'I'm always looking for the Hows and the Whys and the Whats,' said Muskrat, 'That is why I speak as I do. You've heard of Muskrat's Much-in-Little, of course?'
'No,' said the child. 'What is it?'
- The Mouse and his Child. Russell Hoban.

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Tuesday 4 August 2015

Art is a Job


18 comments:

  1. Back in my teaching days I always used to stress the above. I also used to add that one should always do one's very best work at all times.

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    1. Thank you Cro. Yes, I do my best.

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  2. It is also a language which everyone has the right to speak, but not all take the trouble to learn. In Britain, the government is planning to take art off the curriculum for schools as being a waste of time. Up until now, children - who are natural born artists - have had the talent beaten out of them by education.

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    1. Yep Tom. It's very easy to squash love of any form of learning in some schools... In New Zealand science is also not a core learning area either. Equally lamentable.

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  3. I liked the sense of humour of the Christchurch Wizard who many years ago petitioned the Christchurch City Council to have himself declared a Living Work of Art. After attracting the eye of an authentic working artist and featuring on this esteemed Blog recently as 'Eye Candy' I am considering following the Wizards example.

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    1. These days he would be considered a work of art. And every time he stood up would be considered Street Art or Performance Art. Times have changed. Have you seen the latest resolutions by Creative New Zealand? Under them, he could probably get funding for his … work.

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    2. And I am not entirely against this /\ above either.

      But I do not think SLOPPINESS in ANY art form can be nullified by even the strongest concept in the world.

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    3. I guess Attitude and Intention takes a part in the making of any work of art, and am I correct in stating that this is what you are implying? Sloppiness certainly seems to be a part of say a work by Jackson Pollock (He certainly slopped the paint on!).

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    4. Yes. By sloppiness, I rather sloppily meant lack of skill.

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  4. I think I would prefer the statement "Art can be work."

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    1. Geeb, I would too.
      But therein lies the rub. If art making is not seen as work, how can we: a) be taken seriously? b) take ourselves seriously? c) get paid enough to live on? d) compete with a plumber?

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    2. I don't think, Kate, that you can compete with a plumber. Market forces and reality are such that our need for plumbers in our modern lives is greater than our need for artists. Of course it's not quite that simple is it? If everyone wanted art and every artist produced that which was wanted instead of that which artists produce then it would be a job and artists could complete with plumbers. I don't think, though, that people are ever going to feel like that en masse and most artists produce what they produce and not necessarily what people en masse want.

      If, for example one takes Jack Vettriano the public loves him and buys his work and he makes more than a plumber. In his previous incarnation as an artist he produced work some say was 'better' but wasn't marketable to the masses.

      It's all very complicated and I'm only just having my morning cup of hot water and lemon so my brain may not be at its best. On the other hand this might be its best.

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    3. If art is defined as that which is painted onto canvas etc, framed and hung in a gallery then market forces will dictate that there are only so many paintings that will be sold every year, and competition in this sub market of art will be intense. But if a broader view is taken then it could be said that "The Arts" contributes countless millions of dollars to every countries economy every year. Carpet design, wall paper design, the sculptural qualities of everything from cars to furniture, the design qualities of everything from Haute Couture to house design to almost every aspect of what is produced by an economy is mediated through someones artistic ability. Artists and art works on all levels are inextricably interwoven into our culture.

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    4. Absolutely Alden. I was referring just to what may generally referred to as 'fine arts' as purchased by the public.

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    5. And then we could talk about conceptual art and Marcel Duchamp.

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  5. Marcel Duchamps art has been useful to me for two reasons. First his art begs the question "What is art?" which helps me define my own artistic or philosophic answers. But also his juxtaposition of non related "found objects" draws my attention in a more intense way to the objects themselves. Objects in predictable places are often ignored visually - but if (as Duchamp has done) you mount a bicycle wheel upside down on top of a small stool, the objects themselves are bought into stark relief and are seen in a new and novel way - taken out of their utilitarian context we can see that simply as objects they have form, dimension and even beauty!

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  6. As for conceptual art - why not? Here's one for you:

    "Okains Bay, Banks Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand, - On the beach at Sunrise, 10th August 2015"

    I know the visual experience will be great, no matter what the weather and it's free!

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    1. I only wish that I could be there to experience it Alden.

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