Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Why do artists find it difficult to be honest when discussing work by their peers? Perhaps the concept of hurt feelings or discouraging someone is cause for extreme politeness when it come to talking about work honestly. Are you really helping an artist when you say that it’s nice? That the colors are great? That it’s really pretty? Or what happens more often than not in contemporary mosaic criticism is commentary about the materials rather than the substance of the work.
Several years ago, an emerging artist begged me to discuss her work critically with her. She had no formal art training and had never had anyone discuss her work critically. The work was technically crude and conceptually superficial but there were also wonderful elements in it. She begged me to be direct and honest. I bristled knowing how sensitive she was but I told her that this discussion would be about the work and only the work, not about her materials or her technique or her personally.
I referenced her composition, how my eyes were able to move through or pause within the work. I was specific about what was successful and what was not. I asked her provoking questions and gave her suggestions about what directions she might go next. I would call it more of a “soft” critique because I knew that this was new language for her and that it might be a lot to take in. She thanked me profusely, told me how much she appreciated the help, and how glad she was to hear a ‘real’ critique.
A few months later, I heard through friends that I had trashed the artist and she was devastated by my harsh words!
From the film “A Few Good Men”:
Kaffee: I want the truth!
Col. Jessep: [shouts] You can’t handle the truth!
Talking about art is an art in itself. As a young art student, I was subjected to much harsh criticism of my finished and unfinished work. At first it pissed me off that someone was attacking me- me personally, I thought, since I was unable to separate myself from my work! Once the defenses eroded, I was able to LISTEN. I also learned to talk about work by participating in regular group critiques, with the work physically in front of us.
Since 1998 (when I joined an online ceramic artists group) I have seen many attempts at virtual critiques. I believe the most successful critical discourse (online) occurs between those that have already met in the physical world, between those have had face to face contact and can understand the individuals’ tone of voice. It makes a difference not only to who is evaluating the work but also to who is LISTENING. And there is no substitute for seeing a work in person, especially a mosaic.
Don’t tell me my work is NICE. I don’t care if you like it. Tell me WHY. It takes balls to say what you think and know why you think it.
“……In real life, people are often more silly in a crowd than they are on their own. If you think that everybody else believes something, then it must be true – and you have to be very brave to be like the little boy (in The Emperor’s New Clothes) and stand up and say what can see with your own eyes.” -Bertie
Sunday, February 14th, 2010
How is it our two bodies
made only of flesh and bone
ignite with this fire
yet do not burn?
How is it that this cannot last
will disappear into the ether
as our bones will turn to dust
and disappear into the earth?
-Terra Hunter
Saturday, February 13th, 2010
The Mosaic of Art is an innovative internet radio concept that was borne to stimulate creative discourse of contemporary mosaics. Host George Fishman explains the idea for this show:
Why “The MOSAIC OF ART?” A mosaic is a pattern or picture that’s made of hundreds or thousands of small units – whether glass, ceramic, stone or some other material – that are organized and assembled coherently. In a comparable way, we find artists and other players in the art/design world working with different ideas and materials, but – looked at collectively – sharing in an enterprise we can call ART. This show will give voice to the individuals and also look into the ideas and themes they share.
I will be grilled by George , appropriately, on Valentine’s Day, at 2-3pm CST. If you miss the live show, you can catch it 24-7 streaming online.
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
Shouldn’t you be in your studio making ART?
With all of these online distractions how much time do artists waste talking about art, googling about art, “friending” strangers who like art, and posting musings like this?
Guilty!
Kill my facebook. Kill my art blogs. Kill my talklists.
Long live time in the studio! Here’s to face to face friends! Cheers to living real and not virtually! Feel the planet- see you there!
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
I recently read a comment about mosaic fabrication by my friend and colleague, Ora Avni who stated,” A degree of artisanship is clearly inseparable from the creative process. A mosaic is the end result of a myriad of choices and manipulations none of which should be left to chance or to a third party. Some mosaic manufacturers choose to commission a design (also called a cartoon) and to outsource its execution to Mexico, China or Peru. I do not consider those works of art.”
I appreciate her evaluation of mosaic fabricators although she does go on later to say This is not to be confused with a mosaic that interprets a painting, in which the choices made by the mosaicist can be of more interest than the source. “
Last week some marvelous public mosaics were unveiled at Chicago’s Belmont CTA Station. The artist, or rather I would say, the designer of the mosaics is David Csicsko, who created the designs and worked with fabricator/designer Erin Adams to manufacture the designs in glass and then it was installed by city engineers to adhere permanentIy to the walls of the station. I do admire these designs and as a lover of mosaics I appreciate the materials. David Csicsko is now being called a mosaic artist, yet I wonder, is there a mosaic artist anywhere here at all, or does it even matter? Why should I care?
Perhaps it is because I am part of a community of mosaic artists who have been trained to do the work of an entire team- yet when it comes down to who gets the job, the design always wins. It is not about how well you create andamento or how skilled you are with smalti- it is THE DESIGN.
There is a need for designers and architects and fabricators to create large scale installations. Most of these works could not be done without a team. When I have created public works I am the artist, designer, job manager, fabricator, and assist in the installation. Mosaic work can be so time intensive (depending on the complexity of design, materials, application, etc) that it behooves the mosaicist to hire assistants , and fabricators (if skilled labor is of the essence). Is it asking too much for the mosaic artist to create a work from beginning to end- hands on, with out the intervention of a manufacturing house? Nah.
There is a bit of an identity crisis among contemporary mosaic artists. You have the “fine artists” that use mosaic materials to evoke and translate their ideas and imagery.
There are many artists that are single minded in their approach to the mosaic art form. They like to cut. They don’t like to draw but they like like to glue. They want to draw the design and have someone else make it. Is it possible for a contemporary mosaic artist to wear so many hats?
I say yes. Those that understand the material and do because they have immersed themselves in the possibility of mosaic. They understand that there is more to designing a mosaic than the “cartoon” or outline of design. They recognize that the material and artist chooses for their work has its own light and energy. They know where the work will be placed and understand how the chosen materials will wear and age in any given space. Most importantly, know when to ask for help- hire a professional installer, engineer, publicists or assistants. Mosaicists can wear many hats but which one fits you best?
