iart

IKB 191, Yves Klein, 1962

i would like to consider myself an artist. one with a constant artistic block.

if i am not producing, creating or making anything, am i still allowed to call myself one?.....i hope so.

i think though, and this might be an excuse on my part, that the artist is within - in mind, body and soul. when i was young, around 3 or 4 yrs of age, standing in front of a giant blackboard i decided i would 'be an artist'. to me for all these years that always meant a painter, or at least an artist of the more traditional mediums; sketching, drawing in any form, painting, sculpture - anything involving the hands.

that is how i went through university too. when i discovered art's history a whole new world opened up to me and i felt i 'understood art', or at least its tangible history. after all it was in books. i was distrusting (and still somewhat am - more towards one than the other and those who know me can quickly point out which these are) of art that emerged in the late 70's, 80's and 90's...radical feminist, so-called installation art, video and performance pieces. i now understand that some of this distrust came from ignorance or simply naiveté, but i still pretty much have the same tastes as i did then. some things just irk you. i know my shit now. or so i think. my mother always says, hochmut kommt vor dem fall...so i may retract that know-it-all-comment sometime in the future when i am wiser, yet again.

i have changed my mind on a lot of things, as one does when you no longer possess the simple mind of a teenager or young adult in our times, but have we come to an end of artistic discovery? will it turn more and more 'digital' - into iart*? everyone's an artist?!

anyone can manipulate any photograph nowadays (photography itself being a huge point of discussion as it is, using film vs. digital) - even just the term 'manipulate' is so harsh - no experts needed anymore. painting is paint by numbers or taught by bob ross (ok, i kinda like him...it;s his hair and angelic voice) on tv.

i remember when i learned the difference between modern and contemporary art (google it, if i don't explain it well enough). it makes sense; modern being the style of the 60's & 70's - when it was new and modern, get it? - and contemporary art being that of the time (the now)....but here's the question: what is our contemporary art of today called? what is our word - our thing - our style - our mission - our rebellion - our purpose???

how many times can we 'recycle' duchamp, warhol, vincent & the gang - the originals that turned the art world on its head?

we cannot just be i-absorbed consumers, regurgitaters, creative looking, but nothing behind it....can we?

i cannot even say i am anything special either. what i produce isn't there yet....but it's in my mind.

* if this hasn't been patented yet - it's mine bitches!