June 11, 2008
By Erin Rolfs
Last week the art community bit down on the piece of gold known as the Art Melt in attempts to see if it was real. Everywhere I went the question arose, "Did you see 225's article on the Art Melt?" At work, at lunch, on g-chat, at the Baton Rouge Gallery opening, at the Spanish Moon, at the PlusOne Gallery's showing of Life in the Tall Tall Grass, at Chelsea's for dinner, at a program meeting over coffee, even via a long-distance text from a Baton Rouge ex-pat I was overloaded with the same inquiry.
We can all agree that it's great that people are even questioning the validity of such a popular art event. It's beneficial to everyone from Hunter Roth to Forum35 that people discuss what a good, worthwhile exhibition is supposed to look like. But it is even more important that both camps remember whom this art is for. An artwork might as well remain in the studio if it does not have an audience to receive it; likewise if that audience does not have the educational tools to understand what they are looking at, it serves no purpose to exhibit it.
The argument is not over whether the art is crap or if it is shown in an unaccommodating space. It isn't even the choice of juror, the composition of the Art Melt committee or the 5,000 plus attendees. The issue is this: The people of Baton Rouge must question the authenticity of their art experiences in order to progress, but how can we move forward without the supplementary education needed for both the artist and the viewer to fully understand what it is they are involved in? Generally speaking, the graduate from any local university studio art program has no idea, based on his or her academic education, what it takes to just pay for the lighting in a gallery space. And the average Art Melt attendee has no guidance as to how to evaluate what they are looking at or why anyone else cares.
Without that education we will continue to aimlessly argue about factors that only a well-informed public, composed of artists and patrons, can intelligently decide on. The audience alone has the right to support, think about and purchase the art. They are the ones with the authority to ask for a more progressive exhibition or more time to experience it. A good, worthwhile art event should not be based on the selfish whims of an artist or an organization's will to demonstrate its popularity. But only an educated art-fairing public can ensure that neither agenda is a part of their cultural experiences.
So rather than belittle the segment of the art community that is asking for a more reverent, perhaps less accessible, exhibition or insult Forum35 for being short-sighted, we (that being everyone who wants the arts to survive) should demand and seek out more education.
I guarantee you if we start educating ourselves we will know what to ask for, we will know an authentic event when we see it and we will finally be able to create a sustainable art community.
For those interested you can visit and contact the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Division of the Arts, the LSU School of Art, the Louisiana Partnership for Arts Advocacy and Culture Candy to see what resources are available. If they don't have what you're looking for tell them.
Art should never be elitist, nor should it play to the lowest common denominator, and it will take everyone to insist that art in Baton Rouge is neither.
For a list of Art Melt's selected artists, click here.
Comments
Posted by BRartist on June 11 at 8:11 p.m.
I agree with a lot you said BUT one big ignored problem is the fact that the local media no longer wants to be involved in educating the public about art. In the good old days, newspapers and magazines actually had reviews of art shows. They generated interest and conversation and knowledge in the local arts. Today they just want to sell ads promoting art shows then noone hears a thing about the show - judge's comments, participants, themes, quality, and why one should go check it out - or not. But you can bet we will see lots of photos of drink-toting party goers in the social pages later on.
Posted by por_deni on June 12 at 1:59 p.m.
BR Artist: Perhaps the daily newspaper is not running regular reviews because the art critic, like the average reader, is a senior citizen and can't get around to every event? Nor wants to? That's not to say that AP is not a BR treasure, but perhaps she should be a columnist, sharing her wealth of knowledge in broader terms, rather than a Johnny-on-the-Spot reviewer. Pass the baton to the next generation, please.
As for the lifestyle magazines in town, their average reader is more likely to invest in a pair of shoes (or a dozen), furniture, or a flat screen TV than a piece of art.
Mainstream publications are ever aware of their bottom line and no longer have the luxury of being the arbiters of good taste or educators to the masses. They must run content that attracts ad revenue, and so the editorial content mirrors the advertising. A reader is just a marketing opportunity.
Erin: Your blog is a well-reasoned, fair and informed response to the debate. Thanks for the clarity. You and Bill are BR treasures, too.
Posted by nuchitchu on June 12 at 4:49 p.m.
I think you are a bit daft here; when does anyone have the time to become "educated" in a past time (and rest assured the audience you seek views art as a past time)? The whole purpose is to "pass the time". What we need are much more frequent exhibits and a much, much greater diversity of artists. Maybe the public is tired of Roth and King and their clique'.
The people will become more educated, as you say, with more experience. Experience is knowledge. Perhaps the Baton Rouge art community needs to worry less about their personal bottom lines and focus more on abstract ones.
Forum 35 as well. But since money is important for art to be seen, maybe the art community, as it is, should appeal to our community leaders to pitch in the needed funds. Never-the-less, do not expect the public to change, you must change the public.
Posted by BRartist on June 12 at 6:39 p.m.
Good point - there is a a big art community out there. And there must be over 50 galleries in the BR area but how are we supposed to find out about them and the artists. If the media writes about any art happenings, they cover the same handful of places and ignore the rest. Art shows need the support of the media to get the word out and help nurture patrons.
Posted by usleep on June 12 at 6:42 p.m.
Rather than complain about coverage in mainstream publications, and criticize one another’s opinions, why not get involved and support organizations like Culture Candy? They are practically begging for meaningful participation and are actively engaged in promoting activities that educate the press, the public and the artists. Enough is enough with the name-calling. It polarizes people and serves no useful purpose. There's even a write-up in the daily Business Report about all of this infighting. If we want that kind of press, we should run for office. And please, lay off the old folks.
Posted by vtspprtnrt on June 12 at 7:39 p.m.
I agree. There are many organizations that promote the arts (including the Art Melt) that would love to have the involvement of interested and energetic people. Rather than fragment the art community with punches and low blows regarding personal opinions on "good" art or proper art education, why not use that energy in a productive fashion to better our efforts to strengthen the culture of Louisiana? I personally can’t wait to see the art that hits the gallery for the Art Melt this year.
Posted by vtspprtnrt on June 12 at 7:52 p.m.
"if that audience does not have the educational tools to understand what they are looking at, it serves no purpose to exhibit it"
Please Erin - you are really selling people short here. So much of education comes from experience. If they show up and look at the art - it is serving a purpose. And who knows, they may even like it.
Posted by jaybee on June 13 at 12:01 a.m.
I agree that for many of us, art is a "past time" and that these big events like Art Melt or even the mid-city Hot Art thing are great ways to expose "the masses" to some good, some excellent and maybe some mediocre stuff too.
If an ever-growing percentage of the masses stumble into smaller galleries and shows, all the better. Maybe more will buy a groovy Denise Greenwood piece instead of getting that new HDTV! Thanks to all for working to build on what's out there. JB
Posted by Rachelina on June 13 at 10:56 a.m.
Let's not forget that a new Advocate arts writer (who is not a senior citizen, por_deni) has been hired, and has been doing a noticeably more aggressive job than her predecessor. Check out the arts section, and you might find in depth reviews about art exhibitions such as the (awesome) folk art exhibit at the Arts Council of GBR's Community Gallery.
So much of this talk, will simply turn off most people. Art is about life and experience, not some higher than thou concept that the common man cannot grasp or needs education to understand. This is Big BR y'all. We don't have room for soap boxes.
But let's face it, one arts writer is not enough to get the message out about art events in BR. It is the job of citizens such as your self, to go out and look for more interesting things to do. Let the Arts Council and other arts non-profits know that you need better (and more timely) publicity so that you can GO to arts events! You can also check out the arts calendar, culturecandy.org, which I am sure most of you know about.
tata
Posted by usleep on June 20 at 10:21 a.m.
Am I the only one that is tired of looking at paintings driven by subject matter? (landscapes, figures, portraits, shapes, etc.)
Posted by la_artist on July 17 at 10:39 a.m.
I am a working artist in BR and had a piece in the ArtMelt. I guess I could be one of the ones that the experts at 225 were "scratching their heads at"? Who knows since nobody has the nerve to call anything out and point out what was wrong with it artistically. I'd like to see one of these columnists actually go the extra mile and do a critique of every piece in the ArtMelt.
That would impress me and then maybe we could have a discussion about opinions, which is a lot of what "art" is. By passively "scratching your head" at the works but not naming any, you insult everyone and no one at the same time and a discussion is impossible. We artists have thrown ourselves into this gauntlet and allow the world to give their "opinions" about something very emotional and personal to us.
What I know is that I am EXTREMELY grateful to have been chosen and am not so consumed by my own pride that I cannot see the benefits of a show like the ArtMelt for Baton Rouge and artists like myself.
I also know that I sell a lot of art and the people who buy it, buy it because they love it and are drawn to it for whatever reason. It appeals to a sensibility and that is all I want. I don't feel it is fair to assume that art buyers/ supporters need to have a formal education to appreciate something that appeals to them and I would be insulting the very people who keep me doing what I love.
Art is subjective and therefore we will never all agree on what is "good". It will never happen!
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