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December 23, 2007
December 18, 2007
more thoughts?
If anyone has more thoughts on yesterday's dialog or censorship and response to art in general, Joellyn Rock has set up a blog for just those thoughts.
December 14, 2007
lola
It never ends!
Art Guild makes frontpage of News Tribune... sort of
Today's Duluth News Tribune carries a front page article entitled "Different Interpretations", which cites a recent difference of opinion over Neal Peterson's graduate exhibit in the Tweed student gallery as well as the Art Guild display case flap.
"Cries of censorship were heard this week at the University of Minnesota Duluth after a graduate art student’s exhibit at the Tweed Museum of Art was shut down for a day because of explicit content.
That came on the heels of controversy over a student art club’s display case and its use of a small nude mannequin some perceived as a child."
Check it out. Registering to see articles is free.
Chris Monroe Holiday Art Party!
December 11, 2007
Minutes for December 11
Word on the street is Ms. V likes Aaron's response to the complainant... she suggested that we post the response on the display case.
Toph emailed David Hodges at the institute and we just need to contact him so he can look at what we want to do there.
Jack Bowman just stopped by to say hello. He has not forgotten about Art Guild.
Luckily he is far too busy to care about our display case bologna.
For Next semester lets focus on the following:
***Legit election
***One main focus- make it clear, make it known- Make good posters
***NO LATE NIGHT KIRBY CRAFT DOOM
***Faculty studio tours
***more interactions with Faculty staff meetings (just let Jane know and she can put us on the agenda)
December 07, 2007
Art is dangerous; yes, it can never be chaste, if it's chaste, it's not art.
-Pablo Picasso
December 05, 2007
Child Pornography, Art or Dummy?
"Spiritual America, 1983, Ektacolor photograph, edition of 10, Copyright Richard Prince, Courtesy Richard Prince and Gladstone Gallery
Jesse McBride, 1976. Gelatin-silver print, 20 x 16 inches. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Gift, Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, 1995. 95.4308. © The Estate of Robert Mapplethorpe.
The topmost image is of a young Brooke Shields taken by Richard Prince. Next is a work by Mapplethorpe. Both are well-known and respected artists as well as accused child pornographers.
John Cooper, an English "leading criminal barrister" lays out some factors for deciding whether or not it's art or child porn:
"It's important to look at the circumstances surrounding the images. For instance: How old is the child? Have the photos been taken in vulnerable circumstances---in other words was there an element of exploitation involved?
...Another factor could be what kind of photographer took the pictures. If they are known to have a good reputation, then this will be relevant too."
(Taken from Culture Grrl)
We know the artists are well-known, and therefore, not venerable artmakers, not pornographers, but does the public?
Comparisons are drawn between Mapplethorpe's children and putti of classical/Renaissance art.
The question becomes, however, if something automatically acceptable if it is an imitation of a Greek, Roman, or Renaissance works? I think a performance artist recreating the rape of the Sabines might be met with some resistance.
Sally Mann's photographs of her children has also met repeated controversy.
However, I think it is important to point out that Lola was not placed in the display case to stir controversy. Her inclusion was based solely on her iconic status in the Art + Design department as a questionable drawing manikin. When "she" was being propped up (lola lacks a foot), her skirt fell down. It would have been too much work to hike it back up, so in the random Dada spirit of the installation, we left it. She was not forcibly disrobed.
December 04, 2007
Discussion Topics
artist's role in society
audience response to art work and exhibitions
censorship (history of, examples of, individual stances on censorship, etc.)
artist's statements concerning art work and exhibitions- use of, purpose of, etc.
individual artist's role in group endeavors
self evaluation statements on art work and exhibitions produced
etc.
e-mail your responses to:
umd.artguild@gmail.com
December 03, 2007
Display Case Excitement(?)
I find the display in the window between first floor Cina and third floor Humanities to be both offensive and totally inappropriate. I can see no redeeming reason to display a nude child manikin. With child abuse and pornography so rampant in this culture, it is our responsibility as adults and educators to protect, rather than exploit children. (Yes, I know it's a manikin and not real, but what are you representing here?)
I waited a few days before writing this, hoping that the manikin would be draped; apparently it's not happening. I want to emphasize that it is not the nudity that I find offensive - display all of the nude ADULTS you like - but please remove or clothe the child."
The above letter was sent as a response to the above display case. So, the question is, do you find the above offensive? Due to a different concern regarding safety, Art Guild had self-"censored" on Friday because it was unable to finish the display case as intended.
Do you find the first case offensive? The response offensive? These historical examples offensive?
As you can see, this is not without precedent. One of the quotes on the display case—every artist must go underground—is a reference to Marcel Duchamp whose final piece was not shown until after his death.
Marcel Duchamp's Etant donnés: 1º la chute d'eau / 2º le gas d'éclairage, 1946-66
Some art historical putti:
Anne Geddes:
I personally find the last one most offensive.
December 01, 2007
Emerging Into the Next Century
Dec 6, 2007 – Mar 2, 2008
Emerging Into the Next Century
George Morrison Gallery
Opening Reception, Thurs, Dec 6, 5 – 7 PM
Artist Dialogue, Thurs, Dec 13, 6 – 7 PM
As the Duluth art institute looks to its next century as an organization, we want to highlight the work of emerging artists exploring the artistic mediums that will be at the core of what we will recognize as art in the near and distant future.
This exhibition will be focused on nine area emerging artists (Tonya Borgeson, David Bowen, Michael Cousino, Jeffrey Dugan, Crystal L. Meisinger, Wanda J. Pearcy, Michael R. Smith, Eun-Kyung Suh, and Art Guilder Megan Tengwall)—particularly those involved in contemporary mediums such as sound art, multi-disciplinary work, digital art, and new media.
Many emerging artists are working in mediums that do not always get wide play in the gallery setting. This is an opportunity to afford that exposure and to highlight our commitment to the emerging artists of our region.
"We do our crummy little shit, and the culture assigns value to it."
There's an awesome interview with art critic Dave Hickey at The Believer.
Highlights:
DH: Thirty-five thousand MFAs a semester, 90 percent of whom never make another work of art.
SH: And do you think that that kind of system produces—
DH: Almost no one. Idiots with low-grade depression.