A while ago I aired my frustration about not being able to stay for the first (or even try to attend the second) Creative Practice Seminar organized by Zeitgeist Art Projects. Actually I had to leave when Jack Hutchinson began his introduction to digital networking, something I thought I should be interested in. Ideally I just want to make work, but that’s not enough if I want it seen, and given that due to M.E. I am mostly housebound and rarely go to private views, seminars, or workshops I need to find other ways of communicating. So no more agonizing about missing all those opportunities for networking with other artists, gallerists, curators, and how that affects if and how my work makes it into the world – time to try myself out in new ways.
I went home with Jack’s handout, which I dug out last week, intent on understanding what Twitter is about. Yeah, I’ve not tweeted before, felt skeptical about it, wondering if it has anything to do with my very slow, not-much-on-the-move life, but I’m making tentative moves now, as it’s short and to the point and ideally won’t drain my energies too much. Don’t want to use it though to spurt more nothings into the world - would like to find a way of making it meaningful. Torn between doubts about self-promotion and the realization that no-one will do it for me.
Some of my friends wonder why I put so much of myself and my meagre energies into making art, but I think it’s what’s keeping me going. Through the process of making art we connect, explore, question, understand, change and challenge – the stuff of life. And it’s not just a personal matter. In an article by said JH (once you’ve heard a name you find it everywhere, don’t you) in April’s a-n Magazine, Do Artists Have a Duty to Campaign?, Elizabeth Murton says: "I want 'artist' to be recognised as a valid career option and creativity as a valid thinking method. More importantly, I think art should be considered not in isolation, but with other specialisms. It is an enhancement to all ways of thinking and being, and not just a lifestyle choice. It is a tool for enhancing life." We need it. The world needs it.
PS. Tried to link twitter button to blog, but gadget seems broke. Until it works again, this is my twitter id: @marjojo2004. Now I just need to learn how to tweet...
3 comments:
"Through the process of making art we connect, explore, question, understand, change and challenge – the stuff of life."
... I would most definitely agree. However...
Elizabeth Murton's "I want 'artist' to be recognised as a valid career option and creativity as a valid thinking method. More importantly, I think art should be considered not in isolation, but with other specialisms. It is an enhancement to all ways of thinking and being, and not just a lifestyle choice. It is a tool for enhancing life."
... suggests that 'artist' isn't recognised as a valid career option. What sort of validity does Elizabeth think that 'artists' need to attain, over and above what is already accepted? Ms Murton seems on one hand to advocate a heightened universal professionalism and on the other spurn its very existence.
Maybe this is answered on her web site (but I couldn't find it) or perhaps in the JH article on a-n.co.uk - I will never know, because I do not subscribe to a-n. Personally, I believe that splinter organisations that charge (even the lowest rate) for access to articles purely sharing in the interest of 'the stuff of life' and purportedly spreading the gospel of 'art', do little to help the cause of elevating the level of the profession to a form of deity - which appears to be the aim :) These are exciting times in both the traditional and digital visual environment. I see no barriers whatsoever for the activity and opportunities abound for anyone who wishes to promote themselves as an 'artist'. That in itself I fear is a an accident waiting to happen... no, in fact the 'crime scene' has been abandoned, the casualties are already manifest and multiplying. The freedom to communicate through all creative channels - well, we've never had it so good. The electronic arena makes 'art' super-marketable and has spawned many a superstar as well as many (as yet) undiscovered 'emergees' simply needing to plug into the social & micro-marketing networks.
After all this has enfolded, maybe then we will be in a position to consider the matter of respect regarding aesthetic contributions to 'the club'. It is of course likely that perhaps this will always be a matter of pure conjecture.
First of all: You can access Elizabeth Murton’s website by clicking on her name in my post and so gain more insight into her thought and work processes.
I chose to quote Elizabeth because I too think that the arts (and maybe even the humanities) tend to be seen as not quite a serious professional pursuit. There’s still the hobby-label to reckon with, and the kind of benefit/understanding an involvement with art can offer doesn’t seem to count for much, as it usually can’t be measured in monetary terms. This is underlined and exacerbated by cuts in art-funding, and in school-budgets too the focus is ever more towards vocational courses, where the arts don’t count.
Only a very small handful of artists earn a living from their art. We are often expected to work for free or minimal fees, mostly carry the burden of paying for delivery of work to a gallery, insurance, etc., which we do because we want our work to be seen and keep hoping that some day someone will buy a piece of work, even when usually not much comes back. Access to digital media in the end may not change that, but at least it’s an opportunity for communication, and a bit of promotion too. That’s not a bad thing, is it? If we don’t do it for ourselves, who will? But again, there’s no money in it. Not sure why you think there’s a ‘club’, and who might belong to it. a-n isn’t one, it is a valuable resource for artists, annual subscription available for thirtyodd pounds, doesn’t seem so much for what they offer.
Thanks for the reply... I went to the EM site before. I'm just saying that the comment didn't seem to be available there.
The substantial number of a-n subscribers indicates how attractive the proposition of 'artist' is, but I would merely suggest that much of the information relating to opportunities, professional & good practice', etc. are readily available online elsewhere at no cost.
About 'the club'. Yes I think that rather unfortunately 'art' has over a recent few decades, become even more incestuous. Just my humble opinion.
If discernment and judgement of artists more often matched their passion for fame, fortune and love... this would be a happy place :)
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