Bead Devil
Bead Devil #1
Feb 5, 2005, 6:57 AM
Post #1 of 1
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Artists Statements: Do you need one for your "ART" ?
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This was deleted from about.com as well, and I posted it differently in the http://beadbanter.com forum. If you'd like to think about, and discuss the art there in a more polite way, you may. This is the no-holds-barred area.
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There have been a lot of nasty things said about "artists" in a closed thread, and a few other random messages.
It's really obvious, listening to the various posts, what the poster's own bias is, and what part of the country they are in.
Sometimes it seems to be jealousy, that someone is doing better than they are, with what they consider "inferior" products. But that's life. Learning to sell yourself, and your art, is part of being successful. Trying to build yourself up by tearing others down, is a very, very cheap means of attention getting. Usually, the rubble ends up falling on you, and burying you after awhile.
There also seems to be a lot of superficial demands by a large segment of the "jewelry" population. Specifically, what does the artist look like, what is their "statement", do they have a professional website, etc. Everything BUT what really matters. Do they have talent, and does their work look good. It doesn't have to inspire you, move you, or be held up to be the next Mona Lisa. It just has to be nice to look at -- after all, that is what jewelry is about. If someone would wear it, then it's good. If you wouldn't wear it, that does not make it "bad."
When it comes to art, the art has to speak for itself. If someone has to speak for it, either via a blurb, artists statement, a photograph of the artist, or anything else (like a gallery promo), it is severely lacking in it's own merit.
I don't care if the artist is a blind midget with one leg who paints with their 5 remaining toes while doing a handstand. I don't use that to qualify what is "art." I would say it's an accomplishment for that severely handicapped person, but it might not be "art" or art worth preserving.
Once you start getting artists statements, you start jumping into the realm of, quite frankly, bull shit. If you have come up with something to sell your work, then the work can't stand on it's own. Art needs to stand on its own. It needs to make its own statement. If it requires commentary, than it's editorial material.
I don't criticize someone for selling items at 10x what I could get for them. If they can get that price, all the better for them. PT Barnum was one of the wisest men of the last century. I do get upset over inaccurate facts and ego or opinion expressed as fact.
If the jewelry, or artwork, was unearthed 1000 years from now, would it be unable to speak for itself? Would it need to have a letter of explanation attached to it before anyone could appreciate it? If it did, it would not really have been worth unearthing. It wouldn't be art, it would simply be a product.
There are times when a work of art may need an explanation for full appreciation, such as something created in response to an event, or a memorial. But those are the exceptions, and a truly strong piece would need no introduction, or could stand on the merit of simply being included in a show with a certain theme.
When you go to a museum, and stare at the old masters, do you have to read about them in order to appreciate them? Usually, the paintings move you to find out more about the artist, and their other works, but that is not required to stand in awe at the talent, or vision, of the people who's work ended up on the walls.
Knowing who they are is NOT required to appreciate their art -- you already have -- but to maybe get a better understand of what they were about. If the painting doesn't move you, reading about the artist isn't going to make you like their stuff any better.
The statement made about there not being enough criticism on these boards, or in life, is probably true. We don't act honestly when evaluating something. We either don't want to hurt feelings, or we have a hidden motive of our own. It's rare to find a truly objective reviewer. The reasons for not being objective can vary from jealousy, to greed, ignorance or disinterest.
Our society has created a whole generation afraid to speak their minds, because it's not politically correct, and might offend someone. Like the straight jacketed teddy bear, being an insult to crazy people. http://enoughbullshit.com Not everyone can win. Some people are better at some things than others, and it isn't going to change just by being nice, or playing games without winners, or other such BS.
Just some observations about art.
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>> An artist statement is another marketing tool.
My point exactly. It's a way to interest people in your art, if your art isn't interesting enough on it's own. The flip side is, it can alienate as many, or more, as it attracts.
>> Same with the quality of your Web site, your display, your packaging. If it doesn't >> draw people to look at what you've made, your art will most likely remain in >> obscurity. And this is why successful artists, musicians and writers have agents.
This wasn't the point of the post. The point was, they didn't like the website, and cast disparaging remarks upon the artist and their art because of it.
The artist wasn't complaining that the site was not working for them, or doing well. People commented on the website as a reflection of the artist and their art.
I'm saying that's shallow. While the quality of the website may influence if I feel safe sending them my credit card information, but *NOT* how I feel about their art.
The poster was confusing two issues, and I think you missed the issue of warrant here. It's not the website not working, but that a "poor" website meant the artist was somehow less of an artist, or their work was less valuable because of it.
Without the website, of any quality, you'd never have gotten to see the artists work at all, so the website DID do part of its function.
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>> And, to carry it further, if the art should stand on its own, why even put >> descriptions of the piece on the site? If the art is to stand on its own, all they >> need is a picture and a price. No need to bother telling us what its made of.
Wasn't it you who wanted to know what it was made of so you'd know if it would fall apart? Seems sort of arguing both sides of the issue at this point.
The reason for saying what it's made of, is that a picture can't always show what a stone is, if the glass is Murano or California, if the wire is white gold, or silver, solid gold, or gold filled, etc. Color is hard to judge, and one thing may look like another.
So you are just being silly for the sake of trying to fan some flames here.
I'm not igniting. I'm comfortable in what I do, and who I am. I don't need labels, and I resent people who try to insist artists should be labeled. I don't have to like it, and that's my right. You want to be a "label." That's fine.
I don't think an artists ability to use a computer, a camera, or anything not related to the art they are presenting is important. Yes, perhaps if they invested more in themselves it would present a more positive or encouraging image to buy or deal with them, but it DOES NOT CHEAPEN OR LESSEN THEIR ART.
Why do people insist on confusing things so badly?
I guess that is why there is bigotry, prejudice, and all the other evils.
When it's more important to see what the artist looks like, or if they are a member of the right club, than what their art says to you -- we've got problems.
If you want to argue that poor technique with a camera or website prevents people from seeing the real quality of an item, that's a different issue as well. It's one I would agree with, and which goes to the heart of "selling yourself." But it has nothing to do with your quality, or value, or creativity, as an artist in your art.
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I tried to bring up important ISSUES, but certain people seem to have turned it into personal attacks. And if you notice, it's the same few people. No constructive posts, just one or two liners glad-handing each other.
"ART" is what it is. What you say about it, even what the artist says about it, is almost irrelevant. When you look at it, or wear it, the art speaks for itself. You hear it, you see it, others do the same.
You do not have the artist following you around, a picture of that artist, or a tag on the art telling you (or the people looking at you) about the artist. So why is it important to what is ART?
The whole point of art is to make a statement. If you have make additional statements to make the art speak, something is wrong.
My comments were directed toward people who feel all sorts of other irrelevant extraneous information is what makes "art" important. I have to disagree, and the weight of history is on my side. The most important works of art speak for themselves. They don't need artist statements -- and much of the stuff people are deeming important here is lost to history for those works.
I think people are confusing the "selling" with the "art" itself.
Look at everything people have read into Shakespeare. How much of that do you really think he put into the works intentionally, or was he just "good", and had a knack for coming up with stories and characters that seemed real to him? He was an artist, with words. If you try to make art, you often fail. If you do what comes naturally, and have the "gift" you make art. It's those forced pieces that need the artists statement, perhaps, since the piece is not strong enough to say it on its own.
There was a dig I avoided in another thread. Something like if the art speaks for itself, why am I doing all this talking. It was meant to be nasty, and had nothing to do with the point of the thread. It also missed the point completely in its attempt to be mean. I'm not talking about _my_ art, or anyone elses art. I'm talking about ART itself.
I'll start another thread on "selling yourself" since artists statements are not the best way to sell yourself. It might be fashionable, and politically correct, but the best way to sell you art is to MAKE GOOD ART.
Let OTHERS write about you.
But this is for another thread.
PS: Someone here has a quote in their sig line, about how do you define yourself. It's a really good read, and if you are going to make any statement about yourself, following those rules is a good start.
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The Bead Devil
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