Wednesday 6 July 2016

Artist's Statements And The Metamorphosis Of Cr@p

While Tateh paints, I am left to maintain this blog, her website and the coffee pot. In other words, just about everything else of importance. I have recently realised that this should include publishing an Artist's Statement for her.

In the course of researching this strange phenomenon I chanced across Jane Chafin's blog, The Off Ramp GalleryThe moment I read her (somewhat candid) comments on Artist's Statements I realised I needed to put the coffee pot on again - this was not going to be an easy ride!   

Jane describes the crucial importance of Artist's Statements as follows: 

"There's a phenomenon in the art world I like to call the "metamorphosis of crap." It happens in that instant when, after having been initially bored, confused or repelled by a completely artless pile of crap, you stop to read the artist's statement. Now you are in familiar territory. Your art-schooled-MFA brain kicks in, deciphering the elitist, codified language before you. You smile, you get it, and in that moment, the artless pile of crap magically becomes Art. The metamorphosis is complete. You are no longer bored, confused or repelled. You are a wise, self-satisfied cognoscente, dashing off to transform the next artless pile of crap."

Helpfully, Jane has included a link to the following video of Jörg Colberg, struggling to create a masterpiece statement to compliment the masterpiece "bunch of flowers" he has recently photographed:




I have no doubt that Jörg's finished statement would appeal to the fine intellect of any erudite cognoscente of true art, but having discussed the mater in some depth with Tateh, I realised that a statement involving somewhat less arcane concepts might be more appropriate to her art.

After many hours of deliberation and copious cups of coffee, the following is Tateh's Artist's Statement:


"Abstract artist Ivy Burley, signing as Tateh, paints from the heart."




I sincerely hope this statement will permit the observer to smile while interpreting Tateh's art - and thus 'get it' without being bored, confused or repelled by too much 'flowery' language like Jörg's.


For a somewhat fuller Artist's Statement please click: originalartworks.net/artists-statement



Click here to go to Tateh's website: originalartworks.net.



By: Ken Shaw

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