I know you expected to come back and read the rest of the answer to the question “Who are your artistic influences?” but I’d like to talk about this instead:
Yesterday morning while listening to CBC Radio One, I caught part of an interview with University of Regina BFA student, Erin Gee, who has a show on at the Fifth Parallel Gallery entitled “Real Space” (Riddell Centre on the University of Regina main campus, Gallery hours are Monday to Friday from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm).
“Real Space” is an interactive show made up of the artist and viewer’s profiles created on large poster sheets and hung on the real space of the gallery wall. Each profile has an area for the typical personal information found in online profiles like the viewer’s name, photo/avatar, description, likes/dislikes, as well as an area for other viewers to write messages/comments in response to what they’ve read/seen.
Erin Gee, RealSpace artist.
When I spoke to Gee, she said one of the outcomes she was most curious about was what kind of interactions would take place over the course of the show. I wondered about this myself as I walked through the gallery: some viewers were merely ”lurking” reading the profiles, but not adding one themselves; it seemed a few had made their own profile but once hung, left without “posting” on the other profiles; most created their own profiles and wrote comments on other profiles; while several viewers hung around and chatted after they’d posted their profile and commented on others. Would lasting connections be made? It also occurred to me after I’d posted my own profile, that I’d have to come back every day to see if anyone had responded to my profile or to the comments I’d made on other profiles.
My RealSpace profile.
And why am I writing about this? After all, it doesn’t have any connection to either scratchboard or wildlife art. Well, first off, I found the idea funny: Gee’s show models the language, layout and function of online social networking sites to create a live example of those sites. I think it’s a clever parody, and something that’s clever will catch my attention every time, particularly if I get a chuckle out of it. And it’s not lost on me that I’m right now using a virtual social network (this blog) to comment on a real social network (Real Space) that’s commenting on a virtual social network…
I’m also interested in this work for a second, more serious, reason: I see it as a commentary on social networking in the arts. As I walked around and read the other profiles (when I was there this afternoon over a dozen people had “uploaded” profiles to the gallery walls) I noticed that many had defined themselves as artists. One viewer, for example, used her profile to make a plea for materials for an upcoming art project she was doing, while others made reference to the kind of artwork they produce. As artists we all have a very human and creative need to be seen (otherwise what’s the point – we’d all be happy with the pictures in our heads) and one of the realities of being an artist in the 21st century is the need to make connections that will get our art seen.
As an artist who is trying to grow the business side of my work I’ve been feeling a rather lot of pressure to join a variety of online social networks to get my work “out there.” And I agree that no one is going to find my art if I’m sequestered in a garret, but how deep/meaningful/productive/lucrative are these networks? At what point is it all too much and the time I’m spending online would be better spent back in the studio? Or in time spent developing real contacts with real people in real spaces?
Tania – love your blog – Overwhelmed myself at the piles of paintings in our house that are rarely seen by others, yet lack the confidence, time and energy to promote them through the gallery or art league routes. Wetcanvas has been my first online experience. Sooo…I dunno. Terri
I, too, have become very conscious of what’s happening (or not happening, as the case may be) to my work. WetCanvas! has been something of a godsend to me in that it’s allowed me to dip my toe into the waters of online networking and given me enough confidence to start this blog. Who knows where it will all lead? Thanks for commenting, Terri, and I’m glad you enjoy my blog.
Hi Tania! I will be presenting for the Open Engagement conference on this ….tomorrow! So intimidating. I must admit I had a problem finding your site, you said .com instead of .ca!
So yeah!! What a thoughtful review, it gave me things to think about, I never thought about the artistic perspective. I find your blog really interesting too, I have feelings like this about art, a good read!
Good thing we met, for real!
I have older artworks at http://www.erin.ameba.ca but I seem to be moving my practice away from 2-D pieces….however look if you are interested!
Erin
Erin!! Sorry about the .ca error *embarrassed grin* I think I’m going to blame that on the stress of getting ready for the “Reflections of Nature” show this weekend… I’m glad you were able to hunt me down and read the post.
I took a peek at your site – older pieces or not, I found them very thought provoking. I like your juxtaposition of realistic subjects with non-representational elements. Particularly the Matrices piece(s) – the word means place or point of origin, but also can stand for a master design or something that adheres to a set of rules, and I find that idea very interesting in the context of this work. If Matrices I is the origin of II, which I assume it is because it is labelled I, then are the colours the “master plan” for II? Is this the process of creation – the artist assume grand details from the barest of hints. For example the symbolism of the colour blue in Christian iconograpy and its association with the Virgin Mary. Like I said, definitely thought provoking.
Thanks for stopping by, hope we run into each other again soon.