Dear ambit I just thought I would let you know about a new venture inititated and run by Static in liverpool, in response to Malcolms comments.
The Static pamphlet has come about to provide a forum for immediate responses to art and culture and to hopefully create a place for in depth critical discussion. www.static-ops.org/pamphlet.htm Interesting in relation to the idea of electronic networks and more intense forms of critique. Lucy >Subject: Re: <ambit> what do we want? >Date: Sun, 22 Jun 03 17:19:33 +0100 >From: Malcolm Dickson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "gair dunlop" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >An intention foremost in our minds in doing the last couple of >issues of Matters - I think I can speak here for my co-editor - was >to help generate some discussion around the very issues you pick up >on Gair. The Opinions sections of issues 16 dealt with art education >and the notion of the ideal art school, and the Opinion section in >issue 17, rather mistakenly titled 'Widening the Net' took the >opportunity to get artists viewpoints on what has inspired them when >they have went to events or undertaken projects abroad, or at least >outside of Scotland, which then begs the question as to whay we lack >here to make things a bit more happening. In that respect it is >similar to the intent of the ambit discussion list (please also >note Iliyana Nedkova's article on 'artist-run electronic networks', >which could also stimulate some more discussion on this list I >think on the issues of terminology around 'artist-run' as distinct >from, well, 'not artist-run'). The most pertinent issues ! >are still discussed in the pub or similar safe social scenes, but >debate is muted in the public sphere and critical instincts >moderated by the demands of career (this is not a self-righteous >accusation, it is a condition applicable to all in varying degrees, >be they curators, gallerists, critics and artists). > >I dont think however that its as simple as Gair identifies: > >> I think there are as ever 2 schools of thinking which nonetheless >>overlap; whether to > create a >>base where our work can be shared and understood and displayed within >>Scotland itself, or whether to go with the pragmatic flow alluded to in Neil >>Mulhollands' article: that scottish gallerists and curators being a more or >>less conformist bunch, the way to get ahead at home is to get around abroad. >>The situation is complicated by the political retreat from arts funding in >>general. > >The grass is always greener on the other side. It is too easy to say >that all gallerists lack risk-taking, as many people, artists and >facilitators have been struggling to get new approaches recognised, >legitimised and supported at a higher level. Whilst I am constantly >frustrated at the seemingly limited aiblity of some to look beyond >their own axis, there is at the same time a diversity of practice, >depth of engagement, and willingness to experiment that is in stark >contrast to the marginal position of media arts on the one hand and >a critical culture in general. The absence of a magazine for the >visual arts which can be critically distanced on the one hand, but >partisan on the other has had an effect on practice I think (which >is not to belittle the key role for Variant in embracing viewpoints >not given a platform anywhere else, but to say we need more forums >through the published medium). > >I like Julian Stallabrass' analogy (in Hi Art Lite) when he talks of >criticism and its aim to �map galaxies or clusters...� - a good >reason for a magazine I think. > >The Mulholland article raises more questions for me about what it is >trying to say rather than clarify any emerging identifiable traits >in current art practice... but then is that its point? Look forward >to hearing other people's views on this. > >Best >Malcolm ===== Web site : www.itchyfingers.org __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------- a m b i t : networking media arts in scotland post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] archive: http://www.mediascot.org/ambit info: send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and write "info ambit" in the message body -------------------------------------------------
