"We are demanding fees as compensation for work within organizations. Fees are, by definition, payment for services. If we are, then, accepting payment in exchange for our services, does that mean we are serving those who pay us? If not, who are we serving and on what basis are we demanding payment? (Should we be demanding payment?) Or, if so, how are we serving them? (And what are we serving?)"(Kocur and Leung pg. 72).
This quote puzzled me because is he trying to say that he doesn't want to be seen as employed by the artist and therefore doesn't know if he wants to accept payment? Does he think that this devalues his job as a curator?
Another quote that i found interesting was on page 73 that reads,
"There are no artists I can think of who could credibly suggest that the funcions their works serve have nothing to do with them or their artistic activity, as all artists are called upon to augment these functions for organizations and individuals at openings, cocktail parties, press conferences, et cetera" (kocur and leung pg. 73).
I don't think that anyone can produce artwork that has nothing to do with them unless commissioned to do so. You do kindof serve your own interests and it would make sense that you would paint something that you, yourself would want to look at for long periods of time and be proud to sell.
Overall, I found this reading to be interesting but still kindof hard to read.
Fraser, Andrea. "How to Provide an Artistic Service." Theory in Contemporary Art since 1985. Ed. Zoya Kocur and Simon Leung. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2005. 69-75. Print.
"I don't think that anyone can produce artwork that has nothing to do with them unless commissioned to do so." (quoted from above)
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first part of this sentance, but disagree with the second completely. Of course we as artists can't produce art that is void of our ideas, thoughts, experinces and selves. Everything we do, say, think, write, paint, create- whatever verb you want to putin there- we do because that is what we chose to do. Some how along the little path we call life, people, experiences, emotions feelings and thoughts have pounded us (and continue to pound is) into the well adjusted citizens we are today- without any one of those people, experinces, emotions, feelings or thoughts- we more than likely would be quite different than who we are today. Death of the capital A author: we are not who we are because that's what we decided, there are forces beyond our control at work on us constantly- from the time we were still sperm and eggs. I mean, really think about it- if one tiny thing was different, it has the potential to change everything.Example: Let's say for example that this scenario had happened instead of the one that did prevail in reality: while rushing out of his office at 5pm on that Friday, your father was fingering that little black box in his coat pocket which contained a breathtaking daimond necklace and with the other hand he was checking the time to make sure he wasn't going to be late. He turns the corner like a race car and causes someone to spill coffee and papers everywhere. Being a good respectable man, he helps them clean up the mess. This small act of kindness causes him to miss the train. He finally arrives home 45 minutes late to a crying hormonal woman. She is very upset. The miss their dinner reservations. Didn't speak the remainder of the evening and he was forced to sleep on the couch alone. YOU would never have happened if tha would have happened.... but it didn't. I say this to try and reinforce that, we are a product of every little miniscule thing that happens around us. In living life, whether we are painting, writing, talking, listening (anything!!!!) we bring to the table ALL of ourselves- ever person, experience, feeling, emotion and thought- we can never seperate ourselves from this matter that makes us who we are. It is impossible. "If things were different, than things would be different.(WE would be different. and everthing we DO would be different.)" -personal quote from yours truly