brianvds
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Always refreshing to see work without any artist's statement or explanation (something which is almost always a sign of a BS artist at work).
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Always refreshing to see work without any artist's statement or explanation (something which is almost always a sign of a BS artist at work).
stlukesguild
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In 1968 there was a retrospective of Balthus work at the Tate. They asked him for an artist's statement to preface the catalog. He replied:
"Balthus is a painter of whom nothing is known. And now let us have a look at the paintings."
"Balthus is a painter of whom nothing is known. And now let us have a look at the paintings."
J
JohnEmmett
Throughout his career, Balthus rejected the usual conventions of the art world. He insisted that his paintings should be seen and not read about, and he resisted any attempts made to build a biographical profile. A telegram sent to the Tate Gallery as it prepared for its 1968 retrospective of his works read:
"NO BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS. BEGIN: BALTHUS IS A PAINTER OF WHOM NOTHING IS KNOWN. NOW LET US LOOK AT THE PICTURES. REGARDS B."
From Wikipedia
"NO BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS. BEGIN: BALTHUS IS A PAINTER OF WHOM NOTHING IS KNOWN. NOW LET US LOOK AT THE PICTURES. REGARDS B."
From Wikipedia
stlukesguild
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Most of the time artist's statements are required, but I guess you're right. They are all bullshit artists then.
Artyczar
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One of my favorite movies...
Anyway, touting that you are an artist that refuses to write an artist's statement can make you just as much an irritant as those that pontificate all their artspeaky diatribe on their statements that no one can comprehend, or obviously SEE in the art itself. But I don't think there is anything wrong with giving a little background about where you're from and the materials you use, and even what inspires you to make art. Those are just facts, not BS.
Anyway, touting that you are an artist that refuses to write an artist's statement can make you just as much an irritant as those that pontificate all their artspeaky diatribe on their statements that no one can comprehend, or obviously SEE in the art itself. But I don't think there is anything wrong with giving a little background about where you're from and the materials you use, and even what inspires you to make art. Those are just facts, not BS.
stlukesguild
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Instant Artist's Statement
Artist's Statement Generator
Here's what the second one came up with for my work:
David StLuc (CLEVELAND, United States) creates mixed media artworks, paintings, drawings and mixed media artworks. By applying a poetic and often metaphorical language, StLuc wants to amplify the astonishment of the spectator by creating compositions or settings that generate tranquil poetic images that leave traces and balances on the edge of recognition and alienation.
His mixed media artworks often refer to pop and mass culture. Using written and drawn symbols, a world where light-heartedness rules and where rules are undermined is created. By using popular themes such as sexuality, family structure, and violence, he touches various overlapping themes and strategies. Several reoccurring subject matter can be recognized, such as the relation with popular culture and media, working with repetition, provocation, and the investigation of the process of expectations.
His works sometimes radiate a cold and latent violence. At times, disconcerting beauty emerges. The inherent visual seductiveness, along with the conciseness of the exhibitions, further complicates the reception of their manifold layers of meaning. By emphasizing aesthetics, he seduces the viewer into a world of ongoing equilibrium and the interval that articulates the stream of daily events. Moments are depicted that only exist to punctuate the human drama in order to clarify our existence and to find poetic meaning in everyday life.
His works appear as dreamlike images in which fiction and reality meet, well-known tropes merge, meanings shift, past and present fuse. Time and memory always play a key role.
Artist's Statement Generator
Here's what the second one came up with for my work:
David StLuc (CLEVELAND, United States) creates mixed media artworks, paintings, drawings and mixed media artworks. By applying a poetic and often metaphorical language, StLuc wants to amplify the astonishment of the spectator by creating compositions or settings that generate tranquil poetic images that leave traces and balances on the edge of recognition and alienation.
His mixed media artworks often refer to pop and mass culture. Using written and drawn symbols, a world where light-heartedness rules and where rules are undermined is created. By using popular themes such as sexuality, family structure, and violence, he touches various overlapping themes and strategies. Several reoccurring subject matter can be recognized, such as the relation with popular culture and media, working with repetition, provocation, and the investigation of the process of expectations.
His works sometimes radiate a cold and latent violence. At times, disconcerting beauty emerges. The inherent visual seductiveness, along with the conciseness of the exhibitions, further complicates the reception of their manifold layers of meaning. By emphasizing aesthetics, he seduces the viewer into a world of ongoing equilibrium and the interval that articulates the stream of daily events. Moments are depicted that only exist to punctuate the human drama in order to clarify our existence and to find poetic meaning in everyday life.
His works appear as dreamlike images in which fiction and reality meet, well-known tropes merge, meanings shift, past and present fuse. Time and memory always play a key role.
stlukesguild
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I agree with Arty in that I certainly can see the value of an honest artist's statement that offers the audience some idea of your main themes, your choice of media, your sources of inspiration, and perhaps a bit of your artistic biography. What I despise is the BS of such statements like those churned out by the Art Bollocks site (the first link above) which are not far removed from some actual artist's statements I have read:
My work explores the relationship between the tyranny of ageing and romance tourism. With influences as diverse as Kierkegaard and Francis Bacon, new insights are synthesised from both explicit and implicit dialogues.
Ever since I was a teenager I have been fascinated by the unrelenting divergence of the zeitgeist. What starts out as hope soon becomes debased into a hegemony of temptation, leaving only a sense of failing and the possibility of a new reality.
As subtle derivatives become frozen through boundaried and repetitive practice, the viewer is left with an epitaph for the inaccuracies of our culture.
My work explores the relationship between the tyranny of ageing and romance tourism. With influences as diverse as Kierkegaard and Francis Bacon, new insights are synthesised from both explicit and implicit dialogues.
Ever since I was a teenager I have been fascinated by the unrelenting divergence of the zeitgeist. What starts out as hope soon becomes debased into a hegemony of temptation, leaving only a sense of failing and the possibility of a new reality.
As subtle derivatives become frozen through boundaried and repetitive practice, the viewer is left with an epitaph for the inaccuracies of our culture.
musket
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I suppose, if perish forbid I'd actually need to make a statement, it might have gone something like this.
"I make stuff that's nice to look at. There's no meaning in it other than what you bring to it. Do you like it? Then buy it. If you aren't quite sure, I don't care, because somebody else will, and you'll be sorry. So unless you like the idea of beating yourself up when you find out it's gone, act now. Cash is always appreciated, but a check will do."
"I make stuff that's nice to look at. There's no meaning in it other than what you bring to it. Do you like it? Then buy it. If you aren't quite sure, I don't care, because somebody else will, and you'll be sorry. So unless you like the idea of beating yourself up when you find out it's gone, act now. Cash is always appreciated, but a check will do."
brianvds
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Agreed. I don't mind that kind of thing, and indeed enjoy learning more about the artist and his or her materials etc. I was thinking of artsy bollocks; when you see that sort of thing, it is usually the most interesting part of the entire exhibition.
J
JohnEmmett
Jonas Gerard
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Desforges
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Maria Paula Figueiroa Rego DBE RA (born 26 January 1935) is a Portuguese-born visual artist who is particularly known for her paintings and prints based on storybooks. Rego’s style has evolved from abstract towards representational, and she has favoured pastels over oils for much of her career. Her work often reflects feminism, coloured by folk-themes from her native Portugal.
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Artyczar
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Well...I have long been absolutely obsessed with Lisa Sanditz, as some of you might know. She just ended a show in London so she has a lot of new pieces that have been driving me crazy with envy. Here are a few:
This last one is interesting in that I happen to have a composition quite like it sitting in my sketchbook. Now I'm a little bit hesitant to paint it because I'll never be able to make it look like this:
I'm in love with it.
This last one is interesting in that I happen to have a composition quite like it sitting in my sketchbook. Now I'm a little bit hesitant to paint it because I'll never be able to make it look like this:
I'm in love with it.
stlukesguild
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Well...I have long been absolutely obsessed with Lisa Sanditz, as some of you might know. She just ended a show in London...
I quite like these. Her work reminds me of certain elements of other artists I admire including Bonnard, Milton Avery, Daniel Richter, and even Diebenkorn. I'll need to look at more of her work.
I quite like these. Her work reminds me of certain elements of other artists I admire including Bonnard, Milton Avery, Daniel Richter, and even Diebenkorn. I'll need to look at more of her work.
