Duff bogen on sat 14 apr 07
Eric
(my Mom was a Hansen so we could be cousins way back)
Part of the Morrisonian theory that we're all creative has a flip side in our non-Morrisonian world.
1. The market tends to promote the "artist hero" image. Think of all our stereotypes of "the artist" starving, creative/ crazy cuts off their ear etc. and you get the idea. By advancing the rarity of "The Artist" and his Art, as opposed to Morrisonian theory of common creativity, Art becomes as rare and expensive as diamonds. In the same way DeBoers has kept diamonds rare and exclusive.
2."Art for Arts sake" get defensive of their inflated position and value as annointed by the gallery and critic system. This is not to say Artists don't make real things but that their way of making ends meet is distorted by the Art Scene.
3. Art vs. Craft is part of this system of artificial rarity.
4. Artist Artist-Craftsman Kraft-Werker Keramiker we all have to find our way in a soul-less system
Duff
Eric Hansen wrote:
Dear Duff: I think Leach put it all in a nutshell when
he commented on work that "is merely art for art sake"
as vastly inferior to functional works. As the
Whistler vs. Ruskin lawsuit pointed out, those who
believe in art for arts' sake will attempt to defend
their belief. Leach's position is similar also to
Bauhaus and Constructivism, however it is clear that
his whole operation depended on being able to command
high prices for his work. Hamada was in the same
shoes. And to a certain extent, they were designers
and manufacturers of a certain kind of work, which in
todays definition of studio-artist-potter looks more
like light industry, not craft. Many potters follow
the same path, cater to an elite clientelle, command
the best price they can, claim that the work is
strictly functional, and basicly use light
manufacturing to generate the goods. But they don't
explore the notion of factory-made, but rather
disguise it. Warhol, Jasper Johns, et al., followed
the DuChampian way of exploring such interactions. It
is one more example of how ceramics is not critical or
self-examining. I think you can see where I am going
with this. Let art be art. If it walks like a duck,
and talks like it duck, it's probably a duck. Art for
art's sake? All is fair in love and war and art = is
what I say. On the one hand Leach elevates a notion of
socialistic production, and on the other elevates Sung
dynasty imperial wares. Go figure. But remember he
isn't just BL, he is OUR B.L.
H A M B O N E
p.s. I think you have to have your Leach, Hamada,
Voulkos, Soldner, etc. Leach & Voulkos seem to draw
the most bashing however, but I can't say that their
art work is wrong. I find both artists' work
interesting and inspiring, regardless of whatever
flaws their philosophy may contain. Personally I
consider myself to be a craftsman/artist/cultural
worker along the lines of Gandhi's Non-Violent
Revolution, the path of 'moksha' - liberation. As one
potter said: let the pot reach it's fullest
expression. It's not just about money or fame,
technical expertise or any of that. If the potter has
soul then the pot will too.
--- Duff bogen wrote:
> Whoa Dude-
> OK I probably made the email sin of hitting send
> before editing. Be that as it may here’s a more
> complete statement with editing and emendations.
> The irony I had intended in using the
> phrase “God is dead”, which I believe is from
> Nietzche, is that Nietzche is dead and God is not.
> By inserting BL in the phrase I was trying to make
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