invisible man

Jeff Wall

on the meaning of houses and things inside them

Rachel Whiteread

Untitled (House) 1993

In a text on Whiteread Shelley Hornstein asked an exciting question: "What is the relationship of a thing to an idea, a house to a home?" This qustion is very relevant to my coming project, it is to the heart of what I will be studying.

ordinary aesthetics

I am working on my first sketches for a book. Reading aesthetic theory I’ve come to the conclusion that I have to do some thinking & writing on my own. Starting with Linda Nochlin’s essay Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists? (1971) I will ask:
Is there any great women artist today?
What is a great artist?
What is great art?
Can minor stories make great art?
My theoretical inspiration will come from feminism, post-structuralism and hermeneutics. As of the situation today I believe art is very dependent upon theory and criticism. Art need a to enter a larger discourse to become art. This put a heavy responsibility on anyone entering this discourse – a responsibility that is both aesthetical and ethical.

Art History has focused on men’s art from men’s point of view. This has given us men’s story and interpretation of the world. I will be looking for alternatives, for other narratives, for contemporary art histories.

Here is where I’m going to start looking:
i. Helle Helle (literature)
ii. Rachel Whiteread (sculpture/installation)
iii. Liza Lou (sculpture/installation)
iv. Päivi Laakso (literaure)
v. Trude Marstein (literature)
vi. Aino Kannisto (photo)
vii. Vibeke Tandberg (photo)
viii. Ghada Amer (textile)

The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist:

· Working without the pressure of success.
· Not having to be in shows with men.
· Having an escape from the art world in your 4 free-lance jobs.
· Knowing your career might pick up after you're eighty.
· Being reassured that whatever kind of art you make it will be labelled feminine.
· Not being stuck in a tenured teaching position.
· Seeing your ideas live on in the work of others.
· Having the opportunity to choose between career and motherhood.
· Not having to choke on those big cigars or paint in Italian suits.
· Having more time to work when your mate dumps you for someone younger.
· Being included in revised versions of art history.
· Not having to undergo the embarrassment of being called a genius.
· Getting your picture in the art magazines wearing a gorilla suit.

the Guerrilla Girls