wearing figure on Rage Against the Machine T-shirts is in fact ‘Che Guevara’, an Argentinean who had an important impact on revolutionary movements in Latin America (yes, you’ve read correctly: there’s more to the ‘Americas’ than just the North. In fact, there’s even a South America!). Arts snobs understand that Ikea sells meatballs because it is an important part of their Swedish background. Sweden is one of many countries around the world whose food habits do not revolve around microwaved hamburgers.

The world is a fascinating place, dear Pippa! Serge Gainsbourg is only one example of the wonderful figures you will meet on your explorations! You must set forth with an open mind and an eager heart, and once you have filled that ignorant little head of yours with languages and experiences and memories of strange streets and even stranger foods, perhaps then you will be able to truly justify being an “arts snob”. Until then, enjoy “Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited” for what it really is, an exceptional tribute album to an under-appreciated genius of pop music. The fact that he is a “baguette” makes it all the better.

posted by HLL @ Friday, March 24, 2006