Burton Dickerson, A Blog

I sense that we have all become victims of a higher power ( no, not God ) but a judgement system that we yield to as superior to our own…. and we offer up our precious creations hoping for a thumbs up but meekly accepting a crushing verdict. So as artists your work is constantly judged and prejudged by jurors,critics, buyers dealers instructors, etc…. any wonder you survive it. A judgement system has evolved and is used ruthlessly by those who would gain from it. It controls the gate to the big art centers and even the little art centers.

To protect your self from damaging criticism and judgement you must avoid submitting your work needlessly. Believe in yourself.

Feel free to add your thoughts to this idea. D

Random thoughts on the subject of sculpture-… Where the perimeter of a sculpture ends and the beginning of unrelated space begins is a factor that has often puzzled me. There is a problem with isolating the sculpture from it’s surrounding or placing it harmoniously into it’s surrounding. Placing a small sculpture on a stand is usually adaquate for viewing. Placing a large sculpture indoors is sometimes confining. The point is that a sculpture and the space that it exists in is vital. The Veitnam Memorial and its immediate environment is inseparable. And ‘of course all of Cristo’s work depends on massive space.

Henry Moore put a huge hole thru his sculpture and allowed background space to enter into the work. The Pyramids and the massive space they occupied presented a perfect match.

Whatever is put in the Guggenheim Museum is swallowed up by the ghost of Frank Lloyd Wright. In fact, most architects try to swallow humanity.

As I recall the Picasso sculpture in downtown Chicago is huge, yet crowded by the surrounding buildings . My cohart says not so and he is from Chicago.

Feel free to add to this disjointed discourse. D

Back in the 60’s and 70’s the center of art was New york City as was the art market. For the aspiring artist, success was measured by “did he make it in NY”. Did he have gallery representation, or did he live in a loft in Manhatten? We all knew who the contempory giants of art were… they were our heros’, we emulated them…. Motherwell, Dekooning, Rivers, etc. Their paintings appeared regularly in the Art magazines. And then it passed us by… or I lost track. My question: Are there anymore giants in the art scene ? Any new innovators ? Is the world art center now dispersed ? Is Cristo the top sculptor ?