|
Post by tessar on Sept 2, 2008 19:50:03 GMT -8
ok, so i thought this would be a real interesting thread since yoskay and i always talk about it. it would be real interesting to get your viewpoints.
in my personal list of art heroes, i find myself drawn to the kind of artist that has adhd when it comes to mediums, using whatever they want/can to create certain looks/explore certain themes.. from picasso, gauguin, rauschenberg up to contemporary artists like nara, cai guo-qiang, hirst to 'lowbrow' artists like choe, monroe, and even like, tara mcpherson who can turn a serious serigraph on top of just painting.
i am awestruck by the transcending of skill and excellent execution of whatever may be in their hands. as an artist, there is a true admiration in that sense.
since most here are collectors, i wanted to ask what that meant for you guys. i have my own bias of course, but i would expect that versatility is something of a win-win situation. ie, artists are continually exploring new mediums and staying excited about their work, and collectors, are getting work that is constantly fresh and in many ways, ground-breaking; not to mention knowing they are buying form a highly-skilled artist and not a one trick pony of sorts.
and note that i'm not talking about radical changes here- it's just that, shouldn't artists and collectors be excited about the changing ideas and forms an artist creates, over say, the same thing over and over again?
i'm sure a lot more will come of this topic, so i won't say anymore just yet- but let's talk....
|
|
|
Post by sketchypad on Sept 3, 2008 1:51:11 GMT -8
As an art enthusiast and collector, I really enjoy seeing an artist taking risks and progressing their art practice by exploring new mediums or trying new things.
It can sometimes get a bit boring seeing an artist rehashing the same concept over and over again.
Sometimes the new work is successful, and sometimes it isn't, but nice to see an attempt to push the boundaries nevertheless.
I remember being really impressed when I first saw Brendan Monroe's work since he worked with sculpture, paintings, prints and 'zines. He also has switched up his style. Even though I think I liked his figurative work better than the most recent abstract work, I definitely give him credit for continually pushing the envelope.
On a related note. I'm always very impressed when an artist makes an effort to use the full extent of the gallery space to envelop us into their world. This includes painting the walls, including a sculplture, or an installation.
|
|
|
Post by travislouie on Sept 3, 2008 8:50:39 GMT -8
Artistic growth is important, . . . but it depends on a few different variables. What an artist does at the beginning; before a certain level of competency is reached or a certain amount of life experience is obtained has a great impact on how they fluctuate their development as artists, . . .There's nothing wrong with any artist sticking to a particular style for an extended period of time and making adjustments as they acquire more life experience and learn more about themselves. From a purely technical standpoint, changing gears frequently, . . . as refreshing as it is, . . . can also impede certain artists' progress as well.
|
|
|
Post by tessar on Sept 3, 2008 10:16:10 GMT -8
thanks for replying sketchypad.. i definitely agree with the installation thing. i have noticed these days, with online previews and such, sometimes it takes a little encouragment for someone to physically attend shows. what a great reason for installation, to deliver a rewarding physical experience in the gallery.
travis, you bring up a good point- and it is something that obviously you know a thing or two about, having worked in the arts for so long.
i am wondering though, about whether the benefits of testing waters early outweighs the bad. having a knowledge of what works for you as an artist can really also strengthen your voice, no? it seems to me that an artist should be struggling early on to undertand his/her voice anyway, instead of prematurely becoming successful and then sticking to formulas impressed on them. this way, the artist knows what types of media works for them, and in what ways they should/can be used.
the opposite of course, would be sticking to one thing, then as you said, slowly shifting gears over time. but is an audience going to be receptive to the changes made, after the the artist has consistently presented one thing over a long period of time? my hopes would be yes, but often the opposite is true, it seems.
|
|
|
Post by juggernut3 on Sept 3, 2008 12:02:24 GMT -8
Great topic. I find excitement when my favorite artists create and try new works on different mediums. It gives me as a collector/aficionado something different to have in my collection other than the framed art on my walls.
But as Travis stated... there needs to be a level of competency that has to be reached. My favorite artists have progressed more and more as time has gone by. Usually they evolve their work knowingly/unknowingly with experience that comes with working on said medium... whether its canvas, paper, wood etc.
If a newer up and coming artists spans out her limited time to work on multiple projects before he/she is ready then they can easily fall prey to the "jack of trades... master of none" pitfall. You don't want a bunch of mediocre pieces. It would be better for you to work on what you're good at, then when you feel you reached a ceiling or ready for a change of pace, then you take some time to work with another medium.
Skateboards seems to be something that people are expanding to. Seeing the ISM show in person made me realize certain artists may want to stick with their mediums until they're ready, because some of the boards were kind of rushed and not great quality. But some artists rocked it. Tessar... your new skateboard at the exhibition is fantastic! So was Yoskay's!
Audrey and Amy only did skateboards this year after their work reached a certain level. It doesn't mean you have to be an artist for a few years before you can change your pace, but hopefully the artist will feel that they are ready for change prior to shifting mediums. It would be a waste to change just to please the public or follow the latest trend in art. Just my 2 cents from a fan's point of view.
Peace, T
|
|
|
Post by commandax on Sept 3, 2008 12:14:57 GMT -8
Hi Tessar! Personally, I prefer artists have a wide range of expression within their particular style... but you know that already. Not to diss any artists who stick with the same successful formula for a long time, but it really seems to me that many of them (not all) lose their freshness and ability to convey new emotions and ideas when they choose to stay within the same framework too rigidly. Experimenting with the media is a good way to break out and find fresh inspiration without losing the signature elements that collectors recognize. If the artist's style is distinctive enough, it's going to come across even if the subject matter and technique shifts over time. I may be a bit of a maverick on this issue, however, because I really prefer not to buy paintings that are too much like what everybody else has. The whole point of collecting originals, as far as I'm concerned, is to have something unique, not a slightly different version of something the artist has painted 50 times. I know a lot of collectors like the branding and instant recognition of having a classic example of an artist's work on their wall, and I understand many people's concern that a less recognizable piece may not appreciate in value as much as a "branded" original, but I'm not really in it for the money, so I'm free to buy what I love.
|
|
|
Post by benvan on Sept 3, 2008 12:34:27 GMT -8
I prefer when artists explore other mediums and content, I think inherently there are pieces of each work that still are inherently part of the artist no matter how varied their exploration is. I give as much credence to innovation as to a particular aesthetic.
That said, a certain amount of technique is essential to be able to effectively explore alternate avenues. Personally I fall into the category as an artist of continually exploring and not improving technically. I might never become technically sound enough to be an established artist, but I do enjoy trying new things, and it is important to me to enjoy what I do right now.
Also, I think it is entirely valid for an artist to find something more specific that interests them and to perfect and explore within that context. I think this difference is a reflection of the artist's personality like any other attribute, and becomes what some of us either like or dislike about their work. Given this, I prefer the variety.
|
|
|
Post by rhinomilk on Sept 3, 2008 12:44:52 GMT -8
it's like when J.Lo tried acting instead of dancing.. it took me awhile to get used to it (how could a dancer act? no way!)... then she took her hand at singing (what? you think you can sing too? but you're such a talented actress.... no way can you sing) and it took me a long time to respect her in that craft. now look at her: triple threat superstar!
|
|
|
Post by masao626 on Sept 3, 2008 17:44:15 GMT -8
it's like when J.Lo tried acting instead of dancing.. it took me awhile to get used to it (how could a dancer act? no way!)... then she took her hand at singing (what? you think you can sing too? but you're such a talented actress.... no way can you sing) and it took me a long time to respect her in that craft. now look at her: triple threat superstar! did you seriously just say all that. it's jennifer lopez.
|
|
|
Post by jimandtara on Sept 3, 2008 19:41:18 GMT -8
did you seriously just say all that. it's jennifer lopez. OMG - LMAO Charity! I forgot to list HILARIOUS as one of your attributes in the Community Appreciation thread! jIm whew! - thats good!
|
|
|
Post by tessar on Sept 4, 2008 13:12:52 GMT -8
wow, i didn't really want to say... but since it's out there...
jlo is definitely an artist i admire.
0_0
thaks for the responses guys, they are awesome and really well thought out. it gives me a lot of inspiration to see the open-mindedness of the people on this forum.
|
|
|
Post by sleepboy on Sept 4, 2008 13:16:16 GMT -8
lol.
speaking of versatility... what ever happened to those sculptures you were working on tessar? they were pretty nice i thought. i was impressed with how recognizable they were that they were the girls from your paintings.
|
|
|
Post by gamma888 on Sept 4, 2008 21:17:30 GMT -8
after reading through this thread, i feel that as a collector i do prefer varieties of works by an artist as many experienced collectors would know. i truly believe that one of the unwritten rules for an artist would be to experiment with mediums much further he/she could as well as try to push the style to next level, regardless what his/her clienteles want. one of my favorite artists, david choe, is definitely one of those artists who has brought a huge varieties of work to the table. he's usually not intimidated to try anything new yet i know that some of his pieces have gone whack, but i do admire his guts to keep on pushing to the next level if things go sour on his end.
ever since i've been attending many art museums/galleries since high school, i can fairly emphasize that i've seen numerous works by many artists so i'm usually that picky in purchasing a piece of art because i want a piece to be that unique and see how much of a devotion was spent on the piece. each piece usually has a nice story behind it and i would yearn to find the story by researching or having a chat with the artist who did it. i think many collectors are usually that appreciative of what many artists do except for those disdain flippers... ;-)
nevertheless, a great thread here...
|
|
|
Post by LeBasse Projects on Sept 4, 2008 21:56:19 GMT -8
Nice thread T.
This is something our group talks about all the time. I personally - both as a collector and a gallerist - find it so refreshing when artists push themselves both in their versatility but also in their styles.
We all forget sometimes that many of the artists we follow in this genre/market are very young and really in their early stages of what we hope to be long careers. When i see artists repeating their same commercially viable work over and over again I tend to lose a bit of interest - as i expect will other collectors.
I am fortunate to have a few artists in my roster that continue to push themselves and are still searching for their voice as artists even when selling - and i find the artists i have the most interest and respect for are the ones who push their own comfort zones.
Contrary to what i sometimes feel is popular opinion, its not about hype, its not about selling out shows, its about building long term artistic careers. The young artists that push themselves today are the ones we will remember and still be watching tomorrow.
|
|