Roman Toasts
ArtNews.com has been running a series of interviews titled “How to fix the Art World” (part 1 2 3). Honestly, not all the concerns or answers are golden but here’s a line from Liam Gillick in the part two segment, which may resonate with our interests. (though it’s ironic that unlike ourselves, he clearly has a “career” in the arts)
“There are two things guaranteed to undermine any self-respecting artist: One is the word “career”; the other is the notion of having a “career” in the “art world.” There is something wrong with the whole concept. A world-conquering imperialist claim that overreaches combined with a diminished sense that we are just part of a “world” within the world—a special bubble apart from reality.”
We often wonder about the rhetoric of “career” which is normally associated with income/money, and thus, an almost impossible definition for the majority in the arts. Would replacing the term “career” with “profession” be any better? And if neither works, what is it that we do as art or artists — “hobbies”? “volunteering”? “lifework?” Lack of funds limit a lot of possibilities for sure but it’s the rhetoric that limits our world, our perception, imagination, freedom and ultimately, empathy.
In light of all this, we also wanted to share “Dirty talks : Money“, the inaugural issue of an online publication Station to Station by Transartists. It’s a great read with no necessarily satisfying conclusions. We have been invited to contribute to their next issue to “make the *magic* happen”, and we plan to talk about “visibility” as one’s bread and butter. Stay tuned.
