I Can Burn Your Face

I have spent a lot of time on museum websites this week as The Aldrich starts to think about how to create a strategic plan for it's media efforts.

This means mostly that I have been watching a lot of videos on the "Tate Channel"

Here is my favorite.

Exhibition: Jill Magid: Authority to Remove

Jill Magid talks to TateShots about her exhibition 'Authority to Remove' at Tate Modern
16.10.2009

Art or Design? Form or Function?

We have come to the end of "art for art sake" era. Artists are blurring boundaries and creating work that is socially conscious, moving, and interactive and even functional as long as the function goes along with the content. While designers of functional objects are injecting them with creativity and a conscience. Going "green" where ever possible and creating custom pieces that focus on the individual. At the same time curators are putting these works on display side by side and daring the viewer to think about the objects as they relate to one another...

And it's awesome! I couldn't wait for the "shock them until it hurts" artists to be over and done with. I'm not saying what they created wasn't valid in it's time but I was so bored. It feels really great to know that a lot of the work I see now was made for a reason. It creates connections and even solves problems. I am very happy with the art world right now.

It's time I condensed my internet presence. First things first...

Taking stock: 1 etsy account

1 wordpress account (used as a web site)

2 Blogger blogs (confusing)

1 flickr account

1 twitter account (ok 3 but only one is really mine)

1 tumblr account (new I was curious I've heard nice things)

1 facebook account

1 society6 account

2 email addresses (not counting work ones)

1 youtube account

1 utterly account (used it for a week maybe)

1 museum 3.0 account (this also gave me a profile on the host site but I'm not counting that.)

This list makes me sleepy I'll write more later...

How we talk about art.

The Aldrich is an interesting place. Rather than give facts and history to it's visitors it gives questions. In doing so it functions rather more like an art history class than a museum. Upon walking in to a docent guided tour you are asked "well what do you think"? or If you ask the guide "what does this mean I don't get it"? You will most likely be asked what You think it means. No this is not an attempt to drive you mad with a circuitous conversation. It is an attempt to make you think, and hopefully help you realize that art is what you make of it. The second an artist let's their work out into the world they open it up to every one else's perspective and there intent however interesting is not the only meaning a piece can have.

Personally I like stories, and a work of art that I may initially find dull or just not my style may gain something once I know the artists intent. This is more a credit to the idea that the final work of art however and that opens up a whole new category of questions. For instance, Which is more important the idea or the final work? Is the work still valid at all if the only thing carrying it is the idea or the process? What do other people see in it? Is every one as bored as me? Or is the work moving and enlightening for others?

On the other end of that a work of art I love can also be enhanced by it's back story. There are times though when knowing that back story first can stifle my imagination. I like the way art theory is going, it's less fact and more feeling. Rather than talking in a way that intimidates every one, artists and historians are speaking in a way that is much more interesting and open-ended.

Think before you socialize!

I don't know if it's because Underground Art School has been asking about simplicity recently or because having 5 jobs is super complicated but, I feel like people need to try to simplify more. When You get a cool idea it's awesome but, before you decide to go thru with it please think about the simpler options for getting the affect you want. Especially where technology is concerned. Just because there is a cool new toy out there wether it be for social media or a new hand held device that doesn't mean you should jump into using it with out thinking.

In art as in life you have a message you are trying to convey and the tools you use will affect that message. Think about where you want your visitors to be when they see or hear your piece. If it's only audio do you want them viewing other people's work as well as yours or, would you rather create an enclosed environment. All of the decisions you make will then help you pick which device to use. Not every device can preform every task so you have to think about it.

For social media it's the same thing. Not ever host is useful for every single person or company. You have to research, try them out, and see which ones suit you. This is something I'm just learning because like any one else I have my favorite sites. Facebook and Twitter are what I am most used to and the thought that any other platform could be better for some one else was hard for me to understand. Right now though new social media platforms are popping up every day, many of which are specific to a certain demographic. Things like ArtBabble which is all about art and the videos come from well known museums, or Society6 which is also all about art but hosts artists and grants to create a community gallery of sorts.

With all of the options out there today it is really important to have clear simple reasons for doing what you do.

Internships and Paying Jobs

As I climb out of the world of internships and into the world of paying jobs (slowly, very slowly) I'm beginning to see how diversifying ones self is the best possible way to get a job. There are lots of artists out there and art historians all looking for the same jobs in a market the size of a pin head. My most recent internship involves new media. I have always been interested in computers and the like but never to the point of seeing it as a career path. However the internship was there and I could not pass up the opportunity to bring twitter and blogging to my favorite museum.

I have come to realize that this is where I belong. I may not have to skills to build a computer or design a new operating system but, I do have the skills required to use web 2.0 to discuss content and update people on cool events.

Thanks to these skills (and the ability to explain wed 2.0 to people who think they hate computers) I now have a job at a music publishing company (I also still intern at The Aldrich).

So todays lesson: Asses all your skills and see what you can apply them too. You may be surprised at what ends up getting you a job.

HGTV

Erinn Valencich

Erinn Valencich
Omniarte Design by Erinn Valencich
Email: erinn@omniartedesign.com
Website: www.omniartedesign.com

My mom watches HGTV constantly, and I used to laugh at her for it all the time. I just didn't get it, why was watching other people get new homes and decorate them so entertaining.

Even when I lived off-campus I never had the urge to decorate or even fully unpack. Knowing I was going to leave in a few months. The most I ever did was paint and that was only because my room was two different shades of pink (a color I have disliked since childhood).

Now I find myself in a perfectly wonderful apartment ( My bathroom is pink and black tile but I can't change that, and I may be growing on me uh oh), complete with window seats, high ceilings, and an archway. Suddenly I get the HGTV bug. All I want to do is get a job that will pay enough for me to buy curtains and a really cool striped chair. I want to go to flea markets and antique shops, and I scan Etsy constantly for new things.

In collage I started to give up a lot of my belongings, trying to fit my entire life into one bag. Granted this only worked when leaving for Ireland junior year, and my parents had to send me a huge box of things I forgot to pack. Not to mention the extra bag I had on my return home. But I did attempt it. Now I can't seem to fill my house fast enough. I keep driving to my parents house to pick up more books and watching "organizing your home" shows to find creative ways to store it all.

Is every one like this or is the HGTV bug genetic?