"Lets see hmmmmmm, whats on the menu.... well, the Karen Kilimnick show at the MCA promises only rancid fare, complete trash....what could be more appetizing to a shark? Then, we must dine down on sushi....where?
at The Society For Contemporary Art benefit, (SCA3RAW) where else? This years event is.....well, when I get ready to chew on this social phenomenon, its particulars (for lack of better terms), I will have the completely imbecilic invitation splayed out here in the waters of sharkforum for everyones perusal. uuuuuuhhhh a teaser? Alright, you are wondering what besides sharkskin, is appropriate attire for this event right? well, per the invite, Dress: Deconstructed..oh, it gets better.
I started sharkforum 2 1/2 years ago with co-founder Dave Roth as a brave new, better place- complete with fresh, murky gray/green saltwater after Paul Klein (notorious kill joy) had banned me! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?...from artletter.......as history has proven, this was a mistake, as artletter as a blog site has languished, then ceased to exist after my departure. Though in fairness to Paul.....his reviews -which is really what artletter is about now, are really pretty good, bottom line, he thinks for himself, a rarity in todays art world peopled by mostly sychophants and conformist/careerists.....anyway, Dave is gone now, we are on the eve of our much postponed relaunch, here are a few random thoughts about sharkforum:
Several years ago I approached one of the people who really built the MCA with the idea that the Museum Of Contemporary art has two essential problems: a. the building sucks,(not that the first floor exhibition spaces don't have much to recommend them) -but basically, it has all the architectual charisma of a turd complete with a Stairway To Heaven. And b. the MCA has failed to create a working canon that derives from its own cultural milleu -Chicago....in the way that MOMA or the Whitney are local New York Museums first referencing from New York no matter how international they are in scope -or how MOCA in LA has also successfully created a canon of reference that emanates first, from the LA scene. Ample evidence of this surrounds us, from our dysfunctional/ atrophied and corrupt art world here -to exhibitons like the unfortunate disasters of Karen Kilimnick or Sympathy For The Devil -an exhibition supposedly about rock music -that chose to ignore the city of its origins -both in terms of where the exhibition was mounted (here) and where rock music really originated (also, here) - where curator Dominic Molon had the temerity to go on record as stating that there was no relationship between the visual arts and music here when in fact, HE NEVER LOOKED. That, rather than have a Chicago section, Molon unimaginatively and ambitously (when it comes to his own 'international career') chose to have a 'midwestern section' -where he could highlight the art school work of Destroy All Monsters -a short lived collective that consisted most prominently of Jim Shaw and Mike Kelly -two of LA's top artists.....truly and transparently disgusting is what it was.....
I digress, my suggestion to this person who along with his friends was in large part responsible for building the current MCA, was that a new wing should be designed -a think tank of architects assembled, who would brainstorm the lacuna of the current building, creating a new, interdisciplinary Chicago wing- theater -visual arts/music -the whole baby seal,.......only, it would never be built. The ugliness and plainess of the existing structure would serve as a basis for an ongoing imaginary reconfiguration, an architectual think tank/workshop with an accompanying cyber presence that would reference and highlight events around the city that the MCA found cogent -in this way, providing us Chicago artists of all disciplines with what is missing here; namely, INFRASTRUCTURE. And, by that, I mean an infrastructure that gets us out to the rest of the planet -rather than what we have now, an art scene for the benefit of a powerful few people -coming out of institutions here -who have minimalized, packaged, freeze dried and shrink wrapped the scene here -in order to control it -all the while turning us into what Peter Schjeldahl recently described as a 'receptor city', importing existing canon from LA, New York and ......Cologne?
Think of what I am suggesting: upon looking at that unfortunate and boring building that now houses the MCA, people would be able to say but wait! WAIT! Its ugliness is continually being reimagined, rethought, and is thus, opportunistic, all the while providing the world with the first truly cyber wing/concrete reality museum. That rather than just gather, a museum might extend itself throughout a city and a community and due to its cyber qualities, out into the world.
Rather than embracing the amazing diversity and complexity of the scene that was flourishing here in the mid 80's, what the artists were thinking and doing, the scene here was turned into a Johnny come lately to the minimalist, conceptual scene by a few ambitous academic hacks -causing us to become viewed as a facsimile of paradigms elsewhere. To be made ordinary and generic. Rumor has it, Judith Kirchner is angling behind the scenes for the soon to be vacant position of President Of The School Of The Art Institute: well lets see: after fucking up the scene at large here promoting Chicago;s own consensus correct, prepackaged conceptual product, after ruining the UIC art department....why not? After all, the powerstructure that defines the Chicago Art Scene -is one who's aim is primarily of providing a group of rich people with several inner-city country clubs -and a group of subservients with employment possibilities.....you don't really think the institutional art world here is about the artists here, their vision or anything like that do you?
Anyway, when I realized that my idea of a cyber wing for the MCA would never happen in a timely manner - I thought that perhaps a working test model of the idea might be interesting. Hence, sharkforum. Now we have admittedly deviated from that initial concept and become more of an ezine.....but the waters here are viral and everything is subject to change. As we get comfortable in our new digs, along with many attacks! on what we don't like, will be an ongoing conversation of what we do think is interesting.
The art world with its overheated art fairs and towering silliness, its institutional footprint, stamping out cookie cutter conceptualism/installation ad nauseum, is a stupid place. This provides us here in Chicago with an opportunity: as we watch for instance, our very own Steppenwolf Theater take over Broadway with a serious and substantial piece of unvarnished drama -written and acted in house, we should see and seize the opportunity. Think art world defined by the artists, by the art -not by stupid money, not by art educators, nor curators -but, by the supposed actual apex predators of the art world, ARTISTS! Think serious work, done by serious people, all, for the serious times that we happen to live in.
And finally, with a once in a decade opportunity, there is regime change happening in the directors seat at the MCA with Madeleine Grynstein coming into town....Dear Madeleine, "I think we need a gunslinger, somebody tough to tame this town."......Lets see if we can't make power brokering here transparent enough, enough of an issue to get Madeleine to distance herself from the small crowd that have used our art world as their playground/career opportunity, for far too long.
Whew, Shark! Great piece! Great start up for the new burst of Sharkforum!
To the Sharkpack:
CONGRATULATIONS! The new format is great,........easier to navigate, presenting visuals in a tighter format that gives the presentations a certain snappy clarity.
Make more great things......
Fondly,
G
Bravo!
Regarding the MCA:
I have the unfortunate 'pleasure' of driving past that edifice multiple times a day and can't imagine any virtual-reality type scheme that would change my gut reaction...The only thing that can fix that building is a wrecking ball...
On a more positive note, I wish you all continued success with this site and look forward to more interesting discussions...
mr kimler,
you seem so self infatuated with your shark persona that you have forgotten what gave you this forum. does your shark creation exist to paint or simply devour at will the objects and subjects "it" deems sufferable and inferior. has this persona swallowed its own author? twenty years ago I led a client to purchase one of your paintings because I believed it to be relevant and inspiring. the fabulous show in rockford some years ago remains unforgettable (as were the beautiful installations in the adjacent room). one might wonder, what happened to that great
artist? is the painter still alive in the belly of the shark, or did the incorrigible beast he has become swallow its host?
respectfully, john r
Well Dimitry, you have to imagine it differently -using its inherrent ugliness as catalyst-
The essential thing here is a cyber wing which is perfect for the problems of infrastructure/ lack of art publication, very poor collector support (-with people like Manilow for instance being lead around by the nose -by Judith Kirshner for years -supporting academic mediocrity-) and the idea of a museum that is not a gathering place but rather, looks beyond its walls to multiple places/happenings/disciplines simultaneously.....
Trust me Dimitry -if the MCA was functioning in a way that created a Chicago canon, you would have less of a dim view of that awful edifice.
John, I am publishing your comment as it is a perfect example -of 'artists should be seen and not heard mentality'....you could have very easily answered your own question as to what I have been up to as a painter by doing some research- where you would have found work quite beyond (in both scope and ambition) the work of mine you reference from the past.
I suggest before posting further comments, you do the research required to have an informed opinion so as to not have its defining characteristic be, ignorance.
Cordially,
The Shark
And may I remind John R and other readers that any artist writing here, or elsewhere, is doing it out of conviction. It does not help your "career," that holiest of words for so many mediocre artists; in fact, it probably harms it.
Nevertheless, you are free to, and encouraged to, go to any of our regular shows, even make studio visits and see what is the real focus of our lives. Go to Wesley's studio again, John. The paintings are amazing. I'll be showing in the US soon. Come see mine. I think they are remarkable too, and the real center of my life. But Wesley and I and others can also read and think and talk and write. Sharkforum believes, as WK has said, that artists are to be heard AND seen. And to be critical, in all senses. Get used to it. It's going to increase.
Sometimes cordially yours,
MSB
Mr. Rotonda's comments remind me of an anecdote I once read, but I can't remember where.
Anyways, it was something uttered by a society matron about never allowing the grease-monkey to drive ones Rolls-Royce.
He can design it, build it, repair it, and keep it looking and running smart. But God forbid he should ever get behind the wheel.
It bears mentioning that Mr. Rotonda HAD to remind you that he sold one of your pieces, thus conferring upon himself some bullshit veneer of authority. -- Wesley ; when I speak to you of the fleas and ticks of the yokel local artworld-- this guy, and guys like him, are who I am talking about.
The Bumsteads buy a painting-- Boo-Ya
The Painter is alive and kicking at the belly-walls of the Shark. I'm fortunate to have visited Wesley's studio many times over the years and I have always seen prodigious output, whose scale and scope was of a quality that burns itself into one's consciousness. At present, the work is better than ever, and with his tireless efforts, it continues to move forward by the force of his vision. I know very few artist who work as hard as he does.
On the subject of his style of discourse, we are fortunate to have his voice, regardless of anyone's misfortune in not engaging his fearless commentary. Wesley has always had the courage to bring injustice into the light. Thank you
Sharp and to the point:-) Welcome back and new sharkpool is very sleek and well appointed ( unlike your MCA it seems:-)
oh and Moogee says woof....
Wesley, the site looks good. even I can figure it out. prost!