Letters to a Young Artist

Letters to a Young Artist
I read this article and reread it. There is so much in it! I decided to look at the definitions of art and artist that were put forth. Mierle Landerman Ukeles called art the articulation of human freedom and Joan Jonas called art communication. John Baldessari defined an artist as talent plus obsession. Lawrence Weiner made reference to art as being an unnecessary product. I suppose he meant that pictures and objects without obvious and intended utility are what art is. I do not agree with that altogether. Yes, in hard times people save their money for bare necessities like food and shelter and are probably not likely to spend money on drawings or paintings or other types of things they can do without. But this is a narrow view. What about public art that is all around us in the form of architecture, sculpture, murals and such? People do not have to purchase it in order to enjoy or communicate with it. Then there is Richard Tuttle's letter. He recognizes Tiffany as an artist and his product as art. Surely lamps and windows of stained glass serve a simple purpose in addition to being "creations". My preference is to take the broader views of Gregory Amenoff, Jo Baer, Jimmy Durham, M.L. Ukeles, and Joan Jonas. They tend to define the "art world" as much more that galleries and allow artists to define themselves rather than holding strictly to the idea that art is only a commodity and a luxury. To artists, for me these are creative and talented people, art is a necessity. It is necessary for me to experience art as both creator and viewer/consumer. It would take me a long time to explain how crucially it is linked to my whole being. To me even the way food is presented on a plate can impact my life. So, art gets defined and broken into categories. It may be easier to discuss art within these limitations and yet when one type of art is separated from the rest something is lost. To me it is more about the process of creation and what goes into it and comes out of it. Curiosity and diversity are important things to remember if the "art world", along with all its members, is to be better understood.
--Margaret