02.08.2011
Categories: Chicago
The vote is in… at least mine. And that might be the only one?!
But, hands-down, the best stairway in Chicago has got to be inside the MCA.
The Museum of Contemporary Art hosts a lot of questionable art in my opinion.
Not a big fan of a lot of their ever-changing collection. However, the staircase
is forever impressive! Plus an occasional silver bunny!
I haven’t been to the MCA in years, but I imagine it DOES have some questionable art in it. A lot of it is probably just “Look, it’s a new technique, or look, it’s SO shocking!” type of stuff. It may not question much except about what shocks us, and I am not sure that is all that art should do…
Anyway, Koons used to infuriate me when he first appeared in the eighties, I thought his work was vapid, and shocking just for the sake of it. I thought he was pulling a big prank on the whole art scene. He has since grown on me, and I see now that he is making art about our times, and what our societies seem to value (Michael Jackson and Bubbles, consumer goods, sports heros, shiny plastic objects).
I guess some of it just takes time.
By the way, great job on your blog the past month or so, it’s been EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT as always! Keep up the great work!
I was at the MCA for a meeting, and only had time to stop in the main galleries on the first floor.
But once again, I had to ask myself “Why?”… as well as, how much grant money was wasted on this stuff?!!!
It amazes me that so many artists, and I use that term loosely, get exposure in a museum like the MCA? Especially when I look at many of the pieces and think “My summer camp kids could do better than this.” Case in point… the installation in the main entrance lobby! Merely a bunch of 3’x5′ sheets of muslin with letters “stencil-painted” with spray paint, then clipped together with silver binder clips and hanging in panels of three – all the way across the entire lobby!!! What?!!! I hope an adorable nine-year-old did that one!!!
I know what you are talking about. It IS sometimes frustrating that “work” with seemingly so little effort invested in it, gets so much fuss and attention. Sometimes, as a “craftsperson” I wonder what is the use of taking many years to learn techniques to make anything, when all you need to do to be considered a serious ARTIST (not a lowly craftsperson, even) is spray paint some letter on fabric and binder clip them up.
It’s easy to see why the general public is becoming more & more disconnected from art. It speaks to them less and less every year, seemingly to address only the concerns of critics, fellow artists, professors, and MFA candidates; it has grown so insular. What is also disturbing is that ceramics is trying to enter this world, and is becoming more and more obtuse, self referential, and oblique. That’s a shame, since pottery is easily appreciated by all, and doesn’t require a degree in “Post-Modern Packing-peanut semantic contexts”.
I also know what you mean about your summer camp kids making nice work. I remember about two years ago you posted the results from the “totem-pole” summer camp, and I said at that time that the resulting piece was very good, and would have made work by some MFA grads look silly by comparison. I stand by that!
Thanks – the totem still stands proudly inside Lillstreet Art Center.
And the kids who made are still very proud of their artistic efforts!!!
With not a single binder clip to be found!
We’ve already started planning this summer’s camp schedule – and I’m excited to be offering a few new camp themes! Including a week’s camp where I’ll get to take the kids on a field trip to the Art Institute, do a little art history, have them do art projects “in the style of” famous artists and even host their own show in the Lillstreet Gallery. Complete with invitations, artist statements, signage and hopefully a fun evening reception! And still… not a single binder clip in sight!!!