Here is a copy of the statement I’ve written about my Gallery in Boone. I’m happy to share it with you. Feel free to comment and share your thoughts.
“Untitled”
I like to feel connected. Truly, I crave a deep sense of connectedness in most everything that I do. Whether it is with my family, with my work, with my friends, with my entertainment, with my thoughts - I want to feel connected.
I’ve found that consistently, the art that I find truly appealing is art that offers for me this feeling of connection. Whether it is art that makes me think, makes me feel, makes me remember my past or discover something hidden away inside my unconscious, ultimately, if it has an affect on my being - makes me feel connected - I usually find it appealing. Too often, unfortunately, art seems exceedingly normal.
It seems to me that art at its purest should be more than just “pretty”, it should be stimulating. Art should be more than an end; it should not stop upon its reception. In fact, the moment when art (a photograph, in this case) is viewed should be only the beginning of a much longer process. Art should be a catalyst for thought and discussion, a vehicle for ideas, a method of storytelling. Essentially, art should be a two way street. For, despite its apparent obviousness, art is nothing without the viewer.
Additionally, there exists an all-too-common misconception that an artist is somehow intellectually “above” his or her viewership. In truth, I believe, this paradigm is awfully wrong. A good artist, like a good carpenter or a good salesperson, has simply perfected a technical skill. Very little artistry lies inherently in the skill itself, for most anyone who has the desire can find the ability to rearrange a few neurons. The artistry then comes in what happens after a skill is acquired: how is the artist able to use this skill? Take painters, for instance. There have been millions of technically good painters in the world. Each one has mastered the fundamentals of the medium. Most every stroke of their brush can be classified as perfect, for it follows the rules set by these fundamentals. This being said, the greatest painters in history have reached beyond this level of technical perfection, creating art that connects with people, thus infusing it with what is considered beauty. Essentially, beauty comes not as a product of technical mastery, but rather as a product of the connection that happens after the piece is made. Art, then, cannot be beautiful unless it is perceived as such. This means that the viewer - you, in this case - is vital.This gallery is an invitation.
Next to each photo is a sheet of blank paper and a pencil. You are invited to become part of this exhibit (to be connected) by offering for each piece a title of your own.
The process of titling a photo has always been enticing to me, for it affords me the opportunity to offer an interpretation of the image and its meaning. A title is essentially a viewing guide; it indicates how one should see this image. When I give a photo a title, I do so because I want it to make a particular statement. On the other hand, however, I find it incredible that one piece of art can be interpreted in a seemingly infinite number of ways. For in reality, interpretation of art (or of anything else) is simply a product of the experiences, thoughts, and personalities we each individually bring to the situation. Subsequently, a piece of art has as many meanings as there are people. This fact for me is one of the reasons I am intrigued by art. Each product, be it a photograph, a painting, a song, or a poem, is essentially an opportunity for us to discover and share parts of ourselves that we might not otherwise readily access. Through the process of offering your own title, I hope that you will reach these places and offer for all of us a viewing guide of your own.
As you decide on a title, take a moment to investigate the image not as a critic, but rather as an artist. Question the image. Explore it on a level beyond normality. Your title, I imagine, will become a vital piece of what makes these images art.
I’ve selected images for this gallery that I believe lend themselves to this collaborative process. The photos, as you will see, are not straightforward and obvious; I’ve tried to offer you images that impose no definite interpretation.Thank you all for participating in this process. I hope that it is meaningful and enjoyable for everyone.
Peace,
Ben