Unconvinced student in dissertation dilemma
Well its been two weeks now and I'm still writing my essay. In the meantime we students have received some "guidance" since I started writing, which as you can expect is completely ambiguous. We were told to begin with that we were to write an academic paper. While the essay will emerge from a consideration of our own work, it was stressed that it should be a scholarly endeavour rather than either a biographical, journalistic, or in a "diary" form of writing. We are expected to observe the same conventions for writing and publication as if it was a dissertation in Art History. Then, we receive the guidelines which state that it is NOT an exercise in Art History, and should relate an almost biographical account of your own work. What-a-to-do?
All this research and consideration of my work in a modern context is making me think very hard about the reasons behind art. One thing I keep realising is that I am not at all convinced by the modern trends of concept art. I just can't justify spending £100,000 on a collection of mumblings by a group of unrehearsed amateurs gleaned from the street, culminating in week's radio broadcast… which but a handful of people probably heard or cared about.
This is just scratching the surface – hundreds of forgettable projects carried out at the public's expense. A brand-new lorry was turned on its side and hundreds of pounds worth of fresh cut flowers were heaped around it, to make it look as if it had crashed. So what? At the end of the day, the artists (whose names I shall omit here), bless their generosity, let the public help themselves to the flowers. I wonder if any of those pedestrians realised that those flowers had been bought with their own taxes – without their consent? Conceptual wizards or opportunistic con-artists – ready to jump (straight faced) onto the nearest bandwagon – (as long as there was a government grant available). What use to the public, who are paying, inadvertently, for these gung-ho shenanigans? To be honest I find it all rather depressing.
Putting my negative criticism aside, Government grants are all very well for artists to fund their work, whatever the outcome. But, as the Lion stands to perish at the top of the food chain should one of the links fail, so the conceptual artist stands to topple should the Arts Councils give way – and in an economic depression, unnecessary things, such as art, would be the first to go.
On a lighter note, I have finished and framed four paintings for a competition, which will be judged at the beginning of April. If I am chosen, some or all of my works will be hung in an exhibition in Sheffield, and with any luck somebody will purchase one – watch this space!
