Jumping on the band wagon

This morning I’ve seen read several entries on an experiment about art and context. I blogged on this topic a while ago in Art Transformation Zone - and probably made a few people think I really was ‘witless’. As Tyler Green put it “Context matters — and that’s OK”. I have been wrestling with the “That’s OK” bit, I am still not sure.

Over the Net said “If you put a pile of road working equipment in the middle of an art gallery, would people stop to consider it seriously as art?”  The thing is they probably would in at least the same percentages as the experiment reported above. I would estimate at least 4% would seriously consider it art because it was in a gallery. EDIT: Maths is not my strong point but probably much much more than 4% would think its art. So context does matter then?… I’d love to see this tried out actually, dumb idea or not.

Again I reiterate I have no problem with art that requires a gallery context (or not) - it just gets you thinking - well me anyway.

I saw this over on eyeContact. What does it say about context???

Layla Rudneva – McKay from Tell yourself you’re OK

Oh - and I just love that phrase “jumping on the bandwagon” For some bizarre reason it makes me think of climbing aboard Don Driver’s “Ritual”.

Art is where you find it

I have been debating, deconstructing and trying to figure out what art is for a while now. I had come to a few conclusions, one being that it was about intent, but a discussion with someoneiknow last night brought up that it isn’t just about the artist otherwise artists would just shut all their works up in a dark room. The moment something is put out for public ‘consumption’ the viewer becomes part of the equation. So the question remains unanswered and thats probably as it should be.

I was at the library today (I love my library!) getting some books to counter what my daughter is being taught about art at school. The goal of learning to ‘colour inside the lines’ really grates on me, but apparently its about structure and discipline *shudder*. Anyway I found some of my answers - or at least a discussion of the topic in the children’s section. “What is Art? Experience art in the world around you” by Rosemary Davidson is excellent and although written for young people covers the bases really well. I guess anyone who has been to art school knows this stuff inside out but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of the basics. I liked this ”What is Art? introduces the idea that art can be a personal everyday experience - rather than remote and ‘out there’“, which is sort of what my blog is about.

I also picked up the fantastic book “Welcome to the South Seas” by Gregory O’Brien. Again aimed at a younger audience, what I think is quite brilliant is that it covers many different art-forms. It doesn’t back away from introducing kids to Don Driver, although I am a little thankful it is “Yellow Tentacle Pram” not  “Ritual”.

DON DRIVER Yellow Tentacle Pram 1980

To me art is where you find it (and home is where the art is). As an  example I found this blog entry - just scroll down to the pictures. It starts with “Just imagine you’re in a very tiny art gallery… that smells a bit like moth balls…” The items in themselves may not be art but the photographs as a collection (and I can imagine them mounted in a gallery) certainly are.