This is an amazing piece of writing. Thank you for sharing your experiences. It’s one of the best looks into the backstage part of the art world. This article humanizes the after effects of performance art or showing art at an event or posting art online. You touch on legal, psychological, and social aspects of art as a business and as a cultural reflection of this period in history. I was moved by the artists’ responses and also by your candid telling of how you handled these issues and your regrets and pride at different points along the way. I’m saving this one for reflection because I think there’s more to examine here psychologically and spiritually. Bravo.
Thank you so much! This warms my heart. Please let me know more if you do revisit the post in your thoughts. We really need to disentangle these issues together, as a community.
What a chilling piece, Joana. It’s incredible, and deeply unsettling, how the internet, which was meant to connect us globally, has also become a space where people feel entitled to spread hate and bitterness, finding perverse satisfaction in tearing others down and leaving real impact on people’s lives. It hurt to read what your son experienced, what a sickening comment. To me this all comes down to the lack of basic art education. And beyond that: respect. Openness. A willingness to meet each other with warmth instead of cynicism. Thank you for writing this, it can’t have been easy, but it’s a vulnerable, powerful piece that will stay with me for a long time.
Unfortunately, i’ve been in touch with other artists and there’s even more aspects to it so I may have to write a second article! Thanks so much for your kind words.
This whole thing about wanting to 'go viral' is shockingly weird... It's like the Internet has made everyone want to be a celebrity, until they find out what that's actually like. Not that you wanted to go viral, which makes the whole thing even weirder. Horrible to experience. There's no escape now from things that once would have remained hidden...
Whew, these can be tough things to experience, much mucm MUCH less to read about, Joana. (Or should that be the other way round? :^\ )Yes, as you say, "It's the humans." This to me is where humanity needs to direct greater attention; we've always been directed outward, towards the world around and outside of us, never taking in how important the internal relationship is. We can imagine the external and internal each as a sphere and imagine the one to be impossibly large and the other incredibly small, but they should be seen as equal. This is not to suggest an ego thing--the ego is simply the lens between the two, through which we experience both external and internal phenomena. This is why art is so important and yet so challenging; it engages with the internal as almost nothing else does and the casual observer may only see the external manifestation of it (especially when viewed through the ever-shrinking filter of reality that is social media). Outer space is not the only unexplored frontier; the human mind is also largely unexplored. Art, as in our pre-historic cave days, was an essential part of our development and growth as a species for better and for worse; it's incredibly naive to suggest only children doodle in those dark, unremembered times considering that all(!) human beings were barely more than children in those days. (I haven't finished the interview video, but that part really caught my attention. Loved it!)
It's very enlightening reading, Joana. I must confess that I don't always immediately "get" a lot of contemporary performance art (despite having done some in my time as a music student), but I accept my limited knowledge and vast ignorance. That probably goes a long way toward my not wasting time hate-posting and what not. We still need art to push ourselves not outward but inward; bringing others with us is an incredibly difficult task, considering the vulnerability required. Keep up the mutual support! It's more and more essential. Thanks again!
There isn't anything to get, I think, in art. It usually gets you, either instantly, or, sometimes, many moons after, when you least expect it.
Sometimes it doesn't get you at all because you're not a match, it's not for you, and you forget about it or it's just a puzzling memory.
There are times when someone says something about it and you're ripe for the catching thanks to that – that's why art and discourse can go hand in hand, provided it comes from a perspective of care and attention.
That's it!
It's ok if some things aren't for you, but it's always a good exercice to talk to someone who's touched by something. That's what I do in my podcast. It's not two people reviewing a show, it's about coming together through an art work, even if we don't agree or feel/think different things.
You make a very good point, Joana; you're absolutely right and it's an important bit of perspective we could all do a bit better to have.
Interestingly enough, I heard a similar perspective albeit from what might seem like a very different field. Among other things, I've been listening now and then to the Ram Dass Here and Now podcast, and in one of his talks, he spoke on the nature of receiving wisdom or the spiritual transmission of it in very similar terms. It makes sense to view art in a like manner, to be ok with not getting it first of all (and maybe never getting it!) while being open to the possibility of understanding coming later, and second to recognize that others may find value in it--that they may get something we don't.
Part of being able to do this, it's safe to say, has to do with empathy and the understanding that other people's lives and experiences are different from our own, that a specific work will speak more specifically to their personal experience. In this way, as you say, being able to speak with someone who did get something from a piece of art is very valuable and a way of opening up our own understanding. I think ... and this is not something I can say with absolute certainty but ... I think that there is an easier transference of that understanding in the direct transmission of that knowledge from one person to another, something that's broadly been challenging in recent times.
Your podcast sounds like an interesting one. Where can I find it?
This is beautiful: "We can imagine the external and internal each as a sphere and imagine the one to be impossibly large and the other incredibly small, but they should be seen as equal. This is not to suggest an ego thing--the ego is simply the lens between the two, through which we experience both external and internal phenomena." Wow.
Thank you. I've thought a lot about consciousness and its relation to spirituality over the years; a lot of that has been motivated and inspired by a number of different things: people, books, art, music but it's not only in the arts but in gardening, farming, programming, mechanics, basically everything that human consciousness touches upon evokes any number of aspects by which we relate to consciousness and therefore ourselves. I think that having that equality in our sense of the external and internal, but especially with regards to the internal, allows us to have more space to find what appeals to us and leave aside what doesn't it. The things we don't like we don't have to like, but they can be there without having to struggle with them; there's no need to deny their existence either within us our without.
There's plenty enough to worry about without wasting time thinking about things we hate! Anyway, thanks for the ongoing motivation, Joana.
Great article, thanks for taking the time to reflect on this subject and write about it. Many artists would give it all to become viral, without thinking the cons of it and how can really affect to your art practice. Internet is a strange place...
Wow, there's a lot here to chew on, but first, I want to thank you for writing such a very well-thought out and vulnerable piece. It's a shame that so many people will automatically lash out at things they don't understand. If they do understand, then they'll often lash out simply because they don't like the art form and think it's lesser-than whatever they happen to champion. Also, the idea that artists making works that are performance and/or deeply conceptually based are making a ton of money is laughable.
I think that, in general, the mass-public's understanding of contemporary art is woefully minimal, at best. Honestly, even for artists, a lot of what they are doing might be uncharted territory that they don't fully grasp. We try to make sense of it through statements, but a lot about art is in the making and that isn't always translatable. It also doesn't help that much of the contemporary art world is closed off and/or unappealing to a lot of people. There's a breaking down of some of the misinformation and murkiness that surrounds some practices like performance art. Adding to the general lack of understanding is the scroll-and-troll atmosphere of social media where there is often a race to the bottom in terms of online engagement and discourse.
The effects of negative comments and DMs can be hard to deal with for any artist. Virality is a double-edged sword that might bring new attention to your work, but it can also seriously derail you psychologically, depending on how you handle it. I feel like sharing the very personal reflections here is a great way to advance dialogue about what it looks like to be an artist today where the overlap of online and irl experiences can carry a lot of friction.
Love this: “lot about art is in the making and that isn't always translatable”. So true. But I do believe that it’s our task as curators and writers to create access somehow…. Thanks for your message.
You’re welcome! Absolutely, it’s up to curators, writers AND artists to create paths into the work, give people a way in that doesn’t talk down to them and upholds the conceptual and intellectual rigor of the work. It’s not always an easy task and many artists are reluctant to talk about their work, but that’s part of engaging with public discourse when you put work out into the world.
That’s a great point you make. I often say that visual artists are much more removed from critique than writers or filmmakers… There’s still that notion of the “genius”… and therefore they aren’t confronted with with real feedback, there’s almost no relation between them and their audience. Which is a shame.
The wall between visual artists and the general public is very real and in the U.S., at least, I think it goes back to the middle of last century, the rise of Abstract Expressionism and galleries as we understand them now. Maybe even further.
I think there’s a combination of things that contribute to the distance between artists and audiences, the “genius” angle you mentioned is one. There is the lag (and growing lack) of art education across the board, the idea that visual art isn’t a “serious” endeavor (unless there’s big money numbers attached to the art and artist at auctions). That, or “controversy”, like Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” banana piece.
It’s not only that artists don’t talk about their work, there’s a whole environment that perpetuates the idea that visual art is inaccessible to everyone because it’s perceived as being ultra-expensive (some is, but not nearly all) and it’s only good if it’s expensive.
There’s more to it than can be written here, but this is a topic that needs to be examined more.
Agreed on all accounts. But mostly the lack of visual arts literacy! It’s incredible. I wrote about this subject a bit in my Substack text “don’t blame the artist, blame the text”. But I must write more, you’re right.
This is an amazing piece of writing. Thank you for sharing your experiences. It’s one of the best looks into the backstage part of the art world. This article humanizes the after effects of performance art or showing art at an event or posting art online. You touch on legal, psychological, and social aspects of art as a business and as a cultural reflection of this period in history. I was moved by the artists’ responses and also by your candid telling of how you handled these issues and your regrets and pride at different points along the way. I’m saving this one for reflection because I think there’s more to examine here psychologically and spiritually. Bravo.
Thank you so much! This warms my heart. Please let me know more if you do revisit the post in your thoughts. We really need to disentangle these issues together, as a community.
What a chilling piece, Joana. It’s incredible, and deeply unsettling, how the internet, which was meant to connect us globally, has also become a space where people feel entitled to spread hate and bitterness, finding perverse satisfaction in tearing others down and leaving real impact on people’s lives. It hurt to read what your son experienced, what a sickening comment. To me this all comes down to the lack of basic art education. And beyond that: respect. Openness. A willingness to meet each other with warmth instead of cynicism. Thank you for writing this, it can’t have been easy, but it’s a vulnerable, powerful piece that will stay with me for a long time.
Unfortunately, i’ve been in touch with other artists and there’s even more aspects to it so I may have to write a second article! Thanks so much for your kind words.
This whole thing about wanting to 'go viral' is shockingly weird... It's like the Internet has made everyone want to be a celebrity, until they find out what that's actually like. Not that you wanted to go viral, which makes the whole thing even weirder. Horrible to experience. There's no escape now from things that once would have remained hidden...
Whew, these can be tough things to experience, much mucm MUCH less to read about, Joana. (Or should that be the other way round? :^\ )Yes, as you say, "It's the humans." This to me is where humanity needs to direct greater attention; we've always been directed outward, towards the world around and outside of us, never taking in how important the internal relationship is. We can imagine the external and internal each as a sphere and imagine the one to be impossibly large and the other incredibly small, but they should be seen as equal. This is not to suggest an ego thing--the ego is simply the lens between the two, through which we experience both external and internal phenomena. This is why art is so important and yet so challenging; it engages with the internal as almost nothing else does and the casual observer may only see the external manifestation of it (especially when viewed through the ever-shrinking filter of reality that is social media). Outer space is not the only unexplored frontier; the human mind is also largely unexplored. Art, as in our pre-historic cave days, was an essential part of our development and growth as a species for better and for worse; it's incredibly naive to suggest only children doodle in those dark, unremembered times considering that all(!) human beings were barely more than children in those days. (I haven't finished the interview video, but that part really caught my attention. Loved it!)
It's very enlightening reading, Joana. I must confess that I don't always immediately "get" a lot of contemporary performance art (despite having done some in my time as a music student), but I accept my limited knowledge and vast ignorance. That probably goes a long way toward my not wasting time hate-posting and what not. We still need art to push ourselves not outward but inward; bringing others with us is an incredibly difficult task, considering the vulnerability required. Keep up the mutual support! It's more and more essential. Thanks again!
There isn't anything to get, I think, in art. It usually gets you, either instantly, or, sometimes, many moons after, when you least expect it.
Sometimes it doesn't get you at all because you're not a match, it's not for you, and you forget about it or it's just a puzzling memory.
There are times when someone says something about it and you're ripe for the catching thanks to that – that's why art and discourse can go hand in hand, provided it comes from a perspective of care and attention.
That's it!
It's ok if some things aren't for you, but it's always a good exercice to talk to someone who's touched by something. That's what I do in my podcast. It's not two people reviewing a show, it's about coming together through an art work, even if we don't agree or feel/think different things.
You make a very good point, Joana; you're absolutely right and it's an important bit of perspective we could all do a bit better to have.
Interestingly enough, I heard a similar perspective albeit from what might seem like a very different field. Among other things, I've been listening now and then to the Ram Dass Here and Now podcast, and in one of his talks, he spoke on the nature of receiving wisdom or the spiritual transmission of it in very similar terms. It makes sense to view art in a like manner, to be ok with not getting it first of all (and maybe never getting it!) while being open to the possibility of understanding coming later, and second to recognize that others may find value in it--that they may get something we don't.
Part of being able to do this, it's safe to say, has to do with empathy and the understanding that other people's lives and experiences are different from our own, that a specific work will speak more specifically to their personal experience. In this way, as you say, being able to speak with someone who did get something from a piece of art is very valuable and a way of opening up our own understanding. I think ... and this is not something I can say with absolute certainty but ... I think that there is an easier transference of that understanding in the direct transmission of that knowledge from one person to another, something that's broadly been challenging in recent times.
Your podcast sounds like an interesting one. Where can I find it?
It certainly has. For many reasons... You can find it here: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Igjrw3yJp434D0rkkEaqM?si=kF5zuuzHSHWXZj4vWyAj5w or any podcast platform. It's called Exhibitionistas.
This is beautiful: "We can imagine the external and internal each as a sphere and imagine the one to be impossibly large and the other incredibly small, but they should be seen as equal. This is not to suggest an ego thing--the ego is simply the lens between the two, through which we experience both external and internal phenomena." Wow.
Thank you. I've thought a lot about consciousness and its relation to spirituality over the years; a lot of that has been motivated and inspired by a number of different things: people, books, art, music but it's not only in the arts but in gardening, farming, programming, mechanics, basically everything that human consciousness touches upon evokes any number of aspects by which we relate to consciousness and therefore ourselves. I think that having that equality in our sense of the external and internal, but especially with regards to the internal, allows us to have more space to find what appeals to us and leave aside what doesn't it. The things we don't like we don't have to like, but they can be there without having to struggle with them; there's no need to deny their existence either within us our without.
There's plenty enough to worry about without wasting time thinking about things we hate! Anyway, thanks for the ongoing motivation, Joana.
Great article, thanks for taking the time to reflect on this subject and write about it. Many artists would give it all to become viral, without thinking the cons of it and how can really affect to your art practice. Internet is a strange place...
Thank you! Yes, the reasons of “going viral” are not always pure even when they’re positive… hard world to navigate.
Wow, there's a lot here to chew on, but first, I want to thank you for writing such a very well-thought out and vulnerable piece. It's a shame that so many people will automatically lash out at things they don't understand. If they do understand, then they'll often lash out simply because they don't like the art form and think it's lesser-than whatever they happen to champion. Also, the idea that artists making works that are performance and/or deeply conceptually based are making a ton of money is laughable.
I think that, in general, the mass-public's understanding of contemporary art is woefully minimal, at best. Honestly, even for artists, a lot of what they are doing might be uncharted territory that they don't fully grasp. We try to make sense of it through statements, but a lot about art is in the making and that isn't always translatable. It also doesn't help that much of the contemporary art world is closed off and/or unappealing to a lot of people. There's a breaking down of some of the misinformation and murkiness that surrounds some practices like performance art. Adding to the general lack of understanding is the scroll-and-troll atmosphere of social media where there is often a race to the bottom in terms of online engagement and discourse.
The effects of negative comments and DMs can be hard to deal with for any artist. Virality is a double-edged sword that might bring new attention to your work, but it can also seriously derail you psychologically, depending on how you handle it. I feel like sharing the very personal reflections here is a great way to advance dialogue about what it looks like to be an artist today where the overlap of online and irl experiences can carry a lot of friction.
Love this: “lot about art is in the making and that isn't always translatable”. So true. But I do believe that it’s our task as curators and writers to create access somehow…. Thanks for your message.
You’re welcome! Absolutely, it’s up to curators, writers AND artists to create paths into the work, give people a way in that doesn’t talk down to them and upholds the conceptual and intellectual rigor of the work. It’s not always an easy task and many artists are reluctant to talk about their work, but that’s part of engaging with public discourse when you put work out into the world.
That’s a great point you make. I often say that visual artists are much more removed from critique than writers or filmmakers… There’s still that notion of the “genius”… and therefore they aren’t confronted with with real feedback, there’s almost no relation between them and their audience. Which is a shame.
The wall between visual artists and the general public is very real and in the U.S., at least, I think it goes back to the middle of last century, the rise of Abstract Expressionism and galleries as we understand them now. Maybe even further.
I think there’s a combination of things that contribute to the distance between artists and audiences, the “genius” angle you mentioned is one. There is the lag (and growing lack) of art education across the board, the idea that visual art isn’t a “serious” endeavor (unless there’s big money numbers attached to the art and artist at auctions). That, or “controversy”, like Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” banana piece.
It’s not only that artists don’t talk about their work, there’s a whole environment that perpetuates the idea that visual art is inaccessible to everyone because it’s perceived as being ultra-expensive (some is, but not nearly all) and it’s only good if it’s expensive.
There’s more to it than can be written here, but this is a topic that needs to be examined more.
Agreed on all accounts. But mostly the lack of visual arts literacy! It’s incredible. I wrote about this subject a bit in my Substack text “don’t blame the artist, blame the text”. But I must write more, you’re right.