Crisis Crisis Crisis

Lots of crisis in the wind, but it wasn’t the vibe this weekend in Amsterdam.

The organizers of Performance Art Event (PAE) hosted an evening at the Brakke Grond last week, which begin with criticism and an open ended question. According to organizers, ‘The creative arts sector is worried about the crisis and its impact on the arts.  The more crises, the more performance is an expression of the growing awareness of this tendency. Live art doesn’t need much, it can take place always and everywhere, and especially in a period of crisis this could evoke a renewed interest in performance art. Could this mean that more artists will turn to performance art, leading to a revival of the genre?’

Is Blogging a Form of Criticism?

I should start by saying that my Dutch isn’t that great and while I did my best to follow the discussion, I may have missed some nuances along the way. I could be talking mousse … but that’s what I was invited here to do so I’m gonna indulge before I head out again. I write, right now, out of duty and respect. I write from a critical position and without time to process, reflect and self censor to provide a more economical and useful answer.

First Response: The Medium is not the Message

Is putting ink on paper a form of criticism? Is spraying white paint out of a squirt gun a form of criticism? Is using the word Mousse a form of criticism? Is recording yourself ranting on skype and putting it on Youtube a valid form of criticism? It would be if you were Allen Kaprow or Jerry Saltz, but not if you’re a 14 year old up past your bedtime. The medium is not the message. It might provide grammar. It might deliver, but it isn’t the blog I’m reading. It is the thoughts and attitudes of the person who fills it. From the very beginning the discussion made me think of Douglas Adams and the answer to everything in the universe, which when delivered makes no sense, because the question failed to ask for a meaningful answer.

Art Amsterdam: First Impressions as criticism?

Fast, furious, first impressions = moussism, not criticism ….

Bar at Art Amsterdam

Two nights ago was the opening of the 27^th edition of Art Amsterdam. Focused on Post-War art, there were some ghosts on the wall and plenty of pretty people walking around with bottles of Dutch champagne. Warhol made an appearance and I’ll admit being surprised to see Nobuyoshi Araki’s work displayed once again.

Most galleries seemed to have the seatbelt on and presented works in a manner that spoke of risk management. The first time I saw Araki’s wife tied up, it made me ask some questions. This time the only questions were, what relevance does this have in 2011 and where can I get myself a Heineken?