contemporary art: idea over process

An article in the Boston Globe yesterday discussed the current situation of art nowadays and how the idea is much more important than the process of art-making. Since the "invention" of conceptual art, art became more object and product oriented. Everything was based on a philosophical stance or explanation. This is what Tom Wolfe also called "tenure art" during his closing speech at the 10th year anniversary of the Derriere Guard.

It's true that I find it disappointing to attend a gallery/museum show or exhibit and know that the large drawing on the wall is some concept thought about the "artist" and the idea was executed by "assistants" who are really gallery employees. Many painters still practice this way of working in their studios and workshops, such as Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst. They instruct and provide directions while younger artists who are trying to make their own art but need to pay the bills execute the work. As the article mentions, Rubens and I believe, Raphael, had their studios full of assistants helping them execute their work. I don't agree that the artist's hand should be removed from the process and though the modern world may justify the practicality in having your assistants transfer a drawing for you, or trace a "reproduction" of your work, providing an idea to museums with instructions on how to build the art object is going too far.

What does the audience feel? Do they feel fooled? However, many collectors buy into it and money talks. As an artist, especially since my focus in on representative art, studying technique of draftsmanship based on 19th Century ateliers, I find the trend disturbing. Have we reached the point of no return? I think there is a place for everything, but after leaving the world of installation art to concentrate on painting and painting really well, I wonder where this will all lead to. I love contemporary images and pictures, but when do we rebel and define our limits? Does technique still have a place in the contemporary art world or will it forever be seen as passé?

an army of floats

Walking along 81st St and Central Park West, you see half blown floats slowly filling with air. I walked by and gawked at the tourists and the floats slowly taking in their fill of air for the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade. It's like they're slowly gathering and getting ready to take over the city at sunrise.

Tomorrow, I should finally sleep in since it's such a rare chance. However I'm a little tempted to actually attend the parade. I've only been once, and that was special because I was actually IN the parade. No one would have recognized me as I was one of the clowns. My friends don't even recognize me in the pictures. It was pretty fun being in a mask of sorts in one of the biggest traditions of the country.

Other than that, I've only seen the parade on TV growing up. I wonder if I should wake up early with my sketch book. It's a perfect opportunity to sketch some studies. I guess I'll see how I feel.

[dilemma of the painter/poet...artist]

a big dilemma of the artist is their parents. i think many of us often wrestle with the emotions from the fact that our parents want us to come home. we run away to big cities like new york, paris, berlin to find ourselves and when we do, we realize that we like where we are or where we are going and we don't want to go home but keep going forward. we run after this (un)attainable, romanticized dream to write the great american novel, paint the ultimate masterpiece, become a rockstar, contruct a book of poems that will transcend and help bring Poetry back into the hands of the people. but the truth is, many parents wonder when we will outgrow this "phase" and finally come home. many think once we find ourselves, we will fly back to the nest.

and it's not always true that all artists escape home and runaway. many would like to return to the nest, but it is not an option. we wonder if we are being selfish, but really we know deep inside that it's self-sustaining. we are running toward the end of the rainbow and though we may or may not be disillusioned by what is found there, the journey is what keeps us going. and this is life. this is why we continue to wake up every day. there have been many artists' letters where the artist expresses this dilemma and write home expressing what they've discovered, explaining why they must stay and will not be returning home just yet, if ever. these letters document how difficult it is to deal with these emotions and to mend the rift caused by their "great escape".
and even if parents wait hopelessly for their child to leave this childish dream behind and finally get a real job, or if they convince their child to come back and write or paint in the attic, the truth is as difficult as it is, it's worth the stay. there may be no heat and there are days we live off coffee and cigarettes, but isn't it worth it?

Michael Ondaatje/Asian American Writers' Workshop

An Evening with Michael Ondaatje
Thursday, October 25, 2007
6-7:30 pm Private VIP cocktail party ($100)
7:30 pm General public reading, Q&A and booksigning ($15)
Tickets at 212.494.0061

@ Moti Hasson Gallery
535 West 25th Street (btwn 10th and 11th Avenues)
Chelsea art gallery district, Manhattan

The Asian American Writers' Workshop presents an exclusive event featuring
Michael Ondaatje, award-winning author of The English Patient (Knopf, 1992),
Anil's Ghost (Knopf, 2000), poetry collection Handwriting (Knopf, 2000) and
other major, internationally-renowned works. Michael has selected and will
read from his favorite passages, including his latest novel, Divisadero
(Knopf, 2007), and will discuss the impact of film, mixed media and moving
images on his writing. Audience Q&A to follow.

Ticket info:
VIP and general tickets may be purchased only over the telephone with a
credit card through the Workshop. Please call 212-494-0061. Tickets will be
held at the door under your name. A limited number of student tickets are
available for purchase in-person, in advance with current ID for $7 at the
Workshop (Tuesday - Friday, 12 noon - 7pm). There will be no tickets
available at the door as we will sell out. All proceeds from the event
support the Workshop, a 501(c)(3) non-profit literary arts organization.

This event is offered in partnership with The Consulate General of Canada -
New York, The Rema Hort Mann Foundation and Moti Hasson Gallery.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please call the Workshop at
212.494.0061 or click .

literary reclusion

As if you couldn't guess where I stood on the matter, I think literary reclusion should be a more common occurence. Others in our fame-obsessed culture are skeptical about it, think it's some PR tactic in developing a fan base or a way of getting the spotlight by avoiding the spotlight. Are these writers playing hard to get or using some literary reverse psychology to attract their readers? I think not. Maybe, just maybe, their novel or short stories are just that good. Perhaps the work is enough and defies the modern cult of me me me. Read the article, it's interesting.

PS-And if you don't know or haven't heard of these writers, you've either been living in a cave or perhaps they have succeeded in avoiding the spotlight. (As opposed to, say, Paris Hilton. And if you haven't heard of Paris Hilton, then you do live in a cave.) Point is, look these authors up and read them.

poem by Anne Sexton

For God While Sleeping

Sleeping in fever, I am unfair
to know just who you are:
hung up like a pig on exhibit,
the delicate wrists,
the beard drooling blood and vinegar;
hooked to your own weight,
jolting toward death under your nameplate.

Everyone in this crowd needs a bath.
I am dressed in rags.
The mother wears blue.
You grind your teeth
and with each new breath
your jaws gape and your diaper sags.
I am not to blame
for all this. I do not know your name.

Skinny man, you are somebody's fault.
You ride on dark poles --
a wooden bird that a trader built
for some fool who felt
that he could make the flight. Now you roll
in your sleep, seasick
on your own breathing, poor old convict.

                                                            -ANNE SEXTON

why a hammer?

So another piece of artwork was attacked with a hammer, this time at the National Gallery of Art, in D.C.. They cannot speculate on the motive of this criminal act, the glass was broken, as well as part of the canvas underneath. The spokesperson says it can be repaired. Now, they're tightening up on security measures -- as if we needed more of those.

Besides the high popularity of the sitter and the artist, this is my only speculation on why someone would have wanted to attack a piece of art. It is considered as one of the National Gallery's important pieces in their collection.

My questions is: Why is it often done with a hammer instead something say, like, a crowbar, a Maglite flashlight, or a cane? A hammer isn't a common object to be carrying around in your bag and isn't less conspicuous than, say a Maglite. I guess, a crowbar would bring a raised eyebrow from anyone, and a hammer is insured to complete the job, whereas a Maglite wouldn't. Imagine an attacker running with a mad look on their face, like one of those actors in the movie Braveheart, and barely chipping their target, then getting arrested for criminal attack.

Art attacks in history (with a hammer):
- January 2006, Marcel Duchamp's Fountain, Paris (note: the same attacker also urinated on the piece when it was exhibited in Nimes, so he clearly had an obsession with Duchamp's urinal. In fact, he considers it performance art. Any thoughts from performance artists on this?)
- October 1997, Andres Serrano's Piss Christ, Australia (8 times! Did they know that the attack actually brought more publicity to something they didn't want to exist? I think not.)
- May 1972, Michelangelo's Pieta, Vatican City

Art attacks in history (not necessarily with a hammer):
- July 2002, marble statue of Margaret Thatcher, London (Okay, a cricket bat.)
- December 1999, Chris Ofili's The Holy Virgin Mary, Brooklyn
- October 1997, Andres Serrano's Piss Christ, Australia (The day before those teenagers attacked it with a hammer 8 times. Again: Did they know that the attack actually brought more publicity to something they didn't want to exist? I think not, again.)

Conclusions
On why people choose to attack art:
- Attackers may want their 15 minute claim to fame, and instead of making a masterpiece they'd rather attack a popular piece of art.
- Religious or political reasons.
- Madness. (eg/ Laszlo Toth)

On why with a hammer:
It does the job.

On visiting museums:
Bring your pencils and drawing pads, leave the hammer at home.