Questions about ethics and sociology. Hmmmm……… September 15, 2007
Posted by Netty Gritty in Bloglady bares her soul, Sanjida Shaheed, art, horoscope, more about me!, personal, random, thoughts.trackback
My horoscope for today says I have such questions! Although I am not a believer in Horoscope it often helps me look at things from a different perspective. We humans like to be talked about ourselves. It’s an ego thing!
You have serious questions about ethics and sociology and it’s important that you do equally serious research. You’re apt to make up solutions that little grounding in facts or history.
Today’s horoscope – like several few in the recent past – has actually inspired me to write something. I AM preoccupied with situationist ideas, nature of aesthetics, the history of the male gaze from the sociogical perspective, the evolution of women as image in media etc.
“Little knowledge is a dangerous thing”. You know, lately I have been scared to write artist statements. Cos “the author is dead” and when you write, you are also written. I guess serious research would have cleared my mind and boosted my confidence as well. But come to think of it, how is it possible to write down a living thing? It’s the same dilemma art historians are faced with concerning history of contemporay art. It is still evolving! And to learn about it you have to stick a pin through the heart, kind of like how biologists learn about butterflies. And it is hard to say I am this or my work is about this. Cos my ideas are constantly evolving! And to be able to stick a pin through the heart of my ideas I will have to kill them first!
And paradoxically, although a picture says a thousand words, at many art opportunities a written artist statement is the first step of being selected. In many cases the juries won’t even bother to look at your work if the artist statement is not intriguing enough.
Coming back to serious research….what are the worthy resources? Of course there are the obvious must-read books. But I am beginning to question the empiricist way of learning things. Most often, I wouldn’t know how to relate stuff I know through books to my regular everyday life. If everything in the universe is interconnected, there must be a way to relate everything to every other thing by comparing theories of multiple disciplines. I am yet to figure out a personal learning process that will enable me to do that. And unless I am thus ENabled, I won’t feel EMpowered enough to write an artist statement.
Well that’s my view. If you are an artist, I would love to learn about your viewpoint. And if you have something to share, always remember, you are free to express yourself!
well writing is what most artist use as a way to escape into their own world away from the problems and hard-ships that they encounter in life. The work of some artist are judged by the message that they are trying to convey to the observer/reader…
hi angellust
i believe it’s your first time here! welcome on board!
can’t say i totally agree with that escape thing. when an artist has to submit an artist statement, escaping doesn’t help!
Agree with you on that one Sanjida. I personally don’t “believe” in artist statements – because what is there to state? If you have to write down what you’re doing in your music, painting, etc. then what’s the point of playing or painting? You can just hand people the statement and say “Well you got it all here, black on white, don’t bother go thru my art and form your own opinion on the matter”.
Second, who says that an artist has to have a statement? I know the big trend today is that everybody does something for a reason or a bigger cause and they’re so goddamn eager to explain it to people in talk shows and what have you. But the fact is, that a lot of artists have only a vague idea of why they’re doing what they are doing, and that the final truth is that they’re doing it for no other reason than that they like it, or are unable do anything else. If they had a “statement” all worked out preliminarily, they might as well have become politicians or religious leaders.
Actually, I think the best way to make an “artist statement” is to get somebody else to do it. Seriously.
Having somebody else to describe you and your art does not put any bounds on your options to express yourself. It is merely their opinion and will count as such however close it may be to your own opinions.
Don’t know if it would work in practice, with an art selection jury, though.
Strictly it may not be an “artist’s statement” if somebody else writes it, but I still think it’s the best way for the artist to avoid restricting her- or himself.
Just my thoughts on the matter, interesting post
- Biyang Hansen
thanks biyang!
what a great comment! you know i kind of like the idea of getting it written by somebody else. suits me!
and so right……if you have a statement, become a polotician, ha ha
Sanjida, who says a writer isn’t an artist?
I wanted to be a fimmaker and a graphic novelist…I don’t want to haste down thoughts here and junk the place. I will write about these issues in my blogs and post a link here. And thus you get linked in my blogs too! 
absolutely no offense intended, life!
i was not aware whether writers have to do artist statements…..writer’s statements maybe, he he! i don’t think my readers’ output can junk this place! but do it in your way if that suits you!
[...] 20 09 2007 This post is written in response to a request made by Sanjida (read her post here)…thanks Sanjida, was searching for a stimuli which could steer me away from my usual tales [...]
Mademoiselle…the response. Posted here.
And mademoiselle, another response
posted here…
Still a couple to come!
life! this is great! keep it up!
but, sigh, i can’t read it now. i am off to submit my art for my exhibit! til later!
biyang offered a good perspective, even though i feel to an extent only the artist can truly understand his art and therefore would be the best person to explain it. i don’t how inspiration works with artists, but as a writer (of some sort) i’m inspired by thoughts and issues that mean something to me, and that is my reason for what i produce. i cannot write something out of the blue and not know why i wrote it; it would have no meaning to me.
I don’t really go for a statement as such, but I do think it’s important you have something to define what your work (or art) is about. People can speculate but you’re really the only one who knows exactly what inspired you, what you mean your work to represent. It’s great having somebody review your work and say what they got from it, but sometimes the differences can define you in the eyes of other people (their words make up someone else’s mind about you, if that makes sense). That’s something I’m uncomfortable with. But I can see why people would like to let their work stand by itself as well, so I guess it’s really up to the individual artist.
My inspirations usually come from something I’ve read or seen, but often a song lyric can strike me in a certain way, or something in nature, and they’ll inspire a whole different idea. I think as long as you’re open to looking at things in a different way, that’s the best way to learn and grow with experience… that’s my philosophy and it’s worked pretty well.
Btw, my horoscope said I’d be coming across a period of certain clarity of mind which I could use for a positive impact. Well, that hasn’t come true – I’ve still got writer’s block!
thank you sulz and cjwriter for sharing a piece of your mind with me. i agree that only i can talk about my work totally honestly and in a revealing manner. that’s a good point – something that i crave for when i read exhibition reviews. i guess the same applies to both!
cj, horoscopes can poke us once in a while, eh? btw, everyone faces a block once in a while! i’m sure it’s all part of the process! so don’t sweat it! all the best!
[...] Readers’ Underwords 22 09 2007 To continue with my response to Sanjida’s post, where responses are trickling in…with Sulz, Biyang Hansen, a ‘photowriter’ [...]
I can see at least a couple more.
[...] for the bad pun in the title. Continuing from my last post which was a bit incomplete (yes Sanjida, I was battling a drowsy brain too; I felt too sleepy); let me quote a gentle, caring, beatific [...]
And this post might look very unrelated (as the Love’s Ragpicker posts do)…but it is an instance of writing the experience of an artwork hinted in the post which is linked in my last comment.
In other words, talking about art in a different way than ‘artist statement’ or others’ commentaries.
Sanjida, the way I proceed into a thing, angels usually avoid. The worst part of my ‘intellect’ is that it lacks the THING. You never, actually, admitted the fact. I know almost nothing, read not a single book in many years, listened only to those music you have to on the street, and saw the visuals that we are fed everyday, regardless of our ‘choice’ or ‘taste’, as they are defined, I mean.
Again, it’s only jubaan that I can really handle well, and then only in Bangla. I have gone through a number of responses to and reflections on your post/query. And I found myself caught into the situation — positions and apositions, fluid and fantastic at the same time. The best way, as I found it, is to stick on to your post. At the end, if anything matters to me is the methodology, obviously as a supportive guide to the objective/s [of 'art', in this case].
You know, I have been clinically skeptical towards ‘art’, or rather to the [historical] reasons of art. So the very question you posed is, at first, a paradoxical one. Why does an ‘artist’ need to have an artist’s authority/psyche? Let’s not mention right now the mode of production — text or non-text. She, as a counteractive producer [mostly without agency in the modern mode of cultural production], can rather opt for her non-artist’s statement or an anti-art statement more precisely. Though with postmodernist provocation, this is how she can best serve/enhance/justify her production, I believe. Especially with the hype of the contemporary [global] agents, the mission of an artist can be, and need to be, is to enact the practices that precisely dismantle ‘art’.
On this assumption only, I do consider the main question. Then, can text be dissociated, by any means, from ANY form of cultural production? In this line, text is not only what you write under/beside your ‘art’work, but are the endless stream of thoughts that you pass through before, during, and after the particular piece of work. YES, ever-evolving. If we are strong enough, or even pathological enough, to forget the mode of exhibition [and exhaustion], then this is probably much easier to think about the text/statement. Contrary to what you had said, this has only a little connection with the books or theories [I mean specific reference]. Instead, one can proceed on with her own question. Why do you do a particular work? I think, this is as simple as that. The bare fact is that, in a channeled production system, more often than not, the ‘artists’ represent themselves in a set of ideas and concepts, mostly hypocratic and pre-noted. I don’t mean to undermine those exercises, at least to avoind being cynical and judgemental. My intention is to underline the principles by which the ‘artists’ technologize themselves into a definite trajectory, for say ‘artistic’ journey. Once we/you know the rules of the game, you may have the minimal authority to represent yourself.
Yes, representation is an act of disguise, but at the same time, it’s an act of construction of meaning too. It does matter to me. No matter as text or non-text, it contextualizes the text/s behind [and in front of] the subject.
At the end, this is a methodological question. And not a question of [lack of] knowledge.
Please do ignore me if my ‘text’ sounds meaningless, or demeaning.
Sincerely,
manosh
PostScript: I probably should mention, I am not into blogging. So actually I cannot even differentiate who posted what. I understand that Sanjida invited me in this discussion, but she might not be the author of the main text. But maybe she considers the text as important.
manoshda!
thanks for being here!
i’ll begin from the beginning…..
you are too humble!
i agree that it is about methodology and i have doubts about established notions of art too – but more so about art before dadaism. after dada art was liberated in a way that is conducive to liberal thinking/practice as far as art is concerned.
that dismantling thing of art started with dadaism and THAT is why i like the movement so much.
well, about books….the answer is both yes and no. true that only the artist can proceed to answer the question, but isn’t it also true that whatever she wants to sum up in words is also at least partially a part of all the bookish knowledge (the -logies, -isms) and help her give shape to her thoughts in a manner presentable to the third party?
and answering why i do a particular work is almost impossible. it’s like asking why you love someone. it’s never easy. it’s intangible and unquanifiable and refuses to be constrained within a specific answer.
but thanks for saying books don’t have much to do with it. you see, i haven’t read many must-read books so far… he he he!
manoshda,
the main text here IS written by me and yes, i AM interested to know what others think about the issue. that is everything that is literally black on white in this page IS written by me!
then begins the coloured section starting with the big heading “comment” and starting from here you have read my readers’ input!
blogging seems confusing at first – i was also one of the confused non-bloggers once!
Two Notes:
……………
Thanks Sanjida. I have to clarificatory notes. Reflexive too. So I quote you as well.
1. “…well, about books…true that only the artist can proceed to answer the question, but isn’t it also true that whatever she … sum up in words is also at least partially a part of all the bookish knowledge (the -logies, -isms) and help her give shape to her thoughts in a manner presentable to the third party?”
– The perspective comes through interactions. With books [thoughts we mean] of course, but more importantly with a large number of peer group people, at different stages, different work-places and throughout the life. And yes, thoughts are always being shaped [in perspective]. And there is no third party,if we are into a business.
2. “…and answering why i do a particular work is almost impossible. it’s like asking why you love someone. it’s never easy. it’s intangible and unquanifiable and refuses to be constrained within a specific answer.”
– That’s a nice way of saying it. But I am afraid that ‘love’ is too much complicated concept for me to accept as an analogy. Maybe some other concept could work better for me here. For example, ‘attraction’ or ‘lust’ [the negative connotation of this word couldn't really prevent me in using this concept as more viable analogy]. Maybe the answer is then obvious — comfort and company. For cultural production, concepts are everywhere. From inception to expression, from production to consumption. In that sense, ‘why’ at best refers to the act of unpacking the unconscious into a conscious linguistic surface.
Till next time … and with some of your recent work on the table.
thanks again, manoshda. hmm, maybe i was a bit too preoccupied with books, eh? it’s the result of a guilt trip – cos i haven’t really read too many must-read books, he he!
my work? ok, i am trying to get it in another blog. i don’t wanna show it here cos this place is meant as a place to talk, not exhibit. and as always, i am lagging behind!
An artist statement is more important for those who don’t understand art enough or the artists who can’t communicate properly trough their medium ………………….but some times only a written concept can be a artwork if it contains an artistic idea ……art is a super language….it always begins beyond the verbal or written explanation .
thanks rana!
so good to have you here!
and your reply suits me to a t!
every single bit of it!