I’m going through a period
of self-interrogation over my work just now. For most artists, that’s a constant process but there are
times when the questions massively outweigh any answers I might formulate. This often coincides with a new
discovery, (be it an idea, possible subject, book, artist’s work etc.), that
generally leads to a period of further research generating even more quandary
over what I’m doing.
 |
| Alberecht Durer, 'Melancolia', Engraving, 1514 |
Far too often in the past
I’ve lost faith in my work at such points, seeing it as invalidated by the new
influence. It can seem I’m fooling
myself or pursuing something that’s become discredited or mining a long
exhausted seam or am just plain not good or clever enough. At this point, the brushes have gone
down, work been abandoned and only resumed months or years later in a new
direction. Inevitably, after
initial enthusiasm the cycle has been repeated. Looking back I see numerous false starts and phases of work
abandoned long before achieving maturity.
Nowadays, I realise these confidence issues are personally as well as
work-related.
I’m currently preoccupied by
a tangle of ideas and stimuli vying for my attention simultaneously. Many emerged from my researches into
aspects of Psychogeography, the relationship between image and text in Modern
Art, Situationism, and an internal debate over my own use of text and responses
to urban geography fuelled by my regular city wanderings. I may try producing the sort of
diagrams that show the linkages between interrelated ideas to make some sense
of it all. I do know I need to continue my researches without leaping to
over-obvious conclusions and allow myself time to digest things thoroughly.Mostly, I want to break old habits by adopting a ‘just keep going’ policy. I’ve sustained my current impetus for well over a year now with ideas for work, (be they good or bad), bubbling through all the time. If serious questions are intruding, it’s important to work them out through working, not instead of working. If modifications are needed, I should persevere with work in hand in the meantime while puzzling over what’s required. Less ‘fresh starts’, - more steady evolution.
Sources:
Merlin Coverly, 'Psychogeography', Harpenden UK, Pocket Essentials, 2010
Guy Debord, 'Why Lettrism?', Paris, Potlach No. 22, 1955
Guy Debord, 'Introduction to a Critique of Urban Geography', Paris, Les Levres Nues, 1955
Guy Debord, 'The Society of the Spectacle', 1967, Trans. Ken Knabb, http://www.bopsecrets.org/SI/debord/
http://library.nothingness.org/articles/SI/
John Dixon Hunt, David Lomas & Michael Corris, 'Art, Word & Image - 2000 Years of Visual/Textual Interraction', London, Reaktion Books Ltd., 2010
An interesting blog, Hugh. I recognise so much of my own anxieties in it and often feel in a state of perpetual crisis myself. I think you are absolutely right to keep working though. What has bought this on? I think what you trying to do is complex and difficult at the best of times...
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to organise a small group exhibition (4-5 artists) in Nov 2012 in Birmingham and wondered whether you would be interested in participating? I think your work has lots of connections with my own and the other artists in the show...?
Shaun. Thanks for your interest. As a relatively new blogger it sometimes feels strange to be making public things that, for nearly half a century, have been routinely internalised. It does feel quite healthy too though. Its all part of me trying to become more serious as artist whilst connecting with the outside world more than in the past. Sometimes it's easy to get lost in ourselves and forget that many of us have the same insecurities. I'm currently working on another post to start unpacking the specifics although it's been a bit delayed by a crazy week, - should be up in the next couple of days.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the invitation to participate in your exhibition. I'm certainly interested and would like to hear more about your plans. I've only exhibited occasionally in the past but have definite ambitions to make my current stuff more public. I'm struggling to find your email address on your blog but mine's available through my user profile. I look forward to hearing from you.
Hope you're still having fun in the Edgelands with your i-pad.