And then there is Colm T�ib�n

Steven Cohen - South African Artist. Original Commission for Mayor of Johannesburg 1992
Collection Eugene Hon.

For the past five years, since being redeployed; lecturing and pursuing my creative endeavours as a ceramist, I had doubts about the subject matter of my ceramic statements. Followers of this blog and especially the development of the concepts of my ceramic statements, will undoubtedly have asked the question, why is he so obsessed with gay related issues at a time, when to quote the author Colm T�ib�n, '.......the phrase post-gay is slowly becoming current' (Toibin, 2001;7). That maybe true in the West, where being gay presents no real threat and obstacles - to live the 'American dream'. However gays and or homosexuals on the continent of Africa, the Middle East and Asia still face very serious threats. 

Battles are being won on various fronts, but the war on discrimination is entering a new phase - fueled on by the fundamentalist determination to be heard, seen and their expressed views felt. 

On Friday I woke-up to a BBC interview with Colm T�ib�n and I was hooked. Yesterday I purchased a few of his books - reading matter for the summer recess - mmmmmm. Inspired by his remarkable insight into the plight of gays, I embarked on reading his book, titled Love in a dark time; Gay lives from Wilde to Almodovar, and needless to say it restored my confidence in my subject matter.


He asks the question whether it matters that we expose the true sexual identity of influential artists of the nineteenth and twentieth century (especially those that kept their homosexuality secret). His research reveals the impact of a changing world on their lives and their work. 


'It matters because as gay readers and writers become more visible and confident, and gay politics more settled and serious, gay history becomes a vital element in gay identity, just as Irish history does in Ireland, or Jewish history amongst Jewish people'(T�ib�n, 2001:7)


However it is the following quotes that really had the most significant impact. He states that whilst other communities who were oppressed (Jews, Catholics and post Apartheid Africans) 'have every opportunity to work out the implications of their oppression in their early lives. They hear the stories; they have the books around them. Gay people, on the other hand, grow up alone; there is no history. There are no ballads about the wrongs of the past, the martyrs are all forgotten' (T�ib�n, 2001:9). He quotes Adrienne Rich's phrase 'you looked into the mirror and saw nothing'.

He states, 'the discovery of a history and a heritage has to be made by each individual as part of the road to freedom, or at least knowledge, but it also has serious implications for readers and critics who are not particularly concerned about gay identity, and it also has serious dangers' (T�ib�n, 2001:9).

His words of wisdom serves as a personal affirmation; addressing an ambiguous past, and to ensure the future as libertine.

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And then there is Colm T�ib�n

Steven Cohen - South African Artist. Original Commission for Mayor of Johannesburg 1992
Collection Eugene Hon.

For the past five years, since being redeployed; lecturing and pursuing my creative endeavours as a ceramist, I had doubts about the subject matter of my ceramic statements. Followers of this blog and especially the development of the concepts of my ceramic statements, will undoubtedly have asked the question, why is he so obsessed with gay related issues at a time, when to quote the author Colm T�ib�n, '.......the phrase post-gay is slowly becoming current' (Toibin, 2001;7). That maybe true in the West, where being gay presents no real threat and obstacles - to live the 'American dream'. However gays and or homosexuals on the continent of Africa, the Middle East and Asia still face very serious threats. 

Battles are being won on various fronts, but the war on discrimination is entering a new phase - fueled on by the fundamentalist determination to be heard, seen and their expressed views felt. 

On Friday I woke-up to a BBC interview with Colm T�ib�n and I was hooked. Yesterday I purchased a few of his books - reading matter for the summer recess - mmmmmm. Inspired by his remarkable insight into the plight of gays, I embarked on reading his book, titled Love in a dark time; Gay lives from Wilde to Almodovar, and needless to say it restored my confidence in my subject matter.


He asks the question whether it matters that we expose the true sexual identity of influential artists of the nineteenth and twentieth century (especially those that kept their homosexuality secret). His research reveals the impact of a changing world on their lives and their work. 


'It matters because as gay readers and writers become more visible and confident, and gay politics more settled and serious, gay history becomes a vital element in gay identity, just as Irish history does in Ireland, or Jewish history amongst Jewish people'(T�ib�n, 2001:7)


However it is the following quotes that really had the most significant impact. He states that whilst other communities who were oppressed (Jews, Catholics and post Apartheid Africans) 'have every opportunity to work out the implications of their oppression in their early lives. They hear the stories; they have the books around them. Gay people, on the other hand, grow up alone; there is no history. There are no ballads about the wrongs of the past, the martyrs are all forgotten' (T�ib�n, 2001:9). He quotes Adrienne Rich's phrase 'you looked into the mirror and saw nothing'.

He states, 'the discovery of a history and a heritage has to be made by each individual as part of the road to freedom, or at least knowledge, but it also has serious implications for readers and critics who are not particularly concerned about gay identity, and it also has serious dangers' (T�ib�n, 2001:9).

His words of wisdom serves as a personal affirmation; addressing an ambiguous past, and to ensure the future as libertine.

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Stop Bullying: Ball point pen drawings at The Cit� Internationale des Arts

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Stop Bullying: Ball point pen drawings at The Cit� Internationale des Arts

Bullfight 

Last week I watched a CNN news broadcast featuring a rise in bulling amongst kids and decided to feature a series of ballpoint pen drawings developed round the theme of bulling. The CNN topic is Stop Bullying: Speak Up - Fifty-fifty chance your kid is a bully. Follow link for full story.

"If the saying, 'sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never harm me' was ever true, it certainly is not so today," said Josephson "Insults, name calling, relentless teasing, and malicious gossip often inflict deep and enduring pain." Cited on CNN website October 27, 2010 - Study: Half of high school students admit to bullying

Arkansas school board member officially resigns over anti-gay post, stating "I went too far"
  
The concepts and individual drawings showcased below were produced in Paris, during a three month residency at Cite internationale des Arts. 

The Cit� Internationale des Arts

The foundation provides a studio and is intended to provide short and long stays (2 months to 1 year) for professional artists who want to develop artistic work in France. The Cit� Internationale des Arts is a foundation directed to the public benefit since 1957. Since its opening in 1965, the Cit� Internationale des Arts has accommodated more than 18 000 artists from all over the world. The site where I stayed, one of two (the other located at Montmartre) is located at 18 rue de l�H�tel de Ville includes 270 individual workshops in the heart of the Marais district, a dynamic quarter swarming with art galleries and a favourite destination for Parisians. 

Friends in my studio.

My stay at the Cite - for me it was an incredible experience - visiting local Galleries and Museums, drawing inspiration from countless artifacts in historically significant collections displayed to maximum effect. Seeing artifacts, maquettes and sculptures in the flesh, and rendering them in quick ballpoint pen drawings, contributed significantly to the development of my vocabulary of sculptural forms, shapes and textures. The stay richly increased my visual art knowledge and provided me with an opportunity to consolidate my ceramic sculptural concepts and innovative ideas in terms of ceramic techniques and processes. Contemporary Art exhibitions in nearby art galleries enriched my knowledge of cutting edge art theory and practice.

Scanned Ballpoint pen drawings of "Bullies" on side plates.

Minotaur painting Picasso.

The drawing above and below were inspired by a series of art works by Picasso - referring in particular to his minotaur series of etchings produced during a decision making period in his life (crises) - subject matter that featured in many art works from thereon (image on the left). He had to make a choice with regard to parenthood and his commitment as an artist. Professor John O. Jordan, Department of Literature, University of California gave a talk in 1991 at Wits University in South Africa on the subject tiled "Picasso, the Minotaur, and the `Renunciation' of Art." 

Big-jaw

Big-Noise

Bigot

Bull-headed

Bully

Big-shot

Big-splash

Bulldozer

Butcher

Pale-horse

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Seduced and abandoned; Ceramic Competitions!

Spanner in the works, Page one of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Seduced

Entering Ceramic Competitions is every aspiring ceramist�s dream to gain regional, national and international recognition. The idea is to seek an acclaimed status (celebrated, applauded and much appraised) amongst the elite of one�s ceramic peers. Being accepted and winning an award, boosts one�s creative endeavours and looks great on the CV. However being rejected, especially when you were very confident with your entry, can be devastating!

Spanner in the works, Page two of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Case in point

This post entry is in direct response to my work being rejected for the Mixed media � Ceramic Plus, The Nassausiche Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics. Enclosed are the drawings, images and supporting text submitted for the Ceramic Competition (as requested in the entry forms) �an installation of 16 tattooed rats with actual piercings titled, Spanner in the Works. To my knowledge this is the first time, in an International Ceramic Competition, that your ideas, drawings, models and prototypes had to be submitted for adjudication and not photographic documentation of the finished final piece. I assume most ceramists would have submitted images of their final pieces and not drawings etc as stated on the entry forms.

Emotional Distress

I was very confident with my drawing skills and design layout knowledge, including my highly refined conceptual ability, that I would be one of the 150 out of 350 entries to this prestigious awards exhibition. Especially as the 2010 competition focuses on Art or expressive works rather than studio ceramics and or Ceramic Craft. The inclusion of piercing linked to tattoos, associated with the historically significant event, Operational Spanner UK, seemed the obvious creative direction for me to pursue, and perfectly meets the competition's mixed media criteria. On rejection a carefully constructed letter was compiled and sent to the abandoned and rejected individuals, with these comforting and encouraging words; to consider future participation � �but please: as you surely know, - in another context, with another group of jury members or another theme the decision could have been easily another one involving your wonderful project, too.�

Spanner in the works, Page three of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Abandonment

Most competitions have a policy that the judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into / or entertained at the rejection of the work. No feedback is ever provided. This leaves one with the feeling of self-doubt and rejection, a Dostoyevsky type angst (Crime and Punishment syndrome) associated with a lack of creativity and innovation underpinning one�s work.

Judging

In my capacity as a judge, I have myself rejected work for regional and national competitions, and therefore should be well prepared for the worst outcome. However there are those times when one is maybe over confident and forget that there are so many factors that contribute to work being accepted and certain work to be rejected. To try and begin to analyse the reasons for the work�s rejection, is a futile exercise, and in itself destructive. There are always more questions than answers. Doubt is not all bad and if channelled correctly could bring out the best in one�s creativity.

Restitution?

One should take refuge in one�s self belief, and pursue one�s creative passion with ever increasing determination. One needs to get over it, not to take it so personally, and to get on with it. So there you have it. Respect for the judges decision is always good governance, obstinate behaviour could have serious consequences, that draws far too much attention to oneself for the wrong reasons, which most certainly will not aid one�s future career development or successful entry in future competitions.

Read More

Seduced and abandoned; Ceramic Competitions!

Spanner in the works, Page one of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Seduced

Entering Ceramic Competitions is every aspiring ceramist�s dream to gain regional, national and international recognition. The idea is to seek an acclaimed status (celebrated, applauded and much appraised) amongst the elite of one�s ceramic peers. Being accepted and winning an award, boosts one�s creative endeavours and looks great on the CV. However being rejected, especially when you were very confident with your entry, can be devastating!

Spanner in the works, Page two of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Case in point

This post entry is in direct response to my work being rejected for the Mixed media � Ceramic Plus, The Nassausiche Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics. Enclosed are the drawings, images and supporting text submitted for the Ceramic Competition (as requested in the entry forms) �an installation of 16 tattooed rats with actual piercings titled, Spanner in the Works. To my knowledge this is the first time, in an International Ceramic Competition, that your ideas, drawings, models and prototypes had to be submitted for adjudication and not photographic documentation of the finished final piece. I assume most ceramists would have submitted images of their final pieces and not drawings etc as stated on the entry forms.

Emotional Distress

I was very confident with my drawing skills and design layout knowledge, including my highly refined conceptual ability, that I would be one of the 150 out of 350 entries to this prestigious awards exhibition. Especially as the 2010 competition focuses on Art or expressive works rather than studio ceramics and or Ceramic Craft. The inclusion of piercing linked to tattoos, associated with the historically significant event, Operational Spanner UK, seemed the obvious creative direction for me to pursue, and perfectly meets the competition's mixed media criteria. On rejection a carefully constructed letter was compiled and sent to the abandoned and rejected individuals, with these comforting and encouraging words; to consider future participation � �but please: as you surely know, - in another context, with another group of jury members or another theme the decision could have been easily another one involving your wonderful project, too.�

Spanner in the works, Page three of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Abandonment

Most competitions have a policy that the judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into / or entertained at the rejection of the work. No feedback is ever provided. This leaves one with the feeling of self-doubt and rejection, a Dostoyevsky type angst (Crime and Punishment syndrome) associated with a lack of creativity and innovation underpinning one�s work.

Judging

In my capacity as a judge, I have myself rejected work for regional and national competitions, and therefore should be well prepared for the worst outcome. However there are those times when one is maybe over confident and forget that there are so many factors that contribute to work being accepted and certain work to be rejected. To try and begin to analyse the reasons for the work�s rejection, is a futile exercise, and in itself destructive. There are always more questions than answers. Doubt is not all bad and if channelled correctly could bring out the best in one�s creativity.

Restitution?

One should take refuge in one�s self belief, and pursue one�s creative passion with ever increasing determination. One needs to get over it, not to take it so personally, and to get on with it. So there you have it. Respect for the judges decision is always good governance, obstinate behaviour could have serious consequences, that draws far too much attention to oneself for the wrong reasons, which most certainly will not aid one�s future career development or successful entry in future competitions.

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Conceptual development of the rats.

Towards the Rat Installation.

Final ballpoint pen drawings of the rat. Preparatory studies in developing the stylised form and shape of the Rat, whilst reviewing possible surface decoration options (considering the shape of the rat to accommodate the transfers - specifically for the installation).

The Nature of the Beast.

Why a rat, you may ask, I have always been fascinated by the little mice carved inconspicuously on the legs and other parts of wooden furniture, one such stool is owned by a dear friend and colleague of mine, Sue Sellschop.Its is quite possibly the work of the great master, the famous 1920' carpenter, Robert Thompson himself. One of his assistants apparently termed the phrase "that we are all poor as church mice". This then became his trademark. Ian Johnston, a colleague at UJ, reaffirmed this aspect of my choice of the rodent, when he mentioned that mice always lurk amongst the pots and the pans in the home, including the crockery, a perfect vehicle therefore for its symbolic use as defined by JC Cooper in his Encyclopedia of Symbols.

Symbolism

The rat (actually the fleas it carrried), was the major vehicle for spreading the disease amongst humans during the Black Plaque, it is a symbol of the underworld, of destruction, of evil, rarely seen in Renaissance Art. It is a plague animal, a symbol of death, decay, and the powers of darkness. In Christianity it is a symbol for the devil. Last year was the Chinese year of the rat - the year I embarked on the development of the concept for the rat installation - the next phase of the development; in preparation for an exhibition in August.

Preparatory ballpoint pen drawings of the rat - refining the form and shape of the rat (innovative and creative response to the sources of inspiration), drawing inspiration from ceramic factory products manufactured in Germany (refer to drawings below and photographic images of the actual products in the previous blog entry.

Drawings of ceramic ornaments featuring rats. I normally work directly from nature, but in this case, I needed to link it closer to ceramic history, especially products designed for manufacture - to ensure that the viewer would make the connection with its ornamental qualities (desirable) complimented by the decorative surfaces. Photographic images of the inspirational ceramic products (drawn here) are posted in the previous blog entry.

Thematic inspiration for the rat installation

When I was in India a few years ago, signing MOUs for collaboration between the faculty of Art, design and Architecture and NID, NIFT and NISTADs, I was watching a documentary on the black Plaque of 1348, trying to establish a metaphorical link with AIDS. However it was the response of the religious fanatics that caught my attention most - their reaction was similar during the first phase of the aids pandemic, especially their abuse of gays when AIDS first spread amongst the gay community in the early 80s, Gods wrath and vengeance against their chosen lifestyle. The church lost all its authority during the plaque which gave rise to fanatics; a reaction to the evil psychological impact of the disease. the religious sect, termed flagellants, went on a mission; traumatising society (even blaming the Jews) already struck with fear (impact of the disease, half the population died), speaking out at lechery and a call to greater devotion and piety. Therefore the idea of a ceramic rat to be imbued with symbols of confrontation; an ideal module for slip casting.

Integrating the forms and surfaces.

I always use the evocative nature of the written word, text and or symbolism to develop concepts, even for the surfaces - writing down the creative options (a mind map shown above). I have always felt that in some instances the the size of the ceramic sculpture and or ornament is unable carry the weight of the meaning of the piece.

The meaning, purpose and significance of the signs and symbols in the use of transfers (printed image) and the sgraffito technique - with reference to Tattoos.

We live in a society no less tolerant, plagued by fanatics on all fronts (as mentioned before in many blog entries); a direct response to issues brought about by globalisation. Films have always had a significant impact on my work. For the purpose of this particlular blog entry, the films, American History X, The Believer and Eastern Promises (seen last night ). I have also become fascinated by society's present interest and tollerance of insignia on the body (Prevalent in the two of the above mentioned films) - purchasing numerous books on Tattoos, one in particular stands out, Written on the body, edited by Jane Caplan. This is an historical account of contemporary thought on the subject, approached from a number of viewpoints including, an anthropological, sociological and cultural studies perspective. The use of images, symbols and signs is therefore linked to the interaction or play between the "interior"and "exterior"aspects of tattoo. continued below.

Russian Tattoo. Image taken from Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopedia, Page 367. Strict Regime Corrective Labour Collony No.40 Kungur, Perm Region. 1991. The tattoo"curses on the Communist Gents for my Withered Youth, belongs to convicts who blame the communist regime for their ruined lives (pg 63). Sistine Madonna tattoos express a yearning for women.

Why Tattoos as inspiration and reference - concept behind surface development.

Caplan states that, "The tattoo occupies a kind of boundary status on the skin, and this is paralleled by its cultural use as a marker of difference, and index of inclusion and exclusion" (Caplan, 2000,XI). Even the book of revelations (Christian Bible) refers to the need for the relevant "mark" as signifier for redemption when the Messiah returns.

In my quest for appropriate ceramic surfaces, I tried to draw inspiration from ceramic traditions, rather than a Fine Art approach. I needed to find a link between the expressive and the decorative function, hence an investigation into ceramic transfers; a creative response to the evocative status and meaning of the tattoo. Continued below.

Russian Tattoo, Image taken from Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopedia, Page 355, Strict Regime Corrective Labour Colony No.14 Tuksinka Settlement, Sverdlovsk Region, 1992. This colony houses especially dangerous criminals with repeated convictions. Their tattoos tell the stories of their life in imprisonment.

Why specifically the Russian prison tattoos"

It was the tattoos of prison life that fascinated me at first -"the convicts body acts like a genuine traitor or executioner towards its owner, since the tattooed body cannot lie. The body pronounces its own sentence, condemns itself to suffering. It is only the body that the thief can trust, only the body that cannot lie" (Plutser -Sarno.A, 2006.39).

Just like Russion Prison Tattoos the surface decoation is a means to secret communication - Why the secrecy?

I have always been interested in the tacticle and decorative opportunties of ceramics, however , never exploited its true potential in my work as explained above. The viewer is drawn to the ceramic product (in this case ceramic ornament) in terms of its decorative and ornamental qualities incorporated in the ceramic forms and surface decoration. My ceramic pieces were always much larger (sculptural) - commercial transfers would probably not have worked well. More recently I have down scaled the works to function on the level as ceramic ornaments embracing a decoarative and expressive function. Therein lies the opportunity; to lure the viewer; to engage the obscured expressive function. The surface decoration (transfers and sgraffito signs and symbols) like their tattooed counterparts, dont lie - they give ultimate meaning to the piece - with repulsive consequences to the viewer.

Russian Tattoo. Image taken from Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopedia, Page 36. Applied forcibly to a passive homosexual, in the Pskov City corrective labour camp, as the caption in the enlarged image explains.

Detailed view of surface development on the rats. Closer observation will reveal black images of woman; black transfers of stylised Russian tattoos - sources and or origins of these images are enclosed below.

The actual meaning and significance of the chosen images and heart shapes for the decals.

Russian prison tattoos are complex images at the interface of linguistic, visual, social, communicative and psychological contexts. It is this aspect that I tried to exploit in developing decorative yet expressive surface options. In this preliminary ceramic exploratory works (above) I made use of a combination of floral transfers, including the pansy, roses and for-get-me-nots (the significance thereof explained in a previous blog entry dated), cut into heart shapes (the symbolic meaning explained below) before applying them to the bottoms of the rats, contrasting sharply with the gold and silver lustre stiletto and or weapon like shaped tails of the confrontational rats. Their nose tips painted gold and silver lustre (echoing their tails) - ready to engage their counterparts, like dogs, it enables them to sniff at eachother backsides to determine there true identity (hence the fact that the stylised insignia is placed on the bottoms of the rodents).

Russian Tattoo forcibly applied. Image taken from Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopedia. Krasnoyarsk camps, 1956. Back.

Significance of the Heart and other insignia continued.

In both instances the Russian tattoos and my ceramic transfers have nothing to do with flowers or cold steel (weapons). The heart shaped transfers and sgraffito insignia is directly linked to one of the tattoos applied forcibly to the back of the Russian prisoners (above). The thief preys on other offenders - the gays and child molesters that are at the bottom of the pyramid in prison life. They are bullied, abused and or terrorised in the most horrific ways. The tattoo above depicts a heart and an anus. It came from a man convicted of pederasty. He was used by prisoner for fellatio and a passive homosexual. The heart is both a symbol of God's love, shared humanity and the abuse of thereof (by Authority).

A Russian Tattoo of a passive homosexual. Corrective Labour Colony No 5 Leningrad. 1971. Image taken from Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopedia, Page 163.

A woman holding an apple in her hand with a snake winding round her, symbolising experience from an early age. This is a tattoo of a passive homosexual, worn on the back. It is sometimes applied forcibly.

Tattoo worn by a passive homosexual.

The tattoo therefore is the manifestation of who you really are, Alexei Plutser - Sarno sates "that it is a movement away from the "reality" of the ordinary (naked body) towards the symbolic body. It is as if there is nothing of value inside the prisoner and the value is on the surface" (Plutser- Sarno, 2006.49).

"These sculptural and landscape elements on a man's body indicate that the body itself is regarded as an incomplete object, the substance of which must be used to create the prisoner or to destroy him. we are dealing here with a ritual act of dehumanisation of the body"( Plutser- Sarno A, 2006.51).

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