The lead letter in today's WFP criticizes the current exhibit at the WAG, Subconscious City, calling it "yet another round of pretentious soul searching." The letter is by Winnipeg photographer Maurice Jay Bruneau who opposes the idea that his pictures of Winnipeg be viewed as historical or self-examining. He says art should be pure aesthetic and should not demure to a concept of "communal esteem-building," going on to say that these sorts of themes are myopic and better suited for totalitarian states.
I think Mr. Bruneau has got a case of sour grapes. A theme like this one undoubtedly panders to the patrons of the WAG (who doesn't enjoy a bit of navel gazing from time to time), but this does not necessarily mean the work in question is bereft of universality and "greatness" as he contends. Although I have not seen the exhibit it strikes me as a perfectly valid topic, and furthermore, any artist who believes his work can be completely divorced from the time and place s/he created it is either an absolute abstractionist or a fool. Anyway, I'm not an artist, and some of you are, so I'm posting this and inviting any comments (non-artists too!) about what you think.
I chose to paraphrase the letter because I don't want to infringe on the Free Press' intellectual property in any way, however you can read it online by going to their editorial section, it's entitled: Too Much Soul Searching.
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10 comments:
oh, man.
this dude used to send me CRAZY emails calling every other artist in the city (often by name) pretentious douchebags, saying he was the only "real" artist in the city doing anything new or interesting or gallery-worthy, and the rest of the art community KNEW this, and so they were punishing him by keeping him out of galleries, away from grants, etc.
he told me where his photos were available online, and asked me to write about them. i checked them out, said "Nice pics, but I can only write about stuff in galleries".
I also said "if you're having trouble, here are a few places you might want to start" and he responded by telling me that the only reason I didn't write about him was because I was like everybody else, out to punish him, not interested in real art, etc.
whatever.
his pics, btw, are mostly shots of homeless people, taken from across the street with zoom lenses.
sour grapes, indeed.
p.s. you should expand the 2nd paragraph of your post and send it in as a reply.
Sounds like something I'd write LOL
Hmm. Morley Walker just wrote an article about some author who had an ex-girlfriend of his, a famous author, write something good about his book on the jacket or something...sorry for the bad paraphrasing here, but Morley goes on to say that this kind of thing is a dirty business and is wrong. Funny though, I've always thought that people get shows, grants, accolades, etc. because the people running the show trust and know the galleries they select. So if you want to show somewhere, or get a grant in Winnipeg especially, you will eventually have to get to know these people. Although, I think I can relate to sour grapes. After all, I'm the guy collecting his embarassing letters of rejection to make a suit of armor tentatively called my "Suit of Shame"
I'm not sure if that relates, but this post made me think of it.
This photo guy sounds messed up.(more than me anyways ;P)
well, i'd say maybe there's more at work... i dunno. something more than just art-jealousy...
it's kind of unfortunate.
so maybe i'm too harsh.
Not at all Wolfie, from your first comment (and from the publicly aired letter in the paper) I get a sense that there may be a bit more going on. If anything he's burning a bridge right out in the open, certainly not wise.
Thanks for your thoughts too JC, I can see where the frustration and rejection this (and probably all artists) face has played into his criticism. It's definitely a currying of favour that brings an artist to the spotlight (sometimes mindful, but other times irregardless of the talent they possess.) Like getting a break in any profession a lot of it comes down to who you know.
for sure that plays a part in it, yep.
i mean, Border Crossings has certainly handed some artists a career by promoting the bejeezus out of them. ultimately, though, while there is cronyism in every profession, that never holds up in the long term, and the quality of the work is really what matters at the end of the day.
i mean, the WAG isn't going to host a show just b/c the artist is buddies with the director or whatever.
one of the two grants i received (which was significantly larger than the other), i had never met or spoken to anyone on the jury.
again, that's not to say croynism doesn't happen--of course it does. but even when it does, it can't last as a system--the work eventually has to and will speak for itself.
now... in terms of my old post at the FP-- that certainly benefited some of you, yeah? In that it got you coverage you might not have gotten otherwise? But i can say without batting an eye that i wouldn't have written about you if i didn't ultimately TRUST IN WHAT YOU WERE DOING. I'm not going to stake my professional reputation and credibility promoting someone who doesn't deserve it-- there were friends who i didn't write about for that very reason.
How's that for sitting on the fence?
You're one of the gems in that respect Wolfie, most of your work was based on the underdogs. I think there is a growing yawn to the Morleys. Of course, now, if he ever writes about me, I'll have to defend myself in the inevitable exopse`
Right-o, I have to agree avec le loup. Quality, quality, quality.
And I think there are also sour grapes on the other side of the fence two, the jury side that is. For instance, I think it really would only take one person not liking you to bump you out of the race. For instance, let's say wolfie is on a jury and this marcel guy's work shows up. Not only will wolfie point out that this guy's work is exploitive, but he'll have a list of stories about why this guy shouldn't get a grant. And the only guy who doesn't know that everybody knows is marcel. Now, it's no fault of anyone's is it? There's a Scottish joke somewhere about a guy who is a hero, saves people's lives, and does so many good things, but that one time he shagged a sheep, so that's all people remember...
But with that said, I don't have any problems with the WAG show. But this Bruneau guy, he has issues.
Ah wolf boy..you are no doubt Lorne Roberts from the Free Press and if I remember correctly i did not send you CRAZY emails saying everyone else sucked and I was the only real artist..i'm a little too mature for such petty conceits....i do remember saying that as far as I know..no one else in town is doing anything like me...ie: street photography based on the homeless...that is a fact..correct me if i'm wrong
I tried to have a debate with you about what was worthy in the city vis-a-vis art....I have my opinion, you have yours.....True I think most artists in the city suck...but don't come on here and paint me as some wingnut filled with jealousy...please...and as for calling my work "homeless shots from across the street with a zoom lens"...why don't you take a look at my photos and ask me if the extreme close-ups and posed poertraits are taken from across the street?....and, may i add, if you feel you can do better, grab a camera and head down to higgins and main on foot
to everyone else...why does everyone think i have issues when all I have is opinions..albeit strong and counter to most people's in winnipeg?...please spare me the jealous and sour grapes crap as well.....i call something shit when I think it's shit...and yes this city is filled with pretentious assholes...that's from 15 years of empiricial observation in the music, writing and now art scene....
and may i ask lorne..if i was such a wingnut why did you even bother engaging in a debate with me?
typical winnipeg..anyone who disagrees is obviously disturbed, has issues...etc etc....
and as for burning bridges in public...do you really think i care if I alienate an art scene that I have absolutely no respect for? It's not about being dismissed by the local scene and feeling bitter. I have never wanted to be part of the local scene and have made no attempts to do so. Asking Lorne to throw me a bone in his column is one thing...bowing and scraping before the local aesthetes for a gallery show is another...
Maurice Jay Bruneau
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