I was talking to a fine-artist/sculptor friend of mine recently and he said “I think we need street art, I think it will become known as the movement of our time.” , I had not considered this. It sort of brings my hopes back up a little for this generation, you may recall my little rant two blogs ago…
Ahem, to quote myself;
“I wonder what the history books will say about this era concerning the artistic movement. You can’t really call it the “Untalented Movement” or the “I wanted to be an artist so that is what I will do regardless of my actual ability to draw or sculpt or do anything useful movement”. “
I would be quite pleased if our legacy was left as the movement which pushed the boundaries of where art was displayed and why. There is also something more appealing about it when it’s illegal or in defiance of the snooty gallery people and everything they stand for. I realise that sounds childish but it still gives me a thrill. I have been of the other end of the stick though, I have had my work displayed in galleries, I have gone to openings and viewed shows/displays, I have mingled with artists/designers/buyers/owners etc and every single gallery opening has been boring. Good for networking admittedly, the standard of the work has no relevance to my experience here by the way. I have seen some astounding work at boring gallery openings and private views, but they all have white walls and everyone shuffles around quietly, leaning in to see the work more closely whilst never daring to touch it or breath to hard on it. Then they will straighten up and look for the nearest person to convey their opinion about the artwork to. I want music, free beer and wine (although the wine is pretty standard I suppose), artworks which you can touch and really get a feel for, some bright colours on the walls or even a changing projection on the walls showing the making process of the work, film would be brilliant because you can’t appreciate the work that goes in to something unless you see the process. Better still would be an area where the artists were working alongside the gallery showing, really giving the audience a chance to see first-hand all the effort and planning which goes in to the pieces. An outdoor section with outside-appropriate works which were an extended part of the exhibition indoors would be another great way of showing the audience how they could display their newly purchased artworks. My gallery would be awesome.
I guess I just wish that galleries would embrace the ethos of our artistic culture a little more. I realise that silent, white-walled galleries with snooty attendants are necessary for some people to purchase art, they don’t feel they have something high-class enough unless they have that experience to accompany their purchase. People who like the think they are richer than they actually are most probably.
So yes, I hope against hope that we will be remembered as the Street Art Movement rather than the ‘bloody talentless artists’ movement. I can dream, but only history will tell.
