Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Don't Look Back


contact sheet - Moses - West Side Highway ©80

I don't know why I keep telling myself this as if it's some profound
mantra. Perhaps if it's not fresh it's dated, past expiration, ready
for the compost. But things in the rear view mirror have their own
perspective that is hard to explain. I believe in many ways it has to
do with 'context'. Art Ravels covered the Whole in the Wall: 1970
exhibit and it pains somewhat to see street art ripped from
it's context. Still it's not surprising that we find ways to package
our art.
Context takes on a particular importance for certain types of work.
That graffiti on a canvas is bound to have a different effect on a
viewer is a given. The 70's if nothing else brought about an explosion
of site specific works. many of these works were driven by artists
concerned with re-defining the boundaries of what an exhibition
space is as well as ownership of "public space".
One concern in my art is confusion of context. Blending of opposites;
rich/poor, urban/pastoral, sanity/insanity.
I recently blogged about my piece Moses. The contact sheets above
are the trigger for the original context.
One of the topics of particular interest to me began in the streets of
NYC in the 70's and it concerns the plight of the homeless. Looking
back? The perspective don't seem to change no matter which way I
look.


Self Portraits as Derelict ©evertson '80

NYC has always had a role in defining the extremes of wealth
and poverty living side by side. The contact sheet above (circa,
1980 - Self Portraits as Derelict) contains photos I used as
publicity shots for a group exhibition. There are several great
blogs that feature current street art, waiting to be discovered
in context. An excellent place to start is the Wooster Street

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