NOV.3, Our Lady of Controversy, chapters 1,2,3

Get ready for a huge shift in our readings. This entire book is a series of responses to one work of art from a show in Santa Fe in 2001, twelve years ago. The conflict will bring up issues on gender, faith, sexual orientation, ownership of images, museum management, public opinion and the role of artist as activist. Each essay takes a slightly different view. There is repetition and restating of the "facts". but keep reading.

I choose this book because each of the primary players was educated by someone, somewhere.  Each person speaking their mind believed they knew art and had a right to make decisions on/about art. 

Read these first chapters and give a response. How do you feel about the work in question? What would have done if you had lived in Santa Fe at the time? How would you have handled the issue in your art class or if you were a student and it was talked about in your class?
 

Oct 27 Place Based Education

For any of you that want to jump ahead here is the assignment for the following week.
Read "Place Based Education" and view the DVD "Citizen Architect", compare.  Would you, do you do anything that is aligned with either of these programs?

Tell me a story on how Junction or any other place has influenced your art/ your teaching.

Oct 20, Vision, Space and Desire...to end of book

Some of you have already read and responded to the end of the book. That is fine. For the rest it will be an easy read. This section found me underlining and musing more than any other section of the book. I loved the individual writings. So, for this week read, think and let me who you enjoyed or admired or disagree with the most. In other words who moved you and why.  Spend this "easy" week working on your final work of art.

Ed and I will be in Madison WI and Ottawa, Canada for a week. I will have limited time online but I will check in when I can.

October 12, "Vision, Place and Desire" pages 99-147

I really do not like performance art or maybe I just am afraid of trying it myself. I have some a few great works but mostly I want to tell each artist that they need some theater/acting or at least lighting training. So, this section was hard for me and it pushed me which is exactly why i love this book.  I was bad at some of the attitude but then I knew that was my own limited knowledge coming into play. I had seen the James Luna work on artifacts in museum cases (without the performance part) years ago in D.C. It made me laugh /think/ realize and then rethink everything I thought I knew about museum collecting and exhibitions.  Ed and I invited Edger Heap of Birds to Lubbock for a TAEA conference. He is everything you think he would be. Smart/sharp, kind, insight full and does not take on fools. It was a interesting to see how others reacted when he did not stand for the National Anthem. Or say the pledge. Even more interesting to see them react to his work. This was 10 years ago and Native American living breathing artists were not really big with the conference planners.

Tell me how you would (or have) created a performance. What would you be saying or trying to say. What reaction would hope from the viewer. Enjoy and play.