Comments for neotericart

Comment on Press Release: Diane Thodos at Thomas Masters Gallery by Derek Guthrie

Derek Guthrie — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:04:35 +0000

! WOW !

Comment on What Do I Know And Where Do I Go? by Robert Stanley by kathryn arnold

kathryn arnold — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:02:38 +0000

A quite clear expression of the moment(s) after the exhibition and the insightful questioning of motivations, methods and processes of engagement in the arts during our time period. Beautifully stated, thank you Robert.

Comment on What Do I Know And Where Do I Go? by Robert Stanley by William Conger

William Conger — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:09:20 +0000

I admire Robert Stanley’s forthright comments. But I always get nervous when I hear artists lamenting the loss of standards. What standards? Stanley seems to locate standards in what he calls ‘form’, the elemental arrangements of elements like line, shape, color, or other stuff independent of cultural interpretation, the raw aesthetic, and the ineffable sensation of quality. (The whole Greenbergian view). I’m very suspicious of ‘form’ and I’m especially suspicious of any assumption that form can be separated from a subjective context. Form, as order imposed on undifferentiated mass, is no less a transient cultural and individual projection than, say, a view about politics or any art world fancy of the moment, and certainly any parsing of ‘art history’ as a mode of linear progression of style. After all, what art styles are not always being practiced, somewhere by someone? And what makes those practices relevant or not except the imposition of subjective authority? If the much lamented — and dubious – objectively formal standards were to be re-established for art, what gain would be ensured? Is it a gain to be able to say that with an objective template of form such and such is art ipso-facto? I suppose then people could argue over which new minute refinement of form offers a new iteration of the standards. Result: Soup of the soup. I much prefer the absence of so-called objective or fomal standards whatsoever. I prefer artists inventing their own standards or, rather, trying to discover them in the process of art-making. As an artist I prefer the difficulty of not knowing if what I make is art or not and to go ahead anyway. It’s a very demanding thing to make ‘art’ while recognizing that it may be impossible to know beforehand what it is. Any artist who offers his or her work to the ‘audiences’ is asking, Can this be a work of art? Answering that invites the demanding invention or re-invention of standards and, of course, meaning; in short, an questioning examination of life experience.

Comment on What Do I Know And Where Do I Go? by Robert Stanley by Norbert Marszalek

Norbert Marszalek — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:03 +0000

Yes Derek, that goes without saying-

Comment on What Do I Know And Where Do I Go? by Robert Stanley by Derek Guthrie

Derek Guthrie — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:05:14 +0000

In reply to Norbert is it not a matter to who one is showing the work.?

Comment on What Do I Know And Where Do I Go? by Robert Stanley by Norbert Marszalek

Norbert Marszalek — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:39:26 +0000

For me the experience of making art is just as important has showing the work. I wouldn’t want one without the other-

Comment on What Do I Know And Where Do I Go? by Robert Stanley by Derek Guthrie

Derek Guthrie — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:16:25 +0000

there are many art worlds loosely connected by the idea of art. Robert’s heartfelt and informed essay charts his journey in an art world offered by Chicago. His narrative echoes “The Waste Land” the great poem that many say introduced modernism into prose. I wonder if the saturation of modernism artistically , culturally, politically, and socially has overwhelmed and eroded a confidence on the established points of reference that we all share when we engage in Art writing and active speculation. Robert’s essay is in my opinion a keystone for near future consideration if that is possible given the weight and stealing of language by the current management of culture. We to a certain point are laid to waste.

Comment on What Do I Know And Where Do I Go? by Robert Stanley by Jon Wilson

Jon Wilson — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:55:47 +0000

Robert..heart felt.
I did warn you its the first of the season..I agree mostly and thanks again for showing, its a great show. time will tell are trails are felt. If not its fun leaving them across the brains of the cognoscenti. -Bravo

Comment on What Do I Know And Where Do I Go? by Robert Stanley by richard kooyman

richard kooyman — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:04:24 +0000

The art world is a fickled beast no doubt, and I wish Mr. Stanley all the pleasure to be had but this essay smacks of self indulge excuse making if not one one of the more egregious examples of the misunderstanding of what postmodernism is or was.

Comment on What Do I Know And Where Do I Go? by Robert Stanley by Norbert Marszalek

Norbert Marszalek — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:34:46 +0000

Brave and down-to-earth essay Bob – well done. These thoughts run through many artists’ mind.