Share your "Artist Statement"

Okay-- how's this?

I think of my camera as a paintbrush, with all that is nature, as my palette.
Whatever trail I may take I am always trying to capture the cosmic energy that flows through all living things. As I stalk the wild, in search of her secrets, I sometime feel as though time has faded into nothingness, and I am one with the ancient ancestors of our Native American brothers. It is as though two separate lines of time and space have converged into my subconscious consciousness. As my fingers feel for f8, I may just as well be grasping a spear in search of wooly mammoth. All becomes one, and nothing becomes more than it is, when I am looking through my camera.

Scott Ridgeway, 2005


I hope you didn't have to read too far to realize the joke. I generally don't like artist statements. Most say nothing, and smack of pretention. The work IS the artist's statement. I don't use one.

Scott

My work IS my "Artists Statement".

I rail at the idea of trying to "pump myself up" in any way. I've seen too many, both those who deserve praise and those who do not, appear pretentious and fat-headed - trying ... to convince - someone of ... what?. Take my work for what it is worth. I'll ask no more.

That said, this really describes my attitude and mindset:

(Change the references from "painting" to "Photographing"...

"When I paint, I paint for myself - I find it hard to be passionate about another person's ideas. For this reason, I don't take commisions, as they tend to put me in a disagreeable mood, and take away my creative license. After completing more than 800 paintings I have found that the images which were painted for my own delight are often the images most well received by the public. Ultimately, I wish for each painting to evoke a deep emotion in the viewer ... hopefully a longing to become part of the painting itself."

And:

"When I begin a piece, I usually have a good idea as to what I want the finished image to look like. However, by the time I actually complete the painting, it has often evolved into something completely different."

All that is taken from Amy Brown's web site ...

[ http://www.amybrownart.com/bio.asp ]

She is a "*really fine** artist - check her "Fantasy" work out.

'Artistic Statement'???? I,ve never heard such pish in my life. This arty farty 'art speak' boll*$£s serves nothing. It makes an 'artist' look silly, as it means nothing to anybody else on this planet. Get over yourselves, lifes' too short. Just get out there and take some pictures. 'Artistic Statement'-my arse!

C'mon Stuart, dont hold back, please tell us how you really feel about artist staments...

I thought of one the other night during a highly creative Chat Room session. Here it is:

"Ya just gotta leverage all the schmucks in the world."

Nuff Said.

Stuart Turnbull said:

'Artistic Statement'???? I,ve never heard such pish in my life. This arty farty 'art speak' boll*$£s serves nothing. It makes an 'artist' look silly, as it means nothing to anybody else on this planet. Get over yourselves, lifes' too short. Just get out there and take some pictures. 'Artistic Statement'-my arse!

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Hate to say it, but it's your posting that serves nothing! Take some pictures - sure, but if they are totally directionless, then what? And, afterwards, if you have no idea what you want to do with the pictures - then what?

Sigh......

I was new to APUG when I began this thread and was unaware how personally offensive some people would find this topic. Those new to this one might want to read the initial post that has my statement from my last show; it's actually an artist statement explaining why I don't write artist statements! If you have the opportunity to have a one person show, your statement can be whatever you feel is appropriate. I'm comfortable with mine.

I wish those that wouldn't read the artist statement in a gallery because it would be such a heinous waste of their time would click on "ignore thread" right now. I also wish this post would wither and fade away...it brings out some disproportionately hostile responses.

Murray

Murray,

Your post had nothing to do with people pulling down their pants, bending over and showing off their opinions.

Stuart Turnbull said:

'Artistic Statement'???? I,ve never heard such pish in my life. This arty farty 'art speak' boll*$£s serves nothing. It makes an 'artist' look silly, as it means nothing to anybody else on this planet. Get over yourselves, lifes' too short. Just get out there and take some pictures. 'Artistic Statement'-my arse!

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Sometimes it helps the craftsman/artist make his position in the literally exclusive world of the critics he wants to take notice. Photographs and art become known or (mis)understood to the larger world through the Word, whether you like it or not. People mention, talk about it and make deals to publish and show it, and maybe historians write about it.

Show me a photo that stands on its own. Seriously, and not one I've seen before. No, don't tell me about it, show me. That's a benign challenge. I love pictures.

But of course, you are right that a statement could be a complete blunder if the maker hasn't a clue as to how it will be taken, or how to make one.

My favorte - "You can't polish a turd" but it's not original.

mark said:

Murray,

Your post had nothing to do with people pulling down their pants, bending over and showing off their opinions.

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Thanks Mark, but why did some of them have to exibit their shortcomings so vigorously?

Murray

MurrayMinchin said:

Thanks Mark, but why did some of them have to exibit their shortcomings so vigorously?

Murray

Click to expand...

Arrogance.

bobfowler said:

The "artist statement" I used back when I played saxophone for a living...

"F**k art, let's dance!"

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Bob, your statement was most entertaining!

I've been asked to write an artists statement and my page is still empty. Maybe one day the right words will come to me. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my work.

Kind regards, Nicole

Nicole Boenig-McGrade said:

I've been asked to write and artists statement and my page is still empty. Maybe one day the right words will come to me. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my work.

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I think that's pretty close to being a perfect artists statement Nicole

Murray

Ah this thread again, when it was originally posted I was quite interested in seeing what replies would come. That is until they came in. This must be up there with the least productive threads ever on APUG, its a shame people didnt post on topic.

Well.... if there is such a thing as getting back on track... with a thread that has strayed THIS far from the ... er.. flock.. ;.)


This went in with my most recent work to a local gallery....

On the work-
On the surface, I seek to dispel the aura of “naïve realism” which surrounds photography- an image is only an image, a piece of paper, and never a fact. The image is not what is pictured. In an illusory contradiction, an image need not be taken as fact to represent or transmit Truth. I stress the lines of these distinct ways of seeing. Beneath the subterfuge, through appropriating images from our cultural vernacular, I aim to connect the implications of our cultural archetypes to their de facto conclusions. I ask of the viewer- “ Do we believe this?” More often than not, I hope the answer is, “No.”

About myself-
I am a non-traditional student, coming to the arts from a background of sciences. I was born and raised in Brazil, the son of Americans. I have often found myself between the lines that define native, and foreigner. Since moving to the United States, over fifteen years ago, I have had to consciously choose how to mold my identity, whether in conformity, or at odds to culture of my adopted environment. I believe it is this particular circumstance that has allowed me to evaluate individually the norms of culture we pick up liminally from contact with each other.

I felt that the way they asked for information of two different kinds was interesting, and saw that I could connect the two "blurbs". . . . as with so many artists, their work is often viewed under the light of their own backgrounds.... which makes my commenting on social norms appropos given my non-native status in ANY culture of the world.

BTW - DHB is on the money.... artists statements are not impositions on "the sensibilities of the artist" . ..or "crutches" for the work... they are TOOLS meant to help make the sale of the work go forward. The more info you can give your salesperson, the better they will understand what it is they are selling, and the more facets there are for the customer to draw on to engage with you.

I came up with two new words to try and describe what I'm doing with my nudes. I realize that to some people the words are rather pretentious, as they come from an academic background. However, I think it is possible to be academic without being pretentious.

I describe my nude work as photographotica - using photography to write (or re-write) the canon of erotography. The canon of erotography is the collected body of work that describes and structures what is commonly held to be erotic.

My artists statement then, as posted on my personal work website, is:

What is Photographotica, and what is "the canon of erotography"?

Photographotica is the writing of eroticism through photography. The canon of erotography is the collected body of erotic imagery, writing and video that defines who and what is erotic.

Male beauty is traditionally defined along the same lines by which "great" literature or other art is defined - created by, for and about white men. This gallery has as a goal the ambition to expand, if not re-write, how and who we define as erotic subjects.

By attempting to rewrite those standards, this [body of work] attempts to give the power of the erotic subject to those who have traditionally been cast as erotic fetish objects, and whose admiration has been seen as deviant, delusional or just misguided.

I realize that's a rather ambitious goal. I don't know if it is realistic, but I think the statement is accurate and to-the-point.

KenM said:

But I am curious- why was it written in 3rd person? Were you trying to avoid seeming like you were 'blowing your own horn', or was there some other reason?

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Artist statements are written in the 3rd person to double as artist "Bios" for use by anyone who may wish to publish it as such. Say for instance a gallery show catalog or a magazine. These people rarely conduct interviews with the artist and like the biography "in the can" or ready made for publishing. Some artists have both the biography in the third person and a separate statement written in the first person published. The former serves as sort of a chronological listing of education, achievements etc, while the latter outlines the artists philosophy of his/her work.

artist statement

This thread is so ancient I bet no one ever reads this.
My photographic work dealing with coal strip mining sites in Pennsylvania is being done for a variety of reasons. Much of my childhood was spent in this type of environment and being back in these ubtenanted landscapes revives memories that I am now able to relive through my art. Another reason for making these images is the great influence that my father had on me. These coal fields were literally his backyard. This is where,during the depression, he was forced to scrape out a living where no real living was to be had. He became a,"Bootleg Coal Miner". A bootlegger is someone who steals coal from the large mining companies, but if you were to ask him about it he would say that it was not he who was the thief but rather the coal companies that were guilty of pillaging. He told me stories sf real shooting wars between the bootleggers and the Coal and Iron police which was a private army enlisted to keep the strip mines the exclusive province of the coal companies. These stories are full of pain and suffering but they are also filled with joy and triumph. My third reason for working in these areas iws because I find these torn apart landscapes to be visually intoxicating. These vistas are are intimidating in their visual uniqueness. Strip mining practices have totally despoliled the excology and natural contour of the land. Still, I must admit that what was left behind, this convoluted and tortured earth, is as inspiring as any natural landscape that I have yet encountered. The scope of what humankind can effect is the very core of this work. I have often stood on a hill overlooking a strip mine that may be as large as twenty square miles and feel tht I am viewing the results that might come about if God had decided to pass his/her time using the earth as a child might use the sand in a playground sandbox. At these times my individual hamanity seems insignificant and very fragile. It is during these times of humility and awe that I make my photographs.
This work exists on several levels. On one level it is simply the examination of what I find to be an inspiring landscape. I can be happy with this level because itallows me to tame the visual beast that resides in me, but I cannot be totally satisfied with this somewhat simplistic reasoning. On another level this work is the tale of an oppressed people who were forced to struggle against the panoramas that I find so inspiring. Generation after generation of immigrants were lured by lies and false promises to work in these fields. These people became martyrs to the Industrial Revolution., the furnaces of which were fed by the coal in the hills that I am photographing. I cannot photograph the Industrial Revolution. All that is left to me are the artifacts and impressions in the earth from what was an era of giants. I value this level of my work as a dialogue between environment and humanity and to analyze the symbiotic relationship that each has in the shaping of the other. This is the thought that I am, perhaps inadequately, trying to convey to those who see these photographs
Jack Barnosky

My statement is simple and to the point:

I document reality, I do it for the love and enjoyment of taking pictures.
I also have another statement I tend to live by that sends shivers up my friends who milk the literary/arts grant system in Canada: Death before arts grants.

Bill

Look in da mat