Writing your artist statement can be like extracting teeth, painful with a sense of loss as what to write, to know that you’re not just writing a load of art bull shit.
My work explores the relationship between Critical theory and emotional memories. With influences as diverse as Machiavelli and Joni Mitchell, new insights are synthesised from both traditional and modern structures………………….Taken from ARTYBOLLOCKS.com
Friday afternoon I sat in on a webinar ‘How to write an artist statement’ with artist, curator and lecturer Narbi Price with Artist information company.
The following is what I scribbled down in my note book
What is your practice about, why and how? It is good to have an artist statement that are different versions using 100, 200 and 300 word count. The function of an artist statement is to (A). Give additional context to your work. (B). It is a direct form of written communication. An artist statement helps facilitate the understanding of the work, what does the view need to know to help them get it, think about the audience. Who are your audience is it a gallery audience, funding application, exhibition proposal or submission. Beware of assumed knowledge. what do they need to know? We all want to keep the viewer interested in your work a bit longer, artist statement can do this. Be aware of the 'shit click' (referring to the music industry it's the 5 second timer when people stop listening to a song that they think is shit). This can happen even to your statement! Writing an artist statement allows you to step away from your work, to analyse it, and critique it. This is important because it allows your art to grow. Write your artist statement in first person because it's coming from you. Tell the viewer what your art works does not what you want it to do. Your artist statement is constantly evolving. Read your artist statement out load, you can see your mistakes better and the rhyme of your writing, does it follow or is it disjointed?
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