Defining "Artist"

Is Damien Hirst a true artist? I’ve been having this debate ever since the Gagosian Gallery chose to exhibit his dot paintings at all of their locations.

Diamond encrusted skull? Embalmed shark? I think his art capitalizes today’s obsession with the shocking and vulgar, anything loud and ostentatious is considered progressive and so is the artist.

What a waste of bling

If anything, I view him as a businessman, no different from any other entrepreneur in other industries. With a slew of assistants, he produces these dot paintings that are as common as any commodity or manufactured product. I have no problem with an artist trying to make a living but I do have an issue with someone who leverages his name as a brand and takes advantage of an unregulated market.

Courtesy of New York Times, one of the bajillion dot paintings worldwide

He’s smart and opportunistic, I’ll give him that, but to call him an artist? Businessman is more apt. 

Cindy Sherman

I recently discovered an artist, Cindy Sherman, whose work was so jarring that she instantly became one of my favorites. I only discovered her this year while she was exhibiting at the MoMA. Vowed to return to better comprehend her work but regrettably, the exhibit ended a couple of weeks ago.

Cindy Sherman acts as both model and photographer for her photographs. She not only recreates and caricatures typecasts but she also explores the grotesque, fantasy, and mythological through her work. Her Society Portraits and Clowns series were my favorites. She embodies the mannerisms, dress, and insecurities of each society archetype in every Society Portrait.  Using the typically humorous clowns, Sherman explores isolation, despair, sadism, and cruelty. 

There’s been debate as to which portraits or photographs best embody Cindy Sherman. Personal accounts depict her as unassuming, which I think makes her that much more intriguing. A larger than life personality would divert attention away from her provocative work.

Hellooo Liza Minnelli

I bought the accompanying book to her retrospective and I am intent on finishing it!

A Nearby Oasis

I have a confession to make. I know I called myself an “NYC girl” in a previous post, but I live in Hoboken so technically I’m a Jersey girl. We Hobokenites just like to associate ourselves more with NYC, 15 minute PATH ride away? Close enough. The other week, I ventured beyond the Hoboken boundaries into Jersey City to visit the Mana Contemporary Gallery.

Housed by a warehouse, the gallery appears unassuming, unimposing. Enter and take the large freight elevator to the 6th floor, doors opening to this expansive, blindingly white, almost clinical room. As explained to me by one of the founders, this floor provides the space for public viewings of private collections.

Crisp and clean, further underscoring the displayed art

The 4^th floor is my favorite, a floor of artists’ studios. Visitors have the rare opportunity to view projects in progress and interact with the artists. I had the chance to speak with Yigal Ozeri about his process. With a team of 10 assistants, he transforms blank hand stretched canvases into monumental photorealistic works.

Barely noticeable brushstrokes

The gallery is planning a sculpture garden à la MoMA and turning a floor into a dance studio, effectively transcending and encompassing different art forms in one location. Having only opened a year ago, Mana Contemporary is still trying to carve out its identity. I’m happy to have visited it in its fledging form and can’t wait to see what else is in store.