6 Books Assignment

Fiction:
Ray, Rebecca. Pure. New York: Grove Press, Inc., 1998.

This book is about a thirteen year old girl who has a relationship with a thirty two year old man. It is about rejection, loss, abuse and confusion. I read this book when i was thirteen years old. I was drawn to this book because there was not a happy ending, no resolve. The ending of the book suggests that there could be, but there wasnt yet. I chose this book as my fiction piece because the nameless girl in the book takes her life, her choices, and her consequences with a kind of pride and maturity I did not know when i was thirteen. I could not begin to understand the position of the main character at the time I read this book, and it wasnt until years later that I could make a connection to the feelings of the girl and my own.

Non Fiction:
Jane Sexes it Up: True Confessions of Feminist Desire. Merri Lisa Johnson. New York: Thunder, 2002.

Jane Sexes it Up is a book full of essays about feminist desire. It aims to break down sexual desire and place it within the context of feminist theory and the "supposed to" and "not supposed to" of social constructs. I chose to read this book a few years ago in an attempt to define for myself what i was "allowed" to feel or not feel, and further, to explain my own feelings in a more clear way. It was decent to read at the time, and was informative. It relates to my work, in that, it attempts to contextualize thoughts and actions that are otherwise foggy, much like my own work.

Video:
Phelan, Peggy. Pippilotti Rist. 1st. New York: Phaidon Press, 2001.

The work of Pipilotti Rist deals with issues of femininity, sexuality and gender. I chose her to research because I am envious of her ability to indirectly speak about some of the similar subjects I am interested in. She uses many different types of metaphors to make statements, have dialogues with her viewers, and ask questions. I am interested in her installations and how she creates spaces, rather than just projecting video on a wall. I am attracted to her cultural references, such as Chris Issac and John Lennon. I aim to be as successful as her in her ability to be subtle.

Sculptor:
Abramovic, Marina. The House With the Ocean View. New York : Charta, 2002.

In her book, The House with the Ocean View, Marina Abromovic documents a twelve day piece in which she attempts to change/discuss/evaluate the energy fields of the artist and the public. She was questioning her effects on people and people effects on her, and there was a process of purification throughout the twelve day stay as well. I am interested in this piece because I am interested in the literal representation of document and perhaps even "diary". Although the artist was not allowed to write or read or talk during the piece, the viewer had constant access to the artist and the book represents a travel log of sorts. She wanted to engage her audience. I aim to do this in my work as well. Although our subject matter is different, I chose her to work with because of her ideas regarding documentation and access to the body.

Painter:
http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/madison-avenue-2006-11-john-currin
http://nymag.com/arts/art/features/24355/

John Currin

John Currin paints very formally pleasing images of pictures he finds from pornographic photographs and videos. According to Wikipedia, in regards to Currins current work "nonetheless, by the late 1990s Currin's ability to paint subjects of kitsch with technical facility met with critical and financial success, and by 2003 his paintings were selling "for prices in the high six figures"." As I researched Currin, I became most attracted to his work because of his comment on the finances. He admitted to doing the work he does because it make him money. He offers no other explanation and for some reason, no one demands one. His paintings, however, are also extremely attractive. I find it successful how he, to me, questions high and low art and what that means, in addition to sexism and feminism.

Photographer:
1.
Wolfe, Byron. Everyday. San Francisco: Chronical Books, 2002.

I need to say, first off, that I hate these photographs and this artist. I find his images boring and unchallenging. The idea of does a 365 day long photo diary is overdone and contrived. However I chose to include him in this research because of the discipline required to do such a project. I chose to research him because I forgot and could not find the Japanese artist that Paul suggested weeks ago, and I couldn't find his name in my notebooks.

2.
Greer, Fergus. Portraits. Switzerland: Rotovision, 2006.

I chose to research Richard Kern because of his bold, in your face, blatantly sexual images. Unlike self portraiture, Kern stays behind the camera, thus in total control of his subject. I am interested in Kern's discussion of art vs porn, control vs vulnerability and high vs low. I am interested in his subjects eye contact with the camera, the unapologetic sexuality and the fact that like Terry Richardson, Kern has a shallow and unshocking, yet interesting view of sexuality and women.