Marcella Smith on sat 30 jun 01
er-eg-er, the sound of the paddle stirring the soup up some...
To sign, or not to sign, how strange, I never thought I would hear fine =
art artists discuss such a thing, but perhaps that is the difference. =
Some pottery is just something to pour my Raison Bran into and some is =
'fine-art'. What do you make? What do you want the world to think =
about this art medium? Is pottery up there with all the other fine-arts =
or not?
I have never heard painters have this discussion, but of course there is =
no doubt what they make, fine-art.
When I buy junk at Walmart there is no signature.
But then again there will always be that 'way out there' person who may =
have someone else pay their bills for them, who doesn't care about =
getting his name known. Do you think that MacKenzie would have done that =
in the beginning of his career? I don't think so girls and boys. Pretty =
arrogent now, yet his choice. Some people are shy and would rather not =
put their name on their pots, lots of people like that, part of human =
nature that some be weak and others strong. 10% are leaders, 90% =
followers. Some people shouldn't identify the stuff they make, don't =
you think?
We must stay in the here and now, well grounded in life. We should but =
we don't have to, some can remain at 17, romantic, unafraid, someone =
else supporting them.
Some have the luxury to not sign, such as MacKenzie, oh my, but I would =
never be able to identify his work, I guess I am not 'smart' enough to =
own his pieces, whether or not I have that $800 in my pocket really =
wouldn't matter to MacKenzie, only if I can identify his work without a =
signature or mark...yeh right,=20
lets get real, grow-up, if you don't make fine-art there really isn't a =
question, trying to make not signing something 'special' and 'wonderful' =
sounds so silly, but then again it is your decision.
marcella, oops, I signed
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Matt MacIntire on sat 30 jun 01
Marcella,
I don't understand how the decision to not sign a pot could be construed as
arrogant. It seems to me an act of humility. Please help me to understand
why you feel this (personal) decision implies arrogance.
It isn't a test you have to pass. No one is judging you. Quite the reverse
- it is you who they have invited to be the judge.
I could envision not signing as an act of bold confidence perhaps, but
arrogance? I just don't see it that way. I also rather doubt that someone
like Hamada left his work unsigned out of any shyness or weakness. Perhaps
MacKenzie merely wants you to look at his work with an open mind. If you
can not tell it is his pot then you experience it honestly, with your vision
free of any interference owing to his fame. Why is that arrogant or weak?
I expect it is true that plenty of great artists do not sign their work. I
mentioned Michelangelo, there are surely many others. This seems like such
a personal issue to me. It seems odd to me that some of those who sign
their work seem to feel angry at those who do not. Why does this personal
decision bother you so much?
The issue you raise regarding whether most work is good or not seems an
entirely separate issue. As has been pointed out, even the greatest master
makes mistakes. And a lowly amatuer can have stunning successes on
occasion. I don't see how that relates to the decision to sign.
It seems to me that the decision to sing a pot does little to elevate the
status of claywork to a Fine Art. Far more likely to have that effect would
be a concerted effort to do fine work - signed or unsigned.
How to sign our work is decision that has such minor significance compared
to all the other aspects of our work. It seems like such a personal
decision to me. I wonder why this touches a raw nerve for so many people.
Matt
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