July 18 Rader pp. 81-90 ((Chapter 3); Lampert pp. 156-75 (Chapters 15 & 16)
*Consider creating your blog with initial ideas for project starting this weekend or upcoming week. I'd like for us to share those no later than July 28th--meaning we are all going to take a look at each of our blogs--so plenty of time for initial thoughts/ideas/plans--that could change from what you end up with.
Also, not, that starting next week, we read one chapter from Lampert and continue ten pages from Rader. Starting next Friday on the 25th and the following week, we will be reading one essay from Kate Lyman a day. Her essays are accessible and interesting and quick reads.
A few comments from your posts: Sarah you posted about mapping Native Americans--thinking about artists, writers, community people, others? Just wondering. Daniel, you posted about being surprised about the freedom to choose a topic. As an FYI, I base part of my pedagogy on AS Neill and Summerhill School, which promotes love and freedom and democratic principles. I love being surprised by student's connections to passion and learning; having them make decisions as part of learning and loving to learn. I've tired of controlling and directing teaching. (And this online class is quite controlled and directed.) Melanie posted about reading the violences against people. I'm noticing that too--that there is lots of day-to-day violence in our histories--and that's excluding wars we were/are in. Agitprop is defined as beginning with Communist issues, but since then, feminisms, AIDS, all kinds of writers and visual artists use it as one method to focus their passions and art. ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) is mostly agitprop. And Lynn, have you tried using a different platform? I find Safari and Chrome work, but sometimes on other computers they don't.
And one comment about us reading literary analysis these past few days in Rader. What you are reading--10 pages a day--as he deconstructs Native writings against the Eurocentric canon, this is the kind of reading I had all of the time in grad school--sometimes 100 pages of it a week. Very dense and you almost have to be an insider because everything is self-framed and self-referented. As Rader mentions Foucault, Beth Brandt and others, he is flexing his academic muscle telling us as readers that he has read all of these writers and theorists. But also keep this in mind. As he writes about his ten books, he is literally giving us his Cliff Notes version of all of the novels.
Just a reminder, the class is going quickly. We are almost half-way through. Any immediate concerns about your project?
ReplyDeleteI am a little concerned how to document. Our temporary walls are up in the space we are having Green Corn Moon
DeleteI have taken photos of that install--I have contacted bear claw, my Wyandotte friend (also Huron) is going to make corn husk dolls with me. I asked her if they were used spiritually with some kind of greater meaning or just for celebration--toys for children. We are researching those interpretations. The dolls don't have faces. Do we want the series of pictures document the process and the dolls plus research?
DeleteI am in the mountains on a iPad--both or one of these conditions is making blogger disagreeable.
DeleteI have started my blog and am continuing to work on it. Here is the address to it .
Deletedallasgraffitiobservations.blogspot.com
I will continue to update as I further develop it. Let me know what your thoughts are and if I am on the right path... Thanks
I have not updated yet on my blog to my current project but my past blogs and artwork are already on there..
DeleteAndreasartisticpalette.blogspot.com
I am hoping to get my pics started on there this week.
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DeleteChapter 15 Artists Organize
ReplyDeleteWhat's your take on artists organizing in the 30s? Do you see artists organizing in your community or state today? Note how in the chapter many artists were against fascism and war. I am noticing the emphasis on NYC in terms of art and artists. I realize it's one of the centers, but what about other cities? Rural areas? It's interesting for me to read about artists I learned in art history classes, but learning about them as caring citizens as well. Your thoughts?
I am encouraged by an art organization supported by the government. It shows how they are supportive of the arts. In that fact, it gives the chance for artist to show what they can do with their art. Seeing the work done in New York is impressive. I think there is a big focus on New York because it seems that everything develops there first that then spreads other places. For example, gangs in the 18th century even started there with the volunteer fire departments that divided by the city. New York has a history of being developed under violence and anything modernistic. I am interested in learning about the more rural areas as well and how they support art throughout history.
DeleteOne of my favorite group of artists working in the 30s was the Dallas nine --centered around a fledging art Museum and an art school associated with it -- these artist told the stories of the west and Texas during the depression--skinny cows, no water, lonely windmills, dead oaks.
DeleteI think art historians may have a bias to ny because they were often from or educated there. Historically, there has been a tendency to "coastalize" art--LA and NY, east or west coast . For crafts, we can pull in the northern mid west--Michigan, in particular.
Impressive organizations! I wish the fight were like that today. Lately I feel we as art teachers are fighting for our subject and how little the school system seems to care about it this day. We do have organizations such as TAEA, and locally I am the Vice President of San Antonio Art Educators. However, as artists I feel we don't use activism like they did in the 30's
DeleteSo I might get slammed on this part, but I struggled to see artists as workers. Even working for a government-funded arts organization as I do now, I have a hard time justifying our budget when there are road and water repairs that also need to be made. My upbringing was extremely conservative (almost to the point of Mennonite), so art was something pretty, something you had when you had the time and money. It just wasn't seen as something that was vital. So it's hard for me to fully understand the need for it during the Depression. My head understands how important art is and that it's not something that should be an afterthought. My heart hasn't quite gotten there yet. Just a hangup I have.
DeleteI definitely see artists as workers, especially when art is a part of almost every store, hospital, or design in a building you walk into. People take it as a necessity and a selling point to attract people. I could see how you may not see it as a necessity in the Depression area. During that time, everyone was undervalued and work was hard to find.
DeleteI agree with Sarah. I don't see a lot of artists fighting like they used to. Besides TAEA or art teachers fighting for our programs, I don't see a lot of artist groups. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough or just don't hear about them... Especially being in the Austin area I feel like I should see more if this or hear more about it... I also don't watch a lot of news or anything.
DeleteI also agree that artists are workers and that everything has an artist design in it or on it. It may not have been as important during the depression but today art is healing, it stems creativity for our students, a release, a way to let go, a safe place for some, a place that we can consume ourselves and forget about the worries and troubles of the world!
The concept as artist as workers is a complicated one. I personally feel that the association between these united artist organizations and labor unions in the 30s may have been more a sign of the times than a perennial artistic mindset (correct me if I am wrong). I am a proponent of government-supported art as I feel art is an essential part of the human experience. I may argue, however, that the recognition of these arts groups as labor forces might have been inspired by the success other types of labor groups in action at that time. I acknowledge that art is work, but I am simply saying it is a different sort of work than, say, industrial factory workers. The work exists in very different contexts.
DeleteLisa – very interesting perspective seeing what sort of organization you work for. I think the need for governmental support – like Sarah said – was that so many different peoples/workers/professions in this country needed work. Artists were far from the only group to be organizing in such a manner.
DeleteChapter 16 Artists Against War and Fascism
ReplyDeleteOn page 167 we read about teach-ins: the three-day congress these artists organized. I'm thinking they organized for important political reasons, but also to keep in contact with each other, professionally and socially. Even Orozco and Siqueiros were there. I was particularly taken by Aaron Douglas' remarks on page 170--how white artist were totally out-of-touch with other perspectives and histories; mainly gender and racial inequalities. I also loved the idea that as they were developing shows, a print show, that they had many simultaneous openings throughout the country. That was strategic and successful. I am wondering who went to see the shows: wealthy people, workers, etc.? Page 175 ends with resignations and changes. How do I/you/we see artists today? Are artists singular bohemian outcasts? Are artists community members? How do you see al l of this? And other insight/comments about the chapter.
The American Artist’s Congress appears to be developed to show the power of a group of artist in the fact that one of the first points they brought up is “individually we are powerless” ( Lampert, 167). The first thing is “We artist must act” ( Lampert, 167), Therefore, it is a call for all artist to take part in the movement, to come together for their cause of just being artist.
DeleteI wonder what the meetings must be like with that many artists in the room. Were they friendly towards each other, was it like a riot setting, or were they calm and free spirited. I would image a mixture of feelings or personalities in the crowd. I agree with Ed about the “white artist being out of touch of other perspectives”. If they were artist and illustrating the work to represent history, why were they out of touch of other perspectives? For example, from the previous chapter on lynching, were any of those artist white? I gather that he is trying to say that even though they illustrated about other races, they truly did not know their culture because they were not living it or even conversating with them asking them questions, but just observing them from a distance.
I think it is great for artist coming together to make a statement and getting involved with their community. I raise a question if there were artist sent away for any reason. What about those artists? They are trying to get involved and are sent away. I think there will never be a true “open” society ready to accept everyone’s art because someone is going to illustrate or say something that will offend someone else and the remove the work or just not even except it. On a different note, I do like that at the time people were seeing “artist and their role in society differently” ( Lampert , 175). Their work became more meaningful and way to communicate with the public about issues or events of that time.
DeleteIS there an organization like this in my community, artist lead? Street art and graffiti around Dallas, which is my project for this class, is something the city has but not much of, but there is some places. There is development in Dallas in the city to be more like urban Austin’s environment with outdoor bars, parks and murals or artwork around those locations. The city has attempted to put more art on the streets, but it is regulated somehow. The city is not in control by artist, but there is an art director who makes those decisions for them.
How we see artists depends on how the artist sells themselves. Is there work in a gallery, with an opening of dressed up people, wine, food, and conversation? Or is there artwork in a festival with other crafts and in a more cultural part of town. Overall, I think we are welcomed in the community. People come to see our work, wherever we are.
DeleteI do love the imagery most of all in this chapter. You can see the style of the artists in this decade as they portray the people and the landscape.
I think the Lubbock art community is thriving, but somewhat segregated from the rest of Lubbock. I moved to Lubbock for an arts education job, so I was exposed to it from day one, but I have heard from many people who aren't involved that it can be hard to find or get into. In a way I find this hard to believe, what with First Friday Art Trail and all the concerts we have, but I have heard it often enough from enough people that it almost has to have some truth to it.
DeleteAdditionally, for people who are not involved in the art community here, it is not something they seek out. People who identify as artists are involved, people who do not, are not. And there isn't a whole lot of interest in getting involved. The general opinion of non-artists is that the artist people are either weird hippies or elitist academics. It's something that I think arts organizations in Lubbock should be addressing, but we haven't quite figured out how. It's more than just making programs free and accessible to non-artists, it's also about creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and doesn't contain even a trace of condescension.
I do believe that "white artists" are out of loop with the rest of the community. I feel like they may think they are better than others and I don't think that this is true. We all have to start somewhere and it's usually at the bottom and we move our way up. I do agree that it was more about making statements and communicating with the community more than just making art, maybe that's more important then a pretty painting. I feel like my art is for either a pretty painting in someone's house/classroom or it's all about my story. I think so many times this gets lost in a gallery. I think I would rather be in a festival of sorts where I can communicate with the people and it's more comfortable then in a gallery where you have to be dressed a certain way or have wine or whatever to make the artwork seem more elegant or more important than a street artist using spray paint making their living that way instead.
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DeleteRader pp. 81-90
ReplyDeleteAs I read these very thick and dense nine pages, I was wondering a few things. Rader keeps referring to Native American history rather than histories. And he is comparing these novels against one/a/the egocentric canon. I know there are many canons, but only one is valued in academe. And sadly, that mainstream Euro canon still excludes lots of people, histories, geographies, etc.
I'm going to be selfish and comment on the part of these pages that interested me--Drowning in the Fire--or his review of it. Rader comments on the multiple genders that many NAtions have--not just two. Rader describes the complexities of the character Josh who ""finds nothing in mainstream culture or in mainstream humanity that helps gives voice to his hidden language of desire" (p. 84). And the quote--"It was the first time I'd seen an eagle outside of the zoo" (p. 84). Those are powerful statements for me. Themes of colonization and freedom pop up. Note the Ojibwe categories of third and fourth genders--might want to google what that might be about.
Lots of analysis and comparing of his ten books in terms of community (though I would use the word communities) and colonialism--being controlled. Your thoughts on any of the books that sounded interesting.
Note: I put in the margins two Directors that seemed significant here as they create films about characters like in these books--John Waters (American) and PEdro Almodovar (Spanish). Waters historically used Devine, who was a drag queen, in many of his movies. You may have seen the original Harispray with Rikki Lake; Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Polyester, Serial Mom, Pecker, --all irreverent and interesting. Almodovar I consider his European brother: All ABout My Mother, Volver (with Penelope Cruz), Women On The Edge of a Nervous Breakdown, Talk to Her, Tie Me Up/Tie Me Down, What Have I Done To Deserve This, Bad Habits, the list goes on. These are two "on the margins" Directors who investigate the margins in their films. Might want to find one and watch.
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DeleteSomething that caught eye was the part about self-identity. At about the same place where Rader talks about gender in the Ojibwe. He goes on to say, "Is either [character] living his or her real truth?...personal stances of authenticity are related to public value system. It is not so much who a person pretends to be or even is but, rather, who accepts his or her persona, public or private?" (85). Both the characters referred to lived through identities that we today may not call authentic. But if the character was living as a identity, it was accepted. I like that. Many people seek validation through public opinion. One of the very best things art has done for me is to help me find my own identity outside of what I think others expect from me. It has given me the strength to be more authentic to myself, whether that's what society wants or not.
DeleteLisa I agree and disagree.. Part of me wonders why someone would go through so much to become someone they are not just to become famous?? Change of last name, different hairstyle and a completely different person than the one you would know more intimately. Why not be true to yourself and to the public? I do understand that it could be very difficult to be yourself completely, I guess if I think about it I am a more professional person at school vs being at home and around my friends and family where I am more laid back and comfortable. Do we need to be validated by our community in order to be successful? Do we need to be someone we are not? And when does that line get crossed and you start losing your true self and becoming this other person? And if you become that other person do you then recreate a whole other person for the public? Too many questions.....
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DeleteAnything else emerging from our reads or posts that you would like to further comment about?
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