Planet of the Arts Page 5

These are dangerous times. The death of
language is right around the corner and we
barely take notice. I walk into galleries and
the art on the walls speaks to me in a language
that is often devoid of emotion, a language
that is intellectually elitist and prides itself in
its obscurity. For a long time I thought I was
missing something, so I attended lectures on
semiotics and structuralism, post-modernism
and the current trends in philosphy. But I still
walk into many galleries and feel instant
alienation, for the art I see on the walls leaves
very little room for my imagination to
wander.

What frightens me more than anything
else, however, is how inward-looking many
visual artists have become in both a personal
and artistic sense. Instead of being-in-the-
world as regular participants in society, many
artists have become specialists; they have lost
the eclectic viewpoint that is necessary for a
person to engage in a thoughtful and
imaginative commentary on society. They
live in a world inhabited by the language they
use to explain their art and they look to art
magazines, art critics and art centres like New
York to justify and augment their own
position. To be blunt, they have lost the
ability to be innovative and they are no longer
able to trust their own initiative when it comes
to making art.

Introspection is not a bad thing: some of the
most powerful art ever created has come
about through an artist’s intense examination
of the self. But introspection that leads to a
kind of epiphany for the artist does not always
have the same effect on the viewer. The key,
I think, is to couple the introspection with an
awareness of the artwork as it exists in
relation to both the artworld and the world in
general. This, of course, is hard work and
many artists are satisfied enough if their work
is understood by a limited audience of fellow
artists and critics: the work is shown ina

. gallery and more often than not it then moves
into the limbo of the artist’s past work, often
never to be shown again except in slide shows
to captive art school audiences. When this
happens, though, you have to ask yourself
this question: is work like this art or is it just
some kind of art-excercise?

There is the argument, of course, that the
viewer needs to be initiated and that the
appreciation of an art object is enhanced by a
knowledge of art history and an appreciation
of a particular artist’s body of work. Most
often we are encouraged to consult texts
written by noted scholars on the period or the
school of art in question and sometime, if we
are lucky, we are directed to the writings of
the artist whose work we are considering. But
as the twentieth century moves toward its
close art criticism is becoming more and more
an industry unto itself and the quality of
writing associated with the analysis of art is
becoming increasingly questionable.

One of the reasons for this is that there are
thousands of critics writing about art now
whereas fifty years ago there were only a
handful. So, the sheer volume of criticism
being produced is quite phenomenal. Most of
these critics are also university graduates,
people who have been exposed to a particular
kind of academic rhetoric. As a result, their
writing tends to be dry and specialized, and

of CV

Jameson's dialectic makes it possible to identify the function of ‘subjectivity in a new way. Where
romanticism displayed absolute faith in the authenticity of the subjective, the situation of subjectivity is now
more complex. Subjectivity is not the realm of certain truth, but the mediation of the negating and utopian

poles of consciousness. The possibilities and the problematics of painting are contained within this
meditation. And the problematics are intense: contemporary subjectivity is severely tested by the task of
mediating, let alone tolerating, the dissonance between negating critiques and utopian aspirations. Seen in
this way, a painting reliant on subjectivity can realize its possibilities of authenticity and value only in rare and

rigorously developed cases.

From “Sites of Subjectivity” by Nathan Oliveira, Vanguard, December 1984/January 1985, p. 27

‘opinionated in the sense that they are defining
their position in relation to a particular school
of thought or criticism. And, though they
sometimes have interesting and intelligent
things to say about the state-of-the-art, their
sentences are often so full of catchwords and

jargon that it is almost impossible for the

reader to make out what they are trying to
say.

There is of course, some well-written
contemporary art criticism that is challenging
to read, criticism that repays the reader’s
effort to attempt to understand the complexity
of the writer’s argument, but most of the
critics I have read use language as if they
were dancers with lead weights in their shoes.
They seem to be afraid of style and, whenever
possible, they use words that are unheard of
in everyday speech. Many artists, including
myself, find their miasma of words
intimidating and frustrating. Some of us feel
inferior in the presence of a noted critic
simply because we are afraid that we have
missed something in their argument and that

we are intellectually deficient for having
done so. This, in my opinion, is nonsense,
for the art we create as artists is far more
significant than some theory that is created
to explain its existence. The theory may help
us come to understand our creation more
fully, but it can never replace it.

In recent times art criticism has influenced
the production of art in a more profound way
than it ever has before. Many artists have
involved themselves in writing criticism
and, conversely, many critics have tried
their hand at art-making. This cross-
fertilization has resulted in a linkage between
art and art criticism that has tended to blur
the boundaries between the two activities
and, over a period of time, the art being
produced has become more and more
dependent on the prevailing critical
viewpoint. We have reached the point where
if an artist is unaware of what is going on in
the critical mainstream that artist is, toa
large extent, unable to act as a full participant
in the artistic community. And, just as much

of the criticism being produced uses language
that does not communicate ideas clearly or
in an innovative way, so does much of the
art that is being made become encoded with
ideas that are not clearly expressed.

The danger that we face as artists is that
there is something fundamentally wrong
when the language that is used to talk about
art becomes more important than the art
itself, for in the last twenty years the writing
of art critcism has evolved into somthing of
an industry, an industry that churns out its
endless product of debate and magazine
column inches. Sometimes, I think, the art
gets lost in the words and we, as artists, get
lost in the art ghetto. To get out of it we
need some clear writing and, more than
anything else, a new committment to art that
is intellectually and visually stimulating but
not intellectually intimidating. =

Robert Gore

(continued from page 2)

news with one issue a month. On the other
hand, events don’t take place here at a breath-
taking rate either. The raise in tuition, which
caught us unawares recently, was probably
percolating through the administrative
regions of the College for some time. As the
Student Publication, we should have caught
It.

As a paper, we have gone a long way
solving visual and technical problems of
producing monthly publications. We are
somewhat stuck on the human and

psychological problems of motivating a staff
of reporters. We need people who will take
interest in small aspects of school life,
become experts of sorts in those small fields,
knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the
issues there, and capable of writing concise
pieces saying what they’ve seen. There is
great satisfaction in being of service to the
College community, which is, after all, of
great service to us all.

We ve cried out for such help in the past,
but cries don’t work very well. I feel that if
people come to us expressing a desire to be
reporters, we should support them with clear

assignments and friendly help with the
writing. We need in exchange the
commitment to take responsibility for the
assignment and pay attention to our deadlines
which are based on our production schedule.
We on the Planet of the Arts could organize
a few writing workshops. Clear writing is a
practical skill, valuable to anyone. If we can
offer a way for people to improve their skills
then perhaps we would have an easier time
recruiting them as writers. Writing is a skill
that needs to be practiced by writers and
nurtured by editors. Complaining about
student apathy never got anyone anywhere.

I would like to say finally that I like this
place. I hope that the suggestions I’ve made
would be improvements to an already very
good situation. Icing on a scrumptious cake.
On that note, I want to express my
appreciation for everyone I’ve dealt with -
the Student Society, The Planet of the Arts,
the Administration, our teachers, and
especially to my fellow students - all of
whom have mixed together to make this a
wonderful place to engage in the weird
struggle of trying to become an artist. @

Martin Hunt

+
Planet of the Arts Page 5

are dangerous times. The death of
is right around the corner and we

the art on the walls speaks to me ina la
that is often devoid of emotion, a language
that is intellectually elitist and prides itself in
its obscurity. For along time I thought I was,

g somethin:

Semiotics and structuralism, post-modernism.
ind the current trends in philosphy. But I till
walk into many galleries and feel instant
alienation, for the art see on the walls leaves
very little room for my imagination to

wander
‘What frightens me more than anything
else, however, is how inward-looking many
visual artists have become in both a personal
and artistic sense, Instead of being-in-the

‘world as regular participants in society, many
artists have become specialists they have lost
the eclectic viewpoint that is necessary for a
person to engage in a thoughtful and
imaginative co y on society. They
live in a world inhabited by the language they
u heir art and they look to art
rt crtics and art centres like New

maga
York to justify and augment their own,
position, To be blunt, they have lost the
ability to be innovative and they are nolo

Introspection is not a bad thing: some ofthe
‘most powerful art ever created has come
about through an artist's intense examination
of the self. But introspection that leads to a
kind of epiphany for the artist does not always
have the same effect on the viewer. The key,
think, isto couple the introspection with an
wareness of the artwork as it exists in

relation to both the artworld and the world in

general. This, of course. is hard work and Jameson's dialectic makes it possible to identify the function of subjectivity in a new way. Where
‘many artist re satisfied enough if their work romanticism displayed absolute faith in the authenticity ofthe subjective, the situation of subjectivity is now
is understood by a limited audience of fellow ‘more complex. Subjectivity isnot the realm of certain tru, but the mediation ofthe negating and wopian
artists and eritis: the work is shown in poles of consciousness. The possibilities and the problematies of painting are contained within this
gallery and more often than not it then moves meditation. And the problematics are intense: contemporary subjectivity is severely tested by the task of
into the limbo of the artists past work, often ‘mediating, let alone tolerating, the dissonance between negating critiques and wopian aspirations. Seen in
never to be shown again except in slide shows this way, a painting reliant on subjectivity can realize its possibilities of authenticity and value onlyin rare and
to captive art school audiences. When this Hissin declan cases

happens, though, you have to ask yourself From “Sites of Subjectivity” by Nathan Oliveira, Vanguard, December 1984/January 1985, p. 27
this question: is work like this art ris it just

some kind of art-excercise?

There isthe argument, of course, that the opinionated in the sense that they are defining we are intellectually deficient for havin ‘of the criticism being produced uses language
viewer needs to be initiated and that the their position in relation to aparticularschool done so. This. in my opinion, is nonsense, that does not communicate ideas clearly or
ippreciation of an art object is enhanced by a of thought or criticism. And, though they for the art we reate as artists is far more _in an innovative way, so does much of the
knowledge of art history and an appreciation sometimes have interesting and intelligent significant than some theory that is created _art that i being made become encoded with
‘ofa particular artist’s body of work. Most things to say about the state-of-the-art, their to explain its existence. The theory may help ideas that are not clearly expressed.

‘oflen we are encouraged to consult texts sentences are often so full of catchwords and us come to understand our ereation more The danger that we face as artists is that
written by noted scholars on the period orthe jargon that itis almost impossible for the fully, but it ean never replace it there is something fundamentally wrong

school of art in q reader to make out what they are tryit In

are lucky, we are directed tothe writings of say the product

times art criticism has influenced
n of art ina more profound way

age that is used to talk
’s more important than the art

the artist whose work we are considering. But There is of course, some well-written than itever has before. Many artists have itself, fori the last twenty years the writing
asthe twentieth century moves toward ils _contemporary art criticism that is chale involved themselves in writing eriticisn of art eriteism has evolved into somthing of
‘lose artcriticism isbecoming moreand more to read, criticism that repays the reader's _and, conversely, many crities have tried an industry, an industry that churns out its
an industry unto itself and the quality of effort to attempt to understand the complexity their hand at art-making. This cross: endless product of debate and magazin
ed with the analysis of artis of the writer’s argument, but most ofthe fertilization has resulted ina linkage between column inches. Sometimes, I think, the art
ngly questionable crities I have read use language as if they art criticism that has tended to blur gets lost in the words and we, as artists, get
sons for this is that there are were dancers with lead weights in their shoes. oundaries between the two activities _lost inthe art ghetto. To get out of it we
thousands of er They seem to be afraid ofstyle and, whenever _and, over a period of time, the art being {'some clear writing and, more than
‘whereas fifty years ago there were only a possible, they use words that are unheard of prduced has become more and more anything else, a new committment to at that
hhandful. So, the sheer volume of criticism __ineeveryday speech. Many artiss, including dependent on the prevailing critical is intellectually and visually stimulating but
being produced is quite phenomenal. Most of myself, find their miasma of words viewpoint. We have reached the point where not intellectually intimidat
se critics are also university graduates, ind frustrating. Some of us feel if anartst is unaware of what is going on in
people who have been exposed to particular inferior in the presence of a noted critic the critical mainstream that artist is, toa Robert Gore
kind of academic rhetoric. As a result, their simply because we are afraid that we have _ large extent, unable to act as full participant
writing tends to be dry and specialized, and missed something in their argument and that in the artistic community. And, just as much

(cominued from page 2)

cal problems of motivating a staff assignments and friendly help » ly that Tike th

ets. We need people who will take writing. We need in exchange the place. hope that the suggestions I've made

month. On the other interest in small aspects of school life, commitment to take responsibilty for the would be improvements to

-vents don’t take place here ata breath- become experts of sorts in those small fields, assignment and pay attention to our deadlines good situation. Ici
knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the which are based on our production schedule. On that note, I want to express my

issues there, and capable of writing con We on the Planet ofthe Arts could o appreciation for everyone I've dealt with

Pieces saying what they've seen. There isa few writing workshops. Clear writing isa the Student Society. The Planet of the Arts

efor some time. AS the great satisfaction in b practical skill, valuable to anyone. Ifwe ean the Administration, our teachers,

Student Publication, we should have caught College community, which is, afterall, of offer a way for people to improve their skills especially to my fellow students ~ all of

it great service to us al then perhaps we would have an easier time whom have mixed together to make this

long way We've cried out for such help in the past, recruiting them as writ ‘wonderful place to engage in the weird

solving v but eties don’t work very well, [feel that if that needs to be practiced by writers and str

produc people come to us expressing a desire to be nurtured by editors. Complainit

somewhat stuck on the human and. reporters, we should support them with clear student apathy never

news with one issue a
hand,

1g on a scrumptious c:

Asa paper, we have @

got anyone anywhe