more on Cory Arcangel's "Data Diaries"

there is nothing in Cory's work that hasn't been
> done a million times.
> On the other hand, to say that is to totally miss the point.
…but surely if one is going to dicuss the work under the banner
'conceptual art' (as this was what was being used to describe cory's
work) the 'originality' or 'strength' of the concept should come into it…?
j. o
/^ rssgallery.com
][

> there is nothing in Cory's work that hasn't been
> > done a million times.
> > On the other hand, to say that is to totally miss the point.
> …but surely if one is going to dicuss the work under the banner
> 'conceptual art' (as this was what was being used to describe cory's
> work) the 'originality' or 'strength' of the concept should come into
it…?

Just wanted to sit on the fence, I feel most comfortable there :-=)
And throw in a couple of easy one liners …

Well, I have this view of art, that its like science.
There are a lot of 'scientists' (artists) in the world. Most of them engage
in humdrum science (art). They work in labs (studios) and do whatever it is
that their employers (funders/patrons) ask them to do to further the
science/business (art/business) nexus.
Then there are scientists (artists) who fly to the edge of knowledge and
jump off into the darkness with only a hunch to guide them. Generally, what
they bring back is not understood or recognised because there is nothing to
relate it to. Often they are considered mad or bad or dangerous. But in
time, the world will get round to praising (and selling) them, though still
not having a clue what it was they did. In time, many others will refine
their work, thinking maybe that they are still engaged in the leap into the
dark, but really just regurgitating the same old same old.

Well, this reassures me in the darker moments (I have another view of art,
that it is like an addiction, and I am a junkie …).

So where is Cory in the above schema? Has he jumped into the darkness or is
he a lab artist working for an art corporation (Turbulence???).
My analogy allows me a lot of goodwill to artists. Most have to start out
somewhere, and you do have to learn your trade along the way. So Cory
certainly hasn't jumped off the edge this week, but he might do it next
week. I think he's engaged with a starting point that has tons of potential
(do computers dream of electric sheep), but he hasn't the courage or the
knowledge to push it where it needs to go, so he ends up with a somewhat
banal (though I love it) set of graphics which allows us to perform the
favourite trick of the philistine, comparing this work to that work, been
there, done that …

Crikey, its freezing in my space today and my fingers are seizing up.

Cheers,
Ivan


–
Ivan Pope
[email protected]
www.ivanpope.com
www.tochki-inc.com

"Faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death"
Hunter S. Thompson

> Personally, I like Cory's work a lot more than all those parisians working
> their butts off with Director and collaborating with eachother.

Well, apparently you're not alone in this on rhizome, Ivan.

> I just think the flow of work gets more and more exciting, though no work
> stands alone or above the movement.

I *like* to encounter work that no one else could do and is challenging and beautiful along many
edges.

It's nice to be part of artistic 'communities', but once people begin to feel that "no work
stands alone or above the movement", there's a perpetuation of the status quo defined within the
'movement' that rules out real departure.

ja

> From: "Jim Andrews" <[email protected]>

> Subject: RE: RHIZOME_RAW: more on Cory Arcangel's "Data Diaries"
>

>> I just think the flow of work gets more and more exciting, though no work
>> stands alone or above the movement.

> It's nice to be part of artistic 'communities', but once people begin to feel
> that "no work
> stands alone or above the movement", there's a perpetuation of the status quo
> defined within the
> 'movement' that rules out real departure.

Let me restate that. I didnt mean no work stands alone or above the movement
where movement was a small group of people or a worldview or political idea.
I meant movement as in the movement of art, the tectonic plates that
underly us and drive us along. That said, I disagree slightly with myself in
that of course sometimes work comes along that jumps out from the movement
of work. But that work is still grounded in the human condition etc etc etc
blah. Cheers, Ivan