Arts: High Society?
by admin • May 16, 2010 • arts • 10 Comments
Fraser Denholm’s blog on the Union Terrace Gardens debacle (check it out if you haven’t already) has been incredibly important in uncovering some of the downright lies, nay shite, surrounding the ‘project’. Aye, shooting from the hip is what he does best. As a bit of a departure, here’s his take on the ongoing Aberdeen Artists Society exhibition. Hud on to yer chapeaux folks…
The Aberdeen Artists Society Annual Exhibition is now in its 76th year and since 1934 there has been a fast, varied and diverse series of seismic shifts in the process of making art, showing art, thinking about art and the perception of the actual function of art. The role of the artist has changed significantly, as has the notion of what art is, however in this time the Aberdeen Artist Society Annual Exhibition has remained largely the same.
This exhibition is not one which is hung, it is simply filled. There is no theme, no brief for submissions, no curatorial message, no critical standpoint in the selection. The works are chosen by being marched, in a style more akin to the X-Factor than serious artistic critique, before a selection panel (not unlike that of Messrs. Cowell, Walsh and Co.) and judged according to an unrealistic and outdated series of subjective criteria based on the self-imposed authority of the panel.
Photo: Pammy May
The result is a mostly incoherent collection of works of varying critical value and aesthetic quality. Careful, considered works are shown alongside tired harbour scenes, naive portraiture and obscenely-glazed ceramic animals to the detriment of any coherent voice an individual piece may have. Gallery Two resembles a seaside bric-a-brac shop, with paintings often hung three-high in order to cram as much stuff in as possible. A large desk occupies the centre of the room selling catalogues, the only way of attributing an artist to their work. Even on the broadest level, as an exposition of the nature of work produced by the “Aberdeen Artist”, this exhibition is a spectacular failure.
Each year, the exhibition manages to overlook the diverse and exciting range of contemporary practice utilised by Aberdeen’s growing population of 21st Century Artists, both at grassroots and more established levels, in favour of producing an exhibition which aspires to be almost identical, if not less inspired, to the previous show. Contemporary artists working in Aberdeen are no less critically aware and culturally attuned to their counterparts across the world, working in a wide range of current media such as installation, performance, interactive work, social engagement, video, sound and much more, none of which are represented in the exhibition.
Even the title and its apparent mandate to suggest “We Are Aberdeen Artists” is contentious to say the least due to its extremely limited scope in its attempt to highlight the range of practice in Aberdeen. With the exhibition commanding a similar prestige to the RSA Annual in Edinburgh, there is little wonder that there’s a negative perception of artistic and cultural endeavour in the Granite City, which does nothing to ease the struggle for recognition that Aberdeen is a vibrant place for new and exciting Artists to live and work.
Ouch.
Some fair points but I think your giving AAS a bit much prestige. Is it not just a popular local event similar to the annual RA show crammed with a bit of everything. It looks bad only because it’s seen as a highlight of the year. I’m not sure if it would work making it it a quality show as it’s basically a salon style picture event and not many people work that way now. The RSA tried to up the cred a couple of years back by adding a New Scots section with Alex Pollard etc but it just highlighted how much Glasgow had pulled ahead and wasn’t a success inho.
I think the real failure is AAG’s total dis regard for contempoary art which has been made worse by being a chosen venue for the The Artist Rooms which means they don’t have to think about contempoary art at all now and just piss about with fun days out for the oil mummies.
I Personally i’d like to see a curated 4 or 5 person annual show of local ish artists with a visitor or resident thrown in too and give them space over the top floor to do what they do.
Agree with Fraser to a larger extent but also agree with Arem’s point and a very closing idea. One that I’m sure many have but where to start? Personally Aberdeen Artists passes me by and my son and I went around in ten minutes with a similar feeling to walking around the art dept of John Lewis. Yes I submitted work and it was rejected but this results in around ten minutes of ‘bloody hell’ attitude then back to normal and my awareness of how ‘not important to my and many’s contemporary practice the exhibition is. There are some good works hidden amongst the myriad of annually recognisable artifacts and I do like to see a good drawing from time to time. I would however like to be challenged more by art that exist not on a page of Frieze magazine but rather in a space in my city. Not that this is the remit of AAS and nor need it be but it does highlight our lacking of being able to interact regularly with contemporary art. I was asked recently if Andrew Dixon, new chief exec of Creative Scotland should maybe visit the aforementioned exhibition and if I wanted to take him round. I suggested there may be more relevant places to visit and progressive things to discuss. Maybe I’ll send him a link to here… The exhibition does what it does and is then forgotten until next year where the same arguments arise and anger at being rejected is briefly felt which all adds to it’s inflated ‘prestige’. This can be used this to kick on to other things as is suggested across the article and other comment or we just completely ignore carry on regardless…
I think Arem is right, Fraser, you’ve put too much stock into accepting that the AAS is the be all and end all of art / creativity in Aberdeen/shire. I’d hate to be on the selection committee, going through hundreds of “works” to select a show… it’s obvious they can easily pick work based on “aesthetics” instead of critical merit – so focus on finding the outlets for that type of work, if that’s what floats your boat (it’s my boat too – I didn’t get my “critical” work in – and my wife was on the selection committee!)
It’s easy to bash a large, “popular” show, what we need to be doing is showing why the people of aberdeen might benefit from more challenging works – and if “we, the artists” are sitting waiting for some amazing venue, ripe for that work to appear, we’re not helping… of course, having an amazing contemporary arts venue that focused people’s attentions, would help! there are a few, but sadly off the beaten track… but, I ]’m sure the artists that take inspiration and direction from other works know them already… so – are “we” lating foundations for a wider public to explore these avenues? do we want our work to be seen by “a wider audience” – when most “contemporary” artists still appear to be huffy and unable to accept (or deal with) critical debate (about their “work” – not necessarily what the work is “about”!).
it is also interesting to see a level of disrespect that accidentally slags off the people whom did get their work into a show – no merit to a Craig Barrowman being accepted? or is it luck?…
I’ll end with a question, based on Fraser’s statement: “Each year, the exhibition manages to overlook the diverse and exciting range of contemporary practice utilised by Aberdeen’s growing population of 21st Century Artists”
is it? perhaps having the usual AAS haters telling everyone it’s a waste of time subbmitting stuff is actually affecting the range of work the selection committee are able to choose from? – Classic quote that Jim will agree with here, one “artist” once bemoaned that the SAC never funded them, only for Jim to find out that they’d never applied, as they were sure they’d never get funding anyway.
perhaps we should all accept that there are many levels of entry into the “art world” up here, and that we all have a role to play, perhaps pulling together and supporting each other, instead of the oh so easy “slag off things I don’t like” mentality might just help prove there’s a vibrant, cohesive, collective, open, broad art scene. noses and faces. lets work together, we need to when money and power seem to be the only things some aberdonians think are important.
hope that’s not too preachy for some.
peep
Thanks for the comments guys, I agree wholeheartedly with Arem, especially the final statement.
What I was trying to suggest was that AA gives itself a prestige, being one of the “big art events” locally, add to that its chosen venue. What I have seen and heard from those who have submitted work (and I have done so unsuccessfully a few times myself) is a lot of fuss created about the submissions followed a few days later by a flurry of disgruntled and often angry statements about not being selected. I feel that there is a perception among the “arts community” that Aberdeen Artists is the big annual event for Art in Aberdeen. Also this is only of the only shows in the Art Gallery that shows “local” work, the only regular occasion for such.
I would also agree with Jim’s statement that “There are some good works hidden amongst the myriad of annually recognisable artifacts” which is what I was getting at when I said “Careful, considered works are shown alongside tired harbour scenes, naive portraiture and obscenely-glazed ceramic animals to the detriment of any coherent voice an individual piece may have”, by which I meant no disrespect to any individual artist or work accepted only that the presentation of the exhibition and incoherency I see as the real disrespect shown to those selected. The piece is critical of the exhibition, its selection process and the apparent lack of curatorial voice or sympathy to individual artists rather than “slagging off” those who have been selected.
To address your question, Phil, I think that so many years of banal exhibition and recurrent rejection of any “difficult” or “different” works has created this culture of “AAS haters.” If the exhibition were to have a submission theme or more transparent selection process perhaps people would be more open to submitting work to the exhibition, but we must remember that these “haters” don’t just hate for no reason.
The intention of the piece was to highlight that this exhibition is indeed far from the “be all and end all of art / creativity in Aberdeen/shire”, and that the exhibition presents itself as such – especially being no alternative.
Maybe there needs to be an Aberdeen Contemporary Artist Society? Maybe there is one already just simply not as a recognised body but rather a group of like minded makers that engage with one another and art at different levels? The latter is fact I would say and what is therefore needed is more output and space for such. This, we all know, is the major stumbling block in Aberdeen. A lack of space that is affordable to be taken over. For any length of time that is. I have ear marked two large spaces in Aberdeen that I am working toward and if money was no object, or at least a manageable one, I would be setting up shop by now and creating studios and gallery spaces. Discourse is progressive though and these ideas are becoming more than ideas in a head. I will add that the curatorial process for any exhibition will create naysayers and will always have people miffed regardless of who is behind it and what the remit is. Being rejected hurts and therefore it is important to create and open and progressive curatorial agenda that aims as high as possible and when I say high I don’t just mean quality. Intellectualism and concept should be of equal consideration and this is an area that AAS simply cant be involved with for all manner of reasons. So, as we all agree, other things can be achieved and need to be actioned by those that type on the interwed. Writing is one thing, and a very important one, but lets back it up with doing. Something I will add that is actually happening but is difficult to see in the public domain. See my earlier point!
Apologies for my lack of paragraphs.
I thought there was…. Limousine Bull, Project Slogan, what’s your new collective called Jim? (you know, the one you and Fraser are a part of)…
thanks for the reply Fraser, I think we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet, but I hope you see the point that Artists shouldn’t give up – and especially in Aberdeen be seen to slag off in a public context “brethren” (ho ho) – when we’re seen as a silly diaspora and unconnected nyaffs by the “big boys”.
I’ve said it before – i don’t think that Aberdeen artists are “ready” for truly open and critical debate – and there must be more openings for it – and that’s up to us to get it going…
I agree entirely with Jim that space is an issue – and we need to get creative (or guerilla) about it. I think we’re all a little too conservative and safe “up here”… perhaps it’s the years of conditioning we all have to play by the rules?
I hope CCS can help soon – with the funding “help” and some possible studio space on the horizon…
I just wanted to add that when I wasn’t selected (remember, my wife was on the selection committee), I wasn’t “hurt”. I realised my work either didn’t speak to the selection committee, wasn’t good enough to show – compared “aesthetically” to the others that did get selected…or I’d like to think, too controversial… but at least I tried.
I think what would be amazing, but highly impractical is that the AAS give feedback to those that ask – that’d be very helpful and educational to some artists – but again, how many would take “criticism” correctly, without going on further benders.
I think that PEOPLE see AAS as a main focus in the arts calendar, and not necessarily AAS telling people they are the pinnacle of art in Aberdeen.
I’ve seen all sorts of snobbery towards NEOS (people saying that it’s too amateurish, too expensive and orientated towards professionals etc) – so you can see, haters hate and find any excuse to dislike or bring something down…
Hi Fraser / Jim I think I’ve met you both, Fraser definately. As a maker, resident in Aberdeen and Grays graduate I wasn’t actually all that aware of the AAS until I popped in by last week. Your right, it was a real mish mash and I was slightly put off by having to buy the catalogue to find out who all the artists were. I also thought the overall quality was very varied. I don’t think its the be and end though.
What I did like is that it brings together craft and art. Even if some of the craft stuff was a little crude / unchallenging. I think an “Aberdeen Contemporary Artist Society” is a great idea. As a designer / maker I feel my work doesn’t fit with limousine , project slogan stuff and I feel quite isolated. I don’t really feel there are many outlets for my work appart from a few commercial gallery’s in the city. Things like AAS are really good for crafts people in Aberdeen as it puts them on the same footing as the “artists”.
Anyway like I said I’m all for an “Aberdeen Contemporary Artist Society” where contempary crafts people are welcome alongside yourselves. I would love to get into producing more challenging work, but currently feel there is nowhere really to show it. I also think there could be some really fun art/craft colabs.
Thanks
Conan
interesting article.. a bit too much for me but i can understand. Small city Small scene small gallery, not very much connection. I thought it was a not too bad show myself and i’m quite critical of those things.. and i also just wanted to say that there was some video in the exhibition with some interesting sound design too..
Contemporary artists working in Aberdeen are no less critically aware and culturally attuned to their counterparts across the world, working in a wide range of current media such as installation, performance, interactive work, social engagement, video, sound and much more, none of which are represented in the exhibition.
maybe you didnt make it that long to look around ha
anyway!
cheers