Ries Niemi objected to my post, Art & golf in a gallery:
As an artist, I always resent these stupid theme shows.
Only one step removed from those plastic cows that “artists” decorate for charity, or the inane competitions on Work of Fart on TV.
Mini Golf, in particular, is a recurring curatorial cop out.
It keeps cropping up, for well over 30 years now. First one I remember was in NYC, in the 70’s, but there were probably some before that….Why is it only visual artists get subjected to these idiotic themes, these “fun ideas”?
How come famous poets aren’t asked to all write poems about
Cupcakes for an anthology? …
Good art does not come at the request of a curator to fit into a “fun” category that everyone can relate to.
Sure, once in a while some of these show produce interesting, or at least amusing, shadows of what the artist could really do if left unmolested.
But by and large, they are an example of intellectual laziness on the part of exhibiting spaces and curators, and pandering to the lowest common denominator.
Now, I gotta go, and make my piece for the upcoming show about Tube Socks…
Yes indeed, except of course, it depends. Even the most unpromising premises can deliver, given the right artists. The right artists are usually those who are there already. It’s the difference between a curator who thinks about corners because she notices artists are working there, and a curator who asks artists who’ve never done a corner piece to make one for her. The former has a better chance of scoring than the latter.
Back to golf. An easy way to sink the art ball is to invite Charles McGill (aka Arthur Negro) to participate. Not only does he make his own golf bags….
…he’s founder of the moving golf course known as Club Negro and the website, ArtNegro.com.
McGill:
Arthur Negro, the clubs first and only Golf Brofessional, has fulfilled his dream of creating a secluded and tranquil place where former black militants can focus on things more personal to them; A place where the daily pressures of changing the world can be left on the practice putting green and where their inherent desire for individuality can be realized, somewhere between the first tee and the 18th green.
Yes and yes and I dunno
Don’t you think McGill’s work is a tad corny? I like the Nine Holes show in Kirkland better than anything I saw following the link to his site.
I think it’s possible to work with cliches without being a cliche or being, as “AnnM” suggests, corny.
The important thing is that he clearly has good form.
Coming across this quiet by accident I must offer the following (reply to a comment): the expression ‘tad corny’ does not a valid critical response make.