THE ANSWER

We all have our differing ideas about what is wrong about the current state of the art world. We could have numerous discussions about how to solve what it is that we see as the "problem". But there is no problem with the art world because the problems people have ARE different for everyone involved. The entire suggestion of a single problem or solution suggests that there is an ideal or pure state that we have strayed from and can return to. That is why I think that a certain level of irrational exuberance is needed in the face of these discussions, It not only helps in an artist's practice but is one of the only ways to create any sort of interesting movement within the schizophrenic art world.

One of Chicago's major benefits is that it is not New York. Because the art community here is smaller and less commercially driven artists have more opportunity to influence the discussion. Anyone in Chicago who opens an apartment gallery showing decent work will receive attention. Anyone who wants to create a temporary exhibition or event can do it with very little money and have their contribution considered. If we focus on using these advantages to present and promote intelligent work we can create an energy that would not only raise the level of the work being made in the city but also gain the attention of the national scene.

If instead we focus on not being New York and continually broadcast to the rest of the country that we are in fact not New York that is the position we will stay in. The people who are willing to start galleries and exhibition spaces will then go to New York where they will be allowed to do there thing without constantly being told they are in a second city.




SCHOOL DAYS

After reading "Artists in Their Youth" in this week's New Yorker I was glad that I am not going to school on New York. It seems as though there is little room for failure in the situation described in that article. If our studios where nothing more than mini-galleries when could we take any risks? How could we move beyond the surface of what we are doing? If you have any doubt about what kind of work that environment produces check it out for yourself at www.jacktiltongallery.com. When I went to the site I thought I had accidentally gone to the Illustrators of America home page.