A sacred stone remains a stone; apparently (or, more precisely, from the profane point of view), nothing distinguishes it from all other stones. But for those to whom a stone reveals itself as sacred, its immediate reality is transmuted into a supernatural reality.
-from “The Sacred and the Profane” by Mircea Eliade
The Power of Three
Recently time, fate, the stars and ceramic conferences have aligned in Philadelphia to give me a rare gift; a chance to see not only two solo exhibitions from artists whose careers I have been keeping an eye on, but also to see an exhibition of works they created collaboratively-all in the space of a single month.
Nick Lenker’s solo project “The Destruction and Creation of Man”, is at Pageant Soloveev (607 Bainbridges St, closes May 8th; read about it on artblog), Paul Swenbeck’s solo project “Shaker legend-trip”, is at Fleisher/Ollman Gallery (1616 Walnut St, closes May 1st; read about it on artblog) and the combined efforts of the two artists “Man, Myth and Magic”, is housed at Bambi Projects (1001 N 2nd St, closes today). When the address of each exhibition are mapped in google the locations of the three presentations create a thin triangle with “Man, Myth and Magic” as it’s apex. Though each artist deals in mysticism, ritual, and witchcraft I have no reason to really believe this triangulation is on purpose– however I am willing to suspend my disbelief by choosing the apex of the triangle as the most powerful exhibition of the three and therefore the one I will concentrate my efforts on.
It should be noted that the brain behind combining the forces of Lenker and Swenbeck is Megan Webb, who should be commended on noticing the similarities in the artist’s creations and organizing “Man, Myth and Magic”.
Venn Diagram
It can be dangerous for two artists who usually make individually to make collaboratively; especially if the collaborative display is the one that gets the most attention. Mr. Lenker, being the younger and lesser known of the two, stands in greatest danger of being assimilated into the oeuvre of Mr. Swenbeck. This Venn Diagram hopes to offset anything treacherous to either party by highlighting each artists differences whilst we discuss their similarities.
I Want to Believe
Many of the myths Nick and Paul draw from have lost their power over the years due to their use in popular culture. While looking at one-eyed monsters, little skeleton figures in mountainous landscapes, and dark portals it is easy to think of Heman, Dungeons and Dragons, Lord of the Rings, and listening to Metal in a dark basement beset by black-lighted posters–and I do think these things play a part in the work. No person is removed from popular culture and a knowledge that you will always be effected by that culture is one of the appealing parts of Swenbeck and Lenker’s combined works. More, the work realizes that the viewer will bring their own popular culture to the table when looking at the work and that the objects will be found both amusing and playful. Many of us were subjected to the watered-down myths of cartoon episodes before we were made to read Greek tragedy or history books.
What saves the work from being purely pop is the idea that it could be in used for a ritual function–many of the objects are meant to be set on fire and Paul had a doctor draw his blood for mysterious “finishing ritual touches”. This takes the work on view slightly out of the realm of art and makes us think of objects that are sacred to people for other reasons then their aesthetic value. It could be that the objects actually have a power of some sort, or could- if only we really believed in them.
We-the viewer, and them- the artists, are always outsiders looking into this idea of belief. No one expects us to believe and we only come close in short bursts of imagination. (Perhaps while looking into a piece of black reflective material that makes up one of the artworks in “Man, Myth and Magic”.) There is no doubt that certain paintings and objects–the cave paintings at Lascaux, the Venus of Willendorf–were made by a people who truly believed that these objects did something. Similarly, when we were kids most of us invested our personal objects (toys) with power. There is a certain envy of this type of belief in the works of Paul and Nick, both envy of the belief of the maker and the viewer that was able to think the object sacred or powerful.
Setting Yourself up for Failure
“Man, Myth and Magic” is a collaborative investigation of myth and sacred objects. None of the objects in the exhibition can live up to the idea of the really sacred or ritual object and this is a failure that both artists knew they would encounter before they started working. This isn’t a censure, because no educated human of this era could make such an object. The question is why anyone would bother to attempt a journey that will only end in bankruptcy. The answer can only be about art and our relationship with the objects of it.
The art objects in “Man, Myth and Magic” are envious of the really sacred, just as they are a little envious of a really sought-after and rare action figurine. Art is a piss-poor substitute for magic but art is real and magic isn’t.
11 Comments
I’m not sure if I love the triangle or the Venn diagram more.
Vis a vis the latter, I want to say Nick also has bodily fluid in his show (that would be the vomit). Your point about the artists realizing this isn’t really magic seems underscored by that choice! But I want to make a further comparison between the vomit and Swenbeck’s blood: I don’t find blood quite so funny, quite so distanced from the quest for magic.
As usual, a great post! I’m glad you brought up He-Man. Let’s add the quests in Zelda and other video games.
Dear Anntoilette,
Wee have a thesis wee are working on that putz forth the idea that the image of the fillytowne art scene to the outside whorl could be classified as a movement, a loose movement, that wee have labeled Arrest Developmentalism. The piece you write above smacks of it. With the Great Recession, a few warz, local hardshipz, pollution, teawackers etc,. wee have wonder how this movement jibes wit the real world???
“While looking at one-eyed monsters, little skeleton figures in mountainous landscapes, and dark portals it is easy to think of Heman, Dungeons and Dragons, Lord of the Rings, and listening to Metal in a dark basement beset by black-lighted posters…”
Grown men involved in childish, supposed scary activities, using blood, vomit etc. to create owwwwww so mysterious workz. What a f’n joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wee really want to know how this washes in relation to the rest of the entire global world of contemporary art, and wee don’t mean 10 years ago, wee mean To-DAY and why this movement seemz to have been able to grow tentacles here and not elsewhere in any significant way. Wee have to mention Vox, 10-666, Art Starz, Bambi, xtree xtree and otherz who seem to all be engaged in some part in this juvenile whorl.
The obvious reply is that “wee should talk”. Butt wee have a purpose for our voice, wee are actually making fun of the self proclaimed intellectuals like Libby, har, and du thingz to bust their ballz. And are using the fillytowne vernacular on steroidz, dats all. Our Mission is to aggravate the establishment, yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is dat what these boyz are duing or are wee suppose to take their childish approach seriously????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeee ya hon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! H+H
Libby–
Thanks for the info on the vomit–and yeah, trying to talk about Nick and Paul’s work in the same sentence is actually a little hard even though they collaborated so well together.
Dear h + h,
Finally a semi-valid point –if not once again hypocritical–can you really fight what you see as anti-intellectualism and your “arrested developmentalism” with miss-spelled words, juvenile pictures, and even more juvenile attacks? In my humble opinion all you are really doing is trying to stir up hatred.
The fact that you would put Vox, 1026, Bambi and Extra Extra in the same category proves that you haven’t been paying much attention when you were there if you’ve ever visited the venues at all–
But I don’t want to put words in your mouth–clarify your argument–I can say that there are spaces with a similar aesthetic to Space 1026 all over the country;
Lump Gallery in Raleigh, NC
Cinders, in NYC
Needles and Pens, SF
. . . so maybe you should leave Philly once in a while before you shout regionalism on this one. Either way write your essay–it’d be nice to see you do something real.
Wee are very real hon, and making an impact bigger than yous ever will, but thatz an aside. Does that make us dummie, if so then what does dat make yous!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????? Heeeeeeeeee.
U didn’t answer our question on Arrested Developmentalism and the local scene? Why? It is a valid question to ask why grown upz du childish art on Big Foot, Video Gamez, Wittle Animals, etc.
U site NC as the answer to this low brow thang that is just catching on in the hinderlandz, even further outside of the cultural centerz than fillytowne??? PPLLLEEEZZZZZZZZZZZ, can’t u du better than dat???? Plus who carez that other places are duing it, wee want to know why and how it relates to the world wee are living in, or how they cum to doing this kind of work. What is the thinking beehind it if there is any??????????
Did u see our Special Issues on spaced 10-666 http://spaced10666.blogspot.com/
and Fungholepages http://fungalpages.blogspot.com/
Vox http://artblahg.blogspot.com/2010/04/arrested-developmentalism-part-dva-vox.html
THIS is our work, this is our thesis, our case, plain as day yo.
Wee have traveled much of the country and have our eyez wide open, can’t yous tell? Wee will be looking for an answer to our question from you and the insiderz and practitioners of Arrested Developmentalism themselves. Thank yous.
lovvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeee ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! H+H
Ahhhhhhh!!!!!! So Antoilette,
U must want your very own Special Issue. When u put the link to the scum that draft our fumes thatz what you were asking for. Well it ain’t gonna happen. U ain’t worth the hour it would take us. Boy, youz insiderz really stick your necks out for each other. Wee know u are mad because wee went after Dick Torchia. Wee are going to du a Special Issue on him. Here is the url wee scoffed up yo. You kidz are really cute “fighten for dee man”. What ever happened to REAL artists????????
http://dicktorchia.blogspot.com/
Wee see he comes to our site and posts under fake names form NY where he shacks up. Wee think it is funny. The thnag is…if yous would all try and du the right thang there would be nuttin to bust yous ballz on, dat is those of yous who have ballz.
command c. Are u gonna use CENSOR-SHIT now too. Well wee still won’t gives u a link hon. Harrrrrr!!!!!!!!
Anon-toilette
Wees caught yous now didn’t wee. U made a mistake and used your real name on dat shithole and showed your true colors. All because wee told the truth about your frenz and yous don’t want to play fair. Wee are more determined now than ever. Rmember this hon, first ofall u are attacking the wrong gent. He will probably eventually get mad and he has supporters just like you foolz. Then when you are put on page 1of a google serach with our assessment of you your wittle child career will be affected. Wee are long past that point hon. Try and bee a goot little citizzen from now on and wee will have nothing to say about you. Now Dick is another story. Wee know he writes from Ny all the time to us and he is hurt by our take on him. He has another chance too. Next time he runs a show he should be there, not that he wasn’t, wink, wink, and not separate his frenz into piles, and make a better call for entries, a truthful one, and not let employees and Peww winners in 5 times and… and…. Git it yet. and yous are crying. What a f’n joke. In any other industry you would all be fired and possible fined or jailed. get a clue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is Vincent Romaniello capable of staying on topic?
New Rule:
No more comments from artblagh duder. I’m tired of it, it’s boring– and he definitely feeds off of it like an infectious disease.
If you look here as an example I think any person can understand why it is spam. It’s off topic, it supplies numerous links, it uses nonsense words and there’s consecutive submissions. It is standard practice to redirect the url of a spammer, which I did in these comments. Artblahg is a virus. You can find their comments spreading on other websites. I suggest that if you have them commenting on your blog, you shouldn’t. It’s embarrassing that we have allowed it this long, but I knew H+H would follow suit so here you can see what spam looks like. What makes artblahg worse than the standard spam, is that it’s sole purpose is to degrade your site.
Annette,
About your review! I find it refreshing that the artists are trying to reach a lost culture, but are infected still by their current consciousness. As a viewer I think I couldn’t enjoy them otherwise. The map is so cool and I wish they were thinking about this! Maybe? It really doesn’t matter, magic has a way of it’s own.
really liked reading this and love the diagrams which seem kind of Lord Whimsyesque!
One Trackback
[...] Review a Month also reviewed the work of Paul Swenbeck in April, 2010. This entry was posted in Shows Reviewed and tagged Aaron Igler, Annette Monnier, Art, Ceramic, [...]