Rius presents an interesting first glimpse into Marxist theory… though at times the grammar is a little shoddy and some attempts at humor fall painfully flat. The good news is it’s a lot more entertaining to read than a lengthy & lofty piece of prose (which Marx was prone to write!)
Just as an aside, I found it interesting that the author seems to give away his own political sympathies through his linguistic choices. It was not an unbiased presentation of Marx’s work, and the hastily illustrated summary of some heavy ideas did leave gaping holes in the presented theory. Maybe the “reader’s digest” presentation accented existing contradictions in socialist thought… I can’t be sure, being a neophyte to all of this and such!
Insofar as to what we discussed in class: what does this mean in regards to being an artist? Are we part of the proletariat even though Marx portrays artisans as “conservative,” as struggling to maintain our precarious places in a shattered middle class? Surely the idea of wage labor and capital is of direct concern to the working artist looking to sell a piece of work. That makes it a little more clear as to why an artist must never *decrease* the value of their work, and only increase it. To do otherwise would be to position oneself dangerously close to becoming a commodity.
It also underlines the fact that artists must fight cheap duplication of work by capital conglomerates, such as Wal-Mart. Every time I go to an artist show, there is inevitably a booth or a stand set up, showcasing one artist’s original work (usually a sculpture or a textile fabric of some sort) with a cheaper twin beside it. Much cheaper. Try 90-98% cheaper. This is usually done to raise awareness about artist “knock-offs,” but it makes me sad that I really only see such awareness being roused at a convention full of… well… artists, or artist vendors… most of whom are already aware of the problem. Talk about preaching to the choir!
9.20.2008
9.16.2008
Sourcing Inspiration
Separating the concepts of internal and external sourcing seems a little pointless, when we get right down to it. Can we create anything solely from ourselves, without influence from the world we live in? No, because the world is what makes us who we are. Can we create anything solely from experience, without tapping into our own self? No: every thought we think is filtered through our unique perceptions of the world.
I have difficulty pinpointing how I am inspired and influenced, though. It seems the intent of my work, the aesthetics, the narratives all come from different places. One thing I have realized is events and objects don’t inspire me. The experiences I am inspired by tend to be about emotional experience, moods, and moments when my mind slips from reality. I have insomnia, and more and more I am realizing how much this might impact my art aesthetic. That restlessness and metal fog that happens when you haven’t slept for days, and the half-realities that occur the moment you wake up from a dream you don’t remember… it’s those feelings that inspire me. I never remember my dreams, but I always know instinctively they were disturbing. I think this faint awareness is what drives me to always place disturbing undertones in my own work. I never actually draw things from my dreams…but I try to draw the feelings my dreams give me, if that makes sense. That feeling that there’s something lurking beneath the surface.
I have difficulty pinpointing how I am inspired and influenced, though. It seems the intent of my work, the aesthetics, the narratives all come from different places. One thing I have realized is events and objects don’t inspire me. The experiences I am inspired by tend to be about emotional experience, moods, and moments when my mind slips from reality. I have insomnia, and more and more I am realizing how much this might impact my art aesthetic. That restlessness and metal fog that happens when you haven’t slept for days, and the half-realities that occur the moment you wake up from a dream you don’t remember… it’s those feelings that inspire me. I never remember my dreams, but I always know instinctively they were disturbing. I think this faint awareness is what drives me to always place disturbing undertones in my own work. I never actually draw things from my dreams…but I try to draw the feelings my dreams give me, if that makes sense. That feeling that there’s something lurking beneath the surface.
Marx for Beginners
I was not a fan of this book. It oversimplified and exaggerated many things, failed to clearly explain other things, and sometimes I felt like the author was arguing a case for Marxism instead of trying to explain it. The bias was heavy, and when I notice that sort of thing, I start taking the contents of the writing with more grains of salt than is healthy.
I have studied Marx a few times during school, and I’ve always thought his ideas were great but utterly impractical. History has been a good enough judge on what happens when countries attempt to implement his philosophy large-scale: it results in dictatorship, stripping of personal freedoms, censorship, military states, and human exploitation. I do not think communism is ever going to be a pure form of society Marx wanted. His aims were too extreme, and I also think he puts way too much blame on economics. The truth is, exploitation is a part of how the world works. Not just the human world, the universe at large. Animals eat other animals, plants compete for sun and water and will strangle each other out if they need to. There is a food chain, and that concept of hierarchy carries over to humanity. True equality and social harmony is impossible; if it’s ever achieved briefly, it will eventually be thrown out of balance again as one group of people becomes dominant. It’s not a good thing, but it’s just the way things are.
But in terms of art, all the talk of exploitation reminded me of the conundrum facing professional illustrators and other skilled artisans. They are under-valued in the market, even though they are rare and highly trained. I’ve had a lot of personal experiences with people trying to pawn cheap art off of me (“I can’t pay you, but it’ll be great exposure!”, and there is a movement online taking a stand against “free art” and speculation art. Very few people value art—you say you’re an artist, and people scoff and make jokes about living in a cardboard box. Yet I, as an artist, have a set of skills that very few people have and are just as necessary to society. Even though we spoke in class last week about how the artist is naturally exploited because they are seen as serving society by default, I think the exploitation goes far beyond the philosophical sense of the word. It translates to job prestige and the wallet too.
I have studied Marx a few times during school, and I’ve always thought his ideas were great but utterly impractical. History has been a good enough judge on what happens when countries attempt to implement his philosophy large-scale: it results in dictatorship, stripping of personal freedoms, censorship, military states, and human exploitation. I do not think communism is ever going to be a pure form of society Marx wanted. His aims were too extreme, and I also think he puts way too much blame on economics. The truth is, exploitation is a part of how the world works. Not just the human world, the universe at large. Animals eat other animals, plants compete for sun and water and will strangle each other out if they need to. There is a food chain, and that concept of hierarchy carries over to humanity. True equality and social harmony is impossible; if it’s ever achieved briefly, it will eventually be thrown out of balance again as one group of people becomes dominant. It’s not a good thing, but it’s just the way things are.
But in terms of art, all the talk of exploitation reminded me of the conundrum facing professional illustrators and other skilled artisans. They are under-valued in the market, even though they are rare and highly trained. I’ve had a lot of personal experiences with people trying to pawn cheap art off of me (“I can’t pay you, but it’ll be great exposure!”, and there is a movement online taking a stand against “free art” and speculation art. Very few people value art—you say you’re an artist, and people scoff and make jokes about living in a cardboard box. Yet I, as an artist, have a set of skills that very few people have and are just as necessary to society. Even though we spoke in class last week about how the artist is naturally exploited because they are seen as serving society by default, I think the exploitation goes far beyond the philosophical sense of the word. It translates to job prestige and the wallet too.
Sourcing Information for Marx Beginners
Sourcing Information
Reading Sourcing Information I constantly felt intrigued by the artists and their stories. A Nike shoebox becomes an outrageous symbol conjuring images of holocaust and oppression. A single photograph embodies a past moment in history. Elephant poop enrages the establishment. These artists took their interests and an outside influence to spark their work. One thing I wondered about was whether or not the piece of art itself was as important as the process and the journey of the work.
I feel that I come to ideas by researching other artist’s work. The work of Chris Ofili was interesting because he was looking at the culture around him (the article even made mention of Lil Kim, and the blurb on page 171 went through a dizzying amount of influences mostly from the entertainment industry) and using it as influence. When I start or get stuck in my work, I look to other artists—whether their medium be canvas, screen or in music—in order to carry on. This was an engaging read that helped me to get a perspective on where some other artists are coming from for their inspiration.
Marx for BeginnersWhile it can be said that this graphic novel is probably as “Fair and Balanced” as Fox News, it was certainly interesting to read. Taking a strong leftist position, Ruis paints a picture of capitalism as evil and communism as the only way to solve the world’s ills. And although I don’t necessarily disagree, the truth probably lies somewhere in between. Sometimes while reading I wished for a less snarky and biased voice, but the material was informational and presented in an entertaining fashion, so I can’t complain.
There are several different ways that Marxist philosophy comments on the role of art in a communistic society. Firstly, art functions as a somewhat separate entity from the economic system, although they are not completely separate. Engels explains in one of his writings that I stumbled across that the hand created the brain, not the other way around. In other words, labor influences art and culture. Marxist philosophy suggests that the struggle of the working proletariat against the bourgeois should be the influence for art. Which begs the question, is art about revolution? The Dadaists and the Futurists believed so. The Futurist Manifesto was a call to arms, to throw out the old and come in with the new in the decade prior to communist Italy. Dada was a revolution against the old art establishment.
Another aspect of how it relates could be in who the audience is. Who the art is directed towards has proletariat vs. bourgeois implications. Is the work a mural who’s purpose is to beautify a portion of a rundown urban area, or a piece that reaches out to the community? Or does it serve as a commodity to be consumed? Questions about what art’s purpose is and who the audience is are questions that Marxist philosophy can help to answer.
James G
9.15.2008
Marx and the Creative Means of Production
The capitalistic business owner treats the proletariat as an economic unit who is measured upon performance and bought and sold just like any other commodity. A good businessman in the capitalist system does not view people as people but only as units of labor and your value as a person is diminished. For someone who produces art as a source of income struggles with this loss of identity as well. Creative expression is traditionally thought of to be intimate and individual. In capitalism, the artist no longer creates organically, but has to depend on society and what calls the people’s interest. Those with financial power become a cultural gatekeeper by commissioning and providing livelihood for the poorer creative classes. Writers and artists alike are forced to cater to the tastes of the elite in order to live off their craft. Depressing...
However, the advent of mass communication and information has allowed the masses to create and judge creative content on a large bottom-up structure, and provide economic sustenance for artists that become popular. Within this framework, tastes and subcultures can spring up and allow more freedom of expression.
However, the advent of mass communication and information has allowed the masses to create and judge creative content on a large bottom-up structure, and provide economic sustenance for artists that become popular. Within this framework, tastes and subcultures can spring up and allow more freedom of expression.
Kate's Inspiration
Reading Sourcing Inspiration made me consider where I find my own inspiration. I used to be really uncomfortable when someone could trace the inspiration of my art right back to its original source, but I have begun to see it differently lately. The reading divided artists into two groups: those who are inspired by their surroundings and those who find inspiration from within themselves. I don't know what made me believe that the latter was somehow a more creative process. I suppose I just assumed that relying on yourself that way would translate to a more original piece. I am beginning to see how stupid that distinction is.
(Here's the trailer if you're unfamiliar with the film)
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I found Rius’s book Marx for Beginners both helpful and mildly annoying. Though I have briefly studied Marx in a class or two, I’ll admit that I was not well versed in his work. In my literature class, we touched upon his work, but focused specifically on Marxist literary theory; in sociology, he was merely a paragraph in the first chapter on the founding fathers of the subject. I am grateful to Rius for simplifying Marx and making his work so accessible, but at times I found that the tone of the book lacked balance.
My main point of contention was the depiction of religion. I agree that religion is often abused in order to make those in power even more powerful, but I firmly believe that a desire for peace lies at the heart of most religions. As a general rule, anything contrary to that goal is a perversion of the religion by those who claim to follow it. I find that to be my worst fear: those who hijack a religion for their own purpose, and simultaneously disregard the main tenants of the faith. It’s important to guard against associating the religion in its pure form with those who twist it.
Matt Suib:
This example references a specific body of work as well as how this work is situated within the artist's overall practice
Using the language and iconography of cinema as building blocks, Purified by Fire constructs an anti-mythic framework from which to reexamine social attitudes towards war, violence and morality.
Comprised of seamless video loops constructed from just a few seconds of iconic cinematic imagery and commercially available special effect stock footage, the individual works in the exhibition challenge the physical and moral gap that separates Westerners, and specifically Americans, from war and destruction.
Expanding on the artist’s previous investigations of Cinema as mythology, the work examines the mythos underlying an American mindset which demonizes foes, sanctions oppression, elevates militarism to a national value and facilitates a distinctly American notion of regeneration through violence.
Artist Bio:
Philadelphia-based artist Matthew Suib has exhibited installations, video and audio works and photographs internationally at venues including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Kunstwerke Berlin, Mercer Union (Toronto), The Corcoran Gallery of Art (D.C.) and PS1 Contemporary Art Center (NYC). His most recent exhibitions include Locally Localized Gravity at the Institute of Contemporary Art (Philadelphia), and the 2007 Moscow Biennale. In 2007, Suib co-founded Screening, along with artist Nadia Hironaka. Screening is Philadelphia�s first gallery dedicated to the presentation of innovative and challenging works on video and film. Screening is a project devoted to expanding access to these media and exploring ways that moving image culture influences our understanding and experience of the world. Suib is also a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts fellow, and a member of the Philadelphia artist-cooperative Vox Populi, where he has exhibited since 2001.
Brent Wahl: (notice 3rd person broad-based statement)
Brent Wahl’s photography, installation, and time-based media work focuses on conjuring the undercurrent of our reality; he is interested in connecting various cultural phenomenon, abstraction, magic, time, illusion, and the spectacle.
Artist Bio
Brent Wahl's photography, installation, and time-based media work focuses on conjuring the undercurrent of our reality; he is interested in connecting various cultural phenomenon, abstraction, magic, time, illusion, and the spectacle. He teaches photography at the University of Pennsylvania and his work has been exhibited at the Dumbo Arts Center (Brooklyn), Vox Populi, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Publico Gallery (Cincinnati), Slought Foundation (Philadelphia), Arcadia University Gallery (Glendale, PA), Wiess Tech House, (Philadelphia), Sackler Center Gallery, Guggenheim Museum (NYC), Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (Colorado), Hunterdon Museum of Art (Clinton, NJ), Pratt Manhattan Gallery (NYC), Columbia Museum of Art (Columbia, SC), Gibbs Museum of Art (Charleston, SC), and the Schafler Gallery (Brooklyn, NY). He received his MFA from the University of Pennsylvania and his BFA from Pratt Institute.
Roxana Perez-Mendez
As a multi-media/performance artist who works closely on the fragility of contemporary identity, I create and insert fictions about Puerto Rican achievements and monuments into the World’s meta-narrative. I use a wide range of tropes and models of modernization and globalization—i.e. embarking in a Space program, to juxtapose, reflect, deconstruct and isolate the strains of difference associated with Puerto Rican culture, class and geopolitical position, the strains that define one as the Other. The result of my work is a range of small, almost gestural forms, performances and monumental projects that hover in and document an everyday world where illusion and reality are confused.
Anna Neighbor (short version)
Anna's work deals primarily with ideas of privacy, trespass, absent presence, and the seduction of space. The photographic act is central to this investigation, and operates as a critical undercurrent in all her work.
Artist Bio
Anna Neighbor was born in Mingo, Iowa in 1977. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and Imaging from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts in 2000. She received a fellowship to attend graduate school at Tyler School of Art where she earned her Master of Fine Arts in 2006. She works as an artist and currently teaches photography at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia and Rowan University in New Jersey.
CALLA THOMPSON
Puff
Artist’s Statement
In my work I examine small actions that beget small amounts of power, scrutinizing gains and losses. Always unresolved, my semi-narrative scenes suggest both the physical and psychological struggles of my characters. Conflicts are fixed mid-posture, leaving the viewer to decide if something has just occurred or is about to occur. The visual language and wry humor in my work is at once comforting and familiar, dislocating and suggestive.
In Puff, three masked characters stand holding their sides. The masks of the two nearest the microphone are joined, leaving them unable to speak aloud. The third masked character, without the use of the microphone, converses with a deer that uses a bugle to mediate its voice.
Artist Bio
Calla Thompson is a practicing artist and a faculty member at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She received her MFA in Photography from Syracuse University in 1999 and her BFA in Photography from the University of Ottawa (Canada) in 1996. Thompson's work is shown throughout the United States, Canada, and South America, including solo exhibitions at Soho 20 Gallery (New York), Open Studio Gallery (Toronto), and School 33 (Baltimore). Her group exhibitions include those at the Everson Museum of Art (Syracuse), the Korean Cultural Center Gallery of Los Angeles, Centro Colombo Americano de Medellin in associate with EAFIT University (Medellin, Columbia), Joan Grona Gallery (Texas), Arlington Arts Center (Virginia), and Maryland Art Place (Baltimore).
Here's a great example. You all know that I am
(Here's the trailer if you're unfamiliar with the film)
If you know what to look for, in that clip alone, you'll see the inspiration, whether intentional or not, of maybe five of my pieces. I'm still a little embarrassed by that, but I can't help it! It's as though my work just belongs in one of his films.
Here's something even more shattering. This week I googled "cardboard art" out of idle curiosity and it resulted in an existential crisis. Apparently there is a dude in England named Chris Gilmour who exactly replicates objects (a bike, wheelchair, dentist chair, cars, musical instruments, and yes, even a typewriter) using only cardboard and glue. As you can probably imagine, I developed a debilitating inferiority complex as a result of looking at his impeccable craftsmanship and hyperrealistic facsimiles. Now that I've had a chance to digest it, I've realized that my disappointment at discovering that someone else makes cardboard sculptures of everyday objects is like a painter being bummed to find out that another artist paints portraits, no matter how different the two styles are. Ultimately, our work looks similar, but the content is entirely different. But maybe we should still get married and have cardboard babies together.
This can be our house.
This can be our house.
anna's sourcing inspiration writeup
We all are influenced by our external surroundings and interactions, however subtle or obvious. It always amazes me how surroundings inspire us each so differently. why are we drawn to certain things and not others? Sometimes inspiration comes from an unexpected experience. What is it within us that connects with the external and inspires us to create something from that influence?
I enjoyed reading about Scott Grieger's 'methods' of inspiration. He takes corporate logos, the military and buddism, and finds a common thread. From this, he re-invents the symbolism to create something he can believe in.
I was also drawn to Thomas Joshua Cooper, the photographer, mostly for the intutive quality. The last paragrah where it says his photographs "confirm that people absorb energy from the land, but they also demonstrate that the land absorbs the energy of the people" reminded me of one of my favorite philosophers, John O'Donohue. This reading made me think more of the external presences in my life that inform me and how to let them inspire me creatively.
I enjoyed reading about Scott Grieger's 'methods' of inspiration. He takes corporate logos, the military and buddism, and finds a common thread. From this, he re-invents the symbolism to create something he can believe in.
I was also drawn to Thomas Joshua Cooper, the photographer, mostly for the intutive quality. The last paragrah where it says his photographs "confirm that people absorb energy from the land, but they also demonstrate that the land absorbs the energy of the people" reminded me of one of my favorite philosophers, John O'Donohue. This reading made me think more of the external presences in my life that inform me and how to let them inspire me creatively.
Kate's Reaction to Marx for Beginners
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I found Rius’s book Marx for Beginners both helpful and mildly annoying. Though I have briefly studied Marx in a class or two, I’ll admit that I was not well versed in his work. In my literature class, we touched upon his work, but focused specifically on Marxist literary theory; in sociology, he was merely a paragraph in the first chapter on the founding fathers of the subject. I am grateful to Rius for simplifying Marx and making his work so accessible, but at times I found that the tone of the book lacked balance.
My main point of contention was the depiction of religion. I agree that religion is often abused in order to make those in power even more powerful, but I firmly believe that a desire for peace lies at the heart of most religions. As a general rule, anything contrary to that goal is a perversion of the religion by those who claim to follow it. I find that to be my worst fear: those who hijack a religion for their own purpose, and simultaneously disregard the main tenants of the faith. It’s important to guard against associating the religion in its pure form with those who twist it.
Artist statements and artist bio examples
Matt Suib:
This example references a specific body of work as well as how this work is situated within the artist's overall practice
Using the language and iconography of cinema as building blocks, Purified by Fire constructs an anti-mythic framework from which to reexamine social attitudes towards war, violence and morality.
Comprised of seamless video loops constructed from just a few seconds of iconic cinematic imagery and commercially available special effect stock footage, the individual works in the exhibition challenge the physical and moral gap that separates Westerners, and specifically Americans, from war and destruction.
Expanding on the artist’s previous investigations of Cinema as mythology, the work examines the mythos underlying an American mindset which demonizes foes, sanctions oppression, elevates militarism to a national value and facilitates a distinctly American notion of regeneration through violence.
Artist Bio:
Philadelphia-based artist Matthew Suib has exhibited installations, video and audio works and photographs internationally at venues including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Kunstwerke Berlin, Mercer Union (Toronto), The Corcoran Gallery of Art (D.C.) and PS1 Contemporary Art Center (NYC). His most recent exhibitions include Locally Localized Gravity at the Institute of Contemporary Art (Philadelphia), and the 2007 Moscow Biennale. In 2007, Suib co-founded Screening, along with artist Nadia Hironaka. Screening is Philadelphia�s first gallery dedicated to the presentation of innovative and challenging works on video and film. Screening is a project devoted to expanding access to these media and exploring ways that moving image culture influences our understanding and experience of the world. Suib is also a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts fellow, and a member of the Philadelphia artist-cooperative Vox Populi, where he has exhibited since 2001.
Brent Wahl: (notice 3rd person broad-based statement)
Brent Wahl’s photography, installation, and time-based media work focuses on conjuring the undercurrent of our reality; he is interested in connecting various cultural phenomenon, abstraction, magic, time, illusion, and the spectacle.
Artist Bio
Brent Wahl's photography, installation, and time-based media work focuses on conjuring the undercurrent of our reality; he is interested in connecting various cultural phenomenon, abstraction, magic, time, illusion, and the spectacle. He teaches photography at the University of Pennsylvania and his work has been exhibited at the Dumbo Arts Center (Brooklyn), Vox Populi, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Publico Gallery (Cincinnati), Slought Foundation (Philadelphia), Arcadia University Gallery (Glendale, PA), Wiess Tech House, (Philadelphia), Sackler Center Gallery, Guggenheim Museum (NYC), Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (Colorado), Hunterdon Museum of Art (Clinton, NJ), Pratt Manhattan Gallery (NYC), Columbia Museum of Art (Columbia, SC), Gibbs Museum of Art (Charleston, SC), and the Schafler Gallery (Brooklyn, NY). He received his MFA from the University of Pennsylvania and his BFA from Pratt Institute.
Roxana Perez-Mendez
As a multi-media/performance artist who works closely on the fragility of contemporary identity, I create and insert fictions about Puerto Rican achievements and monuments into the World’s meta-narrative. I use a wide range of tropes and models of modernization and globalization—i.e. embarking in a Space program, to juxtapose, reflect, deconstruct and isolate the strains of difference associated with Puerto Rican culture, class and geopolitical position, the strains that define one as the Other. The result of my work is a range of small, almost gestural forms, performances and monumental projects that hover in and document an everyday world where illusion and reality are confused.
Anna Neighbor (short version)
Anna's work deals primarily with ideas of privacy, trespass, absent presence, and the seduction of space. The photographic act is central to this investigation, and operates as a critical undercurrent in all her work.
Artist Bio
Anna Neighbor was born in Mingo, Iowa in 1977. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and Imaging from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts in 2000. She received a fellowship to attend graduate school at Tyler School of Art where she earned her Master of Fine Arts in 2006. She works as an artist and currently teaches photography at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia and Rowan University in New Jersey.
CALLA THOMPSON
Puff
Artist’s Statement
In my work I examine small actions that beget small amounts of power, scrutinizing gains and losses. Always unresolved, my semi-narrative scenes suggest both the physical and psychological struggles of my characters. Conflicts are fixed mid-posture, leaving the viewer to decide if something has just occurred or is about to occur. The visual language and wry humor in my work is at once comforting and familiar, dislocating and suggestive.
In Puff, three masked characters stand holding their sides. The masks of the two nearest the microphone are joined, leaving them unable to speak aloud. The third masked character, without the use of the microphone, converses with a deer that uses a bugle to mediate its voice.
Artist Bio
Calla Thompson is a practicing artist and a faculty member at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She received her MFA in Photography from Syracuse University in 1999 and her BFA in Photography from the University of Ottawa (Canada) in 1996. Thompson's work is shown throughout the United States, Canada, and South America, including solo exhibitions at Soho 20 Gallery (New York), Open Studio Gallery (Toronto), and School 33 (Baltimore). Her group exhibitions include those at the Everson Museum of Art (Syracuse), the Korean Cultural Center Gallery of Los Angeles, Centro Colombo Americano de Medellin in associate with EAFIT University (Medellin, Columbia), Joan Grona Gallery (Texas), Arlington Arts Center (Virginia), and Maryland Art Place (Baltimore).
anna's museum writeup
Labor day weekend, I went into New York to see Louise Bourgeois' retrospective at the Guggenheim. I initially saw her work at Dia earlier this year. The surroundings there really suited her organic forms. It was in a section of the museum with exposed brick and rather dark. One of her'spiders' was in it's own room, practically filling it with an ominous presence, much like a giant prehistoric insect/gazebo.
At the Guggenheim, the lobby had another of her spider sculptures, though this one was seemingly graceful and elegant. Also, 2 hanging objects hung from the ceiling, glimmering like silver bee hives. They made good use of the layout. Each level of the rotunda showcased as different phase of her long career.
Her series of installations, Cells, were depressing, yet effective. To the artist they represented "different types of pain". They reminded me of a section of Ellis Island that used to house the medical wards. A friend of mine was performing there and we wandered around these vacant buildings. This section of buildings hadn't been restored and were in a state of decay. The artist's Cells, with their weathered doors and dusty windows, made me wonder what storeis these 'walls' would tell if they could talk. While I found myself drawing to her 'totems' and tapestry pieces, which were primitive, feminine, and hopeful, her Cell installations were successful because they did convey the pain and disappointment.
It was interesting to explore Bourgeios' journey and the different stages and materials. There were certain themes that seemed to always remain with her. It's fascinationg how something seemingly 'trivial', her mother's profession, and 'emotional', her father's affair, would inform and effect her life and work. I also had the sense that her mother's profession and the artist's themes of spiders, threads, tapestries and even the totems, were magical, healing, and hopeful. Whereas, the wound caused by her father's affair was distressing and sinister. She was able. to show both sides effectively.
At the Guggenheim, the lobby had another of her spider sculptures, though this one was seemingly graceful and elegant. Also, 2 hanging objects hung from the ceiling, glimmering like silver bee hives. They made good use of the layout. Each level of the rotunda showcased as different phase of her long career.
Her series of installations, Cells, were depressing, yet effective. To the artist they represented "different types of pain". They reminded me of a section of Ellis Island that used to house the medical wards. A friend of mine was performing there and we wandered around these vacant buildings. This section of buildings hadn't been restored and were in a state of decay. The artist's Cells, with their weathered doors and dusty windows, made me wonder what storeis these 'walls' would tell if they could talk. While I found myself drawing to her 'totems' and tapestry pieces, which were primitive, feminine, and hopeful, her Cell installations were successful because they did convey the pain and disappointment.
It was interesting to explore Bourgeios' journey and the different stages and materials. There were certain themes that seemed to always remain with her. It's fascinationg how something seemingly 'trivial', her mother's profession, and 'emotional', her father's affair, would inform and effect her life and work. I also had the sense that her mother's profession and the artist's themes of spiders, threads, tapestries and even the totems, were magical, healing, and hopeful. Whereas, the wound caused by her father's affair was distressing and sinister. She was able. to show both sides effectively.
anna's marx writeup
I was so glad this book was in a cartoon-style format. It made it so much easier to digest all of the information. It was pretty humorous and insightful.
I had never personally read anything from Marx or about him. To me, he was just the guy who started communism. After reading this, I could understand his questioning things during his particular era. That first question or doubt is the only way change happens, ultimately opening up to a new possibility.
Marx brings up valid observations regarding the workplace. The proletariots have no say or credit for their input, therefore, they become diminished. You can see similarties between Marx's workers during the industrial revolution, and our own, with corporations moving their labor overseas. It's through his writings, you can see how unions were able to emerge and did greatly improve the lives of many.
In the 1980's, with Reagan as president, you could witness the weakening of unions with the air-traffic controllers. Unions have been misused in the U.S., but I wouldn't want to consider their extinction. We have corporations today, like Walmart and Starbucks, that have seen their own workers rally to form unions and file lawsuits due to unfair practices. I wouldn't be surprised to see more of this, especially as our economy weakens.
more and more, the U.S. becomes a country based on consumerism. The mind set of a person 'selling themselves to have more, the less of himself remains', is so true. I don't agree though that private property is necessarily the evil. When you look at countries who are communist, there is a real repression of its' people. There is so much poverty, because so much has been invested in the military. In nations like China and Russia, there is no tolerance for voices of dissent. In this country, it's being done in a more underhanded way, which in some ways is more unsettling.
The good that came out of communist thought is, protection for the workforce, the birth of unions, free education, and free healthcare. Cuba has free healthcare for all and free schools. You just can never leave!
I wonder what Marx would think of 21st century communism, as it compares to his original intentions. I think it's important to see the shades of gray in any society. It never is so simple as: communism bad/democracy good. In general, it's just to be more aware of the injustices around us. Also, it's important to remember our own power to overcome adversity and not become apathetic.
I had never personally read anything from Marx or about him. To me, he was just the guy who started communism. After reading this, I could understand his questioning things during his particular era. That first question or doubt is the only way change happens, ultimately opening up to a new possibility.
Marx brings up valid observations regarding the workplace. The proletariots have no say or credit for their input, therefore, they become diminished. You can see similarties between Marx's workers during the industrial revolution, and our own, with corporations moving their labor overseas. It's through his writings, you can see how unions were able to emerge and did greatly improve the lives of many.
In the 1980's, with Reagan as president, you could witness the weakening of unions with the air-traffic controllers. Unions have been misused in the U.S., but I wouldn't want to consider their extinction. We have corporations today, like Walmart and Starbucks, that have seen their own workers rally to form unions and file lawsuits due to unfair practices. I wouldn't be surprised to see more of this, especially as our economy weakens.
more and more, the U.S. becomes a country based on consumerism. The mind set of a person 'selling themselves to have more, the less of himself remains', is so true. I don't agree though that private property is necessarily the evil. When you look at countries who are communist, there is a real repression of its' people. There is so much poverty, because so much has been invested in the military. In nations like China and Russia, there is no tolerance for voices of dissent. In this country, it's being done in a more underhanded way, which in some ways is more unsettling.
The good that came out of communist thought is, protection for the workforce, the birth of unions, free education, and free healthcare. Cuba has free healthcare for all and free schools. You just can never leave!
I wonder what Marx would think of 21st century communism, as it compares to his original intentions. I think it's important to see the shades of gray in any society. It never is so simple as: communism bad/democracy good. In general, it's just to be more aware of the injustices around us. Also, it's important to remember our own power to overcome adversity and not become apathetic.
External, Internal, or the Same?
Throughout the reading the idea of external inspiration came forward as a topic of great fascination and interest. The idea of external inspiration was not one that is new to me, however the idea of separating inspiration into the two categories of external and internal is a new outlook. Before reading this article I had contemplated external and internal sources of inspiration, but never drew such a distinct line of separation between the two ideas. The idea that inspiration needs to be separated however is one that seems intriguing as well as quite perplexing. Within the many examples provided that specify the division of external inspiration the idea is also paired with great examples of how current artists feel they draw from the world around them to create artwork that speaks on both personal experiences as well as one’s that are shared by larger groups. It seems however that the line is also very blurred throughout the articles and interviews. It is this particular aspect of the piece, “External Sources of Inspiration” that captured my attention, but also gave a sense of cloudy controversy.
It has been my perception prior to reading this article that inspiration was a singular being that lacked the division created and spoken of by the author. This line, even in the article, seems to be one that is muddy and hard to distinguish. It is said, that because these artists pull from the many cultures that they are surrounded by and share many feeling about their dispositions with others, that the sources they are pulling from are external ones. As an individual, this idea becomes one of an almost frightening nature. It seems to allude to the idea that there are some aspects of the human that are quite individual and can be brought out through provocation, but that there are many others created by external sources that are so shared that they almost lack an individual nature. Before reading this article these two instances were ones I had never even really conceptualized, but even after reading the article, they appear to be boundaries that seem too cloudy to be concrete.
Contrary to the article’s ideas, my personal view of artwork supports that all experiences are of a personal and internal nature. Great stress is placed on the concept of internalizing issues that happen in the world around a person and what emotions this might unleash. Although the article states that internal inspiration lays dormant and only need be provoked by means such as meditation or hallucination, the term internal could hold a very different meaning, maybe one more relative to the notion above. It could also be defined more liberally to cover the idea that even external events that share consequences and reactions with larger groups still are twisted in a certain degree to fit each individual experiencing them. It is from this aspect that the boundary is crossed. However, I would not say that all inspiration is internal for it could also be argued that it is just as likely external in nature. All events build within an individual and although some events are shared, no individual shares every single experience and perceives each experience in the same way as another being. It is this aspect that creates a certain strength in the individual or the internal, but a strength that will always be closely married to the power of the external. With this thought pattern it can be said that the individual will always find inspiration in their perception of the world around them and it is the idea of these internal manipulations of the personal experiences that is so interesting and compelling.
It has been my perception prior to reading this article that inspiration was a singular being that lacked the division created and spoken of by the author. This line, even in the article, seems to be one that is muddy and hard to distinguish. It is said, that because these artists pull from the many cultures that they are surrounded by and share many feeling about their dispositions with others, that the sources they are pulling from are external ones. As an individual, this idea becomes one of an almost frightening nature. It seems to allude to the idea that there are some aspects of the human that are quite individual and can be brought out through provocation, but that there are many others created by external sources that are so shared that they almost lack an individual nature. Before reading this article these two instances were ones I had never even really conceptualized, but even after reading the article, they appear to be boundaries that seem too cloudy to be concrete.
Contrary to the article’s ideas, my personal view of artwork supports that all experiences are of a personal and internal nature. Great stress is placed on the concept of internalizing issues that happen in the world around a person and what emotions this might unleash. Although the article states that internal inspiration lays dormant and only need be provoked by means such as meditation or hallucination, the term internal could hold a very different meaning, maybe one more relative to the notion above. It could also be defined more liberally to cover the idea that even external events that share consequences and reactions with larger groups still are twisted in a certain degree to fit each individual experiencing them. It is from this aspect that the boundary is crossed. However, I would not say that all inspiration is internal for it could also be argued that it is just as likely external in nature. All events build within an individual and although some events are shared, no individual shares every single experience and perceives each experience in the same way as another being. It is this aspect that creates a certain strength in the individual or the internal, but a strength that will always be closely married to the power of the external. With this thought pattern it can be said that the individual will always find inspiration in their perception of the world around them and it is the idea of these internal manipulations of the personal experiences that is so interesting and compelling.
Marx made in Books
“Marx for Beginners” presents the ideas of world-renowned philosopher Karl Marx in a down-to-earth and hands-on manner. It was this experience that I found most interesting about the book and one that related to the overall message of Marx’s writings and he author’s intent. The book did a phenomenal job of introducing not only the ideas of Karl Marx, but also his biographical background and the ideas and philosophers that led up to his period in history. For an individual who has had very limited contact with not only the concept of Marxism, but also the many other philosophers and philosophies brought up within the pages, this reading was both eye opening and informative. Rius, the author, constructed a piece of literature that not only was able to educate, but also entertain. With this said, the many aspects of Marxism surprised me as well as did the form that this book took and the complexity of its simple nature.
Firstly speaking, the many ideas of Maxism caught me off guard, as they probably would for many readers who have not be introduced to the many topics surrounding Marx’s theories. The complexity was one factor that set the topic up to be one of a very intimidating nature and one that I did not approach lightly. Having only been in contact with the ideas of communism and socialism through boring and very off putting high school history courses and the occasional “commie” joke on television shows, the subject seemed very disconnected. Rius allowed the reader to step out of this mindset and into one of a very comfortable nature. He introduces Marx in an easy to understand manner, which tskes the apprehensive nature of some and turns it into the readiness of an open-minded individual. While reading in this state of being it seemed easy to comprehend the ideas of Marxism and the many other philosophies around it. Everyone would side with a necessity for justice and strive to help those who are being wronged. It became more and more apparent that this statement is not totally true however. For as Marx states, those in power may appear to be attempting to serve a sense of justice, but only those who are being wronged can fight for this state justice. With ideas like this and many others this writing makes readers aware that communism and socialism are not some foreign monsters, but states of thinking that could aid many all over the world and one’s that should not be so easily dismissed.
The other topic that should be addressed is the manner in which this information is delivered to the reader. As stated above it is in a very easily understandable state, but it goes far further than just “dumbing down” the language that is uses. In an intelligent choice the author decided to incorporate a humorous comic book themed layout design. This seemed to break the barrier between the reader and he content by creating a playful nature to the writing. It also subtly addressed that Marx’s writing was not meant for just those of wealth and intelligence it was intended for the working class and those who could help achieve a better state of living. This choice is one that brings up the topic of book making and the many different forms it can take. The author knew that by choosing this style he would create an environment that was welcoming and comfortable for the viewer to explore the complex and sometimes intimidating ideas of Karl Marx and others. With the many more traditional forms of the book available the author chose this particular structure most likely for these reasons and it is this choice that I find both thoughtful and successful. With this said not only was the text contained in the book well delivered, but so was the packaged product of the book itself. In this, the author created a piece of literature that brings up an urge to learn. An urge, that is lost in the many intellectual books and articles that are published on topics of this nature.
Marx Response
Marx for Beginners was an interesting book overall. It combines a simplistic graphic novel layout with concentrated information on Marx’s life, influences and theories. It was short in length but a difficult read, during which even the caricatures express their confusion. A large portion of the novel seems to be either contradictory to the following page, or seemingly obvious. Though it does get the idea across that it seems obvious only due to the early philosophers who investigated the idea in the first place. Overall, Rius attempts to simplify Marx for the reader using a less intimidating aesthetic, but the content is still quite profound.
Marx is highly intrigued on the history of class distinction and struggle. He investigates the maturation of class separation over the ages and comprises theories on capitalism that make a lot of sense. I question whether they seem so accurate because I fall into the proletariat class myself, or because this is the first argument I have examined on the subject. Marx believed in a greater freedom for all of society, but if classism was to be abolished, perhaps that be an entrapment of the bourgeoisie. Man needs to struggle to accomplish, and in a “free society” there would be stagnancy without the drive to move upward.
After inspecting Marx’s theory through the eyes of Rius, I do feel that the best way would be to become an entrepreneur or act as a freelancer who is both laborer and profiteer. Alienation is almost negated if one acts independently and pays for material. They create and work as a singular unique source of production, which in turn heightens the value of the product. This freelancer sells the exclusive outcome while capitalizing on their own production. I call it Codism for beginners.
Marx is highly intrigued on the history of class distinction and struggle. He investigates the maturation of class separation over the ages and comprises theories on capitalism that make a lot of sense. I question whether they seem so accurate because I fall into the proletariat class myself, or because this is the first argument I have examined on the subject. Marx believed in a greater freedom for all of society, but if classism was to be abolished, perhaps that be an entrapment of the bourgeoisie. Man needs to struggle to accomplish, and in a “free society” there would be stagnancy without the drive to move upward.
After inspecting Marx’s theory through the eyes of Rius, I do feel that the best way would be to become an entrepreneur or act as a freelancer who is both laborer and profiteer. Alienation is almost negated if one acts independently and pays for material. They create and work as a singular unique source of production, which in turn heightens the value of the product. This freelancer sells the exclusive outcome while capitalizing on their own production. I call it Codism for beginners.
Sourcing Inspiration
Sourcing Inspiration, hence its title, discussed a very important factor in every artists’ life. Inspiration spurs the sudden shock of energy to create with passion and a purpose. This reading provided an eclectic collection of artists with an accompanying array of diverse inspirations.
Inspiration Reaction
Organizing one’s creative thoughts can be a difficult task, seeing how spontaneity is the nature of the creative mind. At this early stage in artist’s career, one can feel governed by the unpredictable emergence of progressive thoughts towards an idea. It can be burdensome as an artist to be struck with an idea at an inconvenient time, or to find a lack of stimulation at a critical time. “Artist’s block” may be caused by many mental or physical events, yet is never invited and can lead to both lucrative and psychological distress.
Sourcing Inspiration is an insightful look into the into the aesthetic mind. It investigates how ideas become implanted into the psyche and evolve into mature concepts. The article is helpful because it explains different ways that inspiration can be accepted. For instance, external stimuli can manifest an idea for one, while another artist creates off of their own internal workings. This does not exclude the idea of using an internal inspirational source mixed with tangible references for representational purposes.
Personally, this was helpful or me as a student who struggles with formation of clear ideas about my identity as an artist and the work itself. I can relate to certain parts of the article that speak of internal artistic impulses and using the human experience itself as inspiration. It is encouraging to read that one does not need to have brash statements about politics or other cliché things to be taken seriously in the art world.
Sourcing Inspiration is an insightful look into the into the aesthetic mind. It investigates how ideas become implanted into the psyche and evolve into mature concepts. The article is helpful because it explains different ways that inspiration can be accepted. For instance, external stimuli can manifest an idea for one, while another artist creates off of their own internal workings. This does not exclude the idea of using an internal inspirational source mixed with tangible references for representational purposes.
Personally, this was helpful or me as a student who struggles with formation of clear ideas about my identity as an artist and the work itself. I can relate to certain parts of the article that speak of internal artistic impulses and using the human experience itself as inspiration. It is encouraging to read that one does not need to have brash statements about politics or other cliché things to be taken seriously in the art world.
9.14.2008
Michelle & Marx
Ruis’ Marx For Beginners gives a simplistic but cohesive summary of the history and concepts of Karl Marx. Ridiculing capitalistic society and its exploitation of the lower class “productive forces”, this German revolutionary theorist directly and indirectly impacted many cultures. Culture, which is not inherited, but learned through the vehicle of language, is a key component in the development of a society. Through this language a society develops a culture of it’s own thus creating unique individual perspectives that can fuel art and philosophy.To Marx, the development of culture in turn is dependent on the development of “the productive forces”. This term refers to the proletariat who must sell his work to the bourgeoisie for much less than he is actually worth. According to Marx, this subjugation creates a society where art, science, and the government become the monopoly of a few. This minority will use and abuse its powerful position in its own interest to the disadvantage of the lower working class. Marx proposes that societal change can only occur through economic shifts; therefore economics indirectly determine the creation of art and literature in a culture.
The inspiration to produce art comes not only from personal conflict or introspection, but also from external sourcing. Noting this element, Ruis discusses the dialectical and contradictory nature of the relation of bourgeoisie to proletariat. This connection can be also applied to the relation art has to the development of productive forces. Schools of art have roots in antiquity, but have constantly changed. According to Marxist theory, these transformations reflect in great measure the processes of change in society that can be traced back to the modes of production and corresponding class relations. Art does not directly reflect the general development of society, but ideas and styles. These elements can survive in the minds of men long after the concrete socio-economic context from which they arose. With this having been said, is an artist a free individual of society? He or she lives in a society and is much as any other citizen influenced by its cultural development. Although an artist could create something purely for himself, art is a means of communication to others. The idea that the intellectual or the artist is "free" stems from a misunderstanding and a philosophical error. Ruis’ states that this so-called free will has never existed, except in idealist philosophy and religion. An artist must partake in society to successfully communicate with his or her audience. This participation can be in the form of incorporating internal sources acknowledged by society or external sources within society itself. It is through this connection that art speaks to its viewers, and a factor that in which makes an artist forever bound to his or her culture.
Marx stresses the impact an economy has on every aspect of a society, but how does this relate to art? Marxist theory proposes that the creation of class, more specifically, the bourgeois, through slavery and exploitation, is the real material basis upon which art, science and technology developed. In a social system of hierarchy and capitalism, art becomes an outlet that the upper class controls directly and indirectly, whether it is monetary or socially based. Marx also discusses the importance of a proletariat revolution in order to achieve change. Does this mean that in a capitalistic society like America, artists will continue to repeat the same forms of work because their society has not changed and lacks the impetus to do so?
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