Thank you.
Well said.
Meteorites are not toys for humans to play with.
Anne M. Black
www.IMPACTIKA.com
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks via Meteorite-list
<[email protected]>
To: Laura <[email protected]>
Cc: info <[email protected]>; meteorite-list
<[email protected]>
Sent: Thu, Aug 7, 2014 7:43 pm
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] "Meteorite" Sculpture by Katie Paterson
Hi Laura, Peter, Anne, David, List, Honorable Chairpeople,
In generating discussion, the artist has succeeded. If that was one
of the goals, then the artwork was a success in the eyes of some. We
are still talking about it, which I am not sure says more about the
art itself or the state of recent affairs (or lack of) in the
meteorite world...
(sales of all remelted non-widmanstatten iron artworks is hereby
suspended until further notice.)
I believe that we are all temporary caregivers for these cosmic
immortal rocks (and irons). They have existed since the birth of our
Sun and they will exist long after that same Sun is dead. We are a
part of these meteorites complex exposure histories. To far-future
researchers, we will be distant biological contaminants that briefly
influenced the chemical and physical weathering of these meteorites.
I feel it is our duty to curate our meteorites with a level of respect
and regard that is due to any creation that is billions of years old
and will exist for billions more. We should not make cutesy trinkets
from them lightly.
Considering that, the artist used a "common" meteorite and it's
destruction is no loss to the body of scientific knowledge. This is
not a case of someone grinding up Sutter's Mill stones to make
balding-cure snake oil. So, we can disagree with the artwork or the
treatment of the meteorite used, but we should not be completely
dismissive of it because it is causing no great harm to science or
meteoritics.
I wouldn't do that to any meteorite. It seems pointless to me and
artistic goals could be met using meteorites in a more respectful
manner. I have sold meteorites to artists and craftsmen who intended
to use them as a medium or part of the works, but I would not sell to
someone to planned to completely destroy the unique nature of the
meteorite. Attitudes vary, but art will always be art. I cannot say
what is art, but I can say that I do not particularly care for melting
down meteorites completely. They can never be restored and that does
represent a loss, if not to science, then to the cosmos as a whole.
(And a failure in our jobs as temporary guardians!)
Best regards,
MikeG
PS - I have seen some very artful use of meteorite, with some examples
by others on this List. So it can be done properly.
--
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On 8/7/14, Laura--- via Meteorite-list
<[email protected]> wrote:
Ok, so now I have to give my two cents...sense! I too do artwork
involving
meteorites, love the hunt, and collecting. I might note that "no
meteorite
was harmed in the making of my work!" (I don't even like the idea of
slicing
one into pieces, but that is my own issue, and it is done every day,
and I
own slices of them too!)
There are a few questions to ask, that if these found items are
raised up
to
a level that, we as creatures with opposable thumbs and conscience
thought,
elevate them to the point of greater importance, then has meteorites
become
something of worship for modern day society? If so, then what right
do any
of us have to claim ownership? Do they all belong in museums? What
good
does that one on your desk, shelf or locked up in the climate
controlled
safe do to the greater good, or is that self-indulgence at its
finest, or
just for profit? I suppose that if ownership is the case, then we
are by
right able to do whatever we desire, as it then belongs to the owner
to
keep
or shape into any existence we see fit. If for profit, then what
does it
matter what the new owner does?
Some questions that cross my mind are, "What is the purpose in this
artwork
and the end result?". I haven't read the full artist statement on
this
direct subject, but have visited her website, and her work is very
interesting, and consummate. So...Since this has developed into a
long
discussion with many views, that expand across the continents, then
the
artist has accomplished a great deal of awareness on the topic, and
on the
meteorite community and public. That is very difficult artistic
task, so
this is a success in many ways! Then the next question is does this
artwork
make a change, or create awareness. My answer to this is yes! So,
even
though I cannot bring myself to intentionally manipulate a meteorite
to the
point it is in a completely new form, I have to think her conceptual
ideas
are a success, and my meager attempts at education and awareness thru
artistic means needs to be revisited. And that too has created a
self-awareness in myself, and will create change. So, by right, I
feel her
work has done what art is truly about, and that is to create change
in some
form, be it reaction, action or conscience, be it to conserve or
preserve
the natural state moving forward, success!
Best Regards,
Laura Atkins
Art is the highest task and proper metaphysical activity of this
life. -
Nietzsche
-----Original Message-----
From: Meteorite-list
[mailto:[email protected]]
On
Behalf Of Peter Davidson via Meteorite-list
Sent: Thursday, August 7, 2014 5:21 AM
To: '[email protected]'
Cc: Meteorite List ([email protected])
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] "Meteorite" Sculpture by Katie Paterson
Daniel
No argument from me that we should leave the original entirely as it
was
found, no matter what that object is.
Yet, we see and read about this happening all the time. Across the
northern
part of England (and I mean England here and not the UK), the Romans
built
a
large structure (it is, or was, about 120km long and reached a height
of
3.5m) which has become known as Hadrian's Wall. It purpose was to
mark the
boundary of the Roman Empire at that time as well as act as a
defensive
barrier to keep those nasty Scots out (it failed and we got through
easily
enough!). Yet as soon as the Romans left, the local populace began to
plunder and remove its finely wrought stonework for use as building
stone.
From our viewpoint in 2014, we are rightly appalled that this
wonderful
work
has been plundered and destroyed to be remade into farm buildings and
walls.
Yet, who are we to criticise these people for utilising such a
wonderful,
ready-made supply of cut stone in order to enhance their lives
(believe me
life in that part of Britain would have been very hard - it still
is)? Also
are we right to criticise the Inuit for using metal taken from the
Cape
York meteorite (and possibly others as well) to fashion into harpoons
and
tools or indeed the ancient Egyptians for collecting Libyan desert
glass to
create jewellery for the Pharaohs?
Cheers
Peter Davidson
Senior Curator of Minerals
National Museums Collection Centre
242 West Granton Road
Edinburgh
EH5 1JA
00 44 131 247 4283
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Meteorite-list
[mailto:[email protected]]
On
Behalf Of Daniel Noyes via Meteorite-list
Sent: 06 August 2014 17:33
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] "Meteorite" Sculpture by Katie Paterson
Hi Graham, Peter and All,
I would agree that art can be a means to challenge existing concepts
and
perceptions. I think the rub in this instance is the recasting of the
meteorite, nature's art, into its own image; a human generated
meteorite
clone so to speak. To re-create it into something more removed from
itself
would stretch the creative boundary.
If one were to melt down an original Remington bronze sculpture and
recast
it as itself, does that really challenge artistic expression, and how
is
that different that the cheap "after" versions that one can buy that
are
imitations of the Remington original? Given the choice between an
original
work of art and its imitation, I'll take the original every time. I'm
not
saying there isn't some value in what Katie did, but I think the
genuine
meteorite would be more worthy of a trip to the space station...
Best regards,
Daniel
Daniel Noyes
Genuine Moon & Mars Meteorite Rocks
[email protected]
www.moonmarsrocks.com
-------- Original Message --------
Message: 6
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2014 20:40:22 +0100
From: Graham Ensor <[email protected]>
To: Peter Davidson <[email protected]>
Cc: "Meteorite List \([email protected]\)"
<[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] "Meteorite" Sculpture by Katie Paterson
Message-ID:
<cajkn+kyzojk+oqsty--esrnqyevjdklls0tzyww+nj+c9fr...@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Hi Peter/alas an artist myself working on more unusual projects with
the
Arts Council trying to find new ways of expressing ideas...trying to
stretch
the boundaries and asking "what is art?"...etc. I find this an
interesting
topic...I'm all for "art" doing what you say...but have a slight
conflict
here, being a meteorite collector and using much of what I know and
see in
meteoritics as inspiration for some of my own projects....there are
so many
at the moment just making/doing "art" to shock...and I don't really
think
that that is enough personally....and to be honest I'm not sure what
she is
doing is really very original...many artists have destroyed and
rebuilt
objects as themselves in the past in various ways....to me she is not
making
people think about the wonder of the object, where it comes from
etc...it's
more about herself....and her practice.
Now if she had prepared the meteorite in such a way to show off its
wonder,
or even just exhibited it in a gallery as is...rather than in a
museum...then that would have asked far more questions about what art
is,
or
what the object means...the recasting is not so much about the
object...it
is far more about the process and her own practice....I feel she has
said
far less by recasting it....but I suppose that's what art is
about....it's
more about the questions that a piece is asking than the answer.
Not sure what destroying something and remaking it in its own image
and
then
sending it back to whence it came (partly) is really saying.....only
those
who are wise about meteorites actually understand what aspects of the
object
she has destroyed....most of the general public/other artists etc.
will see
the object as unchanged!
Graham
On Tue, Aug 5, 2014 at 3:35 PM, Peter Davidson via Meteorite-list
<[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Lads and Lassies
Thank you to those who replied to the e-mail I sent about the
"meteorite"
sculpture by Katie Paterson which has been sent into space. To be
honest I
didn't expect a positive response and that is exactly what I got. I
attended
a talk by Katie last Saturday (2nd August) and I actually got to
handle
several of the meteorites she has recast. An odd and slightly
disconcerting
experience I thought. We got to chatting about possible future
collaborations but it remains to be seen what that might actually
turn out
to mean.
I have always believed that it one of the purposes of art (among many
other things) to challenge, shock and discomfort people and ideas by
presenting the familiar in a new and unfamiliar way - to make people
rethink
their ideas and to challenge them to take stock of their old values.
This
particular project does seem to have raised a few eyebrows and
rattled a
few
cages. I am mulling over the idea of asking Katie if I could present
these
items at Ensisheim one year.
Cheers
Peter Davidson
Senior Curator of Minerals
National Museums Collection Centre
242 West Granton Road
Edinburgh
EH5 1JA
00 44 131 247 4283
[email protected]
Discover the treasures of China's Ming dynasty at the National
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Ming: The Golden Empire, 27 June-19 October 2014, www.nms.ac.uk/ming
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Discover the treasures of China's Ming dynasty at the National Museum
of
Scotland.
Ming: The Golden Empire, 27 June-19 October 2014, www.nms.ac.uk/ming
National Museums Scotland, Scottish Charity, No. SC 011130 This
communication is intended for the addressee(s) only. If you are not
the
addressee please inform the sender and delete the email from your
system.
The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the
author and do not necessarily reflect those of National Museums
Scotland.
This message is subject to the Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act 2002. No liability is accepted for any
harm that
may be caused to your systems or data by this message.
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