conscientiously full of myself.

I recently came across a blog post about the need for more critical writing about photography. I didn’t find this directly from the source (mainly because I rarely visit that particular blog), but found it nonetheless. I also didn’t find it particularly interesting. I invite you all to read the post found on Conscientious blog titled We Need Better Critical Writing about Photography (originally posted July 22, 2010). Below is my rant, in no particular order or thought pattern:

First off, I love how he links to one of his own heady papers to somehow try to prove that he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to critical writing and its need to be “better.” That’s just plan laughable. Here’s my version of the same concept.

If he’s worked in academia long enough, I would think that he would realize that anyone picking up Michael Fried’s Why Photography Matters as Art as Never Before is probably involved in academia to some degree! Or, at some point has read some critical theory in relation to photography and knows what they are in for when they pick up that book. Some guy going in to buy his issue of popular photography isn’t going to walk by and decide to pick this up thinking it’s going to tell him about the new Canon camera body or the latest fad of neon-painted lens babies. He even says “Unless you’re an academic,” when referring to Fried’s book. But who else is really going to pick up that book!? Don’t you suppose it was made for those in academia?

Needless to say I was less than impressed with this short article about needing “better critical writing about photography.” Plus his claims of poor (or jargon-filled writings) are not very sound. The excerpt he includes from Fried’s book is actually quite sound. Anyone actually interested in reading critical writing about photography would likely have preexisting knowledge and experience with critical theory of some sort, and this would likely make sense to them too. So what’s not to get!?

I think what he really wants to do is dumb down “critical” writing—make it internet-safe—so that his blog can thrive. He even goes on to mention, at the conclusion of his post, that we’ve already seen some examples of great critical writing if we’ve been following his blog. Give me a break! Plug your own crappy blog as a source of the next big thing in critical writing about photography!? I never browse that blog for the writing cause it’s one-sided and biased. Plus his photographic interests are all the same and boring. Get a clue, YOU DON’T RUN THE INTERNET OR THE ART WORLD.

Yes, maybe we need more writing about photography that is not to heavily based in academia. If that’s his argument, then he should have made examples as such! Don’t pick a book that was clearly catered toward an academic audience to try to make your point. It’s invalid! My suggestion is that he return to Michael Fried’s book and actually spend some time with it. Read the “unnamed magazine” that he is perhaps too afraid to attempt to understand. Get off your high horse and leave academia to academics.

I would also like to mention that I will make no claims that “art is hard” is the next best thing in critical writing. If you have been following this blog (which I am sure you have not been doing), you would know this already.

Thanks for putting up with my rant, I’m done now and will return to hibernation until Bravo’s Work of Art is over and the art world is safe again (don’t get me started).

art job.

Lego artist (Nashville – TN)
Original URL
Date: 2010-03-20, 1:32PM CDT
Reply to: [deleted]

I am searching for a lego artist to construct a scene using candy legos. I want to construct an Empire State building about 24 – 30 inches high fro our candy shop’s window display. I have the supplies. If you are interested and have some type of portfolio of work, please contact me.

Thanks,
Shane

art job.

Wall Decor Artist (san rafael)
Original URL
Date: 2010-03-28, 3:25PM PDT
Reply to: [deleted]

Artist needed to design wall decor of a loosely yet decorative nature based theme. Works to be distributed nationally and manufactured by a local company.
Must be able to work under art direction yet remain in your own style. Must also be able to work under strict deadlines.
Nature inspired imagery can consist of items such as:
Birds
Fruit
Vegetables
Animals

Please contact for more information

art job.

Oil Painting Repair (North Las Vegas)
Original URL
Date: 2010-03-28, 3:56PM PDT
Reply to: [deleted]

Oil Painting has a rip in it and I would like to find someone to fix it for $50 or so (it was Not an expensive painting).

copy crap.

Many of you will probably not recall my rantings regarding Art Chicago, 2008. I realize it has been some two ot years since that glorious day. Why, you ask, am I referencing such an item of yore? It has to do with one of the artists my original article spoke of,  Sze Tsung Leong (STL). As a quick refresher on why I thought his work sucked, allow me to sum up his articulate artist’s statement: “I make pictures where the horizons line up, making them look the same when they are actually different.” BORED! Sounds like a high school photo project to me!

Recently STL and his work have been brought to the attention of the media and art world. As surprising as this may seem, it’s not because of the conceptual thread and success of his work. It’s actually due to the accusation that someone is copying his work. Really? You want to get into the lucrative career of copying art, and you picked him of all people to copy!? I suppose it’s due to the simplicity and ease of copying his work; make pictures that line up. Done. Art. Fame.

The story goes like this. A Canadian photographer named David Burdeny is being accused of making images that are almost exact replicas of STL’s work. I’ve looked at the work of both photographers and definitely notice the similarities. Perhaps the word similarities shouldn’t be used, instead copies. All of Burdeny’s images are taken from the same vantage point, at the same locations, with the same horizon lines as STL’s. Heck, even Burdeny’s statements are almost identical; “I make images that line up. This makes them the same, yet they remain different.” Now of course Burdeny and his rep deny any and all similarities. Yeah, this guy is actually rep’d by some gallery who has apparently been trying to get STL to show at their gallery for several years….and can’t. So what do they do? Hire David to make the EXACT SAME PICTURES instead! No one will ever know the difference right? Lets be honest, anyone with two good hands and an eye could make the same boring images (sorry Steve McCurry and Keith Carter). Seriously though, enough of the conversation about who copied what, the history of appropriation throughout the photographic medium’s short life, and originality. That’s all old news and belongs with the “is photography truth” or “is photography an art form” conversations (now playing in community colleges around the globe). Instead, lets talk about how bad these images are! How is that not the topic of discussion!? Or perhaps, what that hell was Yossi Milo thinking!?

Upon reading about this accusation, I couldn’t help but recognize Sze Tsung Leong’s name and the terrible ideas behind his work. I kept thinking to my self, there’s no way someone would copy that guy. Low and behold the unimaginable has happened; some lazy Canadian has decided to take the easy road and try to copy the most boring work ever in an attempt to make it big. I really hope that David Burdeny isn’t serious with this crap. And frankly, I hope Sze Tsung Leong isn’t either.

My eyes hurt.

art job.

looking for an artist to draw stuff (waterbury)
Original URL: [ http://tinyurl.com/y9ds6cg]
Date: 2010-02-03, 7:37PM EST
Reply to: [deleted]

we are looking for some body to draw things such as a vase flowers a garden showing details of squash maybe a tomato etc we want the drawing to be defintive sort of we prefer if you have colored pencils. we are paying ten dollors per hour

groundhog day.

Yesterday, Damien Hirst saw his shadow. That means for at least six more weeks, the Art Industrial Average will remain in the toilet.

the milwaukee art museum.

Donald Judd, Untitled, 1966/68

Man in museum: “More like Jonald Dudd!”

art job(s): holiday extravaganza edition.

Jewelry Beading (Buckhead)
Original URL: [http://tinyurl.com/yb2c7ut]
Date: 2009-12-02, 5:25PM EST
Reply to: [deleted]

We are looking for hiring a jewelry beader, preferably Gay, who is skilled at stringing and crimping necklaces. Knowledge of knotting is also a plus. Must be able to handle intricate designs and be good at following design layouts. A great job opportunity. Send us your resume and any pictures of jewelry you have produced.

Sincerely,
KandKFashionsF(5)

Artistic photographer needed
Original URL: [http://tinyurl.com/y9lbxw8]
Date: 2009-12-11, 11:45AM CST
Reply to: [deleted]

Photographer needed for David LaChappelle inspired family pic. Please respond with website or shots that have a high fashion edge. Must be available Dec 19. Thanks!

Fine Art Painter Needed
Original URL: [http://tinyurl.com/y8nawx8]
Date: 2009-11-23, 11:47PM CST
Reply to: [deleted]

Looking for someone who can paint in the style of Thomas Kinkade. Warm and fuzzy, feel good images. Oil, Acrylic and Digital media accepted.

this just in: numu pulls a cartman (whateva, i do what i want)

Last week, artshard wrote a story on the shady business practices of the New Museum. We wrote how NuMu has seemed to exist only as an outlet for its trustees to increase the value of their own collections, and that not only is this ethically wrong but it also makes for a museum that is about as enjoyable to go through as it is to listen to the early morning stories of your significant other’s dreams. No matter how crazy it is, there is nothing you will ever be able to add to or take away from that experience.

Now you would think that after being called out by every major art outlet NuMu would be on its best behavior. Barking like a carnival worker for you to come look at their shiny new toys before they swindle you for their own profit doesn’t seem like the best protocol right now. Think again art fags! The New York Times has reported that in March, NuMu will devote three floors of its show room, i mean “museum” to one of their very own trustees’ art collection. The New Museum will showcase the collection of Dakis Joannou, contemporary art collector known for being one of the first and largest collectors of Jeff Koons. But don’t worry, its not all some shady business practice.  The show will have a guest curator to make sure Dakis doesn’t only show the work he wants to later sell at a much higher value. That curator is… hold on I had the name right here… umm… oh here it is… Jeff Koons…. wait what the fuck, how is that even legal? Clearly this is the type of circle jerk I need to get in on.

Jeff and Dakis, clearly in need of a hand check.

Dakis defends this show by making this well thought out, intelligent, hard to argue against point, “Sure I’m a trustee. Would it be different if I weren’t?” Umm, if I could answer that one… “Hell, Yes!” The New Museum is a government supported public trust, its non-profit. It is required to increase the discourse within contemporary art while acting like as independent pundit for that art. It is NOT supposed to act like a sleazy showroom attempting to exponentially increase the value of one of its own donors and trustees private collection. The museums director, Lisa Phillips, rationalized the exhibition this way, “We’re not the first to do an exhibition of a private collection, and we won’t be the last.” Hooray, you found precedent! Museums also used to (and by used to I mean still do) knowingly and incorrectly attribute art, steal other nations precious artifacts, and inaccurately alter existing works in order to assign more cultural (cultural = monetary) value. Along with calling yourself the New Museum because you show New Art, you should start acting like a new museum and holding yourselves to higher standards, if not the “public trust” just may.