“Art with Attention and Intention Is Always Valuable”
I think to work on the frontiers of art in a collapsing society still makes sense. Good work done in this period will be remembered and appreciated when there is more leisure and security. But I think if I were an artist, I would broaden my palette and also do some work that is easily widely understood and hopefully has a message of confidence, cheer, and bravery for the people in the middle of struggle.
Harvey Jackins
From page 221 of "How Complex
and Abstract Should I make My Art?"
in The Kind, Friendly Universe
One especially useful insight I took away from Emily Feinstein’s Female Artists’ Workshop in August came from her discussion of Harvey’s words (above) about art and the role of artists in a collapsing society. [Emily Feinstein is the International Liberation Reference Person for Visual Artists.]
After reading the quote from Harvey, Emily pointed out, “Notice that he didn’t say ‘instead.’ He said ‘also.’”
She went on to explain that we may struggle with questions like “What is the value of making my art if it is abstract, or if it is not directly communicating something about liberation or oppression?”
Part of how we internalize classism is that everything gets put on a continuum from good to bad, valuable to not valuable, what matters to what doesn’t matter. There is an insidious pull to think this way.
Art with attention and intention is always valuable. It’s a reflection of intelligence and reality.
The real question—and the place to fight for our minds as artists and, in particular, as women artists—is “Where do you want to put your attention? What do you want to try for?” Everything is important. Everything matters. What is important to you? What matters to you?
Chaplin, Connecticut, USA
Reprinted from the RC e-mail discussion list for leaders of artists
(Present Time 203, April 2021)