MFA talk

I think 10 minute talks are not long enough. But I suppose if people rarely give talks then they don't really know what to include, so they have to be short, just so they can practice talking in front of a lot of people. Niki's talk was the strongest. She was even talking about how she premixes all of her colors before she starts painting. Youngsheen was impossible to hear. But I remember what she had said during the selection night. I finally understand what the teachers mean about using more paint. I wish she used more paint. Dry paintings are sad. I think Mark's talk during the selection was more conclusive than his gallery talk.

Shoot An Iraqi pg 1-44

Sadly I forgot to buy the book for a long time, but I still meant to do the assignment. And I am reading it rather quickly, it is a good read.

My first reactions to the book are...
I could never live in that room
I am one of the ignorant Americans who know nothing about the war, nor do I think about how America affects other countries
and He has a wide support system

I'm also rather surprised at how openly he talks about everything, but I suppose if he is writing a book he has to be open so people will understand. And maybe it is an artist thing, us willing to expose ourselves is how we are effective in making our points.

Art Billionaire

Okay, saying one billion dollars to myself just makes me giggle. I suppose i cannot even fathom that much money. It always make me think of Dr.Evil.
Sad, sad, sad. Only to like art because of others opinions. But I suppose it is still great how much money he is donating.

The Worship of Art

What a silly little article. Yes, yes, he is right to a point. But then again, life is always more complicated than what is simple to say. Aka a nice little packaged theory. Yes overall contemporary art is meaningless and just made to annoy people, but people also what the next best thing. They want what is new and flashy. That is where bad contemporary art comes from.
From making abstract pieces, I understand how frustrating they can be, how much though and effort can be put into abstracting a form. It releases peoples preconceived notions on what something is, and allows the artist to interpret the piece however they want.
Money and power can corrupt anything. Sadly even art. Also people buy whatever is fashionable for status always anyways. Look at north-face jackets and spandex pants. No one needs those specific brands or types of clothing but they buy them because it is what they feel they should buy.
Let me just respond to his nine page rant by saying, yes it would be nice if people were brave enough to be independent, creative thinkers.
Art does not have meaning till someone gives it meaning. Sadly if the meaning they want from the piece is status, they will get it. It is just not what the author of the article wanted. Art is meant to have a purpose, who is to say what that purpose is?

John Baldessari

Serious humor is nice. Regardless of weather his artwork is "nice" it is interesting. I always fall into this pit of, if it didn't require sweat, endless hours of work and way too much thought, it is not worthy. But honestly, some of my artwork that I made in an hour or two, and just went with it from start to finish, are my favorite.
It baffles me, when hearing about artist's who loose their families because they were so into their art, and then their art is something like this. (this is horrible to say). but putting stickers on someone's face isn't that intense.... I'm just mean this morning.
Teaching is the best when a person lets their students experience creativity their own way. How can someone ever think for themselves, when someone else is constantly telling them how to think. It is much better to have the teacher as a sounding board, to help them develop the path they want to forge.

Robert Frank

I don't believe (just got a huge urge to bake something) that art can be comment-less. If you take a photograph of something or decide to paint it, you are already making a comment that you find it interesting and important. Also it is funny how people got angry at him for taking pictures of the way life was. He was just observing what what was happening. You can't pretend it isn't happening just because you don't want to acknowledge it.

Barbara Kruger

<--- kind of stupid looking, but oh so much love
(yay homemade!!)


This article made me feel stupid. It was only a page long, but I didn't get it. Or at least I am struggling to understand what she is talking about. Is she talking about photography? I think she might be. So that is what I am going to respond to. Well I think I need to read it a third time before I can finish this blog post..... Okay, nope still don't get it. Or maybe it is about paintings that reproduce what is seen in a photograph. Because I can agree that is not that great. Oh my, I can't even quote this article, I keep forgetting what I just read..... Oh yes, ummm, yeah.
Let me just talk about photo realistic paintings then. This Sunday I attended the salon series and the visiting artist was talking about where art was heading in New York. Let me just say very very disappointing. The artwork was photo realistic pieces, they seemed like they were pushing the boundaries to just push boundaries. But since there really are no boundaries at this time, they are really just trying to find the next "new thing" but really missing the mark. They seem to lack heart and soul. I personally find that art that speaks to people comes from the artist having something to say, not just saying anything. Kind of like talking to get a point across not just to fill the empty space. It's like attending a birthday party. I will not eat sheet cake. If someone lovingly made the person a birthday cake from scratch, not just bought a store bought cake. I will have some. But what is the point of sheet cake? It isn't good, it is just an empty gesture. I'm sorry if this is offensive, but I spend way too much effort on not settling.
Well anywho the artwork was just randomlly placed people, on a boring background but one of the artist blurred the edges of his work to make it look digitalized... it was lame. not even in a controversial, now I am insulted way, nope, just lame.

Sentences on Conceptual art

It is funny how people give so many rules to making art that is supposed to be breaking the rules. This blurb is saying that art is about the process and the perception, having a goal but not knowing what the outcome is going to be. Art is about the idea. So art does not have to be anything in particular but it has to have a starting point. Maybe that is what art is. A manifestation of an idea. Simply put.

John Cage

For "Theatre Piece," in 1960, Carolyn Brown put a tuba on her head, Cunningham slapped the strings of a piano with a dead fish, and David Tudor made tea.
John Cage's music was not about beauty, but trying to redefine what music is. He made parts of everyday life into music. Such as the traffic outside or a bird. He dared people to really listen to what was around them. He hoped for a world where people lived modestly, which he himself did. He was confident in his art, and positive about things turning out well.
I admire his direction. It is important to examine every aspect of life. It in of itself will keep a person modest. I also like his eccentricity. It is whimsical and fun. But he was very serious. Serious about being whimsical.

Western Disturbances

I watched Clown tourture, and it was not that emotional. But I suppose I wasn't in the room that it was being broadcast. I think if I was then I would not have been able to handle it.
Bruce Nauman worked when he was inspired. He would wait until inspiration stuck him. He played with his horses until that happened. He is quiet and observant.
His artwork is mostly disturbing, getting at human misery, and pain.
I believe his artwork is powerful but not beautiful. The only thing that is close to beauty is his fish fountains. But art is not all about beauty. It can be about thought.

The originality of the Avant-Garde

Yes, yes, yes. Once you set up an idea and start to tell others about it and they start to follow everything does loose its freshness, or originality. But it is almost impossible to always be coming up with something new. Creative process comes out of breaking the rules. So if there are not rules how can their be a way to break them. Avant-Garde sets up new rules for new artists to break, so in a way it is perpetuating the need for creation.

imitation of art

Thank you! At first I thought the article was going to be about how great John Currin's work was. I was a more than a little put off... I find his work unsettling and bland. Everything Lance Esplund said resonnated with me. It does seem like he is just stealing techniques. It does seem akward and forced, with no truth! I like how far Esplund went into demolishing Currin's paintings. Haha!

molotov man

Joy Garnett is trying to say that art is for everyone to interpret how they wish. Susan Meisela is saying that her art has meaning, a purpose and it is for her to decide how it is interpreted and what it means. Hmmm. I don't think anyone can control how others perceive their actions or words. I also believe that people should not control how others view their art. It would be the same as being in a gallery and having the artist stand there and tell you all about the artwork, what they were feeling, what it means to them, and where they stand to look at it. And then telling you, that you had to feel, think and stand in the same scenario as them. No, they can tell you, but you shouldn't have to listen.

I do believe that the painter should ask permission from the photographers before she starts painting, but I do not believe Susan should have been so appalled for the reasons that she was.

plagarism

I really like the velveteen rabbit comparison. It is true. How things are not loved until they are worn in. Like over thinking something. You are not going to realize how much you love something until you have thought about it to the point of it no longer making sense, or you no longer remember why you starting thinking about it in the first place.
I can understand what Jonathan Lethem is saying about needing plagarism in the arts, but there do need to be laws again it. People know no boundaries unless some are set. Because there are no boundaries until they are made up. Also artist (like all other beings) need to survive, they need income to buy food and housing and such, and with out laws on copying, others might find ways around paying them, then why would artists ever create?!?!? Well no they still would but honestly. I do agree that copy right laws maybe pushing the envelope too far.