Social practice art has been controversial since the trend was first introduced. This article discusses the impact and development of social practice and how the public and art community has reacted to these social practice endeavors.
"...[Mel Chin] thinks that the popularity of social practice among today’s artists reflects a pendulum swing away from the art market. “It’s a reaction against the excesses of individualism..." I have a problem with this quote in that Mel Chin seems to abhor individualism. He seems to imply that creating art for the purpose of satisfying the artist and only the artist is somehow a selfish idea. I believe that he is implying that art should always be based on community. I strongly disagree with this in that I believe art can be anything and should not be bound by any hidden moral obligation to change the world and community for the better. Why can't art just be a tool for self expression? Why can't art just be for the individual? At what extent is individualism considered excessive? What is his definition of individualism? I believe his idea is ridiculous. I believe some artists have the tendency to manipulate obscure and confusing concepts to over-inflate the value of their art. I still have a difficult time wrapping my head around the idea of this social practice being "art". I know that many believe that intent is the only thing that makes any creation art, but I believe that art can be defined as art by each individual viewer. Art should be judged as art by the eyes of the beholder and not by this forceful idea that tries to persuade many individuals that this social practice is indeed art. For me, there is a thin line between what is art and what is not, and social practice is on the border. There are some works that are considered social practice art that I would also consider art, but some others I would consider as just another way to garner attention to a specific cause by calling it art and bringing it controversy, which I don't think is necessarily bad but actually well thought out. I love the profound impact that social practice art is making but I cannot agree that these works are specifically art. They are definitely creative, innovative, and new, but I believe that these are sometimes just fun community events.
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I visited the Walters Art Museum with my sister earlier in December. There was not many art pieces that I specifically wanted to visit or had a particular interest in initially but the Nepali and Tibetan art of deities were striking and were my favorite in the museum. I love the flat and vivid colors of the paintings and the expressions of the many deities that were showcased in this particular exhibit. It was strangely similar to the ukiyo-e style in which uniform lines and flat colors were used which I found particularly interesting.
I love this illustration by Shannon Wright. She tackles the issue of cultural appropriation in the modern world through this piece and shows how cultural background is diminished into mere fashion trends. I love the distinct contrast between the African American girl sporting her natural hair and the two seemingly Caucasian girls who have their hair in twists and cornrows, who most likely do not have the need to control their hair in that manner.
Coach Hall and I had a conversation about potential contemporary trends I could have sought out and one thing he suggested was researching contemporary artists who were closely following the ukiyo-e style After a little research, I discovered Masami Teraoka. He is a Japanese-American artist who creates watercolor paintings and prints that resemble the traditional ukiyo-e style. He incorporates many modern elements to tell a story or a message such as Macdonald's burgers or the twin towers. |
AuthorMaggie L. Walker Governor's School Student in Art IV. Archives
May 2017
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