We recently read Doug MacCash's review of the Hot Up Here show at the CAC. While we wholeheartedly agree with his assessment that the show was a rehashed mish-mash of the same work we've been seeing at various venues for the past five years (he calls it deja-vu), we found the “two-timing” exhibitions of Dan Tague's newest drawings at Good Children Gallery (Lessons Learned with Fists) and Jonathan Ferrara Gallery (Fist Talk) way more surprising and troubling. It would seem that many of these drawings debuted at Good Children just weeks prior to their commute to Julia St. In fact, they were even removed from the walls of G.C.G. while the show was still underway in order to meet the throngs at White Linen Night. What’s more, the drawings somehow accrued value as they traveled, too, quadrupling in price as they moved the few miles westward one hot Summer day.
What does everyone else think about these practices? They seem so commonplace in New Orleans. Is it alright for an artist to "two-time" his/her work in the same city? And what about people who show the same pieces again and again at different galleries in New Orleans? NOLA Constructive believes the work needs to be seen, but we would prefer that after a work is on display at a gallery in New Orleans once, for a month or more, that the artist endeavor to show the work in other cities thereafter, or not at all.
Our rant aside, the drawings themselves (text-on-knuckle tattoo illustrations) are a fun and tightly constructed tongue-in-cheek collection of those briefest of mottos by which we choose to live. Tague's drawings, not unlike much of the works in the nearby CAC Hot Up Here show, hold their own- that isn't our criticism. Our beef isn't so much with the art, but with showing them a second time (especially in such a short time frame, with exhibition overlap, and with the price mark-up), which almost completely invalidates the exhibition at the earlier venue. It's as if the Good Children exhibition was merely a trial run for the "real thing," when, in actuality, Good Children is at least on par if not the better of the two galleries in terms of programming. In addition, we the art consumer grow weary of seeing the work more than once. Isn't there something else? Can't our galleries do better? There are tens of thousands of artists in this country, must we continue to view the same set of works by the same 40 or 50 people again and again? Can New Orleans ever emerge as a credible locale for contemporary art if we remain so insular? It's as if the art world here were one giant rubik's cube, with curators shifting pieces here and there endlessly until the game itself grows tiresome for the audience.
We have, however, underestimated Gina Phillips. Her portrait of Fats Domino in thread and fabric currently in the Hot Up Here show at the CAC made us simply giddy. If you haven't seen the show, you actually probably already have, or at least most of it. With the exception of some of Phillip's work, maybe some new work by painter Rachel Jones, and photographs from Chris Sullivan who we'd never seen at all, Dan Cameron chose work that has already been shown in New Orleans (sometimes several times over) for this group show. Gina Phillip's work and an installation of Brad Benischek drawings (many from his Meat Vs. Dirt show at Antenna Gallery) may be worth the admission price... but if we know New Orleans, and if you are patient, you could probably see these pieces again elsewhere for free. We appreciate a lot of other work in the show too, but we generally appreciated it more the first or second, not as much the third or fourth time around. We are curious now to check out Ms. Phillip's work currently up at Tulane's Carroll Gallery. If you've already seen it, let us know what you thought about it!
As always, we hope this is somehow constructive. If you disagree with us, please let us know.
I agree. I find the repetition of the same art and the same artists again and again in this city quite tiresome. I would also point out that the show at Studio 527 that is currently up is also doing the same exact thing as Hot Up Here - reshowing the work of St. Claude artists on Julia. I find this boring and incestuous. I also feel that, rather than promoting the work of the featured artists, shows like these delegitimize what's happening on St. Claude by implying that showing work on St. Claude somehow isn't good enough, but that work must be shown on Julia or in an institution like the CAC to become legitimate and to be seen by the people that really matter. Of course this is completely untrue - the galleries on St. Claude are some of the most exciting venues in this city. I just wish the artists and curators would take it upon themselves not to settle for this laziness, stop the recycling, and do something more innovative.
ReplyDeleteIf anything, this is a well deserved insult to art collectors who frequent Julia Street, not to the St. Claude art scene. The price markup is for those collectors who didn't see the work at its debut, because they didn't go out to the ninth ward. It brands Julia as stuck up and overclassed, and takes advantage of this fact.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm not sure that Goodchildren and Ferrara charge the same commision.
Perhaps you're making the mistake of equating a higher price with a more 'legitimate' venue, and reinforcing the same assumtion that you are criticizing.
Dan Tague's imagery is not very original. Nothing against the man. I am sure he is genuine in his attempt at art making. But, this kind of "tattoo art" is everywhere on the internet. Just Google "finger tattoo" and you will see numerous examples that seem to have been duplicated in Mr. Tague's drawings. Likewise, his folded money is abundant in its repetition. There are too many examples of folded or oragami dollar bills all across the world wide web. Maybe he has some other ideas that are more original since he has found his way into Prospect 2. Guess we will have to wait and see.
ReplyDeleteCheck it out:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jonathanferraragallery.com/dynamic/exhibit_artist.asp?ExhibitID=261&Exhibit=Previous
and
http://www.zazzle.co.uk/customizable_knuckle_tattoo_t_shirt-235128181854497097
yea! It's great to read this blog, and to know it exists.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the CAC show, though I am happy to see many of my favorite local artists exhibiting. Michelle Levine was so excited to get into the show because, as she put it "I have been wanting to show at the CAC since I was in my twenties!". There's no harm in exposing this work to a greater audience...let's face it - there are people who buy art that will not make the drive to St. Claude. I think with regard to "over-exhibiting" and price changes - whose business is that? Why should an artist care if you've seen the work more than once? NOW that you know the work is less expensive on St. Claude, be smart and BUY IT THERE! It is an artist's responsibility to develop his work, and an art dealer's responsibility to market and sell it. Consider that upon further investigation into Tague's work (unfortunately he has majorly edited his website - but here's some older work: http://www.barristersgallery.com/tague/tague1.html) one will find that he is not a "one-trick pony" by any means. The dollar bills were hugely successful and were produced in accordance with what would provide him with the means to continue his freedom to experiment with his work. Maybe there is an overall dissatisfaction here with the way the administrators of the arts have been showing work (or overshowing, or ??)...but I think their intentions are to sell the work and promote the careers of the artists they show. Galleries and museums are, after all, just businesses.
Artists work in relation to their environment and not in a separate bubble of complete genius as a solo author of an idea. So art must reflect some degree of imagery that resembles or an notion of similarity. If you have seen knuckle tattoos than you live in the world... congratulations. It is commenting on a ever increasing cultural means of expression. Mark up. It is an effort to get people buying art at a more moderate price, so to the genius with the mark up comment. I actually marked the work down... check with my gallery on Julia street to see my prices a year before that show. You are a hater like so many others who offer opinions about artists because you are overlooked for your complete originality and utter genius. I guess you may be ahead of your time. These blogs often become so destructive and become a forum to vent. The folded dollar bill series was one solo show and only a handful that found their way into group shows. Then it naturally evolved into the war images with graphite. You should see the two shows that were shown at the same time as that series at Good Children Gallery. Or the work I have made for 10 years before. I'm really happy you just moved here, but you are talking out of your ass... and i sense a bit of jealousy. I also spent nearly 8 years since 1998 curating and positively promoting dozens of emerging artists. What have you done for the art community? So take a wild guess who this is. I'm not hiding, so its easy to judge when you do. Its odd that conceptual artists get the label of repetitive but an abstract painter can paint a nearly identical image for 20 years and never have to defend it. DT
ReplyDeleteI like that we should have to defend our work. I'm a fan & friend of Tague's, but find this forum interesting. This town is too small and the art world too incestuous for a Tom Fitzmorris of art- the criticism in the two papers are purposely bland and vague because of this. We need real criticism, judgement, and discussion. So let it roll-- until a real, non-anonymous impresario, unafraid of challenging the artists and collectors and gallerists, steps up.
ReplyDelete