I’ve been trying to figure out how to handle this post as the questions Ivan has posed have really gotten me thinking. So I will start with the writings.
I keep thinking about the Suzi Gablik article and this quote in particular: “Art should revert from its separation from society and refrain from being an instrument of capitalist exploitation.” It represents the feeling I have when creating art and teaching art when I’m just on the edge of being fully in the flow and engaged in art-making — will anyone buy this? What use is this art if not for my own enjoyment? Isn’t that enough? With the students it’s a matter of figuring out if I can help them use art as a means of aiding self-construction and not focusing on the end game of displaying it for others to see and buy — greeting cards, art on the wall. What if the art is just for us? a private means of self-exploration and the bonus would be if anyone else is drawn to it. There’s more to unpack here, more than my writing skills can manage, and I would be interested in discussing this more with anyone.
This quote is has also stayed on my mind:
“The question of whether or not art will ever change the world is not a relevant question anymore: The world is changing already, in inescapable ways. We can no longer deny the evidence at hand. The need to transform the egocentric vision that is encoded in our entire world view is the crucial task that lies ahead for our culture. The issue is whether art will rise to the occasion and make itself useful to all that is going on.”
Here is the question that continually comes up for me: How can we make art “rise to the occasion and make itself useful”? I love this question and it is one I will start to ask myself as well as my students. It astounds me how relevant this writing is now even though it was written as a call to action years ago (In the 90’s?).
I would like to reiterate how nice it was to read Seonaid Robertson after Suzi Gablik. To get me thinking deeply about how art relates to the world we have in front of us and then to be inspired by beautiful writing and possibility was very well planned out and got me ready to hear about the processes.
As for my personal interests in art-making, I would really like to forage for things on my land that will guide me in furthering my exploration into sustainability. With a large garden – what can I plant to make dyes? With my bee hive – what can I do with wax and honey? With our chickens – what can I do with the eggs (I now know, make egg tempera paint!) or the feathers? With my bunny – what can I do with the spun wool? And just with foraging around, what can I find in the natural environment of North East Ohio that will help me create dyes and paints? We have a compost bin – is there anything we can do with that? Or will it help to make art-making a closed loop with the remains of plants going there? Further development here is what I am looking forward to diving into during this course. I would also very much welcome any thoughts or direction you all have on where I can take these elements of my farm into creating my own sustainable art materials.
Our farm at sunset – bees on the left, gardens in the middle and on the right.
My spinning wheel with bunny wool
Our chickens… and my 9 year old :).
Sara,
I absolutely loved seeing the images from your family farm. I have never seen spun bunny wool- WoW! I imagine it is incredibly soft. Thank you! Starting by exploring sustainable processes that you can forage materials for on your land is a beautiful way to approach this project.
I came to similar questions after the readings about personal enjoyment and pure self-expression as a means for art making. I can’t imagine that “Making art as if the world matters”, would not include caring for mental and spiritual health and personal identity. These factors may not have been mentioned in this article but certainly they are relevant to our contemporary understandings of sustainability. Hmmmmm……….. Like you, I believe that art education is so important for aiding in self-construction. Our students need this! We all need this.
I cannot wait to see what new materials you will explore on your farm!
Best,
Jessica
Hi Sara! Here are my un-edited off the cusp thought reactions to your post-
Thanks for taking those readings for.a walk, its good to ask the questions you’re asking. I don’t think there are black and white answers, in fact I don’t think either Suzi’ Gablik’s inquiries or your own can be true for all of art making. Art as an activity is as diverse as life itself! I realize of myself that its easy to get dogmatic about it because art is about expression, theres so much passion wrapped up in it. So much of our lively hood hanging on the line. Anyhow, all this to say that I appreciate the human need to create for creation’s sake. I found out pretty quickly that I could not be a commission based artist when I realized how much life was sucked out of the process when creating for known outcomes (i/e a portrait). But I think that even when creating just for one’s own sake, you still have the opportunity to enter into all kinds of alliances and partnerships. For instance, you are in partnership with your bunny, your chickens, your compost pile…
😉
I’m currently half way through Suzi Gabliks book. I’m a slow reader and I’m taking extensive notes of all the passages I’ve underlined so far in a google doc. I’d be happy to share it and I’d love to stay in dialogue. I also just ordered Seonaid Robertson’s book that Ivan recommended.
Thank you for letting me know about the link not working. I think I fixed it, but please let me know if not!
Also, thank you for reminding me about Seonaid Robertson’s book. I just ordered it :). It would be great to be in contact about this whole idea of art as expression and creating alliances. I appreciate your comments on being in partnership with my animals and farm… I hadn’t thought about it like that! And thank you for your off the cusp thoughts and reactions… that is so valuable to me.
ps- I can’t seem to open your project post, I get the response “No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.”
I’ll try again tomorrow.
Cheers, Anna
Sara,
Your comments remind me that as artist educators, we’ve been trained in the western art mindset to think of art making from a modernist point of view. This perspective has removed us from the actual natural social development of self expression through the creative process of taking things from the earth and making something visually beautiful and useful for us and for our communities. I haven’t read Gabliks’s book yet, but I’m getting the feeling that this is what she is suggesting we all get back to.
I love all the space that you have access to on your farm. I would imagine that you have endless possibilities with creating sustainable materials for art making. You’re already doing this with your rabbit fur!
Wow! Sara! thank you. I think you took us all in a journey with your post and I so appreciate the images of your family farm. I think you have a setting and access to things that seem ideal for exploring sustainable processes and developing sustainable art studios.
Another great reflection on Gablik and Robertson. I’m glad to see that those readings have ignited so many good reflections and exchanges of thought among all of you.