contemporary monkey

Two quotes I thought would help build a solid foundation for any Contemporary Monkey for understand art developed after the invention of the camera.

Tony Cragg, a British artist living in Germany suggests a difference between art and design.  I work on design projects in addition to writing for Contemporary Monkey, so for me this has particular resonance.  “…the designer always has a recipient in mind, but an artist has a different, non-utilitarian agenda and it opens up enormous possibilities for new language.” (from Art World, April/May 2009).  A designer might say something differently, but artists see themselves as striving for a higher goal, using a different tool than the agreed upon standards in visual communication.  However, a “new language” sounds about right to me.  If artists can pull ideas out of their heads, or hearts, and make a difference somewhere beyond their own skin, success would certainly have a chance.  All it would take is just one other person to “get it”. The important point though is for artists to get beyond themselves.

Another quote originates from the film industry, and picked up from The Times (UK) quoting Charlie Kaufman.  A completely original screenwriter, Kaufman is the pen behind “Being John Malkovich” , “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”.  If you know Kaufman’s work, the following quote makes complete sense that it would come from his mouth.  Answering a question about his latest film, “Synechdoche”, he responds, “I mean it means what it means, and it means what you think it means, and it means what somebody else thinks it means.” If you can get your head around all of that, the point should be taken for art generally. If an artist means to communicate one way, you and I, separately, could take on completely different meanings, and still we would all be correct.  Or I guess the word would be “satisfied”.