Now, I think those two words, installation and performance, mark accurately the shift in attitude toward a rejection or sense of abandonment of an experimental, modernist, position which had prevailed up to about, lets be generous, up to about 1968-1969, and began gradually becoming less and less energized. So, I think what you’re getting there is the flavor of modernist exhaustion and incidently a return to earlier prototypes, or models, of what constitutes art. And it’s no accident that the majority of most performance nowadays, there’s not much installation anymore, by the way, the majority of those performances tend to be of an entertainment, show biz, song and dance, in which the focus is on the individual as skilled presenter of something that tends to have a kind of self-aggrandizing, or at least self-focusing, purpose. It is artist as performer, much like somebody is an entertainer in a nightclub. And they’re interesting. Some of them are very good. I think Laurie Anderson is very good. She’s got all the skills that are needed in theater, which is what this is. Many others who jump on the bandwagon, coming from the visual arts, have no theatrical skills, and know zilch about the timing, about the voic about positioning, about transitions, about juxtapositions, those moment by moment occurrences in theater that would make it work. But it’s another animal, whether good or bad, from what we were doing, and I think, in general, even the good ones are a conservatizing movement.
- Allan Kaprow, 1988 (full interview is here)
17 comments:
not trying to get traffic to my website or blogsite...however I did read your profile information as you requested. I found it to be quite a performance on its own.
I won't post my sites with this comment. Just a say that this performance interests me enough to look further.
greta
The way the photograph looks reminds me of this amazing photo that was taken of my friend for a project. My cousin is a photographer and it looks similar to what she does. I actually draw and paint myself, but I could never do something like this.
This picture look like past products.
It's look like feel old experience.
Really a nice photograph.If we see in normal eye, we can say its a store room for the tyres.The photography can make a lot of difference.
that's art, looks like a landfill of tires
What a fantastic interview. Really love his work.
-johnjosephbingham.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Joseph-Bingham/117814348297851
Truly, somehow the world left back it's experimental modernist side, and deepened itself into more steady grounds. If we think, modernism has appeared and is seen as a comparison with the past, as seen as more advanced than the past, and thus, requires a past to compare with. This experimental fever of continuous experimentation, and crisis (seeing crisis as a state of critic, where you critically try to anticipate what to do) has some sense in a modernist way of constant interrogations and testing, but indeed, thing get (how should I say) "Boring"...
Today, art is more direct in objective, and not saying that it wins with that (because you never know if it is actually loosing with that), but it became a contemporary conviction to reach something more "complete".
Still, experimentation still got an important place in all art, and if not used, it only looses with that. With experiments, you can check and recheck the options that can be offered, and not simply make the direct decision (that might not even be the best decision. Who knows...).
But it is weird. I study fine arts at FBAUP (Portugal), and I feel that I am in an experimental field with loads of installation works. So to say, I feel the contrary of what you said...
But then again, I'm studying... In that same experimental phase of Art and Art career. It may be my own conviction to see experiments it as a popular way of doing Art.
PS.: But maybe there were more reasons why art became more direct (in technique). Maybe it was because Experimental got exhausted, maybe because of the introduction of new media... Maybe because of capitalism and capital Art Market that required finished works more frequently... I don't want to end up in any conviction so, I must leave this field open...
Regards
Ricardo Pereira
It look like feeling an old experience.The way the photographer makes us reminds us amazing photo that was taken of my friend and it really give us a good impact.Nice work done.
Wow, I would be terrified if I was the man in that photograph. I'd be scared to be swallowed up by tires!
The Arts of New York City are alive!
That's a lot of rubber to burn.
There is a tyre shop down my road that looks like that
The problem with installation art is that it is usually high concept combined extremely poor quality execution. And while (some) installations make us think, we aren't thinking for very long after experiencing them. In other words, they have immediate impact due to size or shock value, but the sensation isn't lasting unless you stay with the work. The work doesn't stay with you.
When an installation has a strong or clever concept and it also has a good quality execution, it can win over viewers and make a lasting impression, but even those factors don't guarantee success. Mostly it's timing and environment that really push it further.
Personally, I've seen extremely few installations that reach this type of pinnacle. Sadly, most are just a room full of junk with a desperate artist flailing about. And then, if they're lucky, they get written up in ArtNews with some clever text that absolutely nobody is paying attention to.
dosnt have much on Chris Burden
check out these videos and youll see why
http://toobbox.com/playlist/chris-burden--8192
That's alot of tires. I'm gonna look at your blog for a bit to see if I like the art.
this picture is really interesting! really nice photograph and i wish i could capture such a good photograph!
These photographs really devour my attention. I have never seen anything like this before. It shows the excellent skill of the photographers. One can find more stuff at the http://www.fineartathome.com
I really like the black and white photo of the tires the composition is great i think the man looking at the cammera too i think works really well thanks for posting! :D
http://myowngraffitiappreciation.blogspot.com/
Post a Comment