Getting Grumpy over art speak

This is a little something to poder over the weekend as Eric Gibson’s piece The Lost Art of Writing about Art focuses on the writing in the reviews, particularly the Whitney Museum’s Biennial exhibition.  How critics, curators and  people in the business of the visual arts write about art is one of those things I get grumpy about. I have to admit that many exhibition catalogues, reviews and increasingly books I want simply throw across the room in anger as they are often written in this totally impenetrable text. You have to focus so much on trying to understand the writing that you forget about the work that is being discussed.

It alienates readers and makes them feel inadequate. This in turns makes them doubt their own ability to understand what is being said and respond to the work. Rather than informing the public these writers simply end up alienating possible art patrons. Looking at and enjoying art has absolutely nothing to do with weather you can pass the vocabulary test. Although I think it is possible to talk about concepts that drive a work of art rather than just the technical aspects of a work, I generally agree with the Wall Street Journal story. Read it and see what you think.    

Thanks for the link goes to Alyson over on Art Biz blog as she pointed her readers to the story

 

Collage Mania is about to start!

Virginia Spiegel dropped me a line to remind me that Collage Mania is Monday and Tuesday, in other words May 5 and 6.

I think it is going to be 2 days of total crazyness for Virginia as all you have to do is choose an artwork, e-mail Virginia and make a donation and that is that. So over the weekend I took time out and toddled off to check out the site. It was fatal as I spent hours browsing the gallery. Literally half a day was spent looking at one piece or the other so for eye candy don’t miss this site! The images here are just a bit of a taster. (Please see the image credits at the bottom of the post)

There are hundreds of collaged pieces to browse and delight the eye. So if you enjoy collage of either paper or fabric you will have hours of satisfaction browsing these images.

Do pop over and take a look and remember that all proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society through Fiberart For A Cause.

While I was on Virginia’s site I checked out her blog. Apart from details about Collage Mania a few posts back I stumbled upon a very thoughtful post on “What Makes A Series Work” which is worth thinking about. The other project I delighted in is Virginia Spiegel’s personal challenge the Garbage Day Project. Do check it out as it had me wanting to reach for a camera and join in

Image Credits

Image 1 Collage by Karen Bettencourt
Title: e onziéme étourneau (the eleventh starling)
10″h x 8″w Old papers, acrylic paint, image transfer on canvas.

Image 2 Collage by Jennifer Black
Many Gatherings
7.25″h x 5″w Vintage sheet music, photo, envelope, and other papers; tissue papers; spine of an old book; paint, thread and old buttons.

Image 3 Collage by Susan Lenz
Remains of a Quilt
10″h x 8″w Leftover snippets from a silk painted quilt, paper, thread, acrylic gel.

 

A petrol statation wrapped up!

Textile artist Jennifer Marsh has recently completed an unusual and big installation. Jennifer called it the World Reclamation Art Project (W.R.A.P.) and covered an abandoned petrol station in textile panels.

“Participants have crocheted, knitted, stitched, patched, or collaged 3 foot square fiber panels that expresses each participants concern about this topic. Simply by designing and creating these panels and participating in this project they are, in the larger picture, expressing their concern about this important subject to the rest of the world. All the panels have been sewn together to completely cover an abandoned gas station in central New York State.”

As you can imagine running a project like this to full realisation costs quite a bit and there is a request for a donation at the bottom of this page.

Thanks to Virginia A Spiegel for the heads up on this.

This reminded me of local Canberra artist Bronwen Sandland who ran a ‘house cosy’ project in 2002 which wrapped an entire house in a knitted covering. At the time Artlink ran an article on it.

On another note: As you can see I am back blogging after catching up on some work I will see you again tomorrow same time same place …

 

Artists books in Australian Collections

I have spent a good part of the weekend poking about the Artist’s books sites. If you are not sure of what an artist book is check out how wikipedia defines an artist’s book. Reading it you might think that this type of work is an American genre but it is not. They are made world wide and Aussies make them too.

State Library of Queensland defines and artist book as “an artwork in a book format, or an artwork which has its origin in the form or concept of the book. The term was originally coined to describe books which had their origin in the conceptual art movement of the 1970s.”

The State Library of Queensland publishes a selection of images of artists’ books from the collection which you can browse by theme or type. An artist statement describing the key concept that drove making the book is accompanied by extensive photographs of each book. It is an online exhibit that is worth making a cuppa and settling down to browse each section.

Also online is another exhibition Bookscapes: exploring contemporary Australian artists’ books. There are a small selection of artists books from the National Library’s Collection in the exhibit Beyond the Picket Fence which features Australian Women’s Art

Robin Wallace-Crabbe discusses the pleasure of making books in A Shy Genre: the Artist’s book. This brief article teases out a few ideas and touches on the history of book studio at the Canberra School of Art (the school is where I work). On that note readers may enjoy the blog that is written by those at the studio under the title of the same name. Also Sasha Grishin has written an article on Collecting Australian Artists’ books for the Australian Art Review.

The Calligraphy and Artist books Galleries is a site run by Australian Cecilla which features a numner of Australian book artist.

Make a cuppa and enjoy!

 

Discussing Craft with Richard Sennett

RSA runs some interesting lectures which are podcast from their site. The Craftsman, with Professor Richard Sennett is particularly interesting
The lecture series are listed here. Scroll down to the lecture downloads and select The Craftsman, with Professor Richard Sennett

It is described as “Richard Sennett will discuss the idea that there is a craftsman in all of us, which can be enormously motivating and inspiring. History has drawn fault-lines between practice and theory, technique and expression, craftsman and artist, maker and user; and modern society suffers from this. But the past lives of craftsmen also suggests ways of using tools, organising bodily movements and thinking about materials, which provide viable alternative proposals about how to utilise one’s talents. In The Craftsman Richard Sennett argues that we need to recognise this if motivations are to be understood and lives made as fulfilling as possible.”

 

A little thoughtful reading

This morning I have a little thought provoking reading so its time to pop the kettle on for a cuppa, and settle in for a few moments as these two links lead to some considered writing about craft and craft practice. Or you can take time out over the weekend and enjoy them then.

Lainie of Red thread studio has written an informative and thought provoking article on Sustainable Textile Resources

The first issue of the Journal of Modern Craft is free. The journal is a serious look at the subject of craft and addresses forms of making that “set themselves apart from mass production” So for those who say they create artefacts that are artworks or describe the objects they make as designed or part of the cultural revival of the hand made this journal is full of articles to make you think. In fact the contents will keep you busy for at least a week and give you something to ponder while working on your current project. Check it out as I said it free so mosey over there and browse the articles.

 

A creative weekend

Sometimes it is best to leave the weeding, the grocery shopping, and the housework and simply have a self indulgent weekend. That is what I did and I was doubly spoiled as it was a long weekend here in Canberra. So what did I do?

This 8 inch block is now done. (Click on the image for a larger view)

The other thing I did was to sort out my large sheets of paper and clear out my old drawings and folios.

The folios are made of heavy card and they date back to my art school days when I was a student and they are a little worse for wear after 25 years. Since when I purchased them I was a broke art student they looked particularly tatty but I have never replaced them as they still protect the drawings/ paper inside them.  So I decided that I would tear up old drawings, sheet music, photocopies and papers and collage a cover all over them. I had a ball ripping into some of the very old drawings.

I have three of these folios all still in use more or less and I plan to ‘cover’ all of them this way. This first folio is in black and white (more or less) the others will each have a different dominant colour because then I can colour code what is inside. I use one for paper, the second for drawings I am working on and a third for finished pieces. I actually have a fourth but that one might just beyond it.

It is quite large as it will take a sheet of A2 paper quite happily. In other words it measures 66 cm (26 inches) by 46 cm (18 inches) Here is the front of the folio standing upright on the table

Here is the back of the folio standing upright on the table (Click on the images for a larger view) The sheen is PVA glue still drying!

I really enjoyed doing these and am looking forward to covering the others.

 

What are Artist Trading Cards?

Have you ever dug around the history of ATCs (Arts Trading Cards)? I have looked at many, and used the term often without knowing their history and I was prompted to dig around a little.

As objects and format they are a relatively recent phenomenon and I don’t think they would have take off quite the same way if not for the internet. Artists Trading Cards as a project was initiated by artist M.Vänçi Stirnemann who began trading sessions in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1997. ATCs (Artists Trading Cards) measure 2 1⁄2 X 3 1⁄2 inch or 64 X 89 mm. Apart from the format restriction this is the only ‘rule’ that applies to an ATC.

Wikipedia describes ATCs as “typically made on a base of card stock. However, ATCs have been created on metal, stiffened fabric, plastic, clay, glass, balsa wood, leather, embroidery canvas, acetate, heavy watercolor paper, and many other materials. The art on the cards can be done in any media: textile arts, pencil, watercolor, acrylic, oil, collage, scratch board, mixed media, assemblage, digital art, calligraphy, beadwork, rubber stamps, carved soft block stamps, pen and ink, colored pencil, airbrush, pastels, and many others - anything artists use.”

For any blog reader you will quickly encounter ATCs because they have become very popular as internet swaps. A key concept behind the original project was that ATCs were not made for sale but were traded with other artists either in person or by mail. They are intended to be a non-commercial.

Another key concept behind them, is that they are non-hierarchical. They step outside divisions (real or imagined) between high and low or fine and folk arts. Cards are generally traded one for one between people of all ages and artistic abilities. Artists generally sign and date the back of the card.

A brief history of contemporary Artists Trading Cards describing how the original concept developed and a description of the first Artist Trading Card Session in 1997 can be found here

Art in your pocket has published an article on ATCs and creating them. If you want to know a little more browse the contributions in the Gallery section of the Artist Trading Cards site and there are a number of ATC groups online. On Flickr there is an Artist Trading card group and the Illustrated ATCs site hosts a gallery, forum and swap gallery.

I am constantly drawn to them as a format but so far have resisted embarking upon making any simply because I don’t need another thing to become obsessed with but boy are they tempting!

 

Podcasts

For anyone spending a portion of our time in a studio podcasts are a real pleasure. The BBC have podcast a radio program which teases out the notion of ‘true’ skill. In other words a lifelong engagement with a skill or craft that results in  a high level craftmanship and asks if  there still a need for the craftsman’s ethic.

So next time you are working in your studio perhaps this BBC podcast will stir your thoughts a little.

Another podcast site which is really interesting is the podcasts from Museum of Modern Art in New York. These are discussions with artists, and curators who talk about their reactions to works of contemporary art

 

A call to collage and mixed media artists

I am not sure about you I know in between the bustle of Christmas and holiday season planning I am thinking about next year.
Virginia Spiegel is too as she has announced her latest fundraiser for the American Cancer Society on her blog.

Collage Mania II will be held in 2008 in early May. Scroll down this page for details.

As you can see this is a collage challenge as all materials are acceptable, but collages should contain some fiber (paper, fabric, or other fibrous material). This opens the doors to paper artists who may want to participate in Fiberart For A Cause. If you want to see some more eye candy from last year have look here

Image details:
Artist: Virginia Spiegel
Title: July 14
Size:8 in. h x 5.5 in. w
Materials: Tissue paper, rice paper, acrylic paint, ink.
Mounted on 8 in. w x 10 in. h Bristol board, signed, and dated
Copyright Virginia Spiegel