7 days in the Art World- Quotes and Commentary

The Crit:

(p 45) "Although Asher has a steady museum career, the real importance of his art lies in the way it has inspired a dynamic oral culture."

-I was able to relate to the work of Michael Asher because it makes valid statements about the art world. He points out the importance of critiques and communication with his marathon crits, and the overlooked business aspects of galleries when he removed the wall that separated the office from the actual gallery.

(p 69) "'for art students, the people who matter most are the peer group." Artists need 'friendships with an inbuilt critique' as a context for the development of their work"

- I find this to be true among my peers. I find that a lot of students like talking about their work with friends and get a lot from what they have to say. There are formal critiques with teachers involved but there are also several "inbuilt critiques" that happen before this.


(p 48)"Each student has set up camp, staked out some territory, and distinguished him- or herself with a pet, pose, or some signature activity."

-It might just be because these students are from California, but I really hated the way she described the students that attended the critique. I was eager to hear what would be said in the crit, but unfortunately the few quotes that she included lacked depth and I was disappointed that Michael Asher didn't speak much. I know that he strategically doesn't give input and it did add to his character, but I would have liked to have read about a more eventful crit instead it seemed like everyone was asleep or doing something else. I just hope that's not the reality of all graduate critiques.

(p 55-56)"'We all contradict each other,' says Leslie Dick- but the prevailing belief is that any artist whose work fails to display some conceptual rigor is little more than a pretender, illustrator, or designer."

"up to the wrist" "down to the wrist"

- I like the 'up and down to the wrist' analogy for conceptual and fine art, but Leslie Dick's comment was a little insulting to me. A pretender? that's harsh to say and then to put illustrators and designers in that same category is pretty bold. I agree that no concept rigor falls under a pretender, but how does she figure that illustrators and designers don't include concept as an artist?


(p54-55) "'Never go to the wall text. Never ask the artist. Learn to read the work.'" -Mary Kelly

-Learning to read work is so important, which is what crits are for. I like Kelly's idea on how critiques should be run with the artist speaking after everyone else, so that the artist can get unbiased opinions and comments.

The Fair

(p 91) "'A collection is more than the sum of its parts. It creates something unique,' says Logsdail. The worst collections are scrambled, disjointed, and "fickle. The best have 'a driving force.'"

-It was interesting to hear what collectors had to say about what makes a good collection.

(p 92-93) "More and more collectors are opening their own exhibition spaces."




(p 98) "Poe believes that an art fair can be a tough environment for an artist. 'If they are any good, they make art because they have to... They don't do it to please the market. So for some artists, hanging out here can mess with their heads. Also, let's face it, this is not the optimum place to exhibit work. The subtle notes in artworks are drowned out by the cacophony.'"

- I honestly did not even realize as an artist that these fairs existed, and I was getting a little troubled when reading about it, so I thought that this was a good quote. I was unaware that this was what it takes to be an artist that sells work, and would not want to attend one of these fairs unless I decide to work in the gallery business. I was relieved to read that artists don't really have to see this part of the art world and it is more the dealers responsibility to fill the void between the two, but it is definitely something to be aware of now.

The studio visit

(p 188) "Murakami is a stickler for documenting every layer of a painting, so that he can follow the process even when he is out of town and look back on the layers to reproduce similar effects in future works."

(p 196-197)

"'Every morning I upset people... I used to think that my staff were motivated by money, but the most important thing for creative people is the sense that they are learning. It's like video game. The have frustration with my high expectations, so when they get my 'yes' for their work, the feel like they've won a level'"

-Murakami doesn't seem that bad, and I would completely value working as an artist assistant. It is definitely worth the learning experience and if it pays to allow you to be an artist, which it does for his assistants, than that is all the better. Being an assistant can be really rewarding, and the painting director, Sugimoto-san, who has worked for 10 years for Murakami has a lot of respect and talent which is just as good as fame.

"Vector art software like illustrator, which allows the user to stretch, contort, and scale up images without any degradation, has transformed the design industry, but relatively few fine artists use it."

-This quote wasn't too surprising to read, but design programs are really transforming the way artists work and it's become more important to know in this generation of artists

(p 199)"A studio is supposed to be a site of intense contemplation. Murakami does not have a preferred thinking space or somewhere that he feels is the heart of his studio."

-Wherever the work gets done is a studio in my eyes.