2011 No1
February / March
Lawrence Weiners famous 'Declaration of Intent', from 1968, reverberates through this issue of Metropolis M: '1. The artist may construct the piece. 2. The piece may be fabricated. 3. The piece need not be built.' Art as idea: in the current information economy of concepts and formats that generate huge sums of money, it seems a thoroughly integrated concept, one that stands above all debate.
But that is not the case in this issue. Aaron Schuster takes a step back to look at the ease with which contemporary artists consider themselves satisfied with the production of ideas and do not engage themselves with their physical completion. Is the fact that so many artists today leave their work at the scenario level not a sign of impotence, of laziness, of lack of professionalism? This is what Stuart Bailey, former Metropolis M designer, claims in Schuster's text
Schuster's doubt have their place in a far wider debate about the nature of the productivity of contemporary artists, which is under scrutiny from such thinkers as the philosopher Paolo Virno. Through May 1, Witte de With is developing an entire exhibition to the subject. As editors, we engage in the discussion in a slightly provocative way, by presenting, alongside the critical essay by Aaron Schuster, a series of portraits of prominent conceptual artists. We begin with General Idea, one of the great inspirations behind the late conceptual art of today, followed by various artists who acknowledge its importance.
Unlike what Schuster is accusing conceptual artists of being, artists such as AA Bronson, Gabriel Lester and Lily Reynaud-Dewar are seriously engaged with the material realization of their work. There is both a scenario and a presentation, with, in the case of Reynaud-Dewar, decors and costumes. At least, she will have us believe there is a presentation, in her sometimes half-concealed performances. Even the Belgian artist Olivier Foulon, who in collaboration with Jutta Koether has contributed a text especially for 'Curated', our artist's pages, is convinced is convinced that Koether's words can best be understood as visual image. He firmly believes that her reflection on painting is a visual extension of her painting. I am curious to know what Aaron Schuster thinks of that.
21/02/11 Jolien Verlaek
E-flux, the New York-based distributor of information on art, has taken the initiative of setting up a worldwide system of time-based currency for artists and curators. Anton Vidokle, co-founder of e-flux and Time/Bank talks about the motives behind this alternative economic service.
28/02/11 David Bennewith
It’s like no other magazine on design: Dot Dot Dot. A generation of designers has grown up with it. After ten years and twenty issues, the current editors (Stuart Bailey and David Reinfurt) have decided to call it quits. A summing up.
Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz
AA Bronson on General Idea
03/02/11 Snowden Snowden
Parijs
Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris/ARC
11/02/11 - 30/04/11
The Canadian art collective General Idea were masters of irony – until the AIDS epidemic overtook them and their work unmistakeably changed in tone. Of the original three, only AA Bronson survived. On the occasion of a large retrospective in the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, he speaks about their 25 year long collective art production.
The Awkward Impostor
03/02/11 Chris Sharp
Maastricht
Marres
12/03/11 - 05/06/11
Lili Reynaud-Dewar’s work is a loaded, sometimes even sultry mix of cultural observations, larded with surprising personal stories. This spring she is presenting a large installation in Marres in Maastricht.
Thanks to conceptual art, everybody is familiar with the artwork as idea. So ingrained is this in today’s conceptual artists that not only do they think that the artwork does not need to be made, they wouldn’t even know how anymore. Nowadays they simply pretend to create.
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