Comments on: Jim Drain’s Heart(s)

By: jls

jls — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 18:53:58 +0000

whenever i feel overwhelmed by these questions that put my mind in knots i cant help but think… what an exciting time to be an artist, or art enthusiast.

By: kristan

kristan — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 19:05:34 +0000

that was a response worthy of a crowd of screaming girls.
kk

By: steve

steve — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:11:28 +0000

You wonder why the hand of fate had to fall
On John when it could have been Paul
Well, I’ve got records where he sings
Equally embarassing
Clap trap falldeerall
Kristian Hoffman”I Don’t Love My Guru Anymore”

By: kristan

kristan — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 09:33:32 +0000

Storm – since you and I have had many an armchair debate about the Beatles you know of course ( in my mind) Paul is the easiest to delplore – but your right I can’t deny his songs their rightful place. In the end it is about the work and how it makes you feel. You are also right that this discussion is not about being dissapointed in Drain- but, perhaps this lecture bubbling up the uncomfortable realization that it is hard for artists to reveal what moves them to make work – for them to be held up to dissection and revue and even harder for us to wrestle with our expectations of them. Maybe what lectures by visual artists are good for- is to place them in the position of their work, for 30 min or so they are the unfinished drawing on the studio wall – and sometimes the unfinished drawing reveals the most.

By: storm tharp

storm tharp — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 23:59:43 +0000

I was “expressing frustration” after the Jim Drain lecture and it wasnt because I was disappointed in Jim Drain. I think we have learned our lesson over and over that a persons work is not to be judged by a persons character – and yet the issue remains on the table.
(Which Beatle is the easiest to deplore? And why is that? It’s certainly not because he was a bad songwriter.)
I was frustrated because the delivery of the lecture seemed like a stylistic phenomenon. A cliche of self-effacement – diluting that which is otherwise unique and inspiring. “AIDS a delic” is an awesome sculpture – I wanted to hear him stand for it. I can hardly blame him that he didn’t.
I agree with Matthew that some artists can speak about their work and others shouldn’t have to. Im still hating myself for getting bent out of shape over this one. I wish that I could just be cool with it. But im not really. I would of rather watched the lecture with earplugs.
“When it was suggested to the poet Philip Larkin that he earn a living by giving readings and lectures, he answered. . .’It would embarass me very much. I don’t want to go around pretending to be me.'” – Robert Adams on “Money”.

By: Matthew Stadler

Matthew Stadler — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 20:49:22 +0000

I just came upon this. I thought Adam’s first comment was really insightful. Jim’s beautiful art should not oblige him to be historic or theoretical or a lecturer. It is strange to ask him to be these things, and I think Adam rightly locates the presumptions or orthodoxies that invite, or force, an artist to function this way in “silly, backwards thinking modernist responsibilities (origin of a singular style, individuality of voice, etc etc).” I’m perfectly happy for Jim, or earlier in Harrel’s series, Chris Johansen, to shirk these responsibilities and just go on making awesome art, and I don’t understand why we ask these artists to lecture. It seems to be a standard academic convention. Asking someone to lecture is the way a school expresses its interest and (importantly) passes a paycheck to deserving artists. But can’t we think of something more relevant and productive to do with these resources (the school, the artists’ smarts and time, our time and intellects)? This is 2006 and we should think of something better.
Public speaking can be great. There are people, including many artists, who are superb speakers, who think and articulate complex thoughts while standing in front of an audience. It’s fucking awesome to be at a great lecture. Has anyone seen Rem Koolhaas speak? His talk is so moving and so relentlessly thought-provoking, a lot like Chris’s art, or Jim’s performances. But I wouldn’t ask Rem to play in Forcefield. That would just invite a ridiculous cult of personality, which is what the veneration of a great artist’s inarticulateness seems like to me.
I hope we can make up some new conventions for bringing the artists among us into public discourse. If they don’t like speaking to crowds, don’t make them lecture. Don’t ask audiences to sit through performances of inarticulacy. I’d like to see lectures by artists who believe in speaking and aspire to do it well. I’d like to see support for other great artists to do other things. Maybe the money for lectures could be used to commission work that’s public or occassion-specific, but that isn’t a lecture. Maybe the artists can be given an honorarium and allowed to pay part of it to a speaker he or she admires.

By: kristan

kristan — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 22:29:36 +0000

no ug. really – no ug. own it. zome it. your comments were good stuffs.

By: aldar

aldar — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 22:09:31 +0000

ug. remind me never to write on the internet first thing in the morning. i sound like a crotchety old grumper. ug. how embarrassing. kristan, you are too gracious to grumpy morning trolls. peace love aam

By: Kristan

Kristan — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 12:47:40 +0000

Brain Infections! Brain Speak! Keep well dear Steve, there will be many more lectures.
I usually get my mind blown by seeing the work itself but the lecture that was both intellectual, meaningful and experiencial was Marina Abramovic- her lecture was transformative – so it can happen.
Jim Drain was a good time. See you next week?
K

By: Steve Schroeder

Steve Schroeder — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 12:05:25 +0000

Ooohhh man, this was such a great post Kristan.
I wanted to go to this so bad, and if I wasn’t laid up with deep double brain infections I would’ve been there.
I don’t get that much from academic ramblings so this sounds right up my ally, and to me it sounds much more illuminating as to true intentions and humanity behind art than brain speak.