Zooming Out and then back in

It is amazing to think about how over just the last few months my frame of reference has changed. Several months ago, I thought many of my interactions and engagments were totally temporary. But know I am thinking much more about how some of those connections can be strengthened and further developed. The main culprite in this is the work I've been doing with the Dia Art Foundation. A few months ago I harped on the fact that Dia was only supporting a legacy, but much of that understanding was based on a rudimentary notion of how the Foundation worked. Don't get me wrong, I still wished that they would support younger artists, but as I've grown to understand and admire how the foundation works. I just wished that there was a similar conduit for artists like me.

So what has been on my mind. One thing that I've been thinking about is American art. This is definitely influence by the conversations that I've had at Dia, but it is also come to the forefront of my thinking after leaving Singapore last fall. There was an opportunity to stay in Asia, which probably wasn't a bad idea. Though, I felt that I needed to return to the US to further engage what my identity and roots. I just didn't feel settled in Singapore. It was too exotic, so foreign. I needed to return and move to New York to be a part of what was happening in the US. To connect with an American art system and the communities that make it up. What I've realized is that there are no communities. Everyone is really in it for themselves. Maybe that is a bit hasty, but I haven't seem much yet. Will come back to that a year from now.

Maybe what it is more about is the ability to work. Right now, I'm extremely poor, which is forcing my work to remain on this mental/unmade level. That might be good. It allows it to ricochet around my head a bit longer. The ideas can grow and be nurtured a bit more. I've also started to plow through some reading. Even have the opportunity to do some writing. This is all great stuff and makes me excited about doing what I'm doing. Though, Singapore is in my head. Mainly because it would allow me create. I just need to find that balance where finances do not come in the way of studio time.

Back to American Art. I heard Chrissie Illes speak about Michael Heizer last week. She and others have spoke of his preoccupation with making an America Art. That is why he is out in the Nevada desert moving mountains. But what is American Art now? Highly educated curators at the Whitney Biennale are even having trouble trying to answer that question.
My take on this focus more about what I think it should be that what it might be. I think it should be about intersections and interactions. For me Heizer has disconnected himself in ways. He is continues to develop lines of thinking that date back to earlier work. I'm sure that the work will be amazing, even awe inspiring, but I do think that is what people are connected to these days. It will hark back to a past that Art historian love to talk about, but still doesn't respond to the present or try to make a change.

I'm cogniscent of technology, but artist who use technology rarely are able to create due to the restraints of the medium. With scientists trying to be creative, but never really grasping how to move beyond black and white. Much of the art I see is either A+B+C+D= Art or Look what I can do, but I'm unable to really say anything with it.

I've been going out on a limb for some time working with games. For me this is an American Art Form! While it has a big Asia influence there is still a divide between cultural output that allows it have a specific identity. Though I'm not just interested i in the visual aspects of games. My interest lies in the ability to function with in a mode of interaction. It is about doing and engaging in that action.

I think that I am working toward a manifesto here.
As my laptop is about to die - I'm going to add more later.

Zooming Out and then back in refers to our desire to sit back and watch things from afar. Staying away from engagment. I use to be scared of aggressive behavior, but that is what makes life interesting. Anyway more later.