tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-175823012024-03-13T15:50:14.760-04:00works in progressa running commentary on the arts + works in progress + thoughts
includes sculptures, installation art, drawings and other works on paper. gallery visits, commentary and criticism, plus random thoughts on art, artists and the art community.esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.comBlogger143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-41165450028454914322008-05-11T13:21:00.003-04:002008-05-11T14:06:44.945-04:00It's official!For all your favorite art commentary, I have moved the blog to its new home: <a href="http://www.evemosher.com/blog/">http://www.evemosher.com/blog/</a><br />I will leave this blog alive on blogger for a while since there are still outside links pointing here, but for updated content, see above. The new feed subscription is: <a href="http://www.evemosher.com/blog/index.php/feed/atom/">http://www.evemosher.com/blog/index.php/feed/atom/</a><br />See you real soon!esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-28086784477153430622008-04-30T17:31:00.005-04:002008-12-09T08:49:06.628-05:00There is no scarcity.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBn58wNlm6I/AAAAAAAAANI/nj-I5HBy1rY/s1600-h/409317294_f5e086981a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBn58wNlm6I/AAAAAAAAANI/nj-I5HBy1rY/s320/409317294_f5e086981a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195458467277937570" border="0" /></a>Yesterday I posted about some bigger discussions to have when engaging in the discourse on funding for the arts. I spoke about communities and artist support & integration. Today, as promised I want to talk about the power of the arts community and the myth of scarcity.<br /><br />The myth of scarcity in the arts is the long held belief that there's not enough X to go around. Where X represents one patrons, audience, venues, whatever. This myth creates a sometimes vicious competitive environment.<br /><br />The myth is detrimental to both individual artists and the community.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBn58QNlm5I/AAAAAAAAANA/dSm1uLI0qlw/s1600-h/23068613_1ea0d662b3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBn58QNlm5I/AAAAAAAAANA/dSm1uLI0qlw/s320/23068613_1ea0d662b3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195458458688002962" border="0" /></a>The good news is that it really is <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2008/01/but-selling-out-to-whom.html">BS</a>. But that does mean coming to terms with some understanding and reality checks. The first concept to grasp is that the current system of the arts industry is broken, the pyramid is inverted. Artists, who should be at the top of the pyramid (all other services should be in support of artist) are currently at the bottom (playing the support role to all the services). This is not a complaint, just a statement of (important word choice coming up) <span style="font-style: italic;">current</span> fact. In order to change this, artists will need to begin with reconsidering how to succeed in the art world (more on that later).<br /><br />Another reality check is that there is only a minuscule number (I've heard rumours that it is 1% of 1% of all artists) make a large amount of money off their artwork. And by large amount of money, I mean rockstar lifestyle. We could probably figure out who they are right now, ummm, Damien Hirst, Olafur Elliasson, maybe Jeff Koons and tangentially Christo & Jean Claude (tan. because they make money off sketches of their work). Am I missing anyone?<br /><br />Here's the secret, everyone else is making money off alternative sources of income which are funding their work (teaching, speaking, working in the arts, etc). Now, there are probably quite a lot of artists who make a reasonable amount of money off their work (as opposed to the rockstar levels of money), mostly these are artists who can create easy to market & sell work, which, often is not even the work they would consider the most important or interesting. Like the e-bay and painting-a-day people (there's a lot of merit in these methods of funding). If you are doing large scale public projects (say a chalk line around NYC) then your funding might come in a small part from grants and individuals, but in a larger part from speaking opportunities, image rights and some amount of commodification. My painter friend is pursuing painting portraits as a means to fund his work, a couple of my other friends who create non-object based work subsist on teaching and occasional fellowships. It's a good idea to understand that you will be the biggest funder of your own work, so you should find something you can do to make money that will make you happy.<br /><br />So, about how this community concept can help. It's quite simple actually, so simple in fact that there is a cliche already made for it: a rising tide lifts all boats.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBn75ANlm7I/AAAAAAAAANQ/9A2a344MQh4/s1600-h/873790019_82fdacdd32.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBn75ANlm7I/AAAAAAAAANQ/9A2a344MQh4/s320/873790019_82fdacdd32.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195460601876683698" border="0" /></a>If as a community we decide that we are going to <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2008/02/why-and-how-we-share.html">help one another</a>, whether that is sharing knowledge, resources, experience whatever, then we all rise up together. Don't even think it isn't selfish, don't you think that if I help my friend the painter get a show in a gallery or out at Coney Island, well one day he will turn around and help me when I need it. Sharing is a way of creating greater strength in numbers. (What you give is what you get).<br /><br />Yes we should all be talking about money too. It empowers us all to know what people are paying for services and products so that we can price our own products and services accordingly. (For example, in my experience speaker fees can range anywhere from $200 [for local panel] to $1000 [for individual presentation outside NYC], and stipends for showing work that is documentary in nature [documentation of a project already completed] is about $300). It also helps us all present a more united front, sure there are lots of artists doing things for free (even I admit to that for a select situation), but the more we all ask for the money we rightly deserve, the more likely people will pay for it. The power of a positive no is a great thing.<br /><br />So think about it, and figure out what you have to share with your fellow artists, and go out there and give that away (while simultaneously asking to be paid for your creativity).<br /><br />Photos all <a href="http://creativecommons.org/">creative commons</a> license, courtesy of <a href="http://flickr.com/">flickr</a> and: (top to bottom)<br />"<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/dltq/409317294/">Support Starving Artists</a>" by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/dltq/">dltq</a><br />"<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/megafon/23068613/">Inverted Pyramide</a>" by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/megafon/">megafon</a> (ironic that it is at the louvre no?)<br /><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/dltq/"></a>"<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/jenkim/873790019/">community kitchen</a>" by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/jenkim/">smallestbones</a>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-48023403429704562692008-04-30T16:57:00.007-04:002008-12-09T08:49:07.462-05:00Speaking of funding...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBjjqwNlm4I/AAAAAAAAAM4/a6Q5KARF8Ds/s1600-h/2387284973_795d826900.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBjjqwNlm4I/AAAAAAAAAM4/a6Q5KARF8Ds/s320/2387284973_795d826900.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195152493807770498" border="0" /></a><br />I was invited recently to participate on a panel regarding fundraising in the arts. I was told by the organizer that I was being invited for my experience in fundraising for the HighWaterLine project. I told them, you know I only raised about 30% of the cost of the project and funded the rest of it independent filmmaker style (credit cards) and am still working on ways to recoup, so I'm not sure I am the best representative. They said, actually that's the other reason we have invited you, we want someone who is honest about their fundraising achievements and challenges.<br /><br />I'm pretty excited about the panel, since, as you may have noticed, I am <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2008/01/who-pays-whom.html">really</a> <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/11/just-thinking-out-loud.html">interested</a> in <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/11/when-art-becomes-something-useful-and.html">talking</a> about new funding models.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBjjpQNlm2I/AAAAAAAAAMo/bmV9DGyR_Pc/s1600-h/117683777_73c586675b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBjjpQNlm2I/AAAAAAAAAMo/bmV9DGyR_Pc/s320/117683777_73c586675b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195152468037966690" border="0" /></a>I think there are a couple of important parts of the conversation around fundraising which need to be addressed, I will look at value/integration and support of artistic communities today...<br /><br />First, how we talk about value of the arts in a community. The argument on the monetary value of the arts, while valuable and of great merit is overused and doesn't fully address all of the facets of a strong arts economy. I just read a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/magazine/27wwln-lede-t.html?ref=magazine">good article in the New York Times Magazine</a> about arts in education, it profiles a report which debunks the power of the arts in strengthening skills in the "tested" subject areas. (I've had a problem with this argument for a while). Instead it notes that what was witnessed was: "persistence in tackling problems, observational acuity, expressive clarity, reflective capacity to question and judge, ability to envision alternative possibilities and openness to exploration." (Nowhere has this been made more visible to me than the week I spent at <a href="http://www.artcollegeprep.com/">ACPA</a>, where high school students undertook a week long art project with me where they solved problems, collaborated, focused and expressed).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBjiuANlm1I/AAAAAAAAAMg/n91RMrCr5Fg/s1600-h/324264361_f3d62682bc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBjiuANlm1I/AAAAAAAAAMg/n91RMrCr5Fg/s320/324264361_f3d62682bc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195151450130717522" border="0" /></a>Similarly it is important to find ways to talk about the broader impact that the arts has on our community psyche and collective consciousness. What does it mean culturally and socially to be a creative community?<br /><br />And what does all this have to do with arts funding? It's re-framing the argument and looking deeper at the value of the arts and encouraging broader support, which gets us back to the other facets of a healthy funding environment for the arts. While city, state, and federal support of the arts combined with private support giving money or resources to both organizations and individuals provides fertile ground, an active patronage also needs to exist to help create a sustainable environment (somebody has to buy the work/tickets/etc).<br /><br />The final (and possibly most complicated) pieces are both government regulation in support of arts (low rent/tax breaks for venues and orgs, housing subsidy for artists, open permitting and city agency support) and integration of arts and artists into private sector economy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBjjqgNlm3I/AAAAAAAAAMw/NJgB0-n9lFw/s1600-h/2322832968_f892a398d7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBjjqgNlm3I/AAAAAAAAAMw/NJgB0-n9lFw/s320/2322832968_f892a398d7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195152489512803186" border="0" /></a>The integration could occur in a variety of ways - one idea I like is to hire artists within the corporate community to inspire creative thinking. I guarantee that if you put me on your board of directors that I would be able to see things from a different point of view and come up with creative solutions. Within the private sector artists have the ability to inspire the creativity necessary to advance companies. I would also advocate for institutions to host, essentially, artist residencies. I could provide a number of inspiring community based projects to help with any variety of Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club or NRDC initiatives.<br /><br />Tomorrow I will write about creating a supportive artistic community, as an artist, and how we can help each other overcome the scarcity myth.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Images courtesy of Creative Commons on Flickr (from top to bottom):<br />"<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/bourgeoisbee/2387284973/">Fund Public Art</a>" by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/bourgeoisbee/">bourgeoisbee</a><br />"<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/cassidy/117683777/">Funds Please</a>" by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/cassidy/">otherthings</a><br />"<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/dalydose/324264361/">Creative Hands - Mindy</a>" by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/dalydose/">Dalydose</a><br />"<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/yatta/2322832968/">fuck it i'll fund that.</a>" by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/yatta/">yatta</a><br /></span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-41475426528465109512008-04-26T10:27:00.001-04:002008-12-09T08:49:07.626-05:00Philly in the fog<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBM71gNlm0I/AAAAAAAAAMY/wHIY1AaeMig/s1600-h/Image_45-753907.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBM71gNlm0I/AAAAAAAAAMY/wHIY1AaeMig/s320/Image_45-753907.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193560585654344514" /></a></p>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-76555565099017943362008-04-26T10:21:00.001-04:002008-12-09T08:49:07.863-05:00NJ burner, kinda far away<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBM6fANlmzI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/OlBgS6UpSFo/s1600-h/Image_45-708521.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/SBM6fANlmzI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/OlBgS6UpSFo/s320/Image_45-708521.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193559099595660082" /></a></p>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-30233630175600559402008-04-24T09:04:00.002-04:002008-04-24T09:12:05.523-04:00Thinking outside the box<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">crossposted from seedingthecity.org</span></span><br /><br />I like to approach projects from an "outside the box" (boy, thats an overused term) point of view. When I mentioned the "<a href="http://www.seedingthecity.org/">Seeding the City</a>" to a friend who works with green roofs, he questioned the value of planting such a small plot of greenery - how is that going to have any real affect on the Urban Heat Island Effect?<br /><br />May answer, "Each individual module may have a negligible affect, but what would hundreds of modules spread across the city do to both our environment, our awareness and our social fabric?"<br /><br />When you consider the potential of the project, creating potentially enough greenery on rooftops to recreate a Central Park in the sky? Now it gets interesting.<br /><br />I have also been considering how to raise money for the project outside of the "normal" channels (i.e. grants). A couple of things have come up recently which I am investigating:<br /><ul><br /> <li><a href="https://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/seeding-the-city/headquarters" target="_blank">ThePoint.com</a> is a tipping point model for fundraising and social action. Get enough people to commit to something, and then it can happen. I posted the project on there with enough funds to launch the project, its a pretty high price, so we will see how close I get, but it does allow many people to be involved at a small level - it is a further exploration of microfinancing.</li><br /> <li>Another idea is to exchange money for experience or special commodities from the project, this is based on the model of <a href="http://artistsshare.com/" target="_blank">artistshare.com</a>. The funding is given up front and then the funders are invited to participate in interesting ways throughout the project.</li><br /> <li>Finally, my own thought of allowing people to "sponsor" grm's throughout the city. Pay $50 and you would sponsor a grm in your choice of one of the neighborhoods. This wouldn't be on your own roof, but would include your sponsorship information on the signage and website.</li><br /></ul><br />So, does anyone have any thoughts on any of this? Are there ways you would want to participate financially? Would you give a small amount for nothing in return or prefer a larger amount and a unique experience or commodity (if so what would that experience or commodity be?) or would you prefer to know that your funds are directed at a specific piece of action?esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-10772526143565928492008-04-11T10:21:00.002-04:002008-04-11T10:47:36.238-04:00Artists Pivotal in Art WorldI was scheduled to participate in the show "<a href="http://tag004.nl/new/">EcoAeshtetics</a>" at <a href="http://tag004.nl/new/"><>Tag</a> in The Hague. As I mentioned, they invited me to do a project which would activate people in the streets and were interested in flying me out to create a citywalk next weekend. I wasn't interested in the ecological footprint of the flight, so had developed and entirely new and exciting project, <a href="http://www.insert-here.org/">Insert ___ Here</a>, which would require them to do the printing of the materials and organize the citywalk and uploading of images. I had also allowed them to (if they wanted) recruit some local designers to work on the remediation images.<br /><br />Today it was canceled due to their very busy schedules.<br /><br />I am sad about that, but it also brings into stark reality <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2008/01/who-pays-whom.html">something</a> I have <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2008/01/but-selling-out-to-whom.html">talked</a> about <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/11/just-thinking-out-loud.html">before</a> (I don't mean to disparage <a href="http://tag004.nl/new/"><>Tag</a> at all, they were very supportive of the artists in the show - offereing airfares, stipends, etc, so please don't think I am speaking badly of their decision), the role of the artist as the hardest working in the art world. Without me producing the materials, flying out to lead the walk, managing the upload of images, searching out designers and managing their work and reposting of all of the images, well, the work just doesn't get done. This on top of already thinking through the idea, writing text, designing signs, creating a website, researching materials... As so often happens, the artist not only must create the work, but also do all the work to get it shown. Often without a living wage renumeration. This while all the other people who work in the gallery system are getting paid either a stable salary or an hourly wage which covers all their time.<br /><br />Not to worry though, Insert ____ Here is launching next week with the help of PS58 in Brooklyn (check out the kids blog on climate change - <a href="http://littlegrassroots.blogspot.com/2008/04/youre-invited-to-earth-day-celebration.html">Little Grassroots</a>!) and will be at the <a href="http://www.ssbx.org/#">Sustainable South Bronx Block Party</a> on May 17th. If you are interested in getting a group together to do <a href="http://www.insert-here.org">"Insert ____ Here"</a> in your city, email me at eve at insert-here dot org!esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-33069322891303844232008-04-08T11:08:00.002-04:002008-04-08T11:58:06.488-04:00Flights of FancyAnother <a href="http://ecoartblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/reduce-art-flights.html">blog</a> I read just turned me on to <a href="http://www.reduceartflights.com/">RAF-Reduce Art Flights</a>, a project launched at the Venice Biennial. The project aimed to highlight and promote the reduction of travel in the art world. With all the art fairs there's been an increase in not just in travel, but an exponential increase in shipping of artwork.<br /><br />This project hits close to home, especially given a couple of recent experiences. As I would hope, as my career grows, I have more opportunities to travel with/because of my work. On the other hand, I don't want to create a negative environmental impact with the work. And airline flights (<a href="http://therealcosts.com/">if you didn't already know</a>) have HUGE carbon emissions. So how to keep the career growing, spread the work and minimize the impact?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://therealcosts.com/images/deltaFront_04.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://therealcosts.com/images/deltaFront_04.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>Recently I was invited to the <a href="http://www.wexarts.org/">Wexner Center</a> to present my work as part of the Art & Environment program. It was a one afternoon engagement. I explained the quandary to the director, and asked if there was a way to broaden my (positive) impact while there, could she work with the school or other organizations to fill up a week? She was happy to oblige. I spent a week working with a local group of extraordinary high school students (more on that later), spent the afternoon at the Wexner, and met with local artists. Believe me the week was packed full.<br /><br />(I was also reminded - again - of our desperate need for better rail. The only train was a 12 hour trip arriving at 3.30am in a city two hours away, the bus left at 4am. I was totally up for taking on the long trip and early arrival, but as anyone who has ridden any distance knows, the freight trains are given priority and passenger trains are notoriously late. If I missed the 4am bus I would have been awkwardly stranded).<br /><br />So in the case of Wexner it opened up lots more opportunities for me to meet with and work with people.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://evemosher.com/gallery/d/759-4/insert_haag1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://evemosher.com/gallery/d/759-4/insert_haag1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The other instance was that I was invited to participate in the <a href="http://www.tag004.nl/new/">EcoAesthetics</a> exhibition at <a href="http://www.tag004.nl/new/">< > TAG platform</a> in The Hague. They were interested in bringing in an artists who would get out into the public space and create interventions or activate public participation. Well, thats me for sure! Unfortunately I *really* couldn't justify a flight to The Hague for a weekend project*. So instead I suggested that I create a project that could occur in the public realm, but which they could produce, organize and promote all themselves. I would provide the creative idea, the structure and the electronic files, everything else was (mostly) up to them. From that was born the <a href="http://www.insert-here.org/">"Insert ____ Here"</a> project which will launch in The Hague this weekend, Brooklyn next weekend and then Miami and the Bronx soon after. I would love to see it happen in neighborhoods around the world, so certainly contact me, or watch the <a href="http://www.insert-here.org/?page_id=6">project site</a> (totally in progress- just a theme place holder for the moment) for more information.<span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="img/gl.link.gif" alt="Link" border="0" /></span></span><br /><br />In light of this, I have been talking with <a href="http://www.mandiberg.com/">Michael Mandiberg</a> and <a href="http://www.tiffanyholmes.com/">Tiffany Holmes</a> (of <a href="http://ecoviz.org/">ecoviz.org</a>) about creating a group of artists who are interested in participating in and promoting an electronic panel. We could be in our homes, in front of a web cam participating in a panel anywhere in the world. If <a href="http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/">Andy Revkin</a> can do it, so can we.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />*It's not that I don't want to go to these places - I definitely do, I love travel and I love meeting people around the world, but I am trying to be conscientious about my travel footprint - reducing the flights and if I do fly, packing the time full of opportunities.<br /><br />Images (from top to bottom): Michael Mandiberg's Real Cost plugin for Mozilla Firefox, Eve S. Mosher's "Insert ____ Here" project<br /></span></span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-66077095591400073272008-03-04T13:11:00.002-05:002008-03-04T13:29:56.515-05:00It's that time again!Time to start "<a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2006/03/i-wont-write-about-whitney-i-wont.html">pre-writing</a>" about the whitney biennial. I anxiously await the discourse and criticism to come. ..<br /><br />But wait, its been kinda quiet out there so far. Sure the opening is Thursday, and the press preview probably the night before, but I haven't heard a peep. Here's my guess why--<br /><br />This year's biennial is going to be good. Yep you heard me - good. I think it is actually going to be a what it is supposed to be - a look at what is happening in the contemporary arts. And having a peruse through the artist list, it may actually achieve that. They have <a href="http://www.fritzhaeg.com/">Fritz Haeg</a>, <a href="http://www.ellenharvey.info/">Ellen Harvey</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Lee">Spike Lee</a>, <a href="http://www.neighborhoodpublicradio.org/">NPR</a>, <a href="http://www.rubenochoa.com/">Ruben Ochoa</a>, <a href="http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=B-5xa05TNR6_OJ4juhAT265W9Cq6FlBKOzaLVAb6muK0CsNsGCAAQARgBILZUOAFQiaKblQJgycapi8Ck2A_IAQHZA7gwm-wSYmUG&sig=AGiWqtzPz399OpqgNpdlTo0a_Dnr2e-JmA&q=http://www.zachfeuer.com">Phoebe Washburn</a>. There are also artists whose work looks like I won't like it, or it will challenge me - and those are both good things, since I would hope the contemporary art world would support diversity.<br /><br />So, I think I will actually go this year. Will let you know what I think of course.esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-13223611260775791042008-02-26T08:39:00.003-05:002008-12-09T08:49:08.097-05:00The Power of OneSo I was thinking today about the whole congestion pricing debate going on in New York (yes I am for it, in conjunction with citywide market rate parking and transportation improvements) and about the politicians who are opposed. Frequently the argument is that it would hurt their low and middle income constituents, which is a statement studies don't support (<a href="http://www.transalt.org/newsroom/releases/115">http://www.transalt.org/newsroom/releases/115</a>,<a href="http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/library/report.php?ID=52"> http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/library/report.php?ID=52</a>).<br /><br />And then I imagined talking to one of the politicians (I'll pick <a href="http://www.house.gov/weiner/">Anthony Weiner</a>, because he's reasonable. So reasonable that he has been the closest to making me second guess congestion pricing), and asking, "Do you really believe that? I mean, have you actually taken the time to go around and talk to them?" and I thought about talking to <a href="http://council.nyc.gov/d35/html/members/home.shtml">Letitia James</a> (my rep) and being able to say that I could name the people on my block who support it. And those I know who might be opposed, well I could just talk to them and maybe change their minds.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R8QZ46Hv5zI/AAAAAAAAAMI/aU60dQn2_Ns/s1600-h/solitary.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R8QZ46Hv5zI/AAAAAAAAAMI/aU60dQn2_Ns/s320/solitary.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171286737593296690" border="0" /></a>And thinking about that reminded me of "the power of one" - the ability of just one person to make a difference. The idea that if we each go out and have conversations with our neighbors, if we <span style="font-style: italic;">engage </span>one-to-one then we really can make a difference. The "power of one" is a really powerful tool that is so often overlooked by political and environmental campaigns. Sure a big rally can motivate a lot of people - but aren't the people showing up already the motivated ones?<br /><br />I hope to keep working with my artistic practice, on realizing the power of one. One investigating and expanding our own particular powers to make a difference.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Image courtesy <a href="http://www.sethwhite.org/">http://www.sethwhite.org/</a></span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >through whom I plan to live vicariously for a little while....</span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-78640415467877988042008-02-08T19:09:00.000-05:002008-02-08T19:13:51.617-05:00I <3 community walkWhen you work on projects that involve a lot of mapping, you learn to love mapping tools. There may be better ones out there, but I have grown fond of Community Walk. I just used them to do a quick map of the Highbridge project, <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://evemosher.com/gallery/v/studio/inprocess/highbridge/icu_path.jpg.html">I See You in Me (The Path of Water in NYC)</a>:<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.communitywalk.com/groups/set_commercial_domain/211135" onload="if (this.src.indexOf('http://www.communitywalk.com/iframe/content/211135') == -1) this.src='http://www.communitywalk.com/iframe/content/211135?zoom=-2' + location.hash" name="ff_cw_211135" id="ff_cw_211135" frameborder="0" height="300" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe><a href="http://www.communitywalk.com/i_see_you_in_me__the_path_of_water_in_nyc/map/211135" style="display: none;">CommunityWalk Map - I See You in Me / The Path of Water in NYC</a><img src="http://www.communitywalk.com/images/blank.gif" onload="setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById('ff_cw_211135').onload()}, 100)" /><br /><br />I did it mostly to get a guess of how long the project will need to be, about a mile. Sure after a more than 70-mile long project, it seems easy, but this one is a little more work intensive...<br /><br /><a href="http://evemosher.com/gallery/v/studio/inprocess/highbridge/icu_path.jpg.html">More images/information on the project</a>.esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-43116653867398202642008-02-07T19:23:00.000-05:002008-12-09T08:49:08.346-05:00Why (and how) we shareI've talked <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2006/11/psst.html">before</a> about the collective power of artists and why we should share. I've been seeing it repeated on <a href="http://imasellout.info/">Sellout </a>and in the comments over there recently too. (Basically it is the idea that by sharing resources and knowledge we can actually create a greater wealth of opportunities and resources). In light of that, I was trying to figure out the best way to share those resources with one another. Of course a forum seems like the obvious answer - but that can easily become unweildy and devalues quickly. (It would be hard to replicate the success of chow nee chowhound).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R6u0YjAmjtI/AAAAAAAAAMA/6oDZ60jVFmk/s1600-h/business_improvement.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R6u0YjAmjtI/AAAAAAAAAMA/6oDZ60jVFmk/s320/business_improvement.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164419731518033618" border="0" /></a>I will start by offering what I know here in these pages...<br />I will start with the basics, some good places to get reference materials-<br /><ul><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.fracturedatlas.org/">Fractured Atlas</a>: Good place to learn more (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">p</span><a href="http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/prodev/fractured_u">rofessional development</a>), get more (<a href="http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/">fiscal sponsorship</a>, <a href="http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/healthcare/">health insurance</a>, <a href="http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/liability/">liability insurance</a> [for events, film production & public art], <a href="http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/liability/">publicize </a>(promote & learn marketing), and get some <a href="http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/specialoffers/">member discounts</a>.</li><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://imasellout.info/">Sellout</a>: Participate in an ongoing discussion regarding artist issues.</li><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/">Chicago Artist Resource</a>: a fantastic site with loads of information and interviews for artists everywhere (most of the content is not location specific). Check out articles and links to other resources on your <a href="http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/?q=section/737">practice </a>(incl. health & safety, health insurance links, public art, community & social issue arts, magazines & journals, and a great collection of artist and art professional's stories), <a href="http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/?q=section/864">career </a>(incl. strategic planning, marketing & promotion, community, organizations & unions) and <a href="http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/?q=section/895">business </a>(incl. branding, financial planning, legal issues, and advocacy)</li><li><a href="http://nyfa.org/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">NYFA</span>: </a>New York Foundation for the Arts is a great site (you have to register to use it) which provides an international listing of resources, called NYFA Source. It is a searchable database of residencies, grants, space, apprenticeships, etc). They also list classifieds - jobs & opportunities.</li><li>International Sculpture Center: Given that the definition of 'sculpture' has expanded to include installation, video and some time-based works, these resources are for more than sculptors. They host a <a href="http://www.sculpture.net/community/">sculptor community forum</a>, <a href="http://www.sculpture.org/redesign/port.shtml">artist's registry</a>, and <a href="http://www.sculpture.org/documents/ref.shtml">resources</a>. </li><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.artistsspace.org/">Artists Space</a>: The most useful (anecdotally) non-fee based, uncurated <a href="http://afonline.artistsspace.org/">online </a>image registry.</li><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.artistcareerguide.com/">Artist Career Guide</a>: Right now it is mostly a promo site for Jackie's upcoming book, but she is posting <a href="http://www.artistcareerguide.com/links.php">interviews with professionals</a> semi-regularly (currently there are interviews with two curators), but it also lists <a href="http://www.artistcareerguide.com/events.php">workshops </a>she is teaching - and she can definitely whip your under-promoted butt into shape.</li></ul><a href="http://www.artisthelpnetwork.com/index.asp"></a>Anyone know of others I should include?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Note to self, other posts should include: grant writing tips, making sticky websites, the theory of becoming an expert, online fundraising...</span></span><br /><br />In trade, anyone know a financial planner who works with artists (needs to know our particular situation) based here in NYC?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Found the image on: <a href="http://www.business-improvement.org/">http://www.business-improvement.org/</a>.</span></span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-1100247826443007202008-02-07T15:13:00.000-05:002008-12-09T08:49:08.867-05:00What ever happened to smart art?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R6tqZTAmjqI/AAAAAAAAALo/AoQUUpw5U08/s1600-h/inside_GHagneswheatfield.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R6tqZTAmjqI/AAAAAAAAALo/AoQUUpw5U08/s320/inside_GHagneswheatfield.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164338380542480034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Don't get me wrong, there are some really smart and clever artists working out in the world, and I really like a lot of what I see.<br /><br />But last night I went to see the <a href="http://greenmuseum.org/content/artist_index/artist_id-63.html">Agnes Denes</a> lecture at the <a href="http://www.drawingcenter.org/">Drawing Center</a> and found out just how complicated her work is. She was "making the invisible visible" by using math, symbolism and structure to investigate human relationships. That all sounds really simple until you hear her explain it. I think about the other big things that artists were investigating in previous generations, and it all seems to be heavy on the the thought and, well, conceptual end. I'm not saying that climate change, or human emotions or other topics aren't big, we just don't seem to present them in the same manner.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R6tqaDAmjsI/AAAAAAAAAL4/3Yt0cX92jwc/s1600-h/57.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R6tqaDAmjsI/AAAAAAAAAL4/3Yt0cX92jwc/s320/57.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164338393427381954" border="0" /></a><br />I was thinking that maybe this is because those artists who came before us, already broke it down. They erased the barriers between art and math, science, philosophy, psychology, etc., so that basically we don't have to go to the trouble of adding all the language on top of the work. We move fluidly between lots of different circles of study because the bridges between them already exist. So what is the new frontier, what hasn't been done?<br /><br />I'm most interested in creating interactions between web 2.0 and artistic practices. How can they inform one another and use one another. I know there are lots of other artists out there doing this, I'm certainly not claiming pioneership (in fact I am probably a little behind the times), but I do think it holds the most interesting exploration opportunities.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R6tqZTAmjrI/AAAAAAAAALw/Q5p3SMeVA-c/s1600-h/0812_111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R6tqZTAmjrI/AAAAAAAAALw/Q5p3SMeVA-c/s320/0812_111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164338380542480050" border="0" /></a>Just think what Agnes Denes (and her little man pyramids) could do with social networking.<br /><br />Good quotes:<br />"thoughts are like crystals, one builds off of the other"<br />"art as an incubator of disiciplines"<br /><br />I also really was touched at how she referred to the works as "my" wheat field and "my" forest. And hearing her talk about the beauty of the wheatfield was so moving.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Apologies for the more rambling and incoherent nature of this post (more than usual) - I have the "I feel woozy and incoherent" head cold going around.</span></span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-35665420033834592732008-01-25T06:28:00.000-05:002008-01-25T06:55:57.665-05:00who pays whom?<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Disclaimer: I work for a professional development program that is offered for free to participants around the country. It is paid for by state and local arts agencies and organizations. It is incredibly affective, and is part of the change in the system, but it serves a small number of people.</span></span><br /><br />I was having a conversation the other day about the art market (yeh, i have those conversations a lot). This one was about the fact that artists aren't willing to invest in their careers in order to grow. Its a common practice in pretty much every other business on the planet. Invest in new equipment or software to increase productivity and boost profits. Invest in a consultant to create a strategic plan to grow and boost profits. Invest in hiring more people to increase productivity and boost profits. You get the idea.<br /><br />There is also the personal investment for growth. Loads of people every year go into massive debt to subsidize their law degree, medical degree of MBA. They do this with the belief (usually true) that with this degree their earning potential will be much higher.<br /><br />We were talking about why artists don't believe in paying the high price for learning the skills to grow their careers. In particular we were discussing professional development programs. At first I agreed, thinking why don't artists pay for this kind of training? Especially if they see proven results from those who have taken it. Well, here's why they don't: the system is broken.<br /><br />All those other people investing, are pretty much guaranteed a return on their investment (with work). Artists just aren't. The return on investment (ROI) is just not that high. Even if they do succeed at getting more shows and grants, and can negotiate better deals the pay still isn't that significant (unless you are the 1% of 1% who become art stars). Sure, its enough to live on and continue doing your work, but its no doctor, lawyer or CEO salary.*<br /><br />Here's another problem. A lot of us already did invest. A LOT. A lot of us have our terminal degree (until this PhD in Fine Arts fad hits critical mass), we have the MFAs. And we paid dearly for them. Probably as much as some MBAs (I know my debt until I retire is enough to rent a small house in some urban areas). So we have made that investment and it probably hasn't paid off. I know my school did no such thing as professional development which actually prepared you for creating what is, essentially, a business.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed and learned a lot during my MFA, but really, it was like a really really expensive 2 year residency program. A time to focus on your art and develop your work.<br /><br />And another thing - I know plenty of artists who are feeling really tapped out from giving away work for auctions, getting underpaid to put on great shows for non-profit arts organizations or state agencies. We won't pay entry fees or subsidize the gallery system. We won't pay for consulting or promoting or transport or framing or any of the other things to do with a show we may or may not sell from.<br /><br />So how can we change all this. Well thats something that takes looking at the entire landscape. The system really is broken. From a misconception by the public and the government about the value of arts. To the hierarchy that exists where the artists are at the bottom instead of the top. To our own undervaluing of what we give to the world.<br /><br />Where to start? Start with your own circle of friends. Start with talking about it, come up with some creative solutions and help each other grow and learn. Share your knowledge of marketing, planning, fundraising, negotiating, etc. A rising tide and all...<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">*I have been able to observe and attend a few professional development programs and some are really effective. I also have a pretty good background in business and when I applied that to my art - plus just took the discipline and commitment up a notch (all investment), I have reaped tangible rewards.</span></span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-10331496967756521132008-01-20T17:46:00.000-05:002008-01-20T17:49:13.177-05:00With a little help from my friends(cross-posted from my new project site, <a href="http://www.seedingthecity.org/" target="_blank">seedingthecity.org</a>):<br /><h2><a href="http://seedingthecity.org/help-me-chose-a-summary-statement/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: Help me chose a summary statement" target="_blank">Help me chose a summary statement</a></h2> <p>So I have written a couple of different summary statements. Which do you like better?</p> <p><span style=";font-family:Garamond;font-size:100%;" >“Seeding the City” is a public art project that seeks to plant “seeds” of thought in the urban environment on challenges of climate change and potential for remediation. Social networking will determine the location for installation of individual green roof sample sites. Included with the installation will be educational and community building tools, and methods to trace the growth of the network. </span><span style=";font-family:Garamond;font-size:100%;" >Online resources will include mapping of the project, tools for tracking local urban heat island effect and resources to recreate the project worldwide. </span><br /></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Garamond;font-size:100%;" >“Seeding the City” </span><span style=";font-family:Garamond;font-size:100%;" >is an art project that utilizes social networking to site urban interventions in the form of green roof modules. It capitalizes on community building to introduce urban environmental issues and remediation tools. The modules and their accompanying flags and street level signage will track the growth of the network throughout the neighborhood. Online resources will include mapping of the project, tools for tracking local urban heat island effect and resources to recreate the project worldwide. </span></p> <p>Let me know in the comments!</p>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-11693918775768417312008-01-16T09:03:00.000-05:002008-12-09T08:49:09.552-05:00It is the title after all<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R44YRECD0zI/AAAAAAAAALY/ToIszqPkggc/s1600-h/highbridge1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R44YRECD0zI/AAAAAAAAALY/ToIszqPkggc/s320/highbridge1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156085304805020466" border="0" /></a><br />Just an update on what is "in progress" around here...<br /><ol><li>Most of my energy right now is devoted to the new green roofs project, for which I just launched a new (very beta!) website: http://www.seedingthecity.org.</li><li>There is also a lot of thought going into a project I am doing at <a href="http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/highbridge/html/hb_coalition_steering_comm.html">Highbridge Park</a>, that follows the path of the Croton Aqueduct as it came into Manhattan. There is some cool facilities based architecture up there. And I am reading an interesting book called "<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=xPylbJLgq1UC&dq=water+for+gotham&pg=PP1&ots=ilZh9zfQ6H&sig=nEQzsinO6FrNp-VLYJZl2QSVuqE&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.com/search?q=water+for+gotham&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail">Water for Gotham</a>." (I love urban history - just ask me about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Points,_Manhattan">Five Points</a>!)</li><li>I want to do a soundwalk/audio tour based on water in NYC - either it will follow the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croton_Aqueduct">Croton Aqueduct</a> Path (from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Bridge_%28New_York_City%29">Highbridge</a>, to Central Park and ending at NYC Public Library at Bryant Park [which used to be a resevoir]) or along the original shoreline. And through this project link history with the present and future. All this inspired by <a href="http://www.andwhilelondonburns.com/">And While London Burns</a>.<br /></li><li>Keeping up with upcoming shows around <a href="http://www.highwaterline.org/">HWL</a>: Screening of the film by Justin Lange at <a href="http://www.sonomacountymuseum.org/">"Eco-centric" @ Sonoma County Art Museum</a>, and at <a href="http://www.exitart.org/site/pub/exhibition_programs/SEA/EPA.html">"EPA: Environmental Performance Actions" @ Exit Art</a>, and - this should be a fun one! - a showing of how the project was created as part of <a href="http://eyebeam.org/engage/engage.php?page=exhibitions&id=147">"Feedback" at Eyebeam</a>. (I am hopeful that we can show the maps, tricycle and chalker as part of this exhibit).</li></ol>Of course there are other things out there happening and I still have other projects I want to develop (including the water use project, the <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/11/what-do-i-know-anyway.html">run off/bus shelter project</a>, the <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/08/when-prompted-run.html">disposable culture project</a> - so many!) And there appear to be a lot of good shows (well, interesting at least) to see out in Chelsea.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R44ZN0CD00I/AAAAAAAAALg/oZ7a8gQKfTw/s1600-h/100_1661.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R44ZN0CD00I/AAAAAAAAALg/oZ7a8gQKfTw/s320/100_1661.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156086348482073410" border="0" /></a>I did get a chance to see a couple of notable shows in London this month. Besides partaking in the hauntingly informative and moving "<a href="http://www.andwhilelondonburns.com/">And While London Burns</a>" I also stopped in to see "<a href="http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/dorissalcedo/default.shtm">Shibboleth</a>" at the Tate. I have to just put this out there - I love the Unilever series. I really really do, big corporate infusions of cash and a truly massive space and freedom for talented artists to create something, well, great is really powerful. Doris Salcedo has done some pretty powerful works (including the <a href="http://www.legacy-project.org/index.php?page=art_detail&artID=959">Atrabiliarios</a>) and the Shibboleth is profound for more than its technical wizardry (and the funny signs warning people not to fall in). I think viewing the crack in the floor in that space when there are just a few people in there with you would be moving (unfortunately it was packed when I was there), even with the crowds there is something interesting about watching people follow along this line - strangers walking side by side, but divided by the crack (making it okay to stand that close), or couples walking one on either side, thus divided by the crack.<br /><br />I also saw <a href="http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2007/04/anthony_mccalldecember_2007_ja.html">Anthony McCall's show at Serpentine Gallery</a>. Another technically compelling show that was able to reach beyond the wonder of how into a world of exploration of body and space. I enjoyed just standing in the space and letting the lightworks move across me, changing my relationship to the surrounding gallery and people. And one last stop (I love that the <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/">V&A</a> was open until 10am) was at the "<a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1637_outoftheordinary/">Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft</a>" show, which featured some interesting and obsessive works - highlights of which were <a href="http://www.chambersfineart.com/en/contemp/lshen.html">Lu Shengzhong</a> whose paper cutouts were astounding for their sheer magnitude and <a href="http://www.seventeengallery.com/index.php?p=2&id=16">Susan Collis</a> for her sublime almost ridiculous understated work.esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-9046567312602979102008-01-14T08:15:00.000-05:002008-12-09T08:49:09.799-05:00But selling out to whom?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R4tj00CD0yI/AAAAAAAAALQ/BW2saRts3KE/s1600-h/willdraw4food.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R4tj00CD0yI/AAAAAAAAALQ/BW2saRts3KE/s320/willdraw4food.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155323957427295010" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://deborahfisher.typepad.com/">Deborah Fisher</a> has launched a new blog, <a href="http://imasellout.info/">Sellout</a>. (Thanks to <a href="http://www.artfagcity.com/2008/01/14/fresh-links-313/">AFC</a> for the heads up). It is looking good so far. Deborah has a great way of writing and considering things and I am glad to see she is putting her critical eye on the "artists career" it is something that I tend to think about a lot both for personal and <a href="http://pd.creative-capital.org/">professional </a>reasons. So far she has discussed <a href="http://www.imasellout.info/2008/01/open-thread-abo.html">Seth Godin</a> (who I admit to enjoying<a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/"> reading</a> too), the <a href="http://www.imasellout.info/2008/01/art-myths-v-art.html">myths of the artist</a> and <a href="http://www.imasellout.info/2008/01/the-future-is-n.html">money</a>. A lot of what she is asking for is discussion by readers, so it should be interested to troll the comments. I may pick up and expand on some of her threads here...<br /><br />For starts:<br /><br />As regards to talking about money. Not only do I not have a problem talking about it, I don't have a problem <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/11/when-art-becomes-something-useful-and.html">blogging</a> about it, and have even started a "<a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/11/just-thinking-out-loud.html">working group</a>" to come up with more business savvy ways to address funding. I also am not afraid to ask to be paid for what I do (mostly).<br /><br />Artist myths? I don't believe any of them. I think they are all complete bullshit and anyone who buys into them is either a liar, doesn't really believe in themselves or their work or is so enamored with the "artist image" as to not consider much beyond that. Do you really think the top artists in the contemporary art world believe in the myth of the poor lonely deranged flaky starving artist toiling away in the studio. Neither do I.<br /><br />I doubt that by reading Deborah's blog I will come to any conclusion close to "sellout" I am more likely to enjoy what she is writing about and be glad there is someone else out there talking about some ideas "whose time has come."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Image coutesy of: <a href="http://williehewescomics.blogspot.com">http://williehewescomics.blogspot.com</a></span></span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-15138803007441734612008-01-11T12:17:00.001-05:002008-12-09T08:49:10.008-05:00Considering others--<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R4tgGECD0xI/AAAAAAAAALI/U5RD1-sWe7U/s1600-h/florida_sq.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R4tgGECD0xI/AAAAAAAAALI/U5RD1-sWe7U/s320/florida_sq.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155319855733527314" border="0" /></a><br />Another moment of brilliance...<br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/eve/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><br /><a href="http://chrisdoylestudio.com/">Chris Doyle</a> has done it again. I know I talk about him a lot on this blog, much to his chagrin, but he's done it again with some pretty clever thinking. This time its a self marketing idea that is simple, beautiful, brilliant and I hope (for his sake) succesful.<br />Chris created a limited addition set of drawings called <a href="http://chrisdoylestudio.com/Upcoming.htm">Subscribe</a>. They are some of his personal but not too precious drawings of suburban homes. And they are for sale. (That's not the clever part, tip is:) Each sale benefits one of a handful of non profits that he has chosen, like <a href="http://www.creative-capital.org/">Creative Capital</a>, <a href="http://creativetime.org/">Creative Time</a>, <a href="http://www.publicartfund.org/">Public Art Fund</a>, <a href="http://www.smackmellon.org/">Smack Mellon</a> and <a href="http://www.socratessculpturepark.org/">Socrates Sculpture Park</a>. Why is that so brilliant? Because each of those organizations (and their huge mailing lists) is going to promote the work too!<br /><br />So everybody wins, the organization and the artist.<br /><br />I will post images of the work and links soon (writing this from the phone). And if there are some left, go buy one!esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-27382553021627860892007-12-04T15:45:00.000-05:002007-12-04T15:50:51.770-05:00The artist's role as an agent for social changeI have had the opportunity to talk to a number of different groups lately about the HighWaterLine project. Other than sharing stories about the experience and the people I met and talking about all of the logistics, I like to engage in a discussion of the role of artist as agent for social change. Here are some roles that I thought the artist should/could take on:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">commentator </span>- not merely to editorialize on contemporary issues, but to translate. it is important to go beyond the act of regurgitation and create a work that incites questions and action.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">collaborator</span> - work with science & scientists to create works that are approachable, making complex knowledge accessible, and to take this into under-served communities.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">witness </span>- to observe the communities and their reactions<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">storyteller </span>- taking information to the streets and then returning stories and that which was witnessed<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">catalyst</span> - for change in thought and attitude, instigator for discussion<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">innovator</span> - restructuring the message and dialogue through artistic acts<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">community builder</span> - by providing an object or act around which people can rally.<br /><br />I will see if I can't flesh these out more in the coming weeks.esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-2619494066139282502007-11-29T15:26:00.000-05:002008-12-09T08:49:10.434-05:00Just thinking out loud...So, I am just thinking out loud here, but I have been thinking about the creative process and the current funding models for artists and their projects. My favorite funding model (of course) is that of <a href="http://creative-capital.org/">Creative Capital</a>. They award an initial grant and then can provide follow up grants during key points of the project to take advantage of new opportunities and to ensure its success. They also (I love this part) focus on developing the artists career long term by developing the artist. They provide workshops on professional development which teach fundraising, strategic planning and pr/marketing (I happen to know a lot about these <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2006/08/pass-kool-aid.html">workshops</a>). They also provide extensive one on one consultations, referrals to other professionals and an extended network. They really nurture the whole artist. What this does is ensure that the artist's career is successful beyond any single project.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R08oloFxCLI/AAAAAAAAAK4/jUwUKzZ18JQ/s1600-h/doyle1-500T.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R08oloFxCLI/AAAAAAAAAK4/jUwUKzZ18JQ/s320/doyle1-500T.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138370326734899378" border="0" /></a>So here's what I am thinking - and it is still a little muddy - why not create a loan program that operates in a similar way. Loan artists project monies, train them to ensure the project is successful and as their careers blossom they pay the money back (CC asks all grantees to reinvest - once they reach some level of success many of the artists give donations to CC). Maybe this loan program can be combined with the <a href="http://aptglobal.org/">Artist Pension Trust</a> model? Their model requires participating artists to donate artworks to a pool which is sold after a number of years in which the participating artists' value is expected to increase, then the entire pool of artists shares the proceeds.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R08ol4FxCMI/AAAAAAAAALA/mjsqEIGAbGQ/s1600-h/sb-calenda-lg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R08ol4FxCMI/AAAAAAAAALA/mjsqEIGAbGQ/s320/sb-calenda-lg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138370331029866690" border="0" /></a>So maybe the loan program takes in artworks as payment as well. There is certainly some risk involved, and some works will end up with greater value than others, but it may indeed be worth the risk. (Predicated on having object based work or ancillary <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/11/when-art-becomes-something-useful-and.html">product to sell</a>).<br />Anyway, like I said, just thinking out loud here...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Images, top to bottom:<br /><a href="http://www.chrisdoylestudio.com/">Chris Doyle</a>, "Leap," Creative Capital Grantee & Artist Pension Trust Participant<br /><a href="http://www.sanfordbiggers.com/">Sanford Biggers</a>, "Kalenda" (mistitled on photo), </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Creative Capital Grantee & Artist Pension Trust Participant</span></span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-78503356233799666722007-11-26T07:14:00.000-05:002008-12-09T08:49:12.314-05:00When art becomes "something useful and or valued"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sljYFxCKI/AAAAAAAAAKw/eZFmfuhm1vo/s1600-h/void.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sljYFxCKI/AAAAAAAAAKw/eZFmfuhm1vo/s320/void.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137241089638467746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">com·mod·i·ty</span> : \kə-mä-də-tē\<br />Function: noun | Inflected Form(s): plural - com·mod·i·ties | Etymology: Middle English <em>commoditee,</em> from Anglo-French <em>commoditee,</em> from Latin <em>commoditat-, commoditas,</em> from <em>commodus | </em>Date: 15th century<br /><strong>1:</strong> an economic good: as <strong>a:</strong> a product of agriculture or mining <strong>b:</strong> an article of commerce especially when delivered for shipment <<em>commodities</em> futures> <strong>c:</strong> a mass-produced unspecialized product <<em>commodity</em> chemicals> <<em>commodity</em> memory chips><br /><strong>2 a:</strong> something useful or valued <that><em>commodity</em> patience>; <em>also</em><strong>:</strong> thing, entity <strong>b:</strong> convenience,</that><that> advantage</that><br /><that><strong>3:</strong> <em>obsolete</em>: quantity, lot</that><br /><that><strong>4:</strong> a good or service whose wide availability typically leads to smaller profit margins and diminishes the importance of factors (as brand name) other than price<br /><strong>5:</strong> one that is subject to ready exchange or exploitation within a market<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sk04FxCFI/AAAAAAAAAKI/phx9gptUZdw/s1600-h/al_couch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sk04FxCFI/AAAAAAAAAKI/phx9gptUZdw/s320/al_couch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137240290774550610" border="0" /></a><br />I was recently asked to explain how I am able to create (fund and find audience for) the kind of <a href="http://www.highwaterline.org/" target="_blank">work that I do</a>. This question was from someone who <span style="font-weight: bold;">a)</span> is professionally interested in managing creative careers and making money (sustainable art) and <span style="font-weight: bold;">b)</span> who is steeped in more traditional models within the visual arts world, but has some knowledge in new methods of distribution and funding in the literary, film and music industries. So let's break this down.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">First, the kind of work that I do:</span> I <a href="http://www.evemosher.com/" target="_blank">create</a> (in addition to a more traditional studio based practice) temporary, performative based public artworks. Some have sculptural aspects and all have a community building and/or eco-visualization aspect. Most of these projects do not produce a single representative object which can be bought or sold. I am currently using the term "non-object based work." I use this to describe my work and the work of some friends of mine. Some other examples are, Lise Brenner, a choreographer whose most recent projects include a choreographic <a href="http://ilandart.org/residencies.cfm?id=1&subPage=4" target="_blank">charting of native flora in Brooklyn</a> which resulted in directions which could be applied to a performance as the final product (not an actual performance) and a <a href="http://cityinasoundwalk.org/psg/index.php" target="_blank">historical investigation of a neighborhood</a> through sound work and tours. <a href="http://www.thinaar.com/" target="_blank">Aaron Landsman</a> is a performer who created a sound work that was a tour of a day in the life of a neighborhood and a performance which is produced in individual's apartments. <a href="http://www.stephanieskaff.com/" target="_blank">Stephanie Skaff </a>whose recent project was a street performance in which she set up a street vendor cart in Lower Manhattan to share stories from street vendors around NYC (it was the culmination of months of going out and meeting and speaking to many many vendors around the city). None of these artists' works result in specific objects which can be bought or sold and neither of them have set up situations which are subject to ticketing for a traditional performance.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sk1YFxCHI/AAAAAAAAAKY/kGKlvnL3v-U/s1600-h/lise.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sk1YFxCHI/AAAAAAAAAKY/kGKlvnL3v-U/s320/lise.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137240299364485234" border="0" /></a><br />Now it should be noted that we are not in a unique situation. There are numerous historical precedence to all that we are doing: <a href="http://www.richardlong.org/" target="_blank">Richard Long's Walks</a>, <a href="http://www.theblackfactory.com/ceo_notes.html" target="_blank">William Pope L.'s performance/crawls</a>, numerous <a href="http://www.earthworks.org/links.html" target="_blank">earthworks </a>(Smithson's Spiral Jetty, Michael Heizer's Double Negative, Walter de Maria's Lightening Field, the list goes on), a variety of conceptual artworks and even some dadaist non-object based work. So it's not like we don't have a point of reference.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sljIFxCII/AAAAAAAAAKg/PPK5zShdzVU/s1600-h/Heizer,+Double+Neg.,+1969-70.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sljIFxCII/AAAAAAAAAKg/PPK5zShdzVU/s320/Heizer,+Double+Neg.,+1969-70.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137241085343500418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Second, who is this for:</span> The work that I and many of my contemporaries working in a "non-object based" way is done in such a way as to engage a larger audience than one might find in a traditional gallery or performance space. In a sense, we are preaching way beyond the choir. Whether it is someone passing by on the street in Canarsie as I draw the chalk line with whom I engage in a conversation about climate change or a stockbroker who never thought twice about his daily stop at the coffee cart until he met with Stephanie. So the projects are all really broad based and interested in participating in a wider social discussion.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sljYFxCJI/AAAAAAAAAKo/cb8yjFCho4Y/s1600-h/rl__a_line_made_by_walking_1967.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sljYFxCJI/AAAAAAAAAKo/cb8yjFCho4Y/s320/rl__a_line_made_by_walking_1967.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137241089638467730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Third, what is the current funding?</span> Currently, most of these projects are funded through foundations and municipal or state funds. In my case, almost 50% of my project time is taken up through grant applications and writing. I am sure it is similar in other cases as well. This funding is really wonderful as it comes as a project based monetary amount, with no strings attached and - here's a nice thing you may not know - most (if not all) funders require that you include in your budget an artists fee. They want to know that they, in supporting the project, are supporting the artist. If you have been a lucky (is that the right word? its quite a lot of work for it to be luck) recipient of a grant, then you that you will be required to do periodic reporting on how the money is being spent and what is happening with the project. Other than that, don't expect a whole lot of interaction (unless you get a <a href="http://www.creative-capital.org/" target="_blank">Creative Capital</a> grant). The granting agency doesn't interfere with the work, nor do they, though, provide much formal support. Some might profile your project in their outreach, some might provide feedback, but mostly it is up to the recipient to make the project succeed or fail.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sk1IFxCGI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/Ea8vQQZeTow/s1600-h/IMG_2430.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sk1IFxCGI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/Ea8vQQZeTow/s320/IMG_2430.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137240295069517922" border="0" /></a><br />A portion of the funding may also come from private donations - frequently made up of "friends and family grants" and - euphemism - "self-funding." These sources may ebb and flow based on project frequency and/or outside competition for money. While it is frequently true that if you ask someone for a donation they will give it, it is also true that it is hard to repeatedly hit up the same people without any reward.<br />And as much as I like to believe in the abundance of funds available to artists, grants are definitely limited. And with some recent changes in the world of major funders, the money available is shrinking. So we are looking for new ways to create sustainable careers.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sk0YFxCEI/AAAAAAAAAKA/x488JNRSiZs/s1600-h/steph_med.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0sk0YFxCEI/AAAAAAAAAKA/x488JNRSiZs/s320/steph_med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137240282184616002" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The commodity model:</span> This model implies a specific object of value which can be traded in exchange for money. The traditional gallery/dance/performance system is based on trade. You give me money, I give you an object or a specified moment of time which is valued based on the opinions of others. This model is heavily dependent on a) an object or ticketed performance b) the perceived value of your creation (perceived by people other than the artist). For those of us working outside of the traditional object based practice, we can produce sale-able items (for example I have the beacons, documentary photos and maps, Stephanie has CD's of her conversations with street vendors - although I think she gave those away for free), but the goal of the practice is not the object - therefore the value of the object is often diminished.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A new funding model: </span>I don't have an answer for this yet. It is what all this thinking is leading up to. However there are a lot of new models out there for other practices and funds:<br /></that><ul><li><a href="http://www.artistshare.com/" target="_blank">artistshare.com</a> - this new model allows music fans to directly participate in the creation of new music/cd's. a patron can donate to the musician and in return receive anything from a glimpse inside the recording process, to attending a recording session to being an executive producer on the album</li><li><a href="http://www.aptglobal.org/default.asp" target="_blank">artist pension trust</a> - using artworks as investment, this trust accumulates works of many artists and distributes revenue from art sales to all artists</li><li>self-publishing/distribution for literature, films & music - more sites are popping up making it easier to manage your own career in these media, including <a href="http://www.lulu.com/" target="_blank">lulu.com</a>, <a href="http://www.withoutabox.com/" target="_blank">withoutabox</a>, <a href="http://www.cdbaby.net/" target="_blank">cdbaby</a>...</li></ul><br />So I am thinking about how to create a new paradigm for supporting the arts - is it modeled as a mix between artistshare, artist pension trust and creative capital grantmaking? If you have specific thoughts, or want to join in the larger conversation (I am putting together a group of interested individuals to have a larger discussion), then leave a comment.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">images from top to bottom:<br />yves klein, "jumping into the void"<br />aaron landsman, image from "Gatz" performance by <a href="http://www.elevator.org/" target="_blank">Elevator Repair Service</a><br />lise brenner, matrix from "The City from a Plant's Perspective: Mapping NYC as Native Flora"<br />michael heizer, "double negative"<br />richard long, "a line made by walking"<br />eve s. mosher, "HighWaterLine"<br />stephanie skaff, "Make Me One with Everything"<br /></span></span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-62512010833239644932007-11-21T16:07:00.000-05:002008-12-09T08:49:12.456-05:00What do I know anyway?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0SlkYFxCDI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/osq_tbaXedg/s1600-h/greenroof_overview.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/R0SlkYFxCDI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/osq_tbaXedg/s320/greenroof_overview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135411519469717554" border="0" /></a><br />That's just a throwaway title. I couldn't think of anything so I put that in there. But in a way it kind of leads into what I wanted to talk about.<br /><br />First though, let me say that I haven't been posting lately because I haven't seen or done a lot. Well thats not true, its just maybe not that interesting for blogging other than sort of a social calendar or something like that. So I have been rebuilding my website (which is why I am feeling antsy with the look of this blog and keep playing with it - none the less it will all get fixed up all nice when I finish the site - it is very nearly there), and I have been writing more grant applications, which is a total time suck. Write me if you want all the gory details.<br /><br />Anyway, I have been talking to a lot of people about the two projects - the <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/08/turning-waves-into-power.html">green roof project</a> and the <a href="http://mudandsticks.blogspot.com/2007/10/things-i-didn-know-and-why-i-need-clone.html">bus shelter project</a>. Most people are pretty into it. But once in a while (and this happened with <a href="http://www.highwaterline.org/">HWL</a> too) I get a nay-sayer. It's not that they are trying to be negative. They really just want to help or to ask questions about the project (all well and good!). But I think I would prefer someone who comes with ideas instead of just problems. I met with the native plant botanist at <a href="http://www.bbg.org/">Brooklyn Botanic Gardens</a> (love that place) the other day. He had some concerns about the types of plants that could grow in "nutrient poor, limited water, exposed" situations like the proposed projects. But instead of tell me how it wouldn't work, or list all of the obstacles, he suggested that I look at coastal plants as a good option - cool! - I love that idea!<br /><br />Thats the kind of can do attitude that will move us all forward.<br /><br />I had some other stuff I wanted to say, but I have been waking up kinda early lately, and going to bed kinda late so I can't remember much. Will try to get back in the habit of posting about the life and habits of an artist.esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-92142957090200986012007-10-21T17:23:00.001-04:002008-12-09T08:49:12.684-05:00Things i didn't know and why i need a clone<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/RxyjXLKsWFI/AAAAAAAAAJw/JHDaRzIvP80/s1600-h/CleaningSewer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/RxyjXLKsWFI/AAAAAAAAAJw/JHDaRzIvP80/s320/CleaningSewer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124150094570739794" border="0" /></a><br />Over the past couple of months I have discovered a whole host of words to describe different interests of mine. Plus there are groups devoted to investigating these things.<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychogeography">Psychogeography</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_archaeology">Urban archaeology</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioremediation">Bio-remediation</a><br /><a href="http://www.ecoviz.org/">Eco-visualization</a><p>On that note, I met with a cartographer today to brainstorm ideas for the Eyebeam <a href="http://www.eyebeam.org/learning/learning.php?page=ecovis">Eco-Visualization Challenge</a> focused on run off issues in the city. And of course there are a lot of great ideas, if only I could clone myself (I think a lot of my creative friends feel the same way). So in addition to the projects I just haven't had time to write about (the water project which attempts to grow plants based on relative per country water consumption, and visualizing waste in our water through floating accumulations - think sculptural) now we have mapping the flow of water in the city (through street intervention, dance or pathway marking), comparative <a href="http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/runoff.html">runoff </a>systems placed on top of the bus shelters (the new ones with the glass roofs, each one would represent the immediate area, half the roof would be as is and half would be with remediation), or umbrellas outfitted as walking catchments.<br /></p><p>Maybe someone can just give me lots of money to make these happen (because then I could hire some assistants).</p><p> Anyone?</p><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Image courtesy of </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.davebeckerman.com/photo_blog/2005_08_01_archive.html">davebeckerman.com</a></span>esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-90399862164615676912007-10-10T22:28:00.000-04:002008-12-09T08:49:13.110-05:00Artist vs. ActivistWould you consider yourself an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist">artist</a> or an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activist">activist</a>?<br /><br />I get asked this question all the time, and I cringe every time I hear it. Why do I have to label myself as either? Which one means you will take me seriously, respect me and my work and maybe consider what I have to say? Both have their negative connotations. Both have their positive connotations.<br /><br />I thought I had kind of figured it out, but I don't think I have.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/Rw2Nx7KsWDI/AAAAAAAAAJA/aDB8ByiWjfg/s1600-h/ARTIST-IN-STUDIO-575-px-PLAIN.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/Rw2Nx7KsWDI/AAAAAAAAAJA/aDB8ByiWjfg/s320/ARTIST-IN-STUDIO-575-px-PLAIN.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119904240225769522" border="0" /></a>I was asked this question at the <a href="http://highwaterline.org/">HighWaterLine</a> wrap party and here is a paraphrase of an answer that I gave.<br />"I would have to consider myself an artist. I approached this project from an artistic point of view, I considered the aesthetics as equally as important as the message. I also come from an artistic background. I'm not really an activist, I attended my first ever rally of any kind this year, and that's mostly because I knew the people organizing it.<br />"I was recently on a panel that specifically discussed the role of arts in environmental issues and the challenges in visualizing the difficult information put forth (it's the <a href="http://www.eyebeam.org/about/news/091107.html">Eyebeam Eco-Visualization Challenge</a>). We were talking about art and its power to inform and incite. One of the panelists, <a href="http://www.mandiberg.com/">Michael Mandiberg</a> asked the question 'Why can't art do something?' Historically at the same time that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp">Duchamp</a> was removing the function from items in order to create art, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Lissitzky">Russian</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazimir_Malevich">contemporaries</a> were using their art to foment revolution. So why can't art do something?"<br /><br />Even this answer left me feeling uneasy. It wasn't helped by my friend <a href="http://www.ellendriscoll.net/">Ellen Driscoll</a> coming up to "put a fly in the ointment" to say, why do you have to chose between art and activism? Why can they not coexist. I think she and I may need to sit down and hash some of this out in further conversations, because I do agree with her. I think my above answer was the easy way out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/Rw2NyLKsWEI/AAAAAAAAAJI/xpIP_BFSwzM/s1600-h/Young_Activist.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/Rw2NyLKsWEI/AAAAAAAAAJI/xpIP_BFSwzM/s320/Young_Activist.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119904244520736834" border="0" /></a>I am equally as influenced by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wangari_Maathai">Wangari Maathai</a> as <a href="http://greenmuseum.org/content/artist_index/artist_id-63.html">Agnes Denes</a>. <a href="http://www.ssbx.org/staff.html">Majora Carter</a> instills in me the same inspiration as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Beuys">Joseph Beuys</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirin_Ebadi">Shirin Ebadi</a>, <a href="http://www.abakanowicz.art.pl/">Magdalena Abakonwicz</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs">Jane Jacobs</a> and <a href="http://www.tanyabonakdargallery.com/artist.php?art_name=Ernesto%20Neto">Ernesto Neto</a>. My circle of friends includes artists and activists. And some, who are both. How do we, both the artists and the activists bridge the gap.<br /><br />Ellen and I joked about coining new phrases such as "action artist" or "active artist" - as in not dead? I asked.<br /><br />What is wrong in the art world with being an activist? Would I not be taken seriously as an artist? Is there something wrong with being an artist in the activist world? Are you not given due respect for ideas?<br /><br />I promise you, more to come on this.esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17582301.post-41471461957230033852007-10-01T16:30:00.000-04:002008-12-09T08:49:13.429-05:00Who let them in?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/RwL8XLKsWCI/AAAAAAAAAI4/o3JpN_FDhH8/s1600-h/IMG_2612.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/RwL8XLKsWCI/AAAAAAAAAI4/o3JpN_FDhH8/s320/IMG_2612.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116929601711134754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One thing I have to remind myself is that "public art" has inherently, the word "public" in it.<br /><br />This has been really driven home during the installation of the beacons during the <a href="http://highwaterline.org">HighWaterLine</a> project. I have placed the beacons in 5 city parks (sorry that I never got to redo Canarsie) spanning the coast of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn">Brooklyn</a> and <a href="http://www.lowermanhattan.info/">Lower Manhattan</a>. Most of the installations were fairly peaceful and a nice opportunity to talk to people about New York City and climate change.<br /><br />Every one of the installations involved at least one act of "public interaction." At the very first installation in Corlear's Hook Park, a gentleman was looking at the beacon, then knelt down, pulled the beacon out of the ground (it is staked on 4 corners) and removed the flashlight in the base. I was standing about 60 feet away and called out, "would you mind putting that back?" he did so, and quietly tried to restake the beacon, all without saying a word.<br /><br />When I installed in <a href="http://www.thebattery.org/">Battery Park</a> a few people would walk up, and without even pausing to look closely at the beacon, grabbed it and roughly shook it back and forth. Much like you would a snowglobe. I have had a lot of opportunity to ponder this, and cannot for the life of me understand what is the point of this activity. To me it is the equivalent of walking up to a friend, seeing that they are wearing an interesting shirt and then grabbing it and pulling them roughly about as if to see if the shirt is going to fall apart in my hands.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/RwL8DLKsWBI/AAAAAAAAAIw/UTngkU2F5DA/s1600-h/IMG_2477.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Cy7JB5_kEKk/RwL8DLKsWBI/AAAAAAAAAIw/UTngkU2F5DA/s320/IMG_2477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116929258113751058" border="0" /></a>This activity, let's call it snowglobing (sounds vaguely rude), has happened at least once in every installation of the beacons, but the real test was the weekend long installation that just occurred as part of the <a href="http://www.dumboartscenter.org/">Dumbo Art Center</a>'s <a href="http://www.dumboartscenter.org/festival/">Art Under the Bridge Festival</a>. This massive art festival consists of installations, performances and projections and general insanity around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DUMBO,_Brooklyn">Dumbo</a>. There are probably around 20-30,000 people who pass through the area over the weekend. I installed the beacons on Friday afternoon and took them out on Sunday evening. Over the weekend the beacons were more than snowglobed, they were knocked down, moved, emptied, turned over, altered and pieces stolen. I don't even want to consider what might have happened that moved one beacon (and the wet, 20 pound bags of sand) about 10 feet from its original location.<br /><br />Every time I visited they were in disarray. I was sometimes shocked, but mostly amused with a hint of annoyance. I calmly went about resurrecting them, often with the assistance of some kind onlookers. I should make a point that most people are very respectful of the work and treat it carefully, enjoying it in a non-threatening way and ensuring the work is left in tact for other to also enjoy. This was not the case however when a friend and fellow public artist went to visit the work in <a href="http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/">Brooklyn Bridge Park</a> during the festival. She was so sickened by the obnoxious treatment (including a parent who watched their child knock it about, eventually toppling it) that she had to leave immediately.<br /><br />So, not to disparage what is obviously a strong and fairly common urge, but if there is anyone out there who has participated in a snowglobing type of activity, we on the art making side of the fence would love to know more about why this is done...esmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504555419652899085noreply@blogger.com2