Garage Sale Find

According to several news outlets, a California man (Rick Norsigian ) claims to have unearthed a number of original Ansel Adams film negatives. The story from the BBC News can be read here.

Verification on the authenticity of these negatives is in dispute. People from both viewpoints have commented on this issue. From the article, it seems that the central theme of these arguments is whether or not Mr. Norsigian should profit from his find.

Establishing the dollar amount of any one work of art is often an inconsistent process. Many factors go into this decision, including the “brand name” of the artist. Artists’ names fluctuate in popularity just as companies on the stock market. I would add however, that this is unimportant.

I have often made the comparison between the visual arts and literature. Both are forms of communication, and they are both frequently used to tell a story. With regards to the visual arts, I think how that story is told and how the viewer responds to the story has far more value than a monetary sum. The same could be said for literature as well. While original manuscripts from authors have a high dollar amount, people don’t really purchase and trade these items. They are reprinted and people acquire their favorites because of the content.

To own a work of art, regardless of the media, only for its dollar amount is not a wise decision. If one enjoys the work, let that be the reason to own it. Do you agree?

Juried Art Shows

My work was recently accepted for an upcoming juried art exhibition. I am very excited about this, but feel I must also address the nature of juried art shows. Usually these shows are juried by a panel of experts or one individual art professional. Although firmly established, this process seems somewhat arbitrary. For this show 230 works were submitted, and only 33 were accepted. I understand the idea of promoting only the best work, but should this determination be made by only one individual or group?

Art, especially my art, is used as a means of communication, and I strongly feel that the best messages are conveyed to a broad audience. If work that is meant for a large spectrum is only viewed by a select few, is the message really being sent? These are open ended questions. I don’t really believe this process is going to change, nor am I certain that it should. These are just thoughts to consider as an artist. What is your opinion?

Art on reality TV

I wanted to comment on this last week, but did not get the opportunity to do so. Last week the Bravo network unveiled a new reality show. This show entitled “The Next Great Artist” has a number of people competing on a weekly basis to win $100,000 and a solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. The specifics, and TV schedule can be found here.

I have to say that I don’t watch much TV, and the shows I do occasionally see are not reality-TV-based. Back when “American Idol” first premiered, and everybody went crazy over it, I was puzzled. I hated it. I couldn’t understand why anyone would tune in. At the same time I thought to myself, what if they weren’t singers but rather visual artists competing for gallery representation? Would that make it better? Would that be something I would want to try myself?

Now that someone else has come up with this idea, and actually put it into production, I can say with conviction that this is something I would not be interested in pursuing. Reality TV is far too kitschy to have any real impact. I think this true for all the reality based TV shows. Previous winners of “Project Runway” do not have influence in the fashion world, “Iron Chef” winners aren’t world class cooks, and even the winners of “American Idol” fade from the public memory. These types of programs work for entertainment purposes, but serious minded artists, chefs, singers etc. will need to travel the road from obscurity on their own.

Secondly, art is a process that develops from thought. An artist spends a good deal of time thinking. Great art is about an issue, or an idea, or some message that is trying to be communicated. This is where creativity takes shape. How the artist can best communicate his/her idea most effectively is something at the forefront of what the artist is doing.

The type of art produced for this TV show stifles creativity. Rather than focusing on the issues, these artists are going to try and figure out how to cater to the judges. It is interesting to note that the same could be said of art schools. In that environment, art students attempt to cater to their teachers. The end result in both examples is the same; mediocre art. What makes art schools more acceptable is that the creativity of art students is controlled for intellectual and developmental purposes. The same could not be said for the TV show, and I expect the level of work produced to reflect this. Please share your comments, and I’ll see you next time.

Sketchbook, Art, Art projects.

The post for this week is a sort of promotion. I have entered a project that exhibits artist sketchbooks on a permanent basis in the Art Library of Brooklyn. The full project has been developed by the Art Hose Coop, a not-for-profit arts organization. I have participated in some of their projects in the past, and they are a pretty good organization. If you would like to find out more, or participate yourself, the information can be found here.

There are several themes available to the artist participating. The theme selected is up to the artist, however participants can also ask to be randomly assigned. I selected the dirigible and submersible theme. I'm not sure how I will fill an entire sketchbook addressing this idea, but it should be fun coming up with something. What are your thoughts? Which theme would you have selected?

Mark Bradford

The post for this week is about the artist Mark Bradford. He was a recent recipient of the MacArthur Genius Award. An interview from The Art Newspaper was conducted, and can be read here.

Bradford's work is interesting in that he assembles media found on the street into layered imagery. The result is meant to explore issues of community, street culture, and society. Bradford is the one of the few contemporary artists that shares my view on art, how it can be used for communication and how it can be used to build community. I am not a fan of installation art, but Bradford has recently been involved in a series of installations that reflect and interact with the communities in which he is presenting. The above article explains more specifically what he is doing. What are your thoughts? See you next time.

Book Review

This book, edited by Steven madoff looked at where art schools have been, and what type of art and artists were produced as a result. Madoff also explored how an education in art could be changed to meet the diverse needs of the 21st Century. If you would like to read a copy of this book, it can be purchased here. The nearest library with a copy can also be found by entering the title here.

The author described how the majority of those who studied art (particularly those who earned M.F.A. degrees),later became instructors or teachers of art. His argument was centered around the idea that if artists were to become teachers, they should be more prepared and adept to the many resources and tools available to communicate the lessons of art. He added that this was not happening, and as a result art works have become lackluster in quality.

Madoff was succinct in his writing, and it was not difficult to follow his thoughts. His observations on what happened to students when they left art school were particularly interesting. I agree that the majority become educators and I would add that as educators, these artist/teachers have perpetuated a flatness that has affected the art world in recent decades.

Art has long been a descriptor for the societies that produced it. If art in this century is to maintain a significance, change in how artists learn and think should be considered. Please leave your comments,and I'll see you next time.

Art Fairs

I recently entered a local art show/fair for third time. Some artists that I know refuse to display their work in art fairs. They have said that it's too local, too small-time, and the quality of work represented is not very good. I'm not sure this is a correct assessment, but I will take any opportunity to show my work.

I think that generally speaking the work found in local art shows (regardless of the region in which you live)does tend to be of poor quality. However, I am also of the opinion that much of the art in recognized gallery settings is also lacking great value. The bigger issue, at least for me, is the opportunity to have your work seen. The more you show, the more you will be recognized. I would add that one never knows who is going to show up at these shows, and what exhibition opportunities may result. Art is a form of communication and the more venues used to this end, the better.