-Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils(and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland
Just wondering what everyone's opinion is on this . . .
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Interesting Quote . . .
". . . University art programs do serve some useful purpose. Admittedly not a large purpose. And generally not their stated purpose. But some purpose. Now that may not exactly be a ringing endorsement, but remember, we're talking here about a field whose prominent graduates describe themselves as survivors of their formal education."
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I just read this like an hour ago in that book. It was a strange thing to read, however, I can not help to think there is some truth in it. I feel like my work is modified for school sometimes. You worry about grades and 'finishing' a piece before you are happy with it. You plan in your heart to work more on it until you are satisfied but the next assignment comes along and because we all have about 7 hours off of work a week we can never stay awake long enough to fulfill that within us. School is rough. sometimes we find that we are over influenced by the people around us and the work we once thought we would pursue gets put away in the back somewhere because we are told it's not 'in vogue' by our authorities. Sometimes the close relationships we have within the more intimate classroom causes us to censor what we may do. On the other hand, the dialog we share together, in honesty and critique is priceless and the friendship and connection we establish can be monumentally helpful in our "careers". I feel like we must be strong in our convictions and yet open to the knowledge of others when in school. We must be savvy and find a way to make for ourselves; taking what we need and leaving what we don't.
ReplyDeleteHaha that's great... I agree that there is a purpose to a university education. You have to wade your way through the mediation in order to find your path but the whole thing really does help you along. I imagine that I would still be painting pretty flowers and Hawaiian landscapes without any sense of color use without my education and I would have no sense of placing myself within the contemporary art scene without it. It's worth it just for the sake of discussion at the very least for sure.
ReplyDeleteI think that a university education is very important for everyone, especially artists. I say especially artists because unlike many other areas of study, art is based in creativity and continual evolution of both the work and the artist. College is an excellent place for this creativity because one is constantly being exposed to new and interesting ideas and it is a bastion of knowledge. The student is immersed in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplined arena and simply cannot help but to absorb something from that.
ReplyDeleteAnother point is that academic art is nothing new. It has been with us for many-many years. It is not a beginning and an end; rather it is simply a beginning. I know that this absolutely true in my case. I have seen myself evolve and opened to new ideas and techniques which just a few years ago I would never have considered.
So, does art school contribute to art? In today's world with so much history behind us, it, now more than ever, helps fledgling artists find their "voice" and begin them on their artistic voyage.
I definitely agree that there is a great deal of value in art education. I think it is more the idea of being too heavily mediated. We are influenced by whatever art history class we are taking, by whatever studio classes, of course by our instructors and finally our peers. All of this is both positive and negative. How do you truly let go and make your own work under these circumstances. It poses a real challenge, one that continues in grad school. In Art and Fear "Jerry Uelsmann refers to coaxing art from graduate students as a process of 'rehabilitating the over-educated'!" I just find this an interesting prospect and probably more of a reality for those coming from art schools.
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