As usual, Patrick keeps our eyes on the prize.

Thanks, Professor Lichty.

marcia
On Oct 24, 2008, at 4:05:08 PM, "Patrick Lichty" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From:   "Patrick Lichty" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:    [NEW-MEDIA-CURATING] The ICA furor
Date:   October 24, 2008 4:05:08 PM PDT
To: [log in to unmask]
Hello, all.

I'm going through the final bits of my annual tenure review (Made it, only 3 
to go...)

But in short, had Mark Napier come visit me for a public talk here in 
Chicago, and he just knocked it out of the park. Tied painting, 
programming, net art, all of it together. That's why I love he and Liza so 
much. They "got it" and know how to articulate it.

The ICA bit is hard, but it's a blip. In a way, the war's really been won 
already, it's just to what extent. 

A lot of it is education, articulation, translation, economics and political 
will. 

Politically, I think the ICA should get a scarlet letter/black eye for this 
point in time while we do not waste much time in moving on. 

Beryl, thanks for the bibliography.

Education, we need to try to get as much of this information about the work, 
curating, etc out there. Only by saturation will it reach critical mass.

Articulation - the New Media crowd is always challenged to articulate itself 
well,a nd in many ways, I agree with Mr. Napier that many times NM has 
gotten a bit of a free ride by virtue of its novelty. It DOES have to stand 
on its own in a Contemporary context.

I also like what he said regarding his Empire State Building pieces, where 
he said that he shifted from "generative" ti "Non repeating Video". I 
realize some may disagree for issues of potential arguments on definitions. 
However, the work is the work, but the frame is everything, and if it allows 
someone to get it without getting stuck on technique, all the better. This 
is a matter of translation and articulation that is both on the artist and 
curator.

When I chaired the Art Brussels panel on NM and collection this year, I said 
that I loved Claudia Hart's nudes because it no longer addresses the art 
world from a point of alterity, and ties itself to the 30,000 years of 
history as it should. This does not mean we should be all doing generative 
Caravaggios, but I feel that if NM is to have a transparency with global art 
practice, there has to be more bridge building.

Eduardo Kac gets people to get it, as Rafael Lozarno Hemmer, Cory Arcangel, 
and so on. It's a matter of acknowledging the conversation in ways that 
show NW as not being apart. This apartness, while interesting, is as 
damaging as it is distinctive.

As for Mr. Ewok, he has to wear the bear suit for a year. Sorry.

But for us and our colleagues, we're best served by being smart, articulate 
and open. Fight the good fight, and remember that not all curators are the 
fine, luminous savants we have here....

With all due flattery,
Patrick