Post by Anna:
I’m enjoying the insights this dialogue is giving me and I look forward to the rest of the rest of the conversation. I needed the insights and reminders and this is helping me move forward and to overcome some mental barriers.
I have copied and pasted the first section of the Asynchronous Dialogue below:
I have an answer to Mark Wilsher’s Against Explanation about uncertainty (What role does uncertainty play for the artist?) – what is already answered by Brian Friel, the Irish dramatist, playwright and theater founder:
“Flux is their only constant; the crossroads their only home; impermanence their only yardstick… This is the only pattern of their existence: the persistence of the search; the discovery of a new concept; the analysis, exploration, exposition of that concept; the preaching of that gospel to reluctant ears; and then, when the first converts are made, the inevitable disillusion and dissatisfaction because the theory is already out of date or was simply a false dawn. And then the moving on; the continuing of the search; the flux. Impermanence is the only constant.” [1]
I think that this is a perfect explanation about uncertainty in making art and in life in general. We all need to constantly learn-get inspired-experienced – and evolve – thus we are almost all the time uncertain – yet from such a process can come the most powerful work, decision.
[1] Kennedy-Andrews, E. (1995). The Art of Brian Friel: Neither Reality Nor Dreams. Palgrave Macmillan.
Post by Riette :
Uncertainty / responsibility of the artist after art is made public
I agree with you Anna and I think the quote by Brian Friel does offer a great answer to this question – ‘What role does uncertainty play for the artist?’ Impermanence is constant. I like the parallel that you draw between making art and life in general regarding uncertainty. It is so true. And what is our solution to the uncertainty of life? It can be an unsettling fact but one that we learn to live with as we get older. We are not entirely in control of the outcome of that whatever we set out to do in life. Most of us will respond by simply making the most of today/focus and as you also mentioned, we learn, we search, get inspired and evolve. We can use the uncertainty as the driving force that makes you take on new opportunities because of the new possibilities it might hold. It is an ADVENTURE and without uncertainty, it would not be so.
So I am enCOURAGEd to do the same with uncertainty during art making… and allow uncertainty to propel me into new adventures. So to me the role of uncertainty for the artist is to lead you to a crossroad where you USE uncertainty and choose courage instead of fear for the sake of adventure and discovery.
Where do the artist’s responsibilities lie when their artwork is made public? :
Reading Whilsher’s article was interesting because ‘against explanation’ is exactly the opposite of what we are currently busy with in this MA! We are theorizing (I might be over-theorizing at this stage…) and explaining and analyzing our work and making the meaning explicitly clear! 😀 And I agree with both approaches. I agree that art should not be arbitrary but based on reason. Even if this is kept private for the artist. I do however feel that once the artwork is made public, it is the responsibility of it’s audience to take meaning from it for themselves (unless the artist intends otherwise). Art should not be over explained. It has a specific meaning for the artist who created it and if that same meaning speaks clearly to the viewer then that is a win. I do however feel there should be scope for the viewer to draw out his own experience from the artwork – that is the magic of art. It does not force it’s views on others. It suggests and opens up the mind of the viewer to new perspectives and possibilities.
As I Whilsher’s article a little further, I enjoyed how he says that if art leaves all avenues open, the work can sidestep the deadening effects of explanation and live on to play another day (Whilsher, Against Explanation, p9). I feel art needs to be set free from over-explanation (by the artist/curators) so that it can live on as Whilsher said and also belong to others.
Below is I have pasted the last two replies I added to the conversation:
Post by Riette van Rensburg – On Power balance:
I enjoyed your response on this question Sissel. You wrote that if each one (artist, curator, writer and public) tend to their role in a serious way, a good balance can result. I totally agree with you that each of those roles has the responsibility to collaborate with the artist making sure they have a clear view of the artists intentions and thinking process. The public’s response if a bit different because unlike the curator and writer, they might not have a means of making contact with the artist and therefore their response to the artwork, whether private or public is not in our control.Like David said, where he said that the artist cannot be held responsible for the public’s interpretation of it and Sissel said in her response that the public is like a wild card because of how diverse it is. There is the potential for the opinion of the public to affect the artist and therefore have power over what the artist decides to produce in the future. I have seen so many artists stuck in one theme/material or style because of what the gallery or the public prefer. If the artist falls into this trap (perhaps because of having to make money) he/she looses their creativity, freedom and power. They also fail in their responsibility. I feel the artist is responsible to protect themselves from being influenced by public opinion (or that of writers, gallery owners and curators). As artists we are responsible to keep evolving, taking risks and creating what we feel needs to be created without fear. It takes a lot of courage and as Wilsher said, if it was all laid out and easy, everyone would be doing it.Reply
Post by Riette van Rensburg
“Where do the artists responsibilities lie when their artwork is made public?”
The work of Louis Bourgeois is of great inspiration to me at the moment.Two quotes by her that is relevant to the topic of responsibility:“A work of art does not need an explanation. The work has to speak for itself. The work may be subject to many interpretations, but only one was in the mind of the artist. Some artists say to make the work readable for the public is an artist’s responsibility, but I don’t agree with that. The only responsibility is to be absolutely truthful to the self. My work disturbs people and nobody wants to be disturbed. They are not fully aware of the effect my work has on them, but they know it is disturbing.”
“A work of art doesn’t have to be explained. If you do not have any feelings about this, I cannot explain it to you. If this doesn’t touch you, I have failed.”From these quotes I gather that she wanted her work to touch others on an emotional level but at the same time her main motivation was to stay true to herself and trust what she wanted to create was enough.