Engagement!
although Sandberg's reviews I have read and enjoyed the last decade or so; she is a bit pissed off, a bit angry, a besserwisser and dares to be subjective, there is no engagement in her texts anymore. She goes through this exhibition and register that there are pieces of art compiled together making it what we call an exhibition of art. And in my opinion it looks like it does not engage her much. I might be mistaken, but why write about it then? at least when Tommy Olsson doesn't like the exhibition, he starts to wonder off in "Olsson-land" and it is fun to read. Sandberg is just boring. Boring reviews like boring sex: better off without.
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( 3 / 2022 );)
The Girl Has A Date, 2006, colour photo, 140 x 100 cm
Blue Noses Group
A few days ago, this blog (that I am not allowed to linkthat I am not allowed to link to ) pointed out that Matthew Brown (the art dealer) was hold by the police for several hours and was not allowed to taking art works from the artist collective Blue Noses Group. He had to leave the works behind.
Now, what is wrong with Mr. Putin?
Where did he go wrong?
The Economist of July 15th this year points out that even though the first signs came with the Ukraine president election where Russia's choice was not elected and the more Pro-western candidate did win - followed up by the September 2004 siege of the Beslan school and then one year later the attacks on the oil firm Yukos - there are no particular moment when he "started to go wrong".
I agree with that, but I ask myself how can a country, in the middle of Europe with 80 mill. inhabitants (Germany) be able to support Russia. The former Bundeskanzler, Gerhard Schroeder, was very found of Mr. Putin (He should be, his political connections to Mr. Putin made it possible for him, in no time at all, to adopt a Russian 2 year old child - although he is way past 40, in his third marriage - so his wife), and have no intentions, even in this weeks interview in Der Spiegel, to criticise Mr. Putin. Also the Kanzler of today (The first woman as well as the first from east-Germany), even being more sceptical towards Mr. Putin, not criticising him at all.
Is it just me, or might this be a start of a new fascist state?
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( 3 / 1736 )OCA gives out the second Edward Munch award. (very good choice).
Jan Mot have series of screenings organized by Nina Möntmann
Swede living in Norway Artist turned Critic Tommy Olsson goes berserk in London (Norwegian only)
jill mentioned a interactive art work at the University in Bergen that scares people
I am going to norway for a job interview.
PHILIP got support from OCA
André Gali wrote about the latest seminar at UKS in Oslo.
I bought a great catalogue by Lene Berg in Berlin, just learned that she spent her summer in Weimar at the ACC Galerie. Short prestentation of the project here (PDF file) - I am looking forward to see the exhibition at the "No.9 i Exil" in the st.Olavsgate nr. 7 in Oslo.
FRED [London] opened a small space in Leipzig (actually where I wanted to start a small art-book shop two years ago). right now they are showing a Simon English show. Going to have a look at it today.
thats it.
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( 3 / 2030 )In an text I wrote about the art biennial in Lofoten (LIAF) I claimed that two of the earlier issues (the 1999 and 2004 one) was both a disaster. The text is in Norwegian language if anyone wonder.
The co-curator of both 1999 and 2004 LIAF - Norwegian artist Tor Inge Kveum replied (can be read in the same link as the text, just scroll down). Kveum claims that I am a lose cannon, and that it made him feel quite upset. But he was reminded on the English saying: Opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one. and that this is the way it goes when one publish harsh conclusions faster then arguments that are based on research and facts.
Now, this is not my best piece ever. And he did arrest me on the money flow from the state of Norway to LIAF. I am very glad he did that, because it
a) taught me a lesson
So now I am double-cross-checking my sources on that.
But, the way he called me a dilettante was not very sophisticated and clear. Obviously, he is really eager to defend his curatorial choices, as am I to attack them, but there is something that is bugging me about this, and that is:
what do you do when you argue with someone?
I have been thinking quite a bit about the way I attacked his festival and the way he replied to that (not to mentioned my 2400 words long reply were I claim that his last effort in 2004 killed every opportunity the festival ever had to become international acclaimed - in contrast was the review only 1500 words long).
and here is what I am thinking
In a situation of debate, think fast and write or speak slower then you think.
be true to your first reaction
- ask yourself why you react this way
Do start with acknowledge the good points made by your opponent.
Always make a point out of your initial critique, and repeat, if possible more elaborated, what your arguments and opinions are.
Remember that opinions are a part of the stuff we bread (stole that one from Roberta Smith) and not a part of our bodies. there are no way around your own opinions, but do treat them with respect, always respect your own as well as other opinions, and do not think that just because someone got a good argument, you have to agree with them.
There are no way, not even in a parallel universe that I would give Kveum right in his argument that his version of LIAF (called Human, Fucking Human) was a good exhibition with a mixed reception. As far as I am concerned, it did not get any reviews, not really. Daniel Birnbaum asked what is the difference between art criticism and propaganda and suggested that a mind being sceptic. I like that.
Now, I do not wish the person Tor Inge Kveum any harm, and I can believe that espescially the last festival he curated have been a drag (really bad organised, unclear structures, changing director at least two times just before the opening, hard and long evaluation process with the municipality owning the festival - and on top of that, me, more than two years after claiming that it sucked - big time).
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( 3 / 1718 )Art Review goes online and offers obviously subscription, because it is for free the first six issues if you register. That should mean that it is either cheaper than the printed issue or completely different to the printed issue, but both is a problem in general; if the printed and the online issue are different, then where do you place your best pieces? and if they are the same, why do people want to pay for the online version when things online in general is free of charge?
anyway, I signed up.
Register at www.artreviewdigital.com
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