Steven Wolf Fine Arts presents:
The Profession
Michael Zheng
May 21 – July 2, 2010
Opening Reception: Friday,
May 21, 2010, 6 – 9 pm
Hosted by:
Marina Abramovic Institute West
575 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-501-0575
Gallery Hours
Wednesday – Saturday
12 – 6 pm
This is an excellent idea. However, I wish that the questionnaire would have probed the issue of institutional support for artists. Here are some examples of the kind of questions I wish would have been asked.
Is a MFA worth the cost?
Does it kill creativity because of the cost?
Why is it that most galleries stopped doing portfolio reviews in the 1990′s?
Why are curators from museums so out of touch with local artists?
Why aren’t there any critics that cover the local scene?
Why isn’t there a scene for them to cover?
Where have all the mavens gone?
Why don’t SF artists live in communities like they did in the 1950′s, 60′s, 70′s, & 80′s?
When was the last time a new alternative space opened in SF?
Why don’t the established alternatives support art that’s relevant to what’s happening now instead of the 1960′s?
Thanks!
Steve,
Very relevant questions. To me, the first two directly relate to the target group that I interviewed. Though they were not asked in these ways, these were often addressed in the participants’ answers to the questions that were asked about art schools. Interestingly, as expensive as their school cost (most people graduated with about $50 grand debt), nobody has mentioned that their MFA isn’t worth it. Almost all of them respondents said that, in addition to other things, their school has made them a better artist and a critical thinker. And that seems to justify the whole experience including the cost.
The rest are excellent questions that seem be directed at other components of the art community. Indeed, these are important questions related to the vibrancy of an art community and deserve a lot of attention. To start a conversation on these subject, I wonder how you think about these issues? Have you spoken with your circle about these issues and what seem to be the consensus?
michael