Contributing writer for The Artifice.
Junior Contributor I
Where should we view art?Institutional critique has long since been one of the driving forces in artistic and cultural development. Art responds to what confines it, the biggest culprit being institutional spaces (museums, blue chip galleries, etc). However, it's also clear to see the value in these places – they offer a mass public a chance to see historically significant art, they allow a chance for education and often engage a community. On the other hand, "alternative" gallery spaces (basement venues, "underground" collectives etc.) arguably provide artists more freedom in what kind of work gets put on display, but there are also drawbacks to this setting too in that it often only meets a niche audience. Weigh the pros and cons of the different ways in which art exists. What is most important in viewing art and putting it on display? What works, what doesn't and why? What should change? What shouldn't change?
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Body of Sedition: Yang Zhichao and Art that Hurts | |
Super interesting! It’s always a little disconcerting to realize just how deeply racism is woven into pop culture narratives and gestures. I question how it should be addressed considering racism itself is clearly not a foundation of the show. | A Hidden Racism in American Horror Story: Roanoke |
I think the biggest issues that have come out of Nintendo game console development are from their lack of understanding of what draws people to their systems to begin with. The Wii, I think, had less to do with continuing the legacy of the Nintendo brand and more to do with Nintendo trying to prove they were doing something “different” and “innovative”, i.e. detecting motion in 3 dimensions and whatnot. In doing so, it actually really limited the kinds of games that Nintendo was able to produce and distanced people from what they originally loved from Nintendo games. They attempted to fix that with the WiiU, which offers that familiar handheld controller feel, but…at that point the damage had already been done and Nintendo has lost a lot of its credibility as a popular system. That being said, I’m glad you point out the importance of third party supporters. Nintendo needs to prove again that they can make diverse, engaging games that are able to take on lots of different forms. Also, being able to take games on the go has always been such a staple of Nintendo gameplay and I’m excited to see the next step. | The Nintendo Switch: What It Needs To Succeed |
It’s always hard to critique this kind of work without coming across as hyper conservative and being read as the exact oppressor these pieces are addressing in the first place. That being said, I think body/pain performances can get really tricky… I question whether the violent nature of painful performance actually stirs upset because of the culture its being performed within or the simple fact that it triggers very innate, evolutionary reactions to witnessing pain (the fetus piece may be an exception since that’s a blatantly socially controversial topic). Like, it’s obvious these things will disturb viewers. Does that reaction actually come from what the art is trying to say outside its own violence? I’m not so sure…
ANYWAY, great, well written article. I’m super intrigued by the connection between very conservative social orders like China and how it produces this large number of artists who focus on pain.