About The Juror: About Wittig...
I earn my living as a painter, writer, and garbage picker... but not
necessarily in that order.
... am Deaf, and have strong interest in the poetry and storytelling
traditions of ASL (American Sign Language), in addition to my work in
paint and print.
... did poorly in school, did not attend university, and am
essentially self-taught in all areas.
... believe that much of the value in the human experiment resides in
its garbage... material, intellectual, and human.
... believe that the 'ArtWorld' construct, of the last three decades
of the 20th century, in large measure abandoned its mission to
humanity, that mission being the creation of resonance between
intellect and emotion, in order that we might mature emotionally
through art, at the same rate that we mature intellectually through
science.
Otherwise, we wind up as we are now... a species with the intellectual
advancement to create technology that can either benefit mankind
greatly, or destroy the planet, coupled with a level of emotional
maturity that will essentially insure the latter.
The truth of science, without the emotional honesty that only art is
capable of bringing to the equation, makes a deadly cocktail. |
Juror's Statement: When Amie asked me if I wanted to judge this show... I jumped at the
chance. It looked like there was a good chance, I might learn
something.
Back in June, 2002, I painted 'Enrot'
(http://www.robertwittig.com/images/witt274-f.jpg), and another
painting, 'ShadowLiar'
(http://www.robertwittig.com/images/witt277-f.jpg), which was less
historically specific, but which was, to my eye, closer to the
underlying reality... that beneath every lie, resides fear. Speaking
for myself, if I'm not afraid of something, there is little reason to
lie.
In my opinion, the fine arts are fields of endeavour that are more
subjective than objective, and that key in more on the emotions, than
intellect... not an 'all or nothing' rule, but a general tendency.
Feelings, as opposed to facts, and (this is important) honesty, as
opposed to truth. Truth is something that we can all agree upon...
like the boiling point of water at sea level, or the speed of light.
Honesty is something that only the individual can know for certain...
whether it exists or not. If I really, truly believe that the sky is
red, but I tell you that it is blue, because 'everybody says so', then
I may be stating a truth, but it is also a lie.
I believe that art has to maintain a level of honesty, just like a
business... Enron, or Martha Stewart does... or the work it produces
will 'fall from grace'. If I make paintings of sunflowers, because
they are popular, and sell well on eBay (and do they ever!)... but
inside, I feel like abandoned houses and factories, and desolate
winter landscapes... I suspect that the work will fail, because my
heart (emotions) will not be in it. My work will 'fall from grace',
due to lack-o- honesty. Let the scientists tell us about the physical
aspects of the planet upon which we exist... that is their rightful
domain. Let those involved in the fine arts show what the human
condition feels like, from inside their specific human shells.
This show is, therefore, a double-edged sword... addressing a
subject... our Public Icons who have 'Fallen From Grace', in a medium
(the fine visual arts), that's own success as a medium, depends on the
same human attribute... honesty... which is the most likely culprit
(by virtue of its absence), of the downfall of our Public... and very
human... Icons.
There... but for me... go I. |
