Vince Pitelka on tue 3 oct 06
Lili wrote, in her articulate prose:
"Although I am accused of anti-intellectualism just about every time MFA's
and Artists Statement come around--that is the last thing I am.
Intellectualism is NOT language dependent! It is an approach to thought. If
someone thinks that disliking the Academic/Craft Complex and its
tentacles--competitive shows, artist's statements--as anti-intellectualism
well they are plain wrong, accepting a relatively modern restrictive
definition of something highly imprecise.
The question of language quickly translates into the question of literacy.
Does someone have to be able to read and write to be a fine potter? To
become a recognized master? More and more we are told that yes, you have to
be literate, and write well to be a serious potter."
Oh my goodness, dear Lili, give it a rest. Who in the world ever said or
even implied anything like "More and more we are told that yes, you have to
be literate, and write well to be a serious potter." That's completely
ridiculous. No one said that artists had to write, and no one is hijacking
craft into academia. What a strange response to anything that has been
written in this thread.
I have said it before and I repeat - I believe that creating an artist's
statement is always a benefit to the artist and the viewer/user, and that an
artist's statement simply reprepsents the artist's self-examination of the
sources and circumstance of art-making - the background, inspiration,
meaning and intent (if the artist wishes to share those), hopes and goals,
specific techniques or materials of interest, etc. An artist who cannot
read can have a conversation with a friend and have them write it down.
This is no big mystery. It's easy to do, it's ALWAYS a good thing for the
artist, and then each viewer can damn well decide whether to read it.
When you meet an artist and he or she starts to talk to you, do you say
"Stop talking and just let me see your art?" When you meet a musician and he
or she begins talking do you say "Stop talking and play some music?" Of
course not - you are interested in what they have to say, because artists
and musicians are often very interesting (whether peasants or professors),
and whether or not they are articulate speakers, it is wonderful to hear
them talk about their work, as long as they are not self-absorbed
primadonnas (there's always the risk of that).
You wrote:
"So when I am told how important it for potters to write, and that pottery
has become an educated-middle-class profession, I see an abyss opening."
Who wrote that? Once again, who even implied that in any way?
You write so beautifully and contribute so much great stuff to this list,
but it's a drag when you embellish and extrapolate to the point where you
are ranting about things that were never said.
I certainly never accused you of anti-intellectualism. You are the last
person I would think of in that case. But I stand by what I said.
Anti-intellectualism does rear it's ugly head on this list regularly, and it
is always an embarassment when it does.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Lili Krakowski on tue 3 oct 06
What I love about craft is its wordlessness; its disdain
for language.
It made it possible for people like the Albers and Natzlers and Wildenhai=
ns=20
who came here unexpectedly, as refugees, to establish themselves through =
the=20
work of their hands , not the wagging of their tongues, the scribblings o=
f=20
their pencils.
I expect there are "foreigners" on this list now who came here without
fluent English, but with fluent craftsmanship, and know exactly what I am
talking about.
What is so great about craft is silence! I can go into a museum and
see ancient Aztec and Egyptian, and Chinese pots and I speak not a peep o=
f
their languages, but the work of their hands speaks to me....For a time I=
am=20
freed from grammar and spelling, from the intricacies of class-in-languag=
e=20
and I "hear" what some unknown Japanese potter centuries ago wants to tel=
l=20
me--with a little square dark celadon plate with a white slip bamboo=20
brooding on it. I
cannot read their poetry, I find their music unintelligible (if it surviv=
es)
but the pottery.....ah....
So when I am told how important it for potters to write, and that
pottery has become an educated-middle-class profession, I see an abyss
opening.
Clay is as much the "right" of a peasant as of a professor. Among craftsm=
en=20
,
a char counts the same as a banker. And if her pots are better,
then she is the honored craftsman, and the banker takes second-place.
It does not matter if you speak a certain language, some obscure dialect,
or the best NPR/Ivy League Speak--the pot does the talking. And the insta=
nt
that is changed , and language demanded, no matter how indirectly, subtly=
,
and so on, something dreadful and scary happens. Clay [craft] no longer i=
s
a method of communication, but only half a method.
Vince writes that =93some of the =85 posts smack of the anti-intellectual=
ism=20
that
rears its ugly head here on Clayart altogether too often. It is an=20
embarrassment=93
Although I am accused of anti-intellectualism just about
every time MFA's and Artists Statement come around--that is the last thin=
g I
am. Intellectualism is NOT language dependent! It is an approach to
thought. If someone thinks that disliking the Academic/Craft Complex and
its tentacles--competitive shows, artist's statements--as
anti-intellectualism well they are plain wrong, accepting a relatively
modern restrictive definition of something highly imprecise.
The question of language quickly translates into the question of literacy=
.=20
Does someone have to be able to read and write to be a fine potter? To=20
become a recognized master? More and more we are told that yes, you have =
to=20
be literate, and write well to be a serious potter.
This of course encourages cheating, as the competition turn from pottery =
to=20
writing.
We already are saddled with the costly business of slides! As often as we=
go=20
through THIS cycle we go through a =93photo session=94 where people ask d=
o they=20
really need to spend $3000 for equipment to take great slides with!
Well! By 2025 every successful potter will also be a brilliant photograph=
er,=20
and published writer --because surely this amateur writing business canno=
t=20
stand.
Artist=92s Statements will have to be published=85
By 2050 the sonnet form will be required, by 2075 the thing will have to =
be=20
set to an original score. A while later the potter will have to sing the=20
piece, and choreography follows soon after.
I should point out that several times when we have gone through our Artis=
t=92s=20
Statement cycle I have received Off-List posts from people who tell me so=
me=20
handicap prevents them from writing/writing well, so they are =93only=94=
=20
lurkers and cannot participate even in ClayArt.
If being dismayed by and opposed to ANY requirement that a potter be in A=
NY=20
form literate is anti-intellectual, then the opposite view, is restrictiv=
e,=20
and elitist.
An embarrassment!
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Marek & Pauline Drzazga-Donaldson on tue 3 oct 06
Dear Lili,
I read Vince's post and agreed with it to a great extent. having read =
yours, I realise that I am 100% behind everything you say. I too am =
accused of being anti-intelectual, this is basic b/s, I might be crude =
in use of words, but not their meaning, I am against the b/s that too =
many people hide behind, and that to me is anti-intelectualism, because =
they use phrases and sayings that are not their own and do not =
understand them, yet hide behind these whitterings.
If others require an Artist's Statement I have begun sending them a =
brilliant Cartoon/Caricature of me (drawn by my friend of many years =
Owen Bray on the keramix web site) throwing at a Steam Wheel, knotted =
kandkerchief around my head cussing and swearing and enjoying what I am =
doing. I have had no reprecussions yet, but woe betide them when there =
is.
Happy Potting Marek
Hand made Architectural Ceramics from No9 Studio UK www.no9uk.com
Fully Residential Pottery Courses and more at Mole Cottage =
www.moleys.com
"Tips and Time Travel from a Vernacular Potter" reviews on =
www.keramix.com
an irreverent point of view after 35 years in the game Marek =
Drzazga-Donaldson =20
Assemble a dragon finial at www.dragonfinials.co.uk
Free Works and Mole Cottage DVD's and Video content on all the sites
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