mel jacobson on sun 4 mar 07
there are firing techniques, and then there are firing techniques.
if one has another person turn on and program an electric kiln
with commercial glazes on the work...well, who cares who watches the kiln?
that is just simple tech work. turn it on, turns off by itself, let
it finish.
the problem the way i see it is:
complex firing techniques that make the work a great deal
more important than just the construction of the clay object.
like:
salt, soda, complex schedule.
if i fired with gail nichols clay, in her kiln, with her firing....i would
have to write her name on the pots. period.
wood, ash, complex and long firing schedule. who stokes?
reduction under complex control. how much reduction,
when do you start, what is cone 10...how far bent?
can you repeat a firing, or is it just chance?
shino with a complex schedule.
or, like my chinese/iron saga...cone 13 with a special
glaze. oxidize. the results are based on what i do with joe's glaze and clay.
as lee pointed out... who is the captain?
who makes the complex decisions?
or, as vince points out....good for student work, but
for professional showing...not a good idea.
or, give credit...like a copyright. firing is at least
1/3 of the process...and glaze and surface is a 1/3...so
what does the other person bring to the party?
we all know about collaboration...how it works.
joe koons and mel were a team...iron saga/equal billing.
but there seems to be a big stretch now days when artists
commission the complex and timely part of the work....if the artist
just walks away...pays a bill, and does not give credit...well
it is like taking two chapters from someone else's book..make it
your own.
don't do it. it will bite the artist in the ass sooner or later.
but when art is just a free for all, do anything to be different,
get to the end, anyway you want....just make sure you get
all the applause...well, it no longer is art.
it is just silliness.
mel
from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
Clayart page link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
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