Tony Jones
015: Radical Artist: OUT
Although most of my work rejects the exclusivity of preordained art spaces, I still enjoy participating in the museum experience. In some cases, museum-centric work remains inspirational and relevant. I also feel that the art world has evolved over the last 10 years. I was reading an article titled The Curator is Present, by Paul Echeverria. In this article, Echeverria traces a noticeable shift in The Museum of Modern Art’s curation style beginning after the relocation to Manhattan in 2004. To summarize, the article explains how underrepresented forms of art were introduced within the mainstream MoMA model. Performance, Video and Space specific sculpture were exhibited, side-by-side, with traditional forms of modern art.
In my memory, two shows were indicative of this shift. The first show, Projects 85: Dan Perjovschi, What Happened to US? was displayed in 2007. The second show, Marina Abramovic’s The Artist is Present, took place in 2010. In What Happened to US?, the Romanian artist completed a series of live, wall-based drawings in the spacious Marron Atrium. The work addressed process on multiple levels. What Happened to US? combined drawing, performance, publication, and installation. During this period, it was rare to see an artist enter a space and develop the work in real time. Watching Perjovschi draw on the walls of MoMA called to mind the defiant spirit of graffiti.
The Artist is Present contained a similar uniqueness of expression. For over two months, Abramovic completed a live performance within the museum space. During open business hours, the artist remained seated and made continuous eye contact with any spectator who chose to sit across from her. The piece revealed the powerful presence of the gaze and altered the rapport between viewer and artist. Both pieces foreshadowed an unprecedented shift in present day curatorial trends.
After experiencing strong personal reactions to both shows, I felt compelled to implement two pieces that paid tribute to the arrival of new artistic forms. For Radical Artist: OUT, I mirrored Abramovic’s performance from March 31st to May 31st, 2010. During the hours of 10:30am until 5:30pm, the same hours as Abramovic, I sat in a chair across the street from MoMA. During this time I would make direct eye contact with the museum building. If someone attempted to speak to me, I would engage in conversation without breaking eye contact with the building.
In most cases, my performance was ignored or unnoticed. Generally, the only observers who witnessed the piece were the food vendors who were situated outside of the museum. After several versions of the performance, the food workers began to note my presence. After about three weeks, they encouraged my efforts by providing me with a free lunch. What was most surprising was that all of the vendors participated in this ceremony. Over the course of two months, I received hot dogs, bagels, coffee, donuts, knishes, pretzels, gyros, and, my favorite, halal chicken and rice. Ultimately, I regarded the food vendors as a committed audience. They appreciated the fact that I was putting in the same hours as they were. In comparison, I was appreciative of their participatory gaze as well as the complimentary meals.
With all the hype surrounding Abramovic’s performance, I wanted to complete a work that would echo the act of performing outside of the mainstream. In completing this work, I, once again, challenged the museum context. While MoMA suggested that The Artist is Present within a space of their choosing, Radical Artist: OUT emphasized the artist who was performing outside of the museum space. While Abramovic stared into the eyes of the museum elite, I offered my gaze to the hard working food cart vendor.
Although most of my work rejects the exclusivity of preordained art spaces, I still enjoy participating in the museum experience. In some cases, museum-centric work remains inspirational and relevant. I also feel that the art world has evolved over the last 10 years. I was reading an article titled The Curator is Present, by Paul Echeverria. In this article, Echeverria traces a noticeable shift in The Museum of Modern Art’s curation style beginning after the relocation to Manhattan in 2004. To summarize, the article explains how underrepresented forms of art were introduced within the mainstream MoMA model. Performance, Video and Space specific sculpture were exhibited, side-by-side, with traditional forms of modern art.
In my memory, two shows were indicative of this shift. The first show, Projects 85: Dan Perjovschi, What Happened to US? was displayed in 2007. The second show, Marina Abramovic’s The Artist is Present, took place in 2010. In What Happened to US?, the Romanian artist completed a series of live, wall-based drawings in the spacious Marron Atrium. The work addressed process on multiple levels. What Happened to US? combined drawing, performance, publication, and installation. During this period, it was rare to see an artist enter a space and develop the work in real time. Watching Perjovschi draw on the walls of MoMA called to mind the defiant spirit of graffiti.
The Artist is Present contained a similar uniqueness of expression. For over two months, Abramovic completed a live performance within the museum space. During open business hours, the artist remained seated and made continuous eye contact with any spectator who chose to sit across from her. The piece revealed the powerful presence of the gaze and altered the rapport between viewer and artist. Both pieces foreshadowed an unprecedented shift in present day curatorial trends.
After experiencing strong personal reactions to both shows, I felt compelled to implement two pieces that paid tribute to the arrival of new artistic forms. For Radical Artist: OUT, I mirrored Abramovic’s performance from March 31st to May 31st, 2010. During the hours of 10:30am until 5:30pm, the same hours as Abramovic, I sat in a chair across the street from MoMA. During this time I would make direct eye contact with the museum building. If someone attempted to speak to me, I would engage in conversation without breaking eye contact with the building.
In most cases, my performance was ignored or unnoticed. Generally, the only observers who witnessed the piece were the food vendors who were situated outside of the museum. After several versions of the performance, the food workers began to note my presence. After about three weeks, they encouraged my efforts by providing me with a free lunch. What was most surprising was that all of the vendors participated in this ceremony. Over the course of two months, I received hot dogs, bagels, coffee, donuts, knishes, pretzels, gyros, and, my favorite, halal chicken and rice. Ultimately, I regarded the food vendors as a committed audience. They appreciated the fact that I was putting in the same hours as they were. In comparison, I was appreciative of their participatory gaze as well as the complimentary meals.
With all the hype surrounding Abramovic’s performance, I wanted to complete a work that would echo the act of performing outside of the mainstream. In completing this work, I, once again, challenged the museum context. While MoMA suggested that The Artist is Present within a space of their choosing, Radical Artist: OUT emphasized the artist who was performing outside of the museum space. While Abramovic stared into the eyes of the museum elite, I offered my gaze to the hard working food cart vendor.