Art Exhibit

Several weeks ago, I was asked to contribute something to an art exhibit in February, 2009.  This is a college I have exhibited at before and the exhibit is run by a group of art and design teachers at the college.

The artists were asked to suggest a “theme” for the exhibit that would guide the artists in their respective creative process.

Now, we already know I like “themes” and deadlines.  So, I wrote to the group that I thought “Money” would be a good theme since the whole world is being rocked at the moment and for the foreseeable future by this one thing, artists included, and that I thought the artistic “view” of money might be a challenge but timely.

I acknowledged that artists on the whole sort of “poo poo” money as a “bad” thing (I tried to think of any artwork that centered on it and couldn’t.  If you can, let me know, OK?) but, thought for that reason alone, artists should take a look at it.

One artist out of 25 emailed back positively.  Silence from the rest.  Okay, I said to myself.  I guess this isn’t a winner idea.  One of the artists, who is on my favorite person in the world list, told me on the phone, “Money!  If that’s the theme, I’m out, not doing it.”

Wow, I thought.  I guess this is a really touchy subject, but I said nothing more or wrote nothing more about it.  I’ll do whatever the group decides.  I thought.

Then, about a week later, I get an email that says the theme of the exhibit is “Currency” with an additional sentence: 25 artists explore the relationships between recognition, acceptance, motivation and art.

So, I am asking you:  what does that mean?

They want a head count of participating artists.  I have no idea what Currency means if not money, and if they can’t say money, why not?  Would you prefer to see an exhibit (this gets advertised and they want the community and art critics to come) that is titled “Money” or “Currency”?

Is there something so bad about money that we have to elide it into currency?

And, I’m not kidding you, I don’t know what this proposed theme now means.  If they had said the theme was something totally different, fine.  If they said, “Acorns”, that’s the theme. I’d have said, “Acorns, it is.”

But, this?  This is beginning to irritate me, not challenge me.  I can do something about “irritation”as the “currency” to recognition but why so convoluted?

Since the more I think about this, the more irritated I seemed to get,  I’d like some outside thoughts on the subject.  Perhaps I am missing something here?  Help me out, would you?

©Pat Coakley 2008

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11 Replies to “Art Exhibit”

  1. currency seems like a euphemism ha ha, you know we should love money. money doesnt want to go near anybody who doesnt love it. come here mr. money have a cup of tea with me

  2. Tipota–leave it to you. This is exactly what I think would help the world! A look at money from an artist’s eye. I’ve just put the kettle on, thank you!

  3. ha ha also, doesnt ‘currency’ seem like an invitation to try forgery you know engraving? ha ha we artists – also a fellow blogger, http://transdialectic.wordpress.com/ has a great film offering check out his october 18 post “highly recommended video” (but you need two hours to see the whole thing)

  4. “Currency. 25 artists explore the relationships between recognition, acceptance, motivation and art.”

    Hmm, lost me.

    “I have no idea what Currency means if not money”

    That, I can offer a suggestion.

    Currency. A form of payment, a medium of exchange.
    What would you do for $100, for $500,000, for $10,000,000? Those questions have been posed in various situation at various times.
    Have we not also heard everything from “What would you do for a (insert candy name here)?” to “What would you do for love?” Ask a lonely person what they would do for a companion. Ask a single parent what what they give for a just a few hours off. Ask an artist what they would give to open the world’s eyes to things they are blind to. Asking these questions, you asking about other forms of currency.
    Currency: money, candy, love, companionship, time, sight, friendship, understanding….. the list is endless.

    I do not know if this is what they are looking for, but it might answer the question: What is currency if not money.

  5. Yes, L, this is precisely what I am looking for! Just a few ideas of what they meant, if they did not mean money. Thanks.

  6. Tipota, wow! Invitation to Forgery…what a fantastic spin on “currency”!! I think I like it now. Well, not totally, but it’s getting better. I just needed someone else’s imagination!
    Mt. Brooks, now let me see art for sex, art for fear, art for puppies…art for apple products…now, there we go…a currency I can relate to.

  7. I do not speak “art-speak” and often do not enjoy, agree with, or really understand critiques of art.

    Could “currency” be referring more to “current” as in time and news-events? Don’t know really. I personally like your entry. Speaks volumes to me.

  8. Oh man sounds like some of those people have a few *ahem* issues, perhaps a bit of power play from one of the ring leaders? Love the photo pretty much hits the nail on the head in so man ways

  9. S.Le, I don’t think it has to do with news events but I see why one might think it. The photo here is not my entry just an image I took the other day while driving by the Dollar Tree store in the next town to me!

    Sanity, I don’t even think it’s a power play…I can’t figure it out, really. But, some of the ideas here have given me a some ideas!

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