Sunday, May 18, 2008

Less art


At times it seems the smaller the intervention, the better.
No, I do not mean to follow a minimalistic path, at least not now.
Minimalism, to me, has a lot to do with purity, that is, starting from a point of nothingness and adding just the right touch.
What I'm thinking is more along the lines of accepting the impurity - starting from a point of overwhelming reality and accepting it. Then, the right touch is really just a point of focus, a frame. Was it Oiticica who walked around with his admirers and made art by simply pointing at objects, thus giving them their artness? Still, even this gesture seems like too aggressive, too intrusive. Is it the art-element that makes all tools (all ways of dealing with what appears to us) seem bulky and outdated? Or is it the over-confidence we have when pointing? Isn't this the pleasure of all the YouTubes and darling amateurs? The certainty of some basic form of humbleness?

At times it seems the smaller the intervention, the better.
Yet, I often wonder where does this leave me as an artist. Once I admit a view of some apparently insignificant piece of reality can be a more enriching experience than any work of art, how can I claim anything about my own work, other than the "need" to do it? Doesn't that reveal the horribly narcissistic character of art? But what if I do not want that? If I actually wish to be in harmony with my own tastes? Where does that leave me?
All the above pictures are by Will Simpson at Loshadka, and are part of the You Are Healed series.

(via)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have taken great freedom by declaring every art work I've made to be ultimately inexcusable. But you're right, there's much humility to be experienced from a steady diet of brilliant things made by people who don't declare themselves artists.

Anonymous said...

are those really artworks!? i can't seem to see it!? all i thought it was blury photos.

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Coby said...

I so dream to be as insightful and knowledgable as you. Your blog is fantastic! I really enjoyed reading!

Anonymous said...

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Maelo Terkim said...

good blog

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