Playing God @ CPop
Topher Crowder
I have no qualms with crowder's work. It is something different than the norm here (detroit), which makes for more interesting viewing. I enjoy the detail and simplicity of the black and white, pen and ink pictures. I think crowder has the talent to go far if he pushes...and from what I hear, he has some big shows coming up out of state - always great for a detroiter. The only thing that I couldn't get into at the opening was the clip boards hanging below the pieces. I never think lengthy explanations are a good thing for openings...maybe for press releases, but don't expect viewers to read a page of text per a piece.
I have no qualms with crowder's work. It is something different than the norm here (detroit), which makes for more interesting viewing. I enjoy the detail and simplicity of the black and white, pen and ink pictures. I think crowder has the talent to go far if he pushes...and from what I hear, he has some big shows coming up out of state - always great for a detroiter. The only thing that I couldn't get into at the opening was the clip boards hanging below the pieces. I never think lengthy explanations are a good thing for openings...maybe for press releases, but don't expect viewers to read a page of text per a piece.
posted by art blogs are fun at 9:51 PM
19 Comments:
Topher Crowder is an AWESOME person and a hard worker too!
Just who is playing God here? Either read the explanations or don't, but who are you to talk about anybody pushing anything? Does he need to get pictures of his lunch in the Metrotimes or spend his days making throwaway cardboard models while he's being paid to answer phones?
You can bet that CPop will never hang anything of yours no matter how hard you push it.
at least ann has the guts to make a statement and put her name behind it, you anonymous gutless wonder
Curious? Why are critics outside of the realm of critique? If they can dish it out shouldn't they be open to taking some. Though, anonymous isn't exactly critiquing ann constructively they are touching on a subject that artists and other critics skirt.
Also, it's a blog, anonymous could have easily posted a fake name and you would've never known! That's the beauty of blogs, it's about the dialogue, not the individuals.
I'm confused are we critiquing Ann's blog or Ann's art?
Perhaps a childish jab at her job is in order?
C'mon anon lets focus here.
"A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing 21 people in the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history. The gunman was killed, but it was unclear if he was shot by police or took his own life."
"but don't expect viewers to read a page of text per a piece."
I think that this is a huge (symptomatic) assumption about the viewership which may or may not be accurate. I personally beleive that it's innacurate. For the most part, the same crowd that frequents art galleries w/ money to spend are the same group that support literature in the area. Writing and Visual Art have gone hand-in-hand for centuries.
Ann has made the assumption here that because she isn't interested in reading (a lengthy description) no one else is, either. Mostly, it just makes her sound lazy (which I don't think she is). It may be worth mentioning that CCS is not a school that emphasizes the importance of being literary. When you are 'raised' in such a bubble, you tend to assume that the rest of the world reflects you incongruencies.
Remember: 'reading makes our speaking english good.' (Joss Whedon)
Maybe what one could say is that, if you aren't interested in reading the explanation then the placement of the clipboards and their prominence distracts from the art? Or maybe that was the artists intention, to force you to consider the text in connection with each peice?
But just to say that viewers WON'T read a page per peice is kinda a lazy statement/criticism. Though, not one that constitues personal jabs at her work or job. That's really so pandemic on this site, moreso than any other blog I read. Very immature of the flamers.
death toll at virginia tech is now at 31
how many times do I have to remind you idiots:
Ann provides this site for free.
She does not get paid for it (from what I understand).
It is her personal blog. She may publish whatever opinion she cares to state. If she thinks people won't read a full-page sheet on a clipboard below each piece (I agree with her), then she's more than allowed to state that. For a bunch of "artists," the people who comment here sure tend to seem like crazy fascists. ("You can't say this! You can't say that!")
Anyway, chill out. It's ANN'S BLOG. Leave if you don't like it. We won't miss you.
thats right. they should get their own blog
Gosh!!!
If Ann wants nothing but sycophantic comments she can moderate them or take them private.
Kevin sounds like he has the hots for Ann...so passionate, no?
everyone just stop. this shit needs to stop. ann stated how she felt about the show, that honest and thats the most valuable thing today. This caddy nit picking makes my sad. none of it is about the art. Art and Life takes place when people place themselves out on the firing line and take chances. When people belittle that, we all begin to lose. Its ok to feel mad or angry sometimes, just place it in a context and ask yourself if what you are angry at is more important or valuable than your anger.
This blog is one of the most important forms of creative communication in the mid-west. you can help or hurt it.
The information on the clipboards help put each piece into historical perspective.
While I agree that any art work's meaning should normally be extracted by the viewer - in this case I it think it serves an academic purpose as well , rounding out Crowder's hyper-obsessive narrative with research support , which in turn illuminates the experience, I think.
Sort of like a storyboard with the screenplay attached.
Besides, it's hard enough to get the press to read a one page press release as it is- And we have been known to send out some pretty damn nice press kits too- including Topher's.
Thanks for coming down and checking out the exhibit-great pics too.
I must applaud rick from cpop for his above comments. I mean, imagine that - a gallerist thanking a blogger for helping publicize his gallery's show! it's so refreshing and - finally - positive.
please, people, take rick's actions as an example. be grateful. help one another succceed. thank the people that help you succeed. and thank ann for this blog!
and buy Disney!!! :-)
really, why do these threads always deevolve into discussions about the platform (blog) instead of the content (show, art, criticism)?
enough already. flamers are stupid, personal attacks are immature, yadda yadda yadda, but by concentrating your "discussion" on the comments of the flamers and inane defenses such as "it's ann's blog, she can write whatever she wants", well... it's boring for one, and it only encourages them to flame more (ever heard of "ignore them and they'll go away"?). Maybe 5% of this thread has been about the actual show (essentially: "clipboards, or no clipboards, and what was the purpose of the clipboards?")
Then again, maybe this audience needs to hold a dialogue about the purpose, ethics, goals, and paraphanalia of blogging and how it relates to the community before they can move on since at least a quarter of all the threads end up in contention over the ethos of blogging (a topic which most of the broader online community has put to bed already, capstoned by Time Magazine's article, and yet continually rehashed here with no new ground...)
And don't forget the all-around endorsement by Popo "This blog is one of the most important forms of creative communication in the mid-west. you can help or hurt it." And mindless vapidity is as harmful to a blog's continuation/success as mindless lashing out is.
"really, why do these threads always deevolve into discussions about the platform (blog) instead of the content (show, art, criticism)?"
Oops, looks like you forgot to talk about the art. Oh well.
i am always a hypocrite, it's my trademark.
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