Hi Helen, Dave & Netbehaviourists, This discussions reminds me of a billboard graffiti work heath Bunting did in Bristol in the early 90s, saying 'Most art says nothing to most people'. http://irational.org/heath/most_art_says_nothing_to_most_people_billboard_graffiti/
And yes -- it's still true. As many are aware the Venice Biennale also says nothing to most people. In regard to Jeremy Deller, his work itself may not necessarily be the issue, and as Helen clearly mentioned, it's more the system which is at fault. >I still reel from the time I was watching a video about homelessness in South >America (in the exhibition The Structure of Survival) in the same year while >a group of people around me were very loudly discussing how they could get >entry to Jay Jopling's 40th birthday party… Unfortunately, the Art world can be extremely, shallow and overwhelmingly lacking in depth. However, we could mistake the real picture of things by allowing the snivelling sycophants and those that support these false structures, as a guideline and measurement of what is really important. If we rely on the mainstream art institutions to represent our art culture, we will always be disappointed. We are then left with an art culture where artists are merely consumer brands, representatives and ambassadors of conventional taste, no matter how radical the contemporary art world or academic wisdom tries to pretend it is. “The more art meets the demands of business, governments and the super-rich, the more the promise of that freedom falters.” (Stallabrass) We are presented with a spurious version of art-reality, a false consciousness dedicated to the embodiment of a class where a filtering out of difference creates a homogeneity in which we are forced to see art much like merchandise in a shopping mall. Celebrity, genius and scarcity become the main selling points in established art venues and traditional art magazines. Gregory Sholette explores this in his book “Dark Matter: Art and Politics in the Age of Enterprise Culture”, proposing that art thrives in the independent and non-commercial sectors and the material produced by unrepresented artists, feeds the mainstream to sustain a few artists within the art world elite. He sees those ‘left out’ of the branding exercises prescribed by the corporate run, contemporary art world, as ‘Dark Matter’. He borrows the term “Dark Matter” from the science of cosmology, which refers to the immense quantity of non-reflective material that we cannot see out there, in the universe. In theory, this invisible matter makes up most of the universe, and is estimated to constitute 84% of the universe and 23% of it is mass energy. Like its astronomical cousin, artistic Dark Matter makes up most of the cultural universe in contemporary, post-industrial society. "Yet, while cosmic Dark Matter is actively being sought by scientists, the size and composition of artistic Dark Matter is of little interest to the men, women and institutions of the art world.” (Sholette) Sorry for quoting Stallabrass & Sholette, but what they propose I feel is relevant to the discussion. Wishing you well. marc > Hi Dave and Netbehaviourists > > It takes a lot for me to comment on things these days but I'm behind you here mostly Dave. > > I was at Venice Biennale in 2003 when there was actually a brilliant and brave exhibition curated by Hou Hanru Z.O.U Zone of Urgency. It didn't focus on the individual artist but was rather a packed environment that dealt with daily living and culture to create a both chilling and exciting environment cutting across national boundaries. It didn't go down very well with the critics but that year being the year of the war with Iraq was hailed as brave in its politicisation. I still reel from the time I was watching a video about homelessness in South America (in the exhibition The Structure of Survival) in the same year while a group of people around me were very loudly discussing how they could get entry to Jay Jopling's 40th birthday party (after a short two sentences about how moving the show was). Where the politics exist, it is an opportunity for people to absolve their conscience. They've seen the work, commented sympathetically, which makes them politically motivated.... > > Regarding Jeremy Deller, I actually think that he means what he says in his work and as you say 'he does it well'. But he has successfully negotiated the art market - does that mean he's a sellout? Probably yes. He probably thinks that it is good that he has been able to manoeuvre into this position and get on message. I probably feel like Dave on this one - not good enough...and it will just be bought by those people wealthy enough to buy it. However, I can't help but like the images I've seen. > > The bigger problem is Venice Biennale. Most people involved in the arts go there at some point whatever their thoughts about it (I've been twice and represented an artist once while not liking the experience much and I'm not alone) - it is an opportunity to network with a range of people (not just investment bankers). But for me it is a horrible sociopathfest in the name of art that mostly misses the point of what the power of art can be in a socio/political context. It was ok when there were outlets for experimental practice but visual arts has been reduced to community/wellbeing and/or the art market. Venice Biennale shows both with only surface gloss around concepts, ideas and sociopolitical issues. It's not that the work is not good, but it is the environment in which it is shown in and the complicity of the artist to that environment that is negative. There are always some great shows in Venice but it takes a lot and a "critical" mass to make it so. > > Unfortunately I suspect that art no longer occupies the Zone of Urgency. Some of its language does though and there are many on this list that are involved in activism and interesting art approaches. At the moment I really have to salute Mark McGowan for his work (which is some really hardcore performance) on politics in UK and of course Furtherfield who make it possible for people to post on this list in this way without worrying about a whole agenda about the history of media/arts and the key players in it. > > I have a couple of projects on the go at the moment for next year that I hope will broach some of these issues. More on that later... Meantime thanks for reading if you got this far. It's time we were more vocal. > > All the best > Helen > Helen Sloan > Director > SCAN > > On 28 May 2013, at 21:10, dave miller wrote: > >> or is it just fake rage? >> >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2013/may/28/venice-biennale-jeremy-deller-in-pictures#/?picture=409654763&index=2 >> and this... >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/may/28/venice-biennale-jeremy-deller-british-pavilion >> >> Maybe more like theft - an establishment artist stealing from the rest >> of us? He does it well though. >> Calculated fake political art that will most likely get bought by an >> investment banker, as for sure these will be good investments. >> >> dave >> _______________________________________________ > Hi Dave and Netbehaviourists > > It takes a lot for me to comment on things these days but I'm behind you here > mostly Dave. > > I was at Venice Biennale in 2003 when there was actually a brilliant and > brave exhibition curated by Hou Hanru Z.O.U Zone of Urgency. It didn't focus > on the individual artist but was rather a packed environment that dealt with > daily living and culture to create a both chilling and exciting environment > cutting across national boundaries. It didn't go down very well with the > critics but that year being the year of the war with Iraq was hailed as brave > in its politicisation. I still reel from the time I was watching a video > about homelessness in South America (in the exhibition The Structure of > Survival) in the same year while a group of people around me were very > loudly discussing how they could get entry to Jay Jopling's 40th birthday > party (after a short two sentences about how moving the show was). Where the > politics exist, it is an opportunity for people to absolve their conscience. > They've seen the work, commented sympathetically, which makes them > politically motivated.... > > Regarding Jeremy Deller, I actually think that he means what he says in his > work and as you say 'he does it well'. But he has successfully negotiated the > art market - does that mean he's a sellout? Probably yes. He probably thinks > that it is good that he has been able to manoeuvre into this position and get > on message. I probably feel like Dave on this one - not good enough...and it > will just be bought by those people wealthy enough to buy it. However, I > can't help but like the images I've seen. > > The bigger problem is Venice Biennale. Most people involved in the arts go > there at some point whatever their thoughts about it (I've been twice and > represented an artist once while not liking the experience much and I'm not > alone) - it is an opportunity to network with a range of people (not just > investment bankers). But for me it is a horrible sociopathfest in the name of > art that mostly misses the point of what the power of art can be in a > socio/political context. It was ok when there were outlets for experimental > practice but visual arts has been reduced to community/wellbeing and/or the > art market. Venice Biennale shows both with only surface gloss around > concepts, ideas and sociopolitical issues. It's not that the work is not > good, but it is the environment in which it is shown in and the complicity of > the artist to that environment that is negative. There are always some great > shows in Venice but it takes a lot and a "critical" mass to make it so. > > Unfortunately I suspect that art no longer occupies the Zone of Urgency. > Some of its language does though and there are many on this list that are > involved in activism and interesting art approaches. At the moment I really > have to salute Mark McGowan for his work (which is some really hardcore > performance) on politics in UK and of course Furtherfield who make it > possible for people to post on this list in this way without worrying about a > whole agenda about the history of media/arts and the key players in it. > > I have a couple of projects on the go at the moment for next year that I hope > will broach some of these issues. More on that later... Meantime thanks for > reading if you got this far. It's time we were more vocal. > > All the best > Helen > Helen Sloan > Director > SCAN > > On 28 May 2013, at 21:10, dave miller wrote: > >> or is it just fake rage? >> >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2013/may/28/venice-biennale-jeremy-deller-in-pictures#/?picture=409654763&index=2 >> and this... >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/may/28/venice-biennale-jeremy-deller-british-pavilion >> >> Maybe more like theft - an establishment artist stealing from the rest >> of us? He does it well though. >> Calculated fake political art that will most likely get bought by an >> investment banker, as for sure these will be good investments. >> >> dave >> _______________________________________________ >> NetBehaviour mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour > _______________________________________________ > NetBehaviour mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour > -- ---> A living - breathing - thriving networked neighbourhood - proud of free culture - claiming it with others ;) Other reviews,articles,interviews http://www.furtherfield.org/reviews.php Furtherfield – online arts community, platforms for creating, viewing, discussing and learning about experimental practices at the intersections of art, technology and social change. http://www.furtherfield.org Furtherfield Gallery – Finsbury Park (London). http://www.furtherfield.org/gallery Netbehaviour - Networked Artists List Community. http://www.netbehaviour.org http://identi.ca/furtherfield http://twitter.com/furtherfield _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
