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ON T H E S P A C E OF A R T I S T S
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss
c n i c t c o t N b i o N b o N
c bi 1 c b s v MARY J ANE J ACOB
t Nb MI CHE L L E GR AB NE R
Mary Jane Jacob is professor of sculpture and executive director of exhi bitions at
the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the co editor of Buddha Mind in
Contemporary Art and Learning Mind: Experience into Art.
Michelle Grabner is professor in and chair of the Department of Painting and Draw-
ing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and codirector of The Suburban, a
gallery in Oak Park, Illinois.
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago gratefully acknowledges the generous sup-
port for this book provided by the William and Anne Hokin Exhibition Research Fund.
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637
The University of Chicago Press, Ltd., London
2010 by The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
All rights reserved. Published 2010
Printed in the United States of America
Rights to individual essays in this volume are retained by their authors.
19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 1 2 3 4 5
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-38959-2 (cloth)
ISBN-10: 0-226-38959-6 (cloth)
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-38961-5 (paper)
ISBN-10: 0-226-38961-8 (paper)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The studio reader : on the space of artists / edited by Mary Jane Jacob and
Michelle Grabner.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-38959-2 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-226-38961-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-226-38959-6 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-226-38961-8 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Artists studios. 2. ArtPhilosophy. I. Jacob, Mary Jane. II. Grabner, Michelle.
N8520.S78 2010
702.8dc22
2010003778
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the Ameri-
can National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed
Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992.
coN1cN1s
i x Foreword by Lisa Wainwright
xi Preface by Mary Jane Jacob
1 Introduction by Michelle Grabner
Te Studio as Resource
17 Buzz SpccLor
21 Rochcllc FcinsLcin
23 Shana IuLkcr, Indcx: Drcam SLudio, 2uu32uu6
28 Michacl SmiLh, Rccipc: PcrccL SLudio Day
30 1ohn Baldcssari, In ConvcrsaLion
Te Studio as Set and Setting
39 Howard Singcrman, A Possiblc ConLradicLion
47 Franccs SLark
49 RobcrL SLorr, A Room o Oncs Own, a Mind o Oncs Own
63 Brucc Nauman, ScLLing a Cood Corncr
68 Michacl PcppiaLL and Alicc Bcllony-Rcwald, SLudios o Amcrica
80 Annika Maric, AcLion PainLing Fourold: Harold Roscnbcrg and an
Arcna in Which Lo AcL
87 Kimsooja
88 Barry Schwabsky, Tc Symbolic SLudio
Te Studio as Stage
99 David 1. CcLsy, Tc RcconsLrucLion o Lhc Francis Bacon SLudio in
Dublin
104 ArL & Ianguagc, ArL & Ianguagc PainLs a PicLurc
vi
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119 David Rccd
121 Tomas Iawson
125 Charlinc von Hcyl
126 SvcLlana Alpcrs, Tc Vicw From Lhc SLudio
150 Rodncy Craham, SLudio
153 1oc Scanlan, PosLPosL SLudio
154 Carolcc Schnccmann, Tc SLudio, 1unc 22, 2uu0
156 Danicl Burcn, Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLudio
163 Danicl Burcn, Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLudio RcvisiLcd: Danicl Burcn in
ConvcrsaLion
166 Carric Moycr
169 Marjoric Wclish
170 Marjoric Wclish, Tc SLudio VisiL
181 Marjoric Wclish, Tc SLudio RcvisiLcd
Te Studio as Lived-In Space
195 Mary BcrgsLcin, Tc ArLisL in His SLudio: PhoLography, ArL, and Lhc
Masculinc MysLiquc
217 Rachcl Harrison
219 Iynn IcsLcr Hcrshman, Tc SLudio PrcscnL
220 Brcnda Schmahmann, CasL in a DicrcnL IighL: Womcn and
Lhc ArLisLs SLudio Tcmc in Ccorgc Scgals SculpLurc
237 Karl Hacndcl
239 Brian Winkcnwcdcr, Tc KiLchcn as ArL SLudio: Ccndcr,
Pcrormancc, and DomcsLic AcsLhcLics
251 Clcnn Adamson, Analoguc PracLicc
259 Amy CranaL, 11u7
261 David Robbins
264 1amcs Wclling, Polaroids, 1076
Te Studio as Space and Non-Space
269 1on Wood, Brancusis whiLc sLudio
285 1amcs Wclling, Paris, 2uu0
286 Carolinc A. 1oncs, PosL-SLudio/PosLmodcrn/PosLmorLcm
vii
302 CourLncy 1. MarLin, Tc SLudio and Lhc CiLy: S.P.A.C.F. ILd. and
Rashccd Araccns Chakras
311 KaLy Sicgcl, Iivc/Work
317 Suzannc Iacy, Bcyond NcccssiLy: Tc SLrccL as SLudio
321 Walcad BcshLy, SLudio NarraLivcs
332 Andrca Bowcrs
336 1udiLh Rodcnbcck, SLudio VisiL
341 Ianc Rclyca, SLudio Unbound
351 List of Contributors
360 Illustration Credits
363 Index
ix
As Lhc arL world carccns Lhis way and LhaL, and iLs many insLiLuLions, mar-
kcLs, and audicnccs adapL and adjusL, supporLing iL all is Lhc gcncraLivc ac-
LiviLy o sLudio pracLicc. Tc sLudio is a spacc and a condiLion whcrcin crc-
aLivc play and progrcssivc Lhinking yicld proposiLions or rcccLing on who
wc arcindividually and collccLivclyand whcrc wc mighL go ncxL. Such
proposiLions Lakc myriad orms dcpcnding on Lhc naLurc o Lhc arLisLs and
Lhc maLcrials aL Lhcir disposal, buL whaL is common Lo all sLudio pracLicc is
Lhc proccss o working Lhrough an idca as a mcLhod o Lhinking and making.
To Lruly libcraLc Lhc imaginaLion is Lo havc Lhc spacc and rccdom Lo rcccL,
criLiquc, and innovaLc, kcy proccsscs or inLroducing changc and advanc-
ing dcmocraLic idcals. Te Studio Reader, in pulling asidc Lhc curLain on Lhc
world o arL, rcvcals somcLhing o Lhcsc undamcnLal acLiviLics.
Schools o arL and dcsign likc ours, Lhc School o Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc o
Chicago, Lruly basc Lhcir pcdagogy in sLudio pracLicc. Tc valuc o cvolv-
ing an idca Lhrough Lhc push-and-pull o a mcdiumbc iL physical, digiLal,
languagc-bascd, or oLhcrwisccmpowcrs Lhc lcarncr. In sLudio courscs,
knowlcdgc is vigorously baLLcd abouL boLh maLcrially and conccpLually, or
crcaLivc LcsLing Lhrough making rcmains csscnLial Lo knowing. Icarning
Lhrough cxpcricncc mcans acquiring mulLiplc ordcrs o skill. IL is a orm o
rcscarch LhaL ollows a paLh o unolding idcas as Lhc hand and body, as wcll
Lhc mind, lcarn. And iL can yicld surprising and powcrul rcsulLs. Tis cdu-
caLional sLraLcgy is Lhus signicanL, noL only or producing arLisLs and dc-
signcrs, buL or undcrgraduaLc cducaLion in gcncral.
WhaL mighL wc all know i wc workcd in Lhc sLudio or a Limc` WhaL
can wc lcarnabouL oursclvcs, abouL Lhc worldLhrough Lhis parLicular
cxpcricncc o doing` AL Lhc School o Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc, wc havc pursucd Lhis
coursc or ncarly a ccnLury and a hal: in childhood programs, in carly col-
lcgc Lraining or high school sLudcnLs, and, o coursc, in our dccp and broad
undcrgraduaLc and graduaLc programs. Whilc noL all alumni work as arL-
isLs, all arc inormcd by Lhcir cxpcricncc in and wiLh arL-making. Tc abiliLy
rorcworb Lisa Wainwright
x
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dLo rcscarch, conccpLualizc, and modcl idcas, Lhc command o a criLical dis-
coursc groundcd in Lhc rcalm o visual rcprcscnLaLion, and Lhc cxibiliLy and
adapLabiliLy lcarncd in Lhc sLudio arc invaluablc rcsourccs in an cxploding
global scmiosphcrc.
Tc rolc o Lhc arL schooland aL iLs corc sLudio pracLiccis pcrhaps
nccdcd now morc Lhan cvcr. As wc havc sccn LhroughouL civilizaLion, only
i wc prcscrvc placcs or individual LhoughL and cxprcssion, or unconvcn-
Lional pcrspccLivcs and producLivc ailurcs, can socicLy ourish. Only Lhcn
will wc placc skillcd arLisLs and dcsigncrs in Lhc world Lo conLinuc Lhc sLudio
mcLhod o criLical and humanc cngagcmcnL.
xi
Making has bccn Lhc modaliLy o Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc rom iLs inccpLion. ILs in-
corporaLion papcrs, draLcd in 1S70, commiL iL Lo Lhc ounding and mainLc-
nancc o schools o arL and dcsign, Lhc ormaLion and cxhibiLion o collcc-
Lions o objccLs o arL, and, nally, Lhc culLivaLion and cxLcnsion o Lhc arLs
o dcsign by any appropriaLc mcans. In ullling Lhis mission, noLhing oc-
cupics a morc ccnLral and cnduring rolc Lhan Lhc arLisLs sLudio. Fvcn whcn
Lhc making is noL so visiblc, iL is always prcscnL. Tc back sLory is always
Lhcrc. Takc onc o Lhc ArL InsLiLuLcs grcaLcsL masLcrpicccs, A Sunday on La
Grande Jatte (1SS41SS6, 1SSS/1SS0) by Ccorgcs ScuraL. In a work painLcd
in Lhc ycars bcLwccn iLs sLarL and iLs complcLionModels o 1SS61SSS
wc scnsc iLs prcscncc in Lhc arLisLs mind and scc iL in his working cnviron-
mcnL, rcminding us LhaL Lhc sLudio is Lhc gcncraLivc spacc.
Today Lhc Sullivan Callcrics siL bcLwccn Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc as school and
as muscuma Lcaching, rcscarch, and prcscnLing program Lhrough which
wc conLinuc our mission as wc cngcndcr a spacc or making and display LhaL
is cngagcd and invcsLcd. Tis occurs in Lhc orm o cxhibiLions, arLisLs proj-
ccLs, collaboraLivc programs, and publicaLions by which sLudcnLs, aculLy,
Lhc public, and Lhc cld can urLhcr convcrsaLions around arL and, cspccially,
arL-making.
Wc arc dclighLcd Lo bc working wiLh Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss on
Lhc publicaLion o Te Studio Reader, a book LhaL aims Lo bc a companion
pcrhaps cvcn an inspiraLion or arLisLs, arL sLudcnLs, and arL cducaLors
now and inLo Lhc uLurc. For Lhcsc rcadcrs, Lhc sLudio is morc Lhan a physi-
cal placc, cvcn morc Lhan a mcnLal spacc, iL is a ncccssiLy o bcing.
WhaL docs iL mcan Lo bc in Lhc sLudio` WhaL is Lhc spacc o Lhc sLudio in
Lhc arLisLs pracLicc and lic` Is iL Lhcrc LhaL arLisLs rcalizc Lhcir own arLisLic
agcncy and scl` Docs crcaLivc poLcnLial originaLc in Lhc sLudio or only Lakc
orm Lhcrc`
Wc scc hcrc, Lhrough arLisLs imagcs and words, somc o Lhc many ways
Lhc sLudio uncLions and Lhc many orms iL can Lakc. Wc hcar abouL iLs rolc
rrcrtcc Mary Jane Jacob
xii
as a placc whcrc Lhcy work, livc, display, archivc, and sLorc arL. DcspiLc shiLs
in arLisLic pracLiccs, siLcs, and modcs o producLion LhaL mighL lcad us Lo
suspccL Lhc sLudio is irrclcvanLobsolcLciL rcmains a placc whcrc arLisLs
go or long Lo rcLurn Lo, somcLhing Lhcy havc or scck Lo obLain. As a way o
mainLaining proccss, parLicipaLing in a discoursc, and noL losing LhaL somc-
Limcs clusivc or vulncrablc idcnLiLy o bcing an arLisL, Lhc sLudio cndurcs.
TaL Lhcrc is Loday a broad inLcrcsL in rccxamining Lhis scminal spacc is
cvidcnccd by Lhc ncw and insighLul LcxLs ocrcd hcrc, along wiLh a sclcc-
Lion o pasL criLical cssays. Our goal in compiling Lhis volumc has bccn Lo rc-
visiL Lhc sLudio and rcsiLuaLc iL in conLcmporary Limcs. Civcn Lhc pcrsonal
naLurc o Lhc subjccL, wc clL iL viLally imporLanL LhaL Lhc book includc arL-
isLs own rcccLions on Lhc naLurc o Lhc sLudio as iL rclaLcs Lo Lhcir habiLs
o mind and working proccsscs. Tc inLimaLc porLraiLs Lhcy havc crcaLcd, in
words and imagcs, allow us Lo bc a parL o Lhis placc.
Georges Seurat, Models, 18861888.
xiii
Tis book was iniLiaLcd and cdiLcd wiLh my valucd collcaguc Michcllc
Crabncr and is an cnduring parL o a widcr inquiry inLo Lhc arLisLs sLudio
LhaL shc launchcd. Along wiLh arL hisLorian Annika Maric (who also appcars
as an auLhor hcrc), Crabncr organizcd a major cxhibiLion cnLiLlcd PicLuring
Lhc SLudio, which Look placc aL Lhc School o Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc o Chicagos
Sullivan Callcrics rom Dcccmbcr 2uu0 Lo Fcbruary 2u1u. Fvolving rom Lhc
brcadLh and mcaning o Lhc conLcmporary sLudio, iL was asscmblcd around
noLions o Lhc sLudio as dcncd by Limc, spacc, and rcscarch or sLudy, as
wcll as by making, iL probcd Lhc sLudio as workshop, lab, acLory, sancLum,
loungc, homc, and social ncLwork. Coing Lo Lhc hcarL o Lhc cnLcrprisc o
Lhc arL world, iL allowcd visiLors Lo vicw laLc LwcnLicLh- and carly LwcnLy-
rsL-ccnLury works Lhrough Lhc lcns o Lhc sLudio. For Lhis rcason, Lhc Col-
lcgc ArL AssociaLion dcsignaLcd PicLuring Lhc SLudio Lhc ccnLcrpiccc o iLs
0SLh annual concrcncc. Fvolving rom Lhis cxhibiLion, Lhcsc samc gallcrics
wcrc Lransormcd inLo Lcmporary sLudios in summcr 2u1u, simulLancously
ocring working spacc Lo arLisLs rom hcrc and away and cnabling visiLors
Lo obscrvc, convcrsc, and parLicipaLc in programs wiLh rcsidcnL arLisLs. Tis
living cxhibiLion was an aLLcmpL Lo urLhcr conronL Lhc myLhs LhaL Lhc
LcxLs in Lhis book challcngc and illuminaLc.
WiLh my cocdiLor, Michcllc Crabncr, who conLribuLcd Lhc cxccllcnL inLro-
ducLion LhaL ollows, I would likc Lo Lhank cspccially School o Lhc ArL InsLi-
LuLc o Chicago assisLanL curaLor KaLc Zcllcr, who acLcd as assisLanL cdiLor.
Hcr pcrormancc is procssionally ouLsLanding and, indccd, no ncr collab-
oraLor could bc ound. Shc was joincd in Lhis Lask aL Lhc School by graduaLc
curaLorial assisLanLs 1oc Ivcrson, who ably scrvcd as cdiLorial assisLanL or
righLs and rcproducLion, and Rachcl M. Wol, who ovcrsaw rcgisLrarial as-
pccLs o PicLuring Lhc SLudio, as wcll as rcscarch assisLanL PcLcr Ribic. As
always, Lhc work o Lhc Schools DcparLmcnL o FxhibiLions is cnablcd by
Lhc nc work o dirccLor o cxhibiLions Trcvor MarLin and associaLc dircc-
Lor Todd Cashbaugh. For Lhcir conLinuing rolc in supporLing Lhc programs
o Lhc School o Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc and or cnabling arLisLs sLudios sLaLc-
widc Lo Lhrivc, wc also Lhank Lhc Illinois ArLs Council, a sLaLc agcncy. AL
Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss wc grcaLly bcncLcd rom our collaboraLion
wiLh MaLL Avcry, AnLhony BurLon, 1ocl Scorc, 1ill Shimabukuro, and Chris-
Lophcr WcsLcoLL. For mc, iL has also bccn csscnLial Lo havc as a guidc Susan
M. BiclsLcin, cxccuLivc cdiLor aL Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss, who saw
Lhc worLh o Lhis publicaLion and wiLh wisdom and grcaL cxpcricncc sLccrcd
iL Lo rcalizaLion.
1 IncorporaLion documcnL, May 24, 1S70, quoLcd in Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc o Chicagos General
Catalogue of Sculpture, Paintings and Other Objects June, 1910.
Matt Keegan, Work from Home, 2008.
1
i N1robuc1ioN Michelle Grabner
A skylight illuminated the masters studio; falling directly on the canvas fastened
to the easel and as yet marked by only three or four strokes of white paint, daylight
failed to penetrate the dark corners of this huge room, though stray reections in
the gloom picked out a silvery gleam on a suit of armor hanging on the wall, sud-
denly glistening on the carved cornice of a venerable sideboard holding odd pieces
of crockery, or spangled points of light upon the coarse texture of some old brocade
draperies lying in broken folds. Plaster lay-gures, limbs and bodies of classical
goddesses lovingly polished by the kiss of centuries, littered shelves and console
tables. Countless sketches, studies in three colors of crayon, red chalk, or pen-and-
ink, covered the walls up to the ceiling. Boxes of paint in powder and tubes, jars
of oil and turpentine, and a series of overturned stools left only a narrow path by
which to reach the aureole cast by the skylight around Porbuss pale face and the
strange visitors ivory cranium.
noNor c bc s t i z tc, Tc Unknown MasLcrpiccc (1S37)
Tc scvcnLccnLh-ccnLury sLudio LhaL bcguilcs young Nicolas Poussin in
Balzacs shorL sLory, rcvcaling Lo him arLs maLcrial opcraLion, is LhaL o Lhc
ncoclassical painLcr Franois Porbus. IL is a mysLcrious placc, vasL and dark,
liLLcrcd wiLh ancicnL props and Lhc cvidcncc o disciplincd work. Porbuss
aLclicr is Lhc gcrm o Lhc modcrn sLudio. IL iniLiaLcs a siLc and a ramc o
producLion or PicL Mondrians Nco-PlasLic cxpcrimcnL aL 26, ruc du DcparL,
1ackson Pollocks FasL HampLon barn, ConsLanLin Brancusis whiLc aLclicr,
1osc Albcrss workshops, Tomas Iawsons skyliL rooms, Charlinc von
Hcyls alchcmic laboraLory, and David Robbinss Lhrcc lapLops and grccn
upholsLcrcd swivcl chair in his ranch homc on Milwaukccs norLh shorc.
Tc auraLic LradiLion o Lhc modcrnisL sLudio dcsignaLcd iL as a placc scL
asidc or Lhc producLion o auLonomous workLhc siLc, oLcn, o discngagcd
arLisLic labor, whcrc, in isolaLion, discrcLc aspccLs o arLisLic compcLcncc
2
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nwcrc cxplorcd and rcncd. YcL Lhc modcrnisL sLudio was noL always a soli-
Lary lair shuL o rom Lhc world. IL also uncLioncd as a placc o insLrucLion,
a hub or social cxchangc and collccLivc work.
Tc sLudio, on Lhis modcl, is a room o privilcgc, a domain o malc
auLhorship LhaL is dcLcrmincdly undomcsLic. From scvcnLccnLh-ccnLury
Furopc Lo mid-LwcnLicLh-ccnLury Amcrica Lo Lhc prcscnL day, modcrnisms
romanLic sLudio LradiLion has nurLurcd Lhc producLion o individualism.
Porbuss sLudio on Lhc ruc dcs Crands-AugusLins, wiLh iLs jars o painL and
holy lighL, is a rcprcscnLaLion o arLisLic originaliLy, Lhc placc whcrc crcaLiv-
iLy unolds. Hcrc, in his IcL Bank sLudio, Lhc grcaL man displays his skill. YcL
hc has nciLhcr Lhc hcroic gcnius o Frcnhocr, Lhc sLrangc visiLor, nor Lhc
godlikc crcaLiviLy o Lhc sLrccLs uLurc LcnanL. A ccnLury laLcr, in 1037, iL bc-
camc Lhc siLc o Picassos sLudio, and Lhcrc hc produccd Guernica.
Somc ycars bcorc Lhc wriLing o Balzacs sLory, Tcodorc CcricaulL
painLcd Portrait of an Artist in His Studio, a scnsuous porLrayal o his as-
sisLanL LhaL undcrscorcs Lhc archcLypc o Lhc romanLic sLudio by dcpicLing
Lhc mind aL work, noL Lhc hands. CcricaulLs subjccL siLs sLaring ouL aL Lhc
vicwcr, his arm and hand supporLing a pondcrous hcad. A singlc daubcd
palcLLc on Lhc wall bchind him is Lhc only cvidcncc o painLcrly acLiviLy, on
a shcl abovc iL arc a skull and Lwo anaLomical plasLcr casLs. BuL or Lhcsc
cw amiliar props, Lhis spacc, wiLh iLs rough-cuL cciling joisLs, could bc any
sooLy cighLccnLh- or nincLccnLh-ccnLury inLcrior room. Hcrc Lhc sLudio is a
mcLaphor, insinuaLing Lhc arLisLs scnsc o purposc and posLurc ouLsidc o
socicLy, in Lhc sLudio hc is isolaLcd rom Lhc world o ordinary mcn, LhaL hc
mighL rcalizc his gcnius. Tc painLing also splcndidly illusLraLcs SvcLlana
Alpcrss Lhcsis LhaL Lhc rcaliLics o Lhc sLudio arc clusivc, buL Lhcy arc also
dcLcrmining and asLonishingly long-livcd in Furopcan painLing.
Michcl dc CcrLcaus mcLaphor o Lhc moLionlcss Lrain car as a sorL o god
undonc is apL whcn cxamining Lhc spacc o Lhc conLcmporary sLudio. Tc
romanLic sLudio cncodcd in individual crcaLion is also in a conLinuous sLaLc
o bccoming undonc. Tc workshops o William Morris and Lhc Bauhaus,
Frank Iloyd WrighLs homc and sLudio, Warhols acLory, Bcuyss pcdagogical
cxpcrimcnLs, Lhc dcccnLcrcd pracLicc o Fluxus, and Lhc anLisLudio posiLions
o Lhc 106us and 107us shapcd a caLchall posL-sLudio condiLioncd on Lhc Lra-
diLional Furopcan sLudio idcal. For cxamplc, Danicl Burcns scminal 1071
cssay Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLudio, rcprinLcd in Lhis volumc, mainLains Lhc
sLudios sLaLus as a uniquc spacc o producLion whilc also calling or iLs dis-
inLcgraLion: Tc work is madc in a spccic placc which iL cannoL Lakc inLo
accounL. All Lhc samc, iL is Lhcrc LhaL iL was ordcrcd, orgcd, and only Lhcrc
may iL bc Lruly said Lo bc in placc.
3
Burcns posL-sLudio analysis o siLc and inLcnLion is parallcl Lo a prag-
maLic raming o Lhc sLudio as a siLc o aLLcnLion. In 1ohn Dcwcys 10uS cs-
say Docs RcaliLy Posscss PracLical CharacLcr` hc sLaLcs:
Awarcncss mcans aLLcnLion, and aLLcnLion mcans crisis o somc sorL in an cx-
isLcnL siLuaLion, a orking o Lhc roads o somc maLcrial, a Lcndcncy Lo go Lhis
way and LhaL. IL rcprcscnLs somcLhing Lhc maLLcr, somcLhing ouL o gcar, or in
somc way mcnacing, insccurc, problcmaLic and sLraincd. IL is in Lhc acLs o Lhc
siLuaLion as LransiLivc acLs, Lhc cmoLional or subjccLivc disLurbancc is parL o
Lhc largcr disLurbancc.`
Iikc Burcns insisLcncc LhaL a work o arL bclongs solcly Lo Lhc sLudio, alling
vicLim Lo a morLal paradox rom which iL cannoL cscapc sincc iLs purposc
implics a progrcssivc rcmoval rom iLs own rcaliLy, rom iLs origin, Lhc sLu-
dio as a siLc o aLLcnLion cmploys crisis and conLradicLion in dcning ways.
Mapping Lhc LrajccLory o Lhc modcrn sLudio is cquivalcnL Lo mapping
arLisLic sLylc, propricLy, and invcnLion. As mcnLioncd abovc, Guernica, LhaL
LwcnLicLh-ccnLury poliLical masLcrwork, sprang rom pcrhaps Lhc samc aLLic
sLudio as Porbuss dcdicaLcd, i comparaLivcly liclcss, rcndcrings o naLurc
Theodore Gericault,
Portrait of an Artist in
His Studio, ca.1820.
Frank Lloyd Wright
Home and Studio,
drafting room, Oak
Park, Illinois, 1889/
1898.
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nin Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccnLury. Tc willcd Lropc o Lhc individual arLisLs sLudio,
commcncing rom FnlighLcnmcnL valucs o scl-dcLcrminaLion, shiLing iLs
cmphasis rom rcasoncd humanism Lo inspircd scl-cxprcssion in Lhc Ro-
manLic cra, and bccoming Lhc criLical mcasurc o auLhcnLiciLy or Lhc Ab-
sLracL FxprcssionisLs, pcrsisLs Loday boLh in popular culLurc and in arLisLic
pracLicc. Whilc many culLural orums and rclaLcd siLcs opcncd Lhcir doors,
rcjccLing crcaLivc soliLudc, Lhcsc vcnucsLhc social sLudios, salons, work-
shops, and acLoricsdid noL ully dispcrsc auLhorship and Lhc noLion o
a privilcgcd siLc o producLion. Tc crcaLivc masLcr rcmaincd inLacL, as did
Lhc sLudio, dcspiLc bcing dislocaLcd or inhabiLcd by oLhcrs. Tc posLmodcrn
sLudio, howcvcr, is analogous Lo bricolagc, ad hoc and racLurcd, no longcr
Lhc solc siLc o arLisLic cnLcrprisc, Lhis shapc-shiLing sLudio arms Lhcsc
rccogniLions and hclps rcsisL Lhc objccLicaLion o mulLiplc cxpcricnccs inLo
narraLivc sysLcms which, Lhrough paLLcrns o powcr/knowlcdgc, Loo oLcn
organizc dicrcncc inLo hicrarchy, or csscnLializc iLs cncrgics inLo a culLural
ormula inccLcd by lincariLy. As CcrLcau claboraLcs:
Fvcryonc gocs back Lo work aL Lhc placc hc has bccn givcn, in Lhc occ or Lhc
workshop. Tc incarccraLion-vacaLion is ovcr. For Lhc bcauLiul absLracLion o
Lhc prison arc subsLiLuLcd Lhc compromiscs, opaciLics and dcpcndcncics o a
workplacc. Hand-Lo-hand combaL bcgins again wiLh a rcaliLy LhaL dislodgcs Lhc
spccLaLor wiLhouL rails or windowpancs. Tcrc comcs Lo an cnd Lhc Robinson
Crusoc advcnLurc o Lhc Lravcling noblc soul LhaL could bclicvc iLscl inLacL bc-
causc iL was surroundcd by glass and iron.'
Pcrhaps cqually pcrLincnL Lo a conLcmporary cxaminaLion o Lhc sLudio and
iLs poLcnLial is CcrLcaus analysis o placcs and spaccs. Tc ormcr hc
dcncs as disLincL locaLions whosc consLiLucnL clcmcnLs arc bcsidc onc
anoLhcr, sLabilizcd in accordancc wiLh rulcs and laws LhaL govcrn whaL is
propcr. A spacc, on Lhc oLhcr hand, cxisLs whcn onc Lakcs inLo considcr-
aLion vccLors o dirccLion, vclociLics, and Limc variablcs. CcrLcau cmploys
a simplc analogy in which spacc is likc a word whcn iL is spokcn, LhaL is,
whcn iL is caughL in Lhc ambiguiLics o an acLualizaLion, Lransormcd inLo
a Lcrm dcpcndcnL upon dicrcnL convcnLions, siLuaLcd as Lhc acL o a prcs-
cnL (or o a Limc), and modicd by Lhc LransormaLions causcd by succcs-
sivc conLcxLs.'
Tc romancc o Lhc sLudio Lopos is always promising Lo rcLurn, wriLcs
Carolinc 1oncs in hcr inucnLial LcxL Machine in the Studio. Tc prcscnL vol-
umc cxamincs LhaL asscrLion, idcnLiying conLcmporary cxamplcs o Lhc in-
hcriLcd individual-sLudio modcl, whilc also upcnding iL wiLh argumcnLs, Lhc-
orics, and obscrvaLions conLribuLcd by working arLisLs, arL hisLorians, and
5
criLics. Appraising Lhc sLudio as an insLrumcnL, as a sLaLc o mind, as a siLc o
aLLcnLion, buL primarily as a pracLiccd placc, Lhis anLhology aLomizcs and
rccongurcs Lhc idca o a convcnLional (propcr) sLudio.
AnLhologics arc by naLurc rcLrospccLivc, and in Lhis scnsc Te Studio Reader
is an archcological undcrLaking. YcL iL sLrivcs also Lo bc orward-looking,
charLing imaginaLivc raLhcr Lhan dogmaLic cvaluaLions o Lhc arLisLs sLudio.
AL iLs mosL basic lcvcl, Te Studio Reader addrcsscs Lhc qucsLion WhaL arc
Lhc acLivc condiLions LhaL dcnc Lhc sLudio in conLcmporary pracLicc` Oscar
Wildc locaLcs Lhc sLudio as a placc o scducLion and dccay, LransormaLion
and crcaLion. Today Lhc sLudio can also bc morc prosaic, idcalizcd, clandcs-
Linc, and complcx Lhan Wildcs romanLic aLclicr, buL sLill, unlcss iL is a prac-
Liccd placc, no physical room or dcmiurgic aLLiLudc can qualiy as a sLudio.
RaLhcr Lhan simply making claims abouL or for Lhc sLudio, I am inLcrcsLcd
in Lhc consLrainLs iL ocrs, ocrcd, bccausc Lhc challcngc Lo Lhc sLudio in
rcccnL Limcs is noL Warhols acLory modcl buL Lhc grcaLcr world ouLsidc iL,
wriLcs SvcLlana Alpcrs in hcr cssay Tc Vicw rom Lhc SLudio. Fxamining
Furopcan painLing pracLiccs rom Lhc scvcnLccnLh Lhrough Lhc rsL hal o
Lhc LwcnLicLh ccnLury, shc asks, WhaL is Lhc rclaLionship o Lhc painLcr Lo
rcaliLy as sccn in Lhc ramc o Lhc work placc` WhaL is kcpL ouLsidc Lhc sLu-
dio and whaL is lcL in in Lhc pracLiccs o Vcrmccr, Dcgas, and Cczannc` Mi-
chacl PcppiaLL and Alicc Bcllony-Rcwald Lakc a vcry dicrcnL, dcscripLivc ap-
proach Lo asscssing Lhc sLudio and iLs rclaLionship Lo pracLicc in Lhcir cssay
SLudios o Amcrica, which maps Lhc shiL rom Lhc LradiLional Furopcan
sLudio modcl, plush, wcll-llcd aLclicrs such as Lhosc o Ncw Yorks WcsL
TcnLh SLrccL sLudio building, crccLcd in Lhc 1S5us, Lo Lhc 103us, whcn or-
mcr acLory buildings downLown bcgin Lo providc largc amounLs o incxpcn-
sivc workspacc. William McrriLL Chascs busLling and luxurious sLudio o Lhc
1SSus (complcLc wiLh cxoLic birds), Arshilc Corkys isolaLcd Union Squarc
haunL, and 1ackson Pollocks FasL HampLon barn mark Lhc progrcssion rom
room Lo aLLic Lo loLLhc sLudio LhaL bccamc an archcLypc wiLh rcgard Lo
Amcrican painLing. In Lhis barc modcrn room, Lhcsc auLhors obscrvc, pal-
cLLc and cascl, punch and mallcL would look likc hcirlooms.
Tc chaos o Francis Bacons sLudio aL 7 Rcccc Mcws in SouLh KcnsingLon,
carcully rcconsLrucLcd and pcrmancnLly houscd in Dublins Hugh Ianc Cal-
lcry, commcmoraLcs Lhc painLcrs myLhic mad gcnius. Sccurcd in a Plcxiglas
viLrinc, Lhc now sLaLic sLudio prcscrvcs unabridgcd Bacons collccLion o sLu-
dio paraphcrnalia: cascls, cloLLcd LaborcLs, cans o muddicd brushcs, hcaps
o sourcc maLcrial. Tc arLwork, howcvcr, has bccn rcmovcd rom Lhis dop-
pclgangcr. For all o Lhc assiduous rcconsLrucLion o Lhc spacc, Lhc sLudio
is prcscnL lcss as a workspacc Lhan as a social spacc, obscrvcs David CcLsy
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nin his criLical cssay. Similarly, 1on Woods conLribuLion, Brancusis whiLc
sLudio, claboraLcs on Lhc bcginnings o Lhc amcd sLudio. Fxamining Lhc
ycars 1016 Lo 1027, Wood gaLhcrs LogcLhcr a collccLion o hisLorical cxam-
plcs and Lhcorics LhaL acLor inLo Brancusis highly succcssul concciL o
Lhc whiLc sLudio.
Tc conLcsLcd rolc o woman in Lhc arLisLs inncr sancLum is also addrcsscd.
In Tc ArLisL in His SLudio: PhoLography, ArL, and Lhc Masculinc MysLiquc,
Mary BcrgsLcin dcmonsLraLcs how Alcxandcr Iibcrmans and Brassas mid-
LwcnLicLh-ccnLury phoLographs o arLisLs in Lhcir sLudios, many including
croLicizcd cmalc nudcs, scrvcd Lo rcinorcc masculinc auLhoriLy in Lhc crc-
aLivc proccss, cquaLing viriliLy wiLh arLisLic gcnius and xing Lhc aLclicr as
an cnchanLcd placc whcrc domcsLic norms wcrc suspcndcd or rcvcrscd in
avor o indcpcndcncc and scl-cxprcssion. Tc phoLographcrs, BcrgsLcin
wriLcs, cvidcnLly Look plcasurc in sLccping Lhcmsclvcs in Lhc cnvironmcnL
o arLisLs sLudios. And Lhc maLcrial lcgcnd was consLrucLcd Lhrough an cx-
changc bcLwccn Lhc arLisL and Lhc arL phoLographcr. Mcanwhilc, Brcnda
Schmahmanns CasL in a DicrcnL IighL: Womcn and Lhc ArLisLs SLudio
Tcmc in Ccorgc Scgals SculpLurc locaLcs Scgals body-casL moLis as anLi-
LhcLical Lo Lhc modcrnisL Lropc conaLing Lhc nudc modcl wiLh naLurc. Inso-
ar as Scgal plays wiLh lcvcls o rcaliLy, upscLLing disLincLions bcLwccn Lhc
acLual modcl and hcr rcprcscnLaLion, Schmahmann wriLcs, his works do
noL in acL crcaLc a scnsc LhaL Lhc womans body is raw maLcrial imbucd wiLh
culLural lic Lhrough Lhc hand o Lhc arLisL.
In Tc KiLchcn as ArL SLudio: Ccndcr, Pcrormancc, and DomcsLic Acs-
LhcLics, Brian Winkcnwcdcr survcys Lhc gcndcr implicaLions o arL pracLicc
in Lhc homc and in Lhc cvcryday. NavigaLing 1oscph Bcuyss and 1ohn Cagcs
blind spoLs, hc suggcsLs LhaL, in Lhcir dcmocraLic posiLions, kiLchcn praxis is
boLh provocaLivc and problcmaLic.
1udiLh Rodcnbccks SLudio VisiL maps Lhc muscum as a discursivc siLc
in posL-sLudio pracLicc, lcading us Lhrough a hisLorical LrajccLory o unold-
ing sLudio conccpLions, rom CusLavc CourbcL Lo Andrca Frascr. By criLically
cxamining Corin HcwiLLs 2uuS Seed Stage projccL aL Lhc WhiLncy Muscum
o Amcrican ArL, a work compriscd o an cncloscd sLudio room in which Lhc
arLisL cngagcd in daily acLiviLics, grcw sccds, madc arL, and documcnLcd
his goings-on, Rodcnbcck calls inLo qucsLion Lhc insLiLuLions sLaLic ram-
ing o Lhc arLisLs sLudio. Bringing Lhcsc privaLc and obscssivc spaccs inLo
Lhc muscum, i anyLhing, posiLs a dysuncLional collaboraLion wiLh Lhc au-
dicncc: wc arc voycurs raLhcr Lhan rclaLional parLicipanLs, and Lhc sLudio,
whcLhcr Lhc arLisLs or LhaL o a cLional pcrsona, is a gcncraLivc buL un-
damcnLally opaquc siLc. Whilc Rodcnbcck considcrs Lhc muscum as siLc o
producLion, Howard Singcrman cxamincs Lhc rolc o Lhc privaLc sLudio in
7
MFA programs. Hc concludcs wiLh a wry rcmindcr Lo rcadcrs LhaL onc o
Lhc imporLanL arL school lcssons o Lhc rcadymadc is LhaL onc can makc any-
Lhing arL by dcsignaLing iL as such, or bcLLcr, by rcconLcxLualizing iL, LhaL is,
by puLLing iL inLo jusL Lhc righL sorL o room, Lhosc sLudios, Lhosc rooms,
LhaL arc now obligaLory.
In Tc SLudio and Lhc CiLy, CourLncy MarLin cxplorcs Lhc program o
urban rcncwal advanccd by S.P.A.C.F. ILd. in posLwar Iondon, and parLic-
ularly Lhc rolc o individual sLudios. Tc cssay considcrs qucsLions o whaL
Lhc arLisLs sLudio as an inhabiLcd, nondomcsLic locaLion, rcprcscnLs Lo Lhc
cconomy o a ciLy and, Lo rcLurn Lo Lhc individual cxpcricnccs o arLisLs, how
a ucLuaLing sLudio conccpL shapcs arLisLs pracLicc.
Carolinc 1oncss rcscarch inLo Lhc hisLory o Lhc romanLic sLudio and iLs
impacL on Lhc sacrcd producLion siLcs o Lhc AbsLracL FxprcssionisLs is oun-
daLional. RcprinLcd hcrc, rom hcr prcviously mcnLioncd book Machine in
the Studio, is PosL-sLudio/PosLmodcrn/PosLmorLcm, in which shc wriLcs,
Tc sLudio has bccn our sLagc. . . . ILs disappcarancc aL Lhc cnd o Lhis book
bccomcs lcss Lhc all o a curLain Lhan Lhc posLmodcrn slippagc o a signicr
Lo anoLhcr discursivc planc. Annika Marics arLiclc AcLion PainLing Four-
old: Harold Roscnbcrg and an Arcna in Which To AcL inquisiLivcly pulls
opcn Lhc curLain on Roscnbcrgs Lhcory o Lhc acL, asking, BuL is Lhc our-
sidcd arcna Lhc Lwo-dimcnsional canvas on Lhc cascl or Lhc Lhrcc-dimcn-
sional room o Lhc sLudio`
Marjoric Wclishs cssay Tc SLudio VisiL abounds wiLh insighLs and rsL-
hand obscrvaLions o Lhc conLradicLions, conusion, and misundcrsLandings
inLrinsic Lo sLudio visiLs, parLicularly by criLics. An arLisL and criLic hcrscl,
Wclish obscrvcs LhaL Lhc criLic is obligcd Lo do morc Lhan dcscribc Lhc arL
hc nds Lhcrc and is noL doing his job unlcss hc or shc works Lo gcL bc-
yond LasLc or markcL valuc or Lhc raLionalizaLion o Lrcnds and visual liLcr-
acy. NoncLhclcss, whaL happcns in a sLudio may bc hard Lo pin down. Un-
sLaLcd, uncodicd, and subjccL Lo on-siLc improvisaLion, Lhc cxacL naLurc
and purposc o Lhc sLudio visiL may always rcmain clusivc. Barry Schwab-
skys cssay Tc Symbolic SLudio is bascd on his sLudio visiL wiLh Lhc arLisL
Tchching Hsich in Brooklyn in 2uu0. Hsich gavc up making arL on 1anuary
1, 2uuu, prompLing Schwabsky Lo wondcr, Why docs such an arLisL kccp a
sLudio, and whaL docs Lhc word sLudio mcan in such a casc`
RobcrL SLorrs A Room o Oncs Own, a Mind o Oncs Own, dcmyLholo-
gizcs Lhc mysLcrious prccincLs o crcaLiviLy. Undcrscoring Lhc conLingcncy
o Lhc sLudio spacc, SLorr, in Lhc LradiLion o arLisLs who mounLcd cvcry
imaginablc challcngc Lo Lhc cLishizaLion o arL, Lakcs on Lhc rcsidual and
aLLcndanL csLishizaLion o Lhc sLudio spacc as a placc whcrc lighLning sup-
poscdly sLrikcs. Bccausc Lhcrc is a considcrablc consLiLucncy wiLhin Lhc arL
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nworld, SLorr wriLcs, LhaL cLishizcs noL only whaL arLisLs havc LradiLionally
donc buL whcrc Lhcy havc LradiLionally donc iL. Hcncc Lhc romanLicizing
phoLographs o arLisLs in Lhcir lairs LhaL graccand somcLimcs disgracc
so many conLcmporary caLalogs rom Lhosc LhaL rccord AlbcrLo CiacomcLLis
primordial, plasLcr-splaLLcrcd Bohcmian dcn or Pollocks crampcd shack, Lo
Lhosc o Francis Bacons holc-in-Lhc-wall aL 7 Rcccc Mcws in Iondon.
In Analoguc PracLicc, Clcnn Adamson dcncs craL as a pracLicc o ap-
proximaLion, noL o rcplicaLion. Tis asympLoLic modcl o producLion has
imporLanL ramicaLions or Lhc considcraLion o Lhc sLudio, which I wanL Lo
inLcrprcL hcrc as dcncd by analoguc (raLhcr Lhan scrial) producLion. Un-
likc a bricklaycr, a pracLiLioncr in a sLudio nccd noL acc ncw ground aL cvcry
sLcp. Tc Lcrrain is consLanL. BuL Lhc sLudio noncLhclcss has iLs limiLs, and
a disLincL characLcr cngcndcrcd by considcraLions o spacc, rcsourccs, inra-
sLrucLurc, and Lhc skill LhaL can bc marshalcd wiLhin iLs conncs. Tc limiLs
Adamson lays ouL arc Lhc samc as Lhosc rcjccLcd by Danicl Burcn in his pro-
vocaLivc cssay rom 1071 Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLudio (publishcd in Fnglish
in 1070). In 2uu7 Burcn was inviLcd by 1cns Homann and ChrisLina Kcn-
ncdy, curaLors o Tc SLudio, an cxhibiLion complcmcnLing Lhc prcviously
noLcd rc-crcaLion o Francis Bacons sLudio aL Hugh Ianc Callcry in Dublin,
Lo cxpound on his Lhcory. Burcn, who in 107S had dccidcd Lo quiL Lhc sLu-
dio, wriLcs, To noL havc a sLudio, as wcll as Lo havc a sLudio, auLomaLically
implics a producLion o a ccrLain Lypc o work. I can scc LhaL Lhc day whcn I
cannoL movc or Lravcl anymorc, as I havc a donc or ovcr Lhc pasL orLy ycars,
I will ciLhcr sLop working or my work will bc dicrcnL. Tc only Lhing LhaL
I can imaginc hclping Lo kccp iL going in iLs prcscnL orm mighL bc my long
cxpcricncc o moving and looking aL dicrcnL placcs.
Tc work o arLisL Walcad BcshLy is inormcd by Lhc polyvalcnL spacc o
provisional siLcs: ying coach on a SLar Alliancc airlinc, a visiLing arLisL sLinL
aL a small libcral arLs collcgc, an cxLcndcd sLay aL Lhc BonavcnLurc HoLcl in
downLown Ios Angclcs. In SLudio NarraLivcs, hc ocrs a wiLLy buL maLLcr-
o-acL cxposc o Lhc rcaliLics o his pracLicc. Convcrscly, Lhc collccLivc ArL &
Ianguagc, in iLs parodic conLribuLion, ArL & Ianguagc PainLs a PicLurc, ap-
propriaLcs Lhc principlcs undcrlying Art News long-running scrics X PainLs
a PicLurc. BcLwccn 1040 and 106S, auLhors such as Frank OHara, Irving
Sandlcr, and Iawrcncc Alloway culogizcd Lhc individual sLudio, pcnning dc-
Lailcd accounLs o Lhc working proccsscs o 1oscph Albcrs, Willcm dc Koon-
ing, 1oan MiLchcll, Faircld PorLcr, and oLhcrs. Tc oLcn mawkish Lonc o
Lhc arLiclcs was undcrscorcd wiLh romanLicizcd phoLographs by Lhc likcs o
Hans NamuLh and Rudy BurckhardL. ArL & Ianguagc hcrc ocr a scrics o
dirccLions(1) and (2) bcgin Lo coaL Lhc canvas wiLh a bu-colorcd acrylic
cmulsion using a rollcrinLcrspcrscd wiLh saLirical dialoguc: Tc canvas
Josef Albers in his studio, ca. 1950. Photograph by Rudy Burckhardt.
10
will now havc a skin. Wc arc commiLLcd now Lo painLing, raLhcr Lhan Lo
drawing: commiLLcd Lo bc anally cxpulsivc.
Tc nal Lwo cssays ocus on Lhc ramicaLions o culLural poliLics and
Lhc orccs o social ncLworking, work habiLs, rcal csLaLc condiLions, and cco-
nomic orccs LhaL congurc Lodays sLudio. As KaLy Sicgcl obscrvcs, To suc-
cccd in a world o cxibiliLy and impcrmancncc, whcrc onc musL consLanLly
scll oncscl Lo Lhc ncxL cmploycr, appcar poiscd or Lhc ncxL opporLuniLy,
wc ccl compcllcd Lo usc our sparc momcnLs Lo Lhink o ncw sLraLcgics and
ways Lo shinc. Tis mcans crasing Lhc linc bcLwccn work and lic, noL jusL
Lcmporally and spaLially buL psychologically. And Ianc Rclycas rcscarch
inLo Lhc rcalpoliLik undcrscoring Lhc inLcgraLivc and dcccnLralizcd sysLcms
o ncLworks gcncraLcs insighLs LhaL promisc Lo rcshapc posL-sLudio Lhcory.
Tc sLudio . . . placcs Lhc arLisL as a likc iLcm wiLhin an inLcgraLivc invcnLory
or daLa basc, givcs Lhc arLisL a mailing addrcss and a doorsLcp, Lhus provid-
ing Lhc mcans or onc Lo show up wiLhin Lhc ncLwork.
ArLisLs conLribuLions Lo Te Studio Reader rcvcal a mulLipliciLy o Lra-
diLional, posL-sLudio, and ncLworkcd approachcs Lo sLudio pracLicc: rom
Peter Fischli/David
Weiss, In the Studio II,
2008.
11
Rodncy Crahams painLing sLudio, whcrc hc can whilc away Lhc hours whilc
works arc bcing abricaLcd and phoLographs prinLcd by oLhcr pcoplc, Lo
Karl Hacndcls dimly liL spacc populaLcd wiLh projccLors and sLudio assis-
LanLs and markcd by a mcdiLaLivc and scl-conLrollcd ccling, Lo Rochcllc
FcinsLcins childhood bcd Loppcd wiLh a collccLion o sLucd animals ar-
rangcd according Lo sizc, color, and spccics.
Tc dispcrsion o conLcmporary sLudio approachcs, braidcd wiLhin chan-
ncls o connccLion, disLribuLion and circulaLion, is cogcnLly dcmonsLraLcd
in Lhc work o Lhc Swiss Lcam Fischli and Wciss and LhaL o Amanda Ross-Ho.
BoLh privilcgc and prcscnL Lhc sLudio, iLs grand myLhos and iLs maLcrial
LrivialiLics. YcL Lhcy also surmounL a rangc o posiLions and aLLiLudcs wiLh
a vocabulary compriscd primarily o vcrisimiliLudc, magnicaLion, and pro-
licraLion. CriLical, ironic, scnLimcnLal, and pracLical, Lhc pracLiccd placc o
Lhc sLudio is no longcr Lhc xcd spacc o inspiraLion LhaL Poussin laid cycs
on our hundrcd ycars ago.
Amanda Ross-Ho
studio, summer 2008.
OV E R L E A F
Amanda Ross-Ho,
Frauds for an Inside
Job (detail), 2008.
14
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1 Ronnic I. Zakon, Te Artist and the Studio in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
(Clcvcland: Clcvcland Muscum o ArL, 107S), 13.
2 SvcLlana Alpcrs, Te Vexations of Art: Velzquez and Others (Ncw Havcn: Yalc UnivcrsiLy
Prcss, 2uu5), i.
3 Michcl dc CcrLcau, Te Practice of Everyday Life, Lrans. SLcvcn Rcndall (Bcrkclcy: Univcr-
siLy o Caliornia Prcss, 10S4), 114.
4 Carolinc 1oncs, Machine in the Studio: Constructing the Postwar American Artist (Chicago:
UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss, 1006), 363.
5 1ohn Dcwcy, Docs RcaliLy Posscss PracLical CharacLcr` in Te Essential Dewey, vol. 1,
Pragmatism, Education, Democracy, cd. Iarry Hickman and Tomas M. Alcxandcr (Bloom-
ingLon: Indiana UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 100S), 13u.
6 Nicholas Palcy, Finding Arts Place: Experiments in Contemporary Education and Culture
(Ncw York: RouLlcdgc, 1005), 0.
7 CcrLcau, Practice of Everyday Life, 114.
8 Ibid., 117.
9 Scc Ianc Rclycas cssay, SLudio Unbound, in Lhc lasL sccLion o Lhis volumc.
Te
Studio
as
Rcsourcc
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Buzz Spector
I have worked, or lived and worked, in fourteen studios over the thirty-seven
years since I made the rst artwork that could be construed as the product of
my consciousness of self as an artist. These spaces have ranged in size from
a corner in a bedroom to approximately 1,900 square feet. What theyve all
had in common are drawing tables, at least one chair, and shelves for books.
It hasnt been mere restlessness that has led me to such an itinerary of places.
New jobs (teaching and otherwise), graduation, sales of buildings in which
Id rented space, and changing circumstances in my private life have each re-
sulted in a move from one studio to another.
In recent years the site of much of my artistic production has not been my
personal studio but workshop or rental spaces that have the equipment I need
to make photographs or works of handmade paper. Still, what happens in
those sites is preceded by reveries, choices, and designs executed in spaces
I call my own. I hold to the memory of some of my previous studios more than
others, not so much because of their size, accoutrements, or location, but be-
cause of the small epiphanies that took place there. Such revelations move
both forward and back in time. Let me share a story:
In 1982, soon after I began tearing pages out of books to make art, my
parents visited my live/work space in Chicago. They were nonplussed by the
array of torn books Id set out for display on the main studio table. In a family
of readers, the respectful treatment of books was a requirement, not an as-
sumption, and for my mother in particular it was hard to look at those elds of
torn pages as works of art. After some strained conversation about found ob-
jects and creative destruction, my mother became silent, regarding one par-
ticular altered book, which held rows of freshwater snail shells on one side
of its excised text block and rows of small beach pebbles on the other. You
know, Buzz, she murmured, you used to line up rows of shells and pebbles
on the sand when Id take you to the Morse Avenue beach. As she recalled
this pleasure of my early childhood, even before my sister and brother were
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born, I was myself seized by an extraordinarily vivid recollection: of sand on
my ngers, the smell of suntan lotion on my back, the cries of gulls, my mother
in her black, one-piece bathing suit, and the lines of shells, stones, and beach
glass beneath me as I lay on my stomach making order.
Not every day, or for every artist, but on some days for most artists, a vital
thought happens at/in their work, and from the interior space of inspiration the
artist can begin its embodiment in the exterior space to which conceptualiza-
tion is connected, the cognitive spatial armature of the studio.
Every studio I have had since graduating from college
1. Second bedroom in an apartment. Drawings made at small thrift shop table
and stored beneath bed. One bookshelf, made from boards and concrete
blocks, and a four-door le cabinet. Two years.
2. Second bedroom in a rental house. Drawings pinned to Celotex sheet
mounted on one wall. Two le cabinets and two metal-frame shelving units:
one for books, one for art supplies. Two years.
3. Graduate school studio in converted reception room of a former carriage
house. Brick replace and small kitchen. Easel for drawings made from a four-
by-eight-foot sheet of plywood. One wooden bookshelf, metal-frame shelving
unit for art supplies, and same le cabinets as before. Two years.
4. Shared studio space on fth oor of manufacturing/warehouse building.
Easel from previous studio converted into worktable. One le cabinet, two
wooden bookshelves, and two metal storage cabinets: one for art supplies,
the other for potential collage materials and nished work. One year.
5. Second bedroom in rental apartment. Thrift shop table for drawing, com-
pleted work kept beneath bed. Same le cabinet, storage units, and book-
shelves as before. One year.
6. Live/work space in commercial building. Second oor with large windows
along east and south walls, sixteen-foot ceiling. Worktable made from found
room-divider unit on metal frame with casters. Second worktable/desk made
from hardcore door mounted on Ikea table legs, with computer and electric
typewriter. Over time accumulated six wooden bookshelves, one ten-drawer
wooden at le, three le cabinets, plus same storage cabinets as before. Art-
work stored beneath artist-built loft at one end of the room. Eight years.
7. Studio space in artist-run cooperative. Same worktable/desk with computer.
Same bookshelves, storage cabinets, at le, and le cabinets as before. Art-
work piled along one wall. One year.
19
8. Studio on second oor of commercial factory building. Same storage and
le cabinets as before. Acquired second ten-drawer wooden at le, more
bookshelves (bringing total to eight), and new computer. Built two new work-
tables, recycling Ikea table legs, and wooden storage racks for artwork. Four
years.
9. Small rented cottage across the street from the family home. One bedroom
used for storing artwork, living/dining area used for studio. Same worktables,
bookshelves, storage cabinets, le cabinets, and at les as before. Futon in
one corner converted into a bed when guests visited.
Buzz Spector studio, 2009.
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10. Second-oor faculty studio space in departmental adjunct studio building.
Worktable, computer, storage racks for artwork. Four years (concurrent with
following studio).
11. Two-room studio on second oor of retail/ofce building. Front room with
same worktables, computer, bookshelves, and storage cabinets as before,
and one of the at les. Small closet for storing art and cleaning supplies. Sec-
ond at le in second room, plus hand-built storage racks for artwork. Second
room later emptied, cleaned, painted, and converted into a project room for
invited artists. Seven years.
12. Faculty studio space in art department studio building. Room equipped
with loft storage plus built-in shelving, drafting table, and smaller worktable.
Same bookshelves, storage cabinets, le cabinets, and at les as before.
New computer and printer. Six years.
13. Ofce in multiuse campus building. One table for computer and drawing.
Storage units and university-provided laptop and printer along one wall, eight
metal bookshelves along remaining three walls. Storage room across hall for
nished work. Two years (concurrent with following studio).
14. Studio/ofce space constructed in basement of the family home. Two walls
lined with bookshelves, one wall, lit by track lighting, for pinning up work. New
worktable, supported by same at les as before. Same storage cabinets, le
cabinets, computer, and printer. Two years (current).
21
Rochelle Feinstein
My MFA thesis, in 1978, was titled The Artists Studio/Inside Out. In hind-
sight, I was clueless. I didnt ask anything compelling: What is art? Why, and
where, does it art happen? Where art is made now seems as irrelevant as
much art often is. Writing about the studio in 2009 is a revisitation of the sub-
ject. Artists today may locate their work, not on the basis of where it was made,
but in relation to expanded elds of interest, geographies, and technologies.
This wide-ranging artistic license operates, for better or worse, in the context
of a deadbeat global economy.
It occurs to me that a chronicle of my making of things before they became
art could be a way to consider a studio practice. A subjective conceit, perhaps,
but it may cast light on the origins and variety of creative impulse. A studio is
both gestalt and zeitgeist, place and non-place, whether one is a painter or a
post-studio artist.
Ages 47 My bed, three by six feet, located in my parents bedroom. The
surface supported a menagerie of stuffed animals, systematically arranged by
color, size, and species or as imagined peaceable kingdoms. I slept on this
plush until my father threw out the lot.
Ages 710 A desk in my parents bedroom. Rewrote and illustrated Little
Women: Jo kept her hair, Laurie and Amy were deleted, Father was home,
Mother was who knows where. Detailed drawings in turquoise ink (I still have
the fountain pen), black lettering. Generated three or four volumesgreasy
loose-leaf sheets, gum-reinforced, yarn-boundwhich later went missing.
Age 11 Undertook research. Paperbacks and movies were locationless stu-
dios. Most inspirational books: Ill Cry Tomorrow, Lillian Roths autobiography,
and Nelson Algrens The Man with the Golden Armthe stories of a drunk
and a junkie. Saturdays, took the bus to the Utopia Theater on Utopia Parkway,
blocks from Joseph Cornells home. I didnt know his name then, later fanta-
sized we might have shared the same movie at the same timepossible with
me sitting through three shows a day.
22
Age 12 Books thrown out and my bus pass forfeited because I had too many
fantasies and had grown anemic from lack of sunshine.
Age 13 I was given art materials. Took them to Alley Pond Park. Drew and
painted every day after school, my rst daily practice of art. When nished,
wrapped everything in a plastic bag and hid it under a at rockprotection
against weather and discovery. I smelled like mulch for ve years.
Since age 18 Studios include a kitchen table in Fort Greene, a dead stor-
age space used by my graduate faculty, spare rooms in rent-controlled apart-
ments in New York City, spaces in East Village, Chinatown, Soho, Williams-
burg, Tribeca, and Dumbo. These studios map an urban pattern in which artists
colonize barren, undesirable industrial neighborhoods, which then historically
become gentried.
An artists studio might be a thought-made material, or not. I started on a bed
and write this on a MacBook OS X 10.5.8.
Rochelle Feinstein, Before and After (detail), 19971998.
23
Shana Lutker
Indcx: Lrcam Studio,
20032006
My studio is full of thingsthings found, things made, things that may help
make more things. I have all of the New York Times from 2003 to the pres-
ent, currently stored in seventy-six white le boxes lining the walls. I also have
about fourteen hundred pink straws in blue boxes, dozens of lampshades,
beach balls with different kinds of stripes, over four hundred pig gurines, a
few brass scales, a box of empty water bottles, thousands of gold doilies,
at least six gallons of Elmers glue, an eighty-foot wide stage curtain that
once belonged to the magician Doug Henning, hundreds of books presenting
points of view that have since been proven wrong, and a le drawer lled with
printouts from the Internet of images of or related to Freud. The following is a
collection culled from my dreams, an index of appearances of the word stu-
dio from the years 2003 to 2006. In these abstracts, the studio emerges as a
place of anxiety, where work happens (or doesnt happen). Also revealed are
some surprising insights into the dream studios organization, location, and
inhabitants.
Studio, Working In
April 27, 2003 I was saying that it seemed like I spent all of my time at the stu-
dio, as if the guards were conspiring to keep me there. I told them that there
were two guards in particular, specic guards who may have been planning
to keep me at the studio until 1:00 every night.
January 13, 2006 I kept losing my water glass and going to rell it. The room
was cluttered and had very orange lighting. It was an art studio or something.
August 3, 2006 I had a new studio (it used to be Skylar and Erleas). It was
a white, L-shaped room, bigger than I needed though smaller than my studio
now, and it was completely empty. I had to do some work for a show but I was
having a hard time guring it out. There were some drawings I wanted to make
with text in them and some other things.
24
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September 2, 2006 I think she supported my leaving my jobs to spend more
time in the studio. But I also kept getting the impression that she was implying
she thought I should have a baby, which seemed out of character.
November 6, 2006 I was setting up this studio, a big room with this lofted
part. I was sitting next to a penholder that had all of these strange things in
it, sticks with perfectly curled tops that had been wrapped with string, and
nearby were these pieces of fabric, all rolled up and stacked, that were really,
really beautiful. One piece was on top of this box of scissors or feathers. I
started drawing on this sheet of 8 ~ 11 paper as I was unpacking, and some-
how I could translate the alphabet of those things in the penholder; they were
stand-ins for the Serbian alphabet, or some other alphabet that belonged to
some rarely spoken language. I knew what the letters were and I was making
this drawing of pictures that were somehow related, all of these images sort
of collaged together. It was a good drawing, black pen, and I had almost lled
the page when I got distracted.
Studio, Underground
May 16, 2003 The studios were cramped and dark; it might have been the
space that Lauren and I looked at in West LA. I was trying to explain that I used
to make videos, but no one really listened to me.
January 13, 2004 A lot of people were working in this house that was sort of
underground, it was a domestic space that had been turned into studios.
Studio, and the Outdoors
April 6, 2004 For some reason Elliott took the engine of my car and hurled
it onto the roof of the studio while it was running. The roof of the studio was
huge and there was a lot of junk on it, and a forest. We went up there and were
looking for the engine, but there was no hope of nding it.
April 28, 2005 At the end of the complex there were all of these art studios,
and there was a lake in the back of the house. The house had a pool, but it was
so close to all of these other pools, they looked like wading pools for the lake.
Studio, and Visitors
July 21, 2003 I went into my studio to nd it, and someone had been in there
and had taken out my typewriters and left them all out and broken.
Shana Lutker studio,
2009.
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December 6, 2003 I had just cleaned my studio and had a meeting with some
people when Elliott walked in. He said, Well, you have a Jason drawing here.
It was a drawing of a boys face in black pencil, or maybe it was a litho. It was
kind of cartoonish and sitting low on the page, with a black cloud around it.
December 16, 2003 I was working in the studio. Skylar was there showing
me a book that he had made, and I was sitting at the computer. It was kind of an
empty studio, and there was a refrigerator in it; it might have been an extra one.
Then we were sitting around a table with a bunch of the other kids talking.
January 30, 2005 I was in my studio and this lady came in. She was a cura-
tor or something. She came in and I could not open my eyes, no matter what
I did. She came back later and I was able to get up. My studio was clean, and
the walls were covered by these dark paintings, painted panels, around three
sides. The background was black, and there was a design in red and yellow,
and these heads, sort of like Max Headroom or something. One was George
W. looking really green. I explained to the lady that I had painted his face that
way because he was so disturbing, he made me sick.
Studio, and Sharing
August 26, 2003 I was assigned a huge studio that I had to share with one
person. I walked into the studio and the girl, named Alex, had painted the
whole thing this very strong pink-brown color. The room was about forty by
twenty-ve feet, with windows and nooksthe walls were not straight or clean.
I walked into the room and I was super angry. I walked out, then went back
in and really yelled at this woman, saying that it was completely rude and ir-
responsible of her to paint the whole room to exhibit her own work the day of
open studios. She was kind of haughty and unreceptive. There was another
woman who had worked with her, also named Alex, who was equally snotty
about it. I looked at the walls that were left and went to get some work. When
I came back there were three other artists in there. It turns out that I had to
share the space with four other people, and I was really freaking out. One of
the people was Matt, and he came in and put up his drawings on half of the
wall that I had been using. He took the good part of it and did not understand
at all why I was angry about the red wall and the fact that he had taken down
half of my work and put up his own without consulting me.
June 17, 2004 I was sharing a studio with these two guys in a sort of bad
neighborhood. The two guys were not people I knew very well and they were
kind of tough. One had longish, chin-length hair, and the other had a very short
buzz cut. The guys wanted to have a show, or open studios in our space, and
27
started doing a lot of work to clean stuff up and install the work. For some rea-
son, I could not get my act together to be there at the right times. I knew that I
was installing my Dream Paper piece, but it was going to be a video that had
a series of questions and then some other components. The layout of the main
studio space was perfect because it was divided into three separate rooms
of the sizes that I wanted.
October 19, 2004 There was a lot of stuff in my studio that wasnt really mine:
a built-in closet lled with clothes, an empty rolling TV rack, a TV rack with a
television, a slide projector. I kept looking at this tan sweater.
November 29, 2004 I was in this large warehouse that was my studio and
also where my family worked or lived. Danny was panicking because we had
no money, and we were going to move to New York and get jobs. He was ex-
cited because he had met the CEO of Ameli, a company where he was going
to be a manager. He kept bragging about how he was going to be one of the
only people to work at the ofce. Everyone else worked in the eld. Then my
dad told me it was a cab company and Danny was going to be a dispatcher. I
am not sure Danny knew that, but he was very insistent about my mom and I
packing everything up. I had a big huge piece, about sixteen by ten feet, on a
piece of thin sheet metal. It was a collage, kind of like Elliotts earlier work, and
I was stacking it against the wall with some other, earlier pieces. There was
a painting on pink foam about three inches thick, eight feet long, and three or
four feet high, and it had a bunch of childrens toys or winter hats glued to it. It
was something that I had made in college. It was all dirty and Jay was sweep-
ing it with a small broom, but he did not know about the feathers, so I had to
get him to stop and I leaned both pieces against the wall, facing the wall.
28
Michael Smith
Rccipc: Pcrcct Studio Lay

Wash dishes

Quiet

Fresh coffee

Plenty of ideas

Window with view

Room to pace
To this day I get nostalgic for simpler times when I waited with excitement for
the muses to transport me from my studio to uncharted territory, when every
upturned rock and stone led to discovery and wonder. At some point the eager
anticipation dissipated, and now only the anxiety remains, as the extraordinary
has devolved into the incredibly ordinary. I feel like a full-time clerk, a manager
of my own lost-and-found, where old ideas get mixed in with new projects and
creative ashes get mistaken for frantic searches for something I misplaced on
my desk in the many piles of paper within arms reach. I like to think I am de-
liberately playing bad clerk to my good clerk, providing amusement for some
y on the wall, as I transform into a real life Mr. Magoo, aimlessly groping at
phantoms, climbing up and down ladders, and creating havoc with the many
stacks of boxes lling my studio. Invention and delusion intertwine in my cur-
rent creative process, with collating replacing automatism and ling likened to
the application of a delicate glaze.
Perhaps I was misled or wasnt listening, but I was under the impression
that it was supposed to get easier, that it would be all fun and games in the stu-
dio. Fortunately, I have gured out an adjustment to my Perfect Studio recipe.
The focus I once mustered to refrain from checking messages or answering
calls has been channeled into a new passion: puttering. I embrace distraction.
Puttering, a kind of running in place, has become a major component of my
daily practiceproof to myself that I am busy, productive, and on some sort
of course. The anxiety I used to experience when facing the blank page, the
empty canvas, the impending deadlinethe uncertain futureis temporarily
held in check as I busy myself with a Post-it note, a scribbled scrap, or an old
receipt. One glance over to my boxes grounds me rmly in the present, em-
powering me in my self-appointed role as Chief Clerk, preparing me to climb
29
the ladder or dig into the past: to be busy is to be creative. These searches
inspire me to think beyond Mr. Magoo, to channel previously mismanaged en-
ergy into my new Little Engine That Could inner self. Reciting, I think I can, I
think I can, I think I can, I transition seamlessly from list-making to retrieving
my e-mail to cleaning my desk to moving stuff all over my studio, constantly
reassuring myself that everything eventually nds its place, including me. At
my lost-and-found, it may get lost and it may never be found, but count on me
to look busy, searching.
Michael Smith,
A Typical Day, 2009.
30
John Baldessari
In Convcrsation
Mary Jane Jacob I have readand I dont know if this is still currentthat you
have four and a half studios.
John Baldessari Thats more or less true.
MJJ One touchstone here is that you are famously connected to the post-
studio course. . . . But in a waymaybe the course was post-studio, but the
experience, I might say, was almost all studio. You know, when we talk about
students living in their studiothe twenty-four-hour studio and the arts school
as this sort of open thing.
Were really aware of how people use the studio and the idea that, in fact,
it doesnt go away. Art-making might change, but we still have a studio. So all
of that said, we come to a question that is really very personal: What does a
studio mean to you? Why do you have a studio? You have four and a half of
them, or maybe moreyoure not sure.
JB Yeah, Im sorrythat got out of control. But starting out when I was in the
National City, San Diego area, and the idea of having a place to work. . . . I think
the rst place I had was a little storage shed on my parents property where I
was brought up, and I worked there. That wasnt much in terms of space. And
then I think what came next was that my father was kind of a slumlord, and
he had this building that wasI dont know what was therebut he was ap-
proached by some Las Vegas gambler, and I guess there was a city ordinance
where in National City gambling might be legal. And so he made a deal with my
father to put up a building for a low-rent casino. . . . Then, I guess, a lot changed
. . . and part of the deal was that the building reverted to my father.
Then he rented it out as a laundromatI remember thatin front. And in
back, it was rst a furniture company, and then the furniture company went
belly-up and it was vacant for some time. So I asked him, Until you rent it,
might I use that space? And he said, Okay. And so that became my rst, I
guess, real studio.
31
MJJ A casino-laundromatfurniture company.
JB Yeah. [Laughs.] And what came after that was an Earl Scheib body-paint-
ing company moved in, which I kinda liked. Two different kinds of painting. And
what I remember about that spaceit had no windows, so I was totally en-
cased in my own little world. And basically, thats where, every time I had any
free time, I worked. I remember having one wall of just shelving made of 1-by-
12 planks of wood on cinder blocks.
And when I got hired at UCSD [University of California, San Diego], I re-
member Paul Brachhe looked at all the books and magazines and said, Oh,
I get it. You import your culturewhich is true, you know. I got ahold of every
art magazine and then every art book I could ndbecause, you know, I was
living in National City, so I had to do that.
Anyway, that was the rst studio. And then what happened nextI guess
my father sold the building to this Earl Scheib guy, so I had to get out. But
then he had another vacant building, which was a movie theater. This was right
when television came out and people were staying away from movies in droves,
so he had that vacant. Again it had no windows, but this time it had a sloping
oor, so I had to have these terraced worktables, you know, where I worked.
That was my painting period.
MJJ Oh, really?
JB Yeah. And then I got the offer to teach at UCSD and I was offered a studio
there, which were all Quonset huts. So I moved up there. Then later, I took a job
at CalArts [California Institute of the Arts] and came up to Los Angeles and
MJJ Did you have a studio at CalArts?
JB Well, I was offered that. The deal was that they would give you a studio
space, but I didnt want to be available to students dropping in. So I said, No,
Ill pass on that. And by that time, I was a full-edged conceptual artist. You
know, they dont need studios. God forbid that it leaked out that I had a stu-
dio. [Laughs.]
So anyway, I was just sort of working in my living room over at this old house
we had in Santa Monica. My neighbor [William Wegman] who lived down the
street, he had a studio, and Ilena [Sonnabend] had this loft onI think it was
on Crosby Street. She said that one of us could have it if we wanted to come
to New York. I had to pass on it because my wife didnt want to go to New York.
We had two children at the time, and she didnt want to raise them in New York,
for which my daughter never forgave her. [Laughs.]
Anyway, I said, Bill, you take it, so he went to New York. And he asked
me do I want his studio, and I said, No, what am I going to do with it? Its just
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too big for me. And he said, Well, you can maybe split it up and sublet it. I
thought, well, it was pretty modest, so I said, Okay, Ill take it. And I remem-
ber just working in one corner of the studio, and slowly spreading out.
MJJ That was a generous swaphim going to New York, you going down
the street.
JB Yeah, yeah. So, then, yes, from 1970 up untilI still have it.
MJJ Wegmans studio?
JB Yeah, exactly. I still have that. But it was always on a monthly leasenot
even lease, monthly rentaland it still is. I started looking around for a new
studio but couldnt nd one. I remember my realtor said, Every time I nd you
and try to nd a space for you, you dont like it. He said, You have the only
studio in Santa Monica. [Laughs.] Everybody in the neighborhood had been
forced out because of gentrication.
So I was getting more and more nervous. I couldnt nd anything. And then
my assistantI dont know if you met herKimshes good at snifng around
real estate, that sort of thing. She found a place in Venice, and I said, Well,
this time, Ive got to buy. I dont want to always be moving. But at that time,
my nances were unsure, and I was concerned about supporting my kids, try-
ing to set up some sort of foundation that could support them.
So she said, Well, maybe this is not a good time, and the place she found
got sold. Then about half a year later, it was on sale again. . . . I remember it
was $4,000 more by that time and I bought it because I knew it was just go-
ing to keep going higher.
MJJ Yeah, those were the days.
JB Yeah. So then I moved in, getting ready to get evicted from the other space.
Then the real estate market began to tank. I still have the space, although, you
know, it could happen at any moment. They have plans.
And the great thing about itoh, this is a great story. In frontyou probably
dont even rememberbut there was a surf shop. And when the landlord, the
property owners, wanted to develop condominiums, somehow word leaked
out around the world, because this surf shop is where skateboarding was born.
So anyway, Santa Monica is getting letters from all around the world saying
you cant destroy this; this is a shrine, a landmark. And I thought, Well, maybe
I can get in on this. So I had all these directors in LA write letters, and that
had some affect. They said, Yes, you can be landmarked, but you have to be
dead. And I said, Well, Ill pass on that one. [Laughs.]
So thats the state of it right now; nothings been done. What theyre plan-
33
ning is not going to happen until the economy gets better, so I have it until then.
But in the meantime, I moved into this other space.
MJJ The Venice space.
JB Yeah. And then, I bought a building up on the next block, just for income.
It was one of those faux artist blocks that doctors and lawyers inhabit. And I
thought, In the meantime, it can carry itself nancially. So I bought that. And
then
MJJ Youre kind of like your dad.
JB Yeah, really, I guess so. And then I got thinking. I was getting more assis-
tants, and I said, I just want to be by myself. So I said, Okay, Im going to
turn that into an ofce so I can be by myself. So thats now an ofce for all
the employees I have working, and I can just be by myself in this Venice studio.
MJJ So its a studio to get away from the studio?
JB Well, its really an ofce, not a studio. And I can just be by myself, working.
And then I used to farm out my work to this company to print all my work. The
evolution of this Epson printerI got one of those, and then got another one.
And nally, I rented a small space down the street to house them, so that ac-
counted for another studio. So thats where it comes in.
MJJ Okay. So thats your print studio?
JB But again, I dont really inhabit that. I just have this one woman who is very
good at doing all that stuff, and thats where she works. And thats it!
MJJ So would you say that the making/thinking space is the Venice studio?
JB Yeah, thats pretty much it. And again, I sort of replicate myself. Its books
everywhere, and magazines andpeople always want to come to my studio.
They always say, I want to come and see what youre working on. Well, one,
I dont want anybody visiting me and, two, you know, Im not physically work-
ing on anything.
MJJ Well, this space does have some windows; I think, sort of high windows.
JB Yes, it does.
MJJ It was interesting when you were talking about the Earl Scheib space, and
even the theaterwith no windows, being encased in your own world, and
then you lling that world.
JB Exactly.
34
MJJ It has a curious kind of irony. To some peoplemaybe not to us in the
art worldit might sound like being in prison, but it is about this desire to be
conned.
JB It is, yeah. I think there is something psychological there. For me, Im in-
creasingly on the road. And when I get back, I just dont want to see anybody,
and I just totally isolate myself.
MJJ And thats the studio.
JB Yes.
MJJ Or the ofce, depending on which place you land.
John Baldessari studio, 2009.
35
JB Well, I stay away from the ofce space. Actually, I need one hour a day with
one of my assistants. We go over e-mail and phone calls, and then she leaves
me here in my studio, and thats it.
MJJ In the end, that conned quiet and being away from people is, as I can see,
a pretty full space, full of stuff. So this isnt the Zen meditation room.
JB Yeah, it is, and in my house, Ive replicated the same thing. Its justtake
everything thats available and pile up magazines. I remember that Vito Acconci
once saidand it stuck in my mindhe said, I just like to have stuff around
to pick up and look at. And I have the same thing. I like to just look at a maga-
zine, whatever, so thats how I ll my time.
36
J
o
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n

B
a
l
d
c
s
s
a
r
i
MJJ Rightand that leads to the next thing, of course.
JB Yeah.
MJJ Its not always so linear or one-to-one. Its that fullness.
JB Yeah. Well, its also a place for, well, meditation. In that sense, it works. You
know, I do little sketches for works that Im going to do. And some of them
survive; not many of them do. And then I put them up on the wall, andyou
know, Im a cigar smokerI sit there in my chair with the cigar and just stare
at them.
Te
Studio
as Sct
and
Sctting
39
Howard Singerman
A Possiblc Contradiction
I had planncd Lo bcgin Lhis cssay wiLh a bric rccollccLion by Brucc Nau-
man, buL sincc I am wriLing Lhis rom Tuscany (on my way, as iL happcns, Lo
scc Nauman in Lhc Amcrican pavilion in Vcnicc), lcL mc bcgin insLcad wiLh
Iconardo. In onc o Lhc various manuscripLs asscmblcd, copicd, and circu-
laLcd ovcr Lhc ccnLury aLcr his dcaLh in 1510 (and publishcd by 1651 as Tc
TrcaLisc on PainLing), Iconardo wroLc o Lhc lic o Lhc painLcr in his sLu-
dio. TaL, hc sccms Lo say, is whcrc a painLcr bclongs, buL ovcr Lhc coursc o
Lhrcc cobblcd-LogcLhcr paragraphswhich painLcrs and acadcmicians rcad
ardcnLly Lhrough Lhc nincLccnLh ccnLuryhis advicc givcs risc Lo whaL Lhc
cmincnL arL hisLorian MarLin Kcmp Lcrms a possiblc conLradicLion. Ico-
nardo bcgins by insisLing LhaL Lhc painLcr or draughLsman should bc soli-
Lary. I you arc alonc, hc wriLcs approvingly, you bclong cnLircly Lo your-
scl. And ycL hc warns LhaL Lhc arLisL who wiLhdraws complcLcly courLs
madncss, Lhus, whcn ncccssary, Lhc arLisL should kccp company, buL Lhc
company hc kccps should bc likc-mindcd Loward Lhc sLudy o arL and maLh-
cmaLics. Finally Lhcrc is Lhc admoniLion LhaL Kcmp nds conLradicLory: To
draw in company is much bcLLcr Lhan Lo do so on oncs own or many rca-
sons. Among Lhosc rcasons arc Lhc cccLivcncss o shamc and cnvy as
Lcaching Lools, Lools disccrnablc cvcn now in mosL graduaLc arL programs in
Lhc orm o Lhc criLiquc and visiLing arLisLs Lalk.
I raisc Iconardos now vc-hundrcd-ycar-old commcnLs bccausc I nd
Lhcm cchocd, albciL wiLhouL ciLaLion and in vcry dicrcnL languagc, in Lhc
Collcgc ArL AssociaLions guidclincs or MFA programs in sLudio arL, pub-
lishcd in 1077 and rcviscd in 1001 and 2uuS: For Lhc majoriLy o sLudcnLs,
privaLc sLudios arc ncccssiLics. Tcy should noL bc so privaLc or scgrcgaLcd
as Lo prcvcnL hcalLhy conLacL and inLcrchangc. IndcpcndcnL sLudios should
bc supplcmcnLcd by rcadily availablc acccss Lo all shops, labs, and gcncral
sLudios. Iikc Iconardo, Lhc CAA is conccrncd boLh wiLh Lhc problcm o
isolaLion and Lhc problcmaLic naLurc o inLcrchangc. HcalLhy is an inLcr-
40
H
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S
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g
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m
a
ncsLing word hcrc, likc Iconardos invocaLions o madncss, cnvy, and shamc
(Lcrms Lhc CAA cannoL quiLc acknowlcdgc), iL suggcsLs LhaL Lhc sLudio is
aL lcasL in parL a psychological consLrucLion, Licd Lo Lhc individual arLisL as
parL o Lhc ormaLion o arLisLic idcnLiLy. Which is, as iL happcns, Lhc way
Lhc BriLish painLcr PaLrick Hcron rsL saw Lhc privaLc sLudios LhaL by 107u
had comc Lo ll Lhc carlicr spaccs dcscribcd in Lhc CAA documcnL as gcn-
cral sLudios:
For Lhosc who do noL rcqucnL our arL schools, lcL mc dcscribc Lhc sccnc LhaL
is mosL Lypical: cnormous working sLudios arc invariably ragmcnLcd by small
Lcmporary parLiLions which dcnc small scmi-privaLc individual work spaccs,
varying in sizc rom a cubiclc or cubby-holc Lo a dcccnLly spacious privaLc sLudio.
Tcsc always dissimilar working spaccs havc grown up in cvcry insLancc around
an individual sLudcnL: hc crcaLcs Lhc spacc hc nccds in Lhc sLylc hc nccds iL, in
acL Lhcsc cubiclcs or alcovcs havc Lhc highly dcvclopcd pcrsonal and idiosyn-
craLic characLcr o a privaLc dwclling.
Hcrons rccollccLion is uscul or aL lcasL a couplc o rcasons: rsL, iL hclps
us daLc Lhc cmcrgcncc o Lhc privaLc sLudio in Lhc modcrn arL school. In Lhc
ycars bcLwccn Iconardo and Hcron, arL sLudcnLs lcarncd Lo draw as Ico-
nardo had suggcsLcd, in acadcmics dcvoLcd Lo Lhc Lcaching o drawing and,
always, in Lhc company o oLhcrs, Lhc samc was Lruc or painLing or sculp-
Lurc. Indccd, whaL Kcmp saw as a conLradicLion wiLhin Iconardos LcxL mighL
simply havc rcccLcd Lhc obvious dicrcncc bcLwccn Lhc sLudio in which Lhc
arL sLudcnL bclong and LhaL in which a maLurc arLisL works. Tc disLincLion
is morc cxpliciL in Hcrons and Lhc CAAs sLaLcmcnLs: LhaL onc word, studio,
namcs boLh Lhc privaLc spacc LhaL bclongs Lo (and in Hcrons dcscripLion,
characLcrizcs) Lhc individual arLisL and Lhc sharcd, gcncral working spaccs
LhaL bclong Lo Lhc school and Lo Lhc mcLicrs imparLcd in Lhcm: Lhc painLing
sLudio, Lhc prinLmaking sLudio. Tc ragmcnLing o Lhcsc mcdium-spccic
spaccs and Lhcir arLiculaLion inLo Lhc archiLccLural cquivalcnLs o parLicular
arLisLic pcrsonaliLics (i I may cxaggcraLc Hcrons rcading) is Lhcn a rclaLivcly
rcccnL dcvclopmcnL, onc LhaL Hcron can scc Laking placc, and iL has gonc
hand in hand wiLh Lhc ragmcnLing and dcccnLcring o Lhc craL skills LhaL
oncc sLrucLurcd Lhcm. In a nicc LwisL, Lhcn, Lhc ncarly obligaLory privaLc sLu-
dio arrivcs aL abouL Lhc samc momcnL as Lhc Lcrm post-studio. TaL labcl was
probably rsL uscd in 1072 by Iawrcncc Alloway, who characLcrizcd RobcrL
SmiLhsons pracLicc as a posL-sLudio sysLcm o opcraLion,` buL by Lhc cnd
o Lhc dccadc iL had comc Lo namc Lhc broadly inucnLial program hcadcd
by 1ohn Baldcssari, Douglas Hucblcr, and Michacl Ashcr aL Lhc Caliornia
InsLiLuLc o Lhc ArLs, a program LhaL conLinucd Lo ocr iLs sLudcnLs individ-
ual sLudiospcrhaps bccausc Lhc sLudio iL soughL Lo puL inLo qucsLion, or
41
to surpass, was not so much the private one as the general one, and a certain
conjunction of space, artistic identity, and studio practice.
Implicit in Herons description is a matching of identity to the space of the
studioone interior rhymes the other. Post-studios critique adds a third:
the work of art, taken as the emblem of artistic autonomy. Daniel Burens
1971 essay Te Function of the Studio makes at least part of this isomor-
phism clear: before all of the other frames, envelopes, and limits . . . which
enclose and constitute the work of artthe pedestal, the gallery, the mu-
seumthe studio, he writes, is the rst frame, the rst limit, upon which
all subsequent frames/limits will depend. Like Leonardos studio, or Kemps
reading of it, Burens studio is marked by contradiction: the unspeakable
compromise of the portable work.6 In order to be seen, a work made in a
specic, even idiosyncratic placeone marked, perhaps, by a specic light
or a particular and peculiar privacymust leave the enclosure of the studio,
and thus displace it into other, more explicitly architectural frames. It is in
the studio, and only in the studio, that [the work] is closest to its reality. . . .
Te work is thus totally foreign to the world into which it is welcomed (mu-
seum, gallery, collection).7
Philip Evergood, Nude by the El, 1933.
42
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S
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g
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a
nTc work gocs ouL prcciscly bccausc Lhc arLisL docsnL, and Lhc orcign-
ncss o a work Lo iLs rcraming and Lo Lhc world is a mcasurc o iLs, and Lhc
arLisLs, auLonomywhaL Burcn, rom a dicrcnL pcrspccLivc, calls iLs mor-
Lal paradox. Burcn is ar rom Lhc rsL Lo poinL Lo Lhc isolaLing uncLion o
Lhc sLudio, and, iLs worLh noLing, his cssay lcavcs asidc any qucsLion o Lhc
arLisLs hcalLhul social rclaLions. Tc Russian-doll gurcs o Lhc isolaLcd,
inncr-looking arLisL, Lhc auLonomous painLing, and Lhc privaLc sLudio wcrc
on Lhc Lablc LogcLhcr much carlicr, Lakc, or cxamplc, Mcycr Schapiros 1036
addrcss Lo Lhc Amcrican ArLisLs Congrcss againsL War and Fascism, On Lhc
Social Basis o ArL. IL is Lhc hisLorical parLiculariLy o Lhc modcrn arLisL,
Schapiro asscrLs, LhaL hc works alonc in Lhc privacy o Lhc sLudio, on his
own invcnLions, picLurcs whosc subjccL maLLcr only rcpcaLs (as Lhough siLc-
spccically, onc mighL say now) Lhc sLudios isolaLion. Hc painLs only him-
scl and Lhc individuals associaLcd wiLh him, his sLudio and iLs inanimaLc
objccLs, his modcl posing, Lhc ruiL and owcrs on his Lablc, his window and
Lhc vicw rom iL, . . . all objccLs o manipulaLion, rccrring Lo an cxclusivc,
privaLc world in which Lhc individual is immobilc, buL rcc Lo cnjoy his own
moods and scl-sLimulaLion.'
ArLisLs who arc conccrncd wiLh Lhc world around Lhcm in iLs acLion and
conicL, Schapiro concludcs, cannoL pcrmancnLly dcvoLc Lhcmsclvcs Lo a
painLing commiLLcd Lo Lhc acsLhcLic momcnLs o lic . . . or Lo an arL o Lhc
sLudio. As iL happcns, and pcrhaps uncxpccLcdly, Lhc CAA sLaLcmcnL on
sLandards spcaks Lo Lhcsc conccrns as wcll. Tc commiLLccs conccrns or
hcalLhy inLcracLion wcrc parL o Lhc oldcsL draL, rom 1077, Lhc documcnLs
morc rcccnL rcvisions suggcsL, i noL Schapiros Marxism, Lhcn aL lcasL somc
aLLcnLion Lo dcvclopmcnLs in arL and iLs discoursc, Lo ncw gcnrc public
arL, say, or, cvcn morc currcnL, Lo rclaLional acsLhcLics. Tc visual arLs
and crcaLivc pracLiccs havc changcd dramaLically ovcr Lhc pasL scvcral ycars.
Incrcasingly, Lhc arLisLs sLudio uncLions as a dynamic and viLal spacc or
lcarning, cxploring, and ncgoLiaLing Lhc complcx rclaLionships LhaL indi-
viduals and communiLics havc wiLh Lhc largcr social, culLural, poliLical, and
naLural cnvironmcnLs in which wc livc. Tis sccms righL and appropriaLc,
buL Lhcsc Lcrms Loo suggcsL a possiblc conLradicLionnoL jusL in Lhcir
absLracLncss, buL in Lhc odd way Lhcy occludc or cxcludc Lhc momcnL o
making: lcarning, cxploring, onc could say, Lakc placc bcorc LhaL momcnL,
ncgoLiaLion ncccssarily aLcr. Indccd onc o Lhc sLrongcsL criLicisms o Lhc
pcrmcablc, rclaLional sLudioaL lcasL as iL cmcrgcd in arL schools and dc-
parLmcnLs in Lhc lasL dccadcsis LhaL iL is Loo opcn Lo ncgoLiaLion and Lo
Lhc arL markcL as Lhc cld in which valuc (in all iLs scnscs) is produccd. I will
lcavc Lhc criLiquc o LhaL sLudio problcm Lo oLhcrs (cxccpL Lo noLc LhaL in
43
ILaly, whcrc I am now wriLing, Lhc word studio is uscd mosL oLcn Lo dcsig-
naLc a procssional occ: studio legale or studio dentista).
Hcrc I wanL Lo ollow Lhc CAAs discussion o Lhc ncw sLudio jusL a liLLlc
biL urLhcr. Tc associaLion rccognizcs LhaL many o Lodays sLudcnLs cnLcr
graduaLc programs wiLh inLcnLions Lo work ouLsidc LradiLional sLudios or
labs and will scck links Lo spaccs (virLual or rcal), inLcrdisciplinary curricula,
and/or local and global opporLuniLics on campus and in communiLics. In c-
ccL, sLudio and cquipmcnL nccds arc scl-dcncd, according Lo Lhc Lypc o
rcscarch and crcaLivc acLiviLy involvcd and how Lhc sLudcnL wanLs Lo com-
municaLc abouL iL or disscminaLc iL. Which again sccms righL, cxccpL LhaL iL
aL oncc imagincs Lhc incoming sLudcnL as alrcady ormcd and knowing and
lcavcs Lhc individual arLisL, likc Hcrons painLcr, Lo producc his or hcr own
spacconly now ouLsidc Lhc homologics and dcmands o a mcLicr.
Or pcrhaps Lhis Loo is an isomorphism, an updaLcd vcrsion o Lhc analogy
bcLwccn Lhc arLisL and his or hcr archiLccLural surroundings: no longcr Lhc
painLcr ramcd buL Lhc posL-sLudio arLisL ncLworkcd and ncgoLiaLing
inLcrcsLcd, as onc mighL say aLcr Donald 1udd, and noL unlikc Roland
BarLhcss rcadcr, who bccamc, Lwo dccadcs or so ago, Lhc cmblcm o posL-
modcrnism. In conLrasL Lo Iconardos sLudio arLisL, who bclongcd cnLircly
Lo himscl, BarLhcss rcadcr is wiLhouL hisLory, biography, psychology, hc
is simply LhaL someone who holds LogcLhcr in a singlc cld all Lhc Lraccs by
which Lhc wriLLcn LcxL is consLiLuLcd, wovcn wiLh and Lhrough by an inLcr-
disciplinary curriculum, pcrhaps, or by local and global opporLuniLics.
BuL whaL docs onc makc o or, indccd, in a sLudio LhaL is noL in somc
way synonymous wiLh and absorbcd by a mcLicr` And is Lhc spacc Lhc in-
coming arLisL is givcnwhich is in mosL schools no longcr scl-ashioncd
(and, in Hcrons dcscripLion, scl-ashioning) buL inhcriLcd rom prcvi-
ous classcs and arLisLs, or cvcn, and incrcasingly, rcadymadc and procs-
sionally dcsigncdsLill in any amiliar scnsc a sLudio` Pcrhaps iL is only a
room, an archiLccLural spacc wiLhouL qualiLicswiLhouL hisLory, biography,
psychologyoLhcr Lhan iLs cnclosurc, and raLhcr prcciscly cmpLy. Tis is
also, o coursc, Lhc sorL o spacc in which Lhc univcrsiLy schcdulcs classcs or
assigns occs. Tcrc is, as Michacl Fricd noLcd carly on, somcLhing quiLc
liLcral abouL a room, somcLhing Licd Lo Lhc LhrcaL LhaL hc imagincd minimal
arL poscd Lo Lhc caLcgory painLing, Lo a spccic disciplinc LhaL onc mighL
lcarn as skill and as hisLory. WhaL characLcrizcs minimal arL, and a grcaL dcal
o Lhc work LhaL comcs aLcr, is Lhc conccpL o a room[, which] is, mosLly
clandcsLincly, imporLanL Lo liLcralisL arL and Lhcory. In acL, iL can oLcn bc
subsLiLuLcd or Lhc word spacc in Lhc laLLcr: somcLhing is said Lo bc in my
spacc i iL is in Lhc samc room wiLh mc.
44
Which brings mc nally Lo Lhc quoLc I inLcndcd Lo sLarL wiLh. In Lhc laLc
10Sus Brucc Nauman rccallcd Lo an inLcrvicwcr how hc camc Lo Lhink abouL
arL-making aLcr rccciving his MFA rom Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Caliornia, Davis,
in 1066: I you scc yourscl as an arLisL and you uncLion in a sLudio and
yourc noL a painLcr . . . i you donL sLarL ouL wiLh somc canvas, you do all
kinds o Lhingsyou siL in a chair or pacc around. And Lhcn Lhc qucsLion
gocs back Lo whaL is arL` And arL is whaL an arLisL docs, jusL siLLing around
Lhc sLudio. Naumans asscssmcnL is noL wrong. Onc can scc in his work,
rom Lhc carly privaLc pcrormancc lms and vidcoLapcs Lo his 2uu2 insLal-
Bruce Nauman, Failing
to Levitate in My Studio,
1966.
45
laLion Mapping the Studio, LhaL hc has madc Lhc sLudio ccnLral Lo his arL prac-
Licc. BuL iL is a curious sLudio, a sLudio undcrsLood prcciscly as a spacc in
which Lhings happcnbouncing a ball, masLurbaLing, walking cxaggcraL-
cdly along Lhc rooms pcrimcLcrsor ail Lo, as in his 1066 Failure to Levitate
in the Studio. IL is, Lo ciLc Lhc LiLlc o ycL anoLhcr Nauman work, rom 10S4,
a room wiLh my soul lcL ouL / room LhaL docs noL carc. Naumans pracLicc,
onc could say, invcrLs Lhc LradiLional uncLion o Lhc sLudio, iL is no longcr
Lhc spacc in which Lhc arLisL produccs arL, howcvcr compromiscd, buL Lhc
spacc in which Lhc arLisL him- or hcrscl is crcaLcd, produccd, pcrhaps, as arL,
howcvcr liLcralisL. Tis is whaL I Lakc Lo bc Lhc lcsson o his 1066 phoLograph
Portrait of the Artist as Fountain, in which Nauman bccomcs Lhc work, buL
Lhc work hc bccomcs comcs, aLcr Duchamp, rcadymadc. Onc o Lhc impor-
LanL arL school lcssons o Lhc rcadymadc is LhaL onc can makc anyLhing arL
by dcsignaLing iL as such, or bcLLcr, by rcconLcxLualizing iL, LhaL is, by puL-
Ling iL inLo jusL Lhc righL sorL o roomLhosc sLudios, Lhosc rooms, LhaL
arc now obligaLory.
1 MarLin Kcmp, cd., Leonardo on Painting, Lrans. MarLin Kcmp and MargarcL Walkcr (Ncw
Havcn: Yalc UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 10S0), 2S0.
2 Ibid., 2u5.
3 MFA sLandards, adopLcd by Lhc CAA board o dirccLors, April 16, 1077, rcviscd OcLobcr
12, 1001, and OcLobcr 26, 2uuS. hLLp://www.collcgcarL.org/guidclincs/ma.hLml.
4 PaLrick Hcron in Lhc Guardian, OcLobcr 12, 1071, ciLcd in Charlcs Madgc and Barbara
Wcinbcrgcr, Art Students Observed (Iondon: Fabcr and Fabcr, 1073), 26S.
5 Iawrcncc Alloway, RobcrL SmiLhsons DcvclopmcnL, Artforum 11 (Novcmbcr 1072): 52
61, ciLcd in Carolinc A. 1oncs, Te Machine in the Studio: Constructing the Postwar American
Artist (Chicago: UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss, 1006), 271.
6 Danicl Burcn, Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLudio, Lrans. Tomas Rcpcnsck, October 1u (AuLumn
1070): 51, 54.
7 Ibid., 53.
8 Mcycr Schapiro, Tc Social Bascs o ArL, in First American Artists Congress (Ncw York:
Amcrican ArLisLs Congrcss againsL War and Fascism, 1036), 33.
9 Ibid., 37.
10 Tc idca o arLisLs in occs was sLrangc cnough LhaL Lhc sociologisL 1udiLh Adlcr could
usc iL as a LiLlc or hcr cLhnography o Lhc nasccnL Caliornia InsLiLuLc o Lhc ArLs in 1070, iL
was undcrsLood LhaL arLisLs bclong in sLudios. BuL sLudios havc always bccn mixcd objccLs,
as Iconardo suggcsLs and as a ncw arL hisLory has conLinually rcdiscovcrcd. Scc, or cx-
amplc, SvcLlana Alpcrss 10SS Rembrandts Enterprise: Te Studio and the Market (Chicago:
UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss, 10SS), or Sarah Burnss discussion o William McrriLL Chascs
sLudio in hcr Tc Pricc o BcauLy: ArL, Commcrcc, and Lhc NincLccnLh-CcnLury Amcrican
SLudio InLcrior (in American Iconology, cd. David C. Millcr [Ncw Havcn: Yalc UnivcrsiLy
Prcss, 1005], 2u03S). Chasc ouLLLcd his Lurn o Lhc LwcnLicLh-ccnLury Ncw York sLudio
46
H
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S
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a
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as a showroomquiLc consciously, and in ways noL dissimilar rom Lhc Lhcn ncw arL o dc-
parLmcnL sLorc display.
11 Roland BarLhcs, Tc DcaLh o Lhc AuLhor, in Image, Music, Text, Lrans. SLcphcn HcaLh
(Ncw York: Hill and Wang, 1077), 14S.
12 Michacl Fricd, ArL and ObjccLhood, in Minimal Art: A Critical Anthology, cd. Crcgory
BaLLcock (Ncw York: F. P. DuLLon, 106S), 134n14.
13 QuoLcd in Coosjc van Bruggcn, Bruce Nauman (Ncw York: Rizzoli, 10SS), 1314.
14 In Vcnicc 2uu0, opcning in conjuncLion wiLh Lhc Bicnnalc, was an cxhibiLion aL Lhc
Palazzo Crassi curaLcd by Alison Cingcras and Franccsco Bonami, cnLiLlcd Mapping Lhc
SLudio: ArLisLs rom Lhc Francois PinaulL CollccLion. According Lo Lhc prcss rclcasc, Lhc
curaLors adopLcd Lhc LiLlc o an imporLanL vidco-insLallaLion by Brucc Nauman in which
Lhc arLisL rccords Lhc nocLurnal microacLiviLy prcscnL in his sLudio and ocrs an uncdiLcd
vision o Lhc symbolic spacc in which Lhc crcaLivc proccss cmcrgcs . . . in ordcr Lo undcrlinc
Lhc a proound analogy bcLwccn Lhc inLimacy o Lhc arLisLs sLudio and Lhc passion o Lhc
collccLors pcrsonal vision. Tis is a kind o ncgoLiaLion, o coursc, buL I would qucsLion
whcLhcr Lhc spacc o Mapping the Studio cvcr bccomcs symbolic spacc, or whcLhcr, indccd,
iL was cvcr inLcndcd Lo.
47
Frances Stark
Recently I was asked, by someone who was somewhat familiar with my stu-
dio, if I would let a museum group visit. I warned him that I had just nished a
show, so there probably wouldnt be much work around. Lets schedule it for
a different time, he said. We wouldnt want them to think Frances Stark is a
bad artist because theres nothing in her studio.
Frances Stark in
her studio, 2009.
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kThis reafrms for me the idea that a studio is often expected to be a site
of display, offering, at the very least, some captivating evidence of a process.
There is nothing photogenic or charming about the way I do what I do, and
theres no special atmosphere created by doing it. I tried to take some pic-
tures of it to see what my so-called studio is like, but achieving a representa-
tive image proved difcult. I am starting to think that, for me, being an artist in
the studio is a complete fantasy.
Actually, I have two studios. I needed to expand, and the only practical so-
lution was to rent the space one door down from my current unit. Now every
time I shuttle between the ofcelike place with the calendar and the couch and
the messy place with all the paper scraps and mismanaged shelves, I pass by
an architects ofce. In the past I have been critical of artists studios modeled
after architects ofces, but there are days when I pass by, look in at my neigh-
bor, and envy the focus that seems so apparent in that one functional room.
There the architect produces real houses with actual ushing toilets that peo-
ple are happily crapping into. Dont get me wrong, I believe in what I do, and I
even love what eventually goes out my door, but my methods have yet to form
a place that feels like home. Sometimes I think my studio says as little about
my work as a basketful of my dirty clothes conveys of what I look like.
49
Robert Storr
A Room o Oncs Own,
a Mind o Oncs Own
Tc boLLom linc is LhaL arLisLs work whcrc Lhcy can and how Lhcy can. Ac-
cordingly Lhc announccmcnL I am going Lo Lhc sLudio can mcan Lhc going
Lo: Lhc living room, a bcdroom, Lhc bascmcnL, Lhc aLLic, an aLLachcd or rcc-
sLanding garagc, a coach housc in Lhc back o grand old housc, a sLorcronL
downsLairs or down Lhc block rom your aparLmcnL, Lhc oor o a warc-
housc, Lhc sublcL corncr o a oor o a warchousc, Lhc sublcL corncr o a sub-
lcL corncr o a oor o a warchousc, Lhc classroom o a vacanL school LhaL
has bccn Lurncd ovcr Lo arLisLs by cnlighLcncd ciLy ocials, a room in an o-
cc building on iLs way Lo bccoming a rcsidcnLial building, a cubiclc wiLhin
a sub dividcd acLory in a ncighborhood LhaL lighL indusLry has lcL or good,
a cubiclc in a subdividcd acLory so Loxic as a rcsulL o Lhc prcvious manu-
acLuring o goods or sLoragc o maLcrials LhaL no onc has gurcd ouL how
Lo clcan iL up cvcn i Lhc siLc wcrc razcd, which no onc is going Lo pay or un-
lcss cnlighLcncd ciLy ocials orcc Lhcm Lo or a vcry rich or a vcry gulliblc
clicnL shows up wiLh a plan Lo gcnLriy Lhc wholc arca wiLh or wiLhouL Lcll-
ing uLurc LcnanLs LhaL Lhcy will orcvcr aLcr bc inhaling noxious umcs and
drinking waLcr inuscd wiLh carcinogcns.
NaLurally, Lhcrc arc oLhcr possibiliLics. Howcvcr, many o Lhcm arc cxoLic
rom Lhc vanLagc poinL o arLisLs who makc Lhcir living as arLisLs or makc
Lhcir living somc oLhcr way so LhaL Lhcy can spcnd Lhc rcmaindcr o Lhcir
livcs in Lhc sLudio. Tcsc, in Lhc main, arc Lhc purposc-builL sLudios o Lhc
kind caLurcd in shclLcr magazincs and dcluxc caLalogs and monographs.
NaLurally, as wcll, Lhc rangc o Lhcm is as various as Lhc anLasy lic, LasLc,
and mcans o arLisLs in a posiLion Lo dcsign and build Lhcm. Wc know rom
his own painLings how opcra sLagclikc Lhc sLudio o William McrriLL Chasc
was. Tc pracLicc o combining work room wiLh show room in Lhc ninc-
LccnLh ccnLury cxcmplicd by his vasL and ornaLc in Lcrior comcs down Lo
us Lhrough Lhc LwcnLicLh inLo Lhc LwcnLy-rsL csscnLially unchangcd, such
LhaL many sLudios arc conccivcd o in anLicipaLion o Lhc LhcaLrical riLuals o
barring and Lhcn granLing cnLrancc Lo Lhc mysLcrious prccincLs o crcaLiviLy,
50
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whilc assuring LhaL Lhc domcsLic layouL glimpscd along Lhc way docs onc o
Lwo kcy Lhings as Lhc clicnL arrivcs aL Lhc inncr sancLum: onc, ciLhcr iL in-
orms LhaL clicnL LhaL Lhc arLisL Lhcy havc comc Lo mccL livcs jusL as comorL-
ably as Lhcy doalbciL wiLh an inLriguingly dicrcnL sLylcundcrsLands
moncy and manncrs much as Lhcy doalLhough Lhc arLisL Lakcs libcrLics in
boLh rcgards LhaL Lhcy would noLand Lhus rcassurcs Lhc clicnL LhaL whaL-
cvcr pricc is askcd or Lhc work and cvcnLually agrccd uponaLcr somc pro
orma bargainingis a air onc or somconc who, dcspiLc Lhcsc cngaging
parLiculariLics, noncLhclcss bclongs Lo Lhcir own social milicu or iLs pcriph-
cry, or Lwo, iL dcmonsLrably scLs Lhc arLisL aparL rom Lhc clicnL, cconomi-
cally, socially, and sLylisLically, in such a ashion as Lo add a prcmium Lo Lhc
pricc o Lhc work on salc LhaL is Lhc cxLra incrcmcnL LhaL all pcoplc living in
Lhc gaLcd communiLics and doorman buildings o Lhcir imaginaLion arc will-
ing Lo pay or a walk on Lhc wild sidc.
Poor arLisLs crcaLc Lhc sccond Lypc o ambiancc corLlcssly, rich oncs
rc-crcaLc iL by dcsign. Tus, whcn hc movcd Lo Crccnwich, ConnccLicuL, Lo
rcign as Lhc Crand Old MasLcr o Lhc Ncw York School in inLimaLc proximiLy
wiLh his paLrons, RobcrL MoLhcrwcll commissioncd a sLudio Lhc cxacL sizc
and proporLion o his downLown ManhaLLan loL so as noL Lo losc his bcar-
ings, Lhough iL is hard Lo scc how Lhc changc o sccnc ouLsidc his window
could havc ailcd Lo Lcll him LhaL hc was no longcr on Lhc ronL lincs o cul-
Lural sLrugglc. I Lhcrc is anyLhing good abouL Lhc conLradicLions and con-
icLs o inLcrcsL LhaL arLisLs carving ouL spacc in discnranchiscd urban scc-
Lors musL acc, iL is Lhc daily rcmindcr LhaL Lhcy arc, as 1aspcr 1ohns dryly
said, Lhc cliLc o Lhc scrvanL class. MoLhcrwcll rcprcscnLs Lhc Lypc o arLisL
who longs Lo movc ouL o Lhc scrvanLs quarLcrs inLo Lhc mansionand
docs. Hc also rcprcscnLs Lhc Lypc o arLisL whosc sLandard parLy paLLcr is
soakcd in nostalgie de la boue.
O Lhc AbsLracL FxprcssionisL gcncraLion, dc Kooning cxcmplicd a con-
Lrary dynamic. Unlikc MoLhcrwcll, who was born Lo privilcgc, dc Kooning
was Lhc son o a barkccpcr and ncvcr madc any scrious moncy unLil hc was
wcll inLo his Lics. WcalLh madc him uncasy. AL onc lcvcland his sLudio-
housc on Iong island has scvcral lcvcls, cach csscnLially opcn Lo Lhc oLhcr
crccLing Lhc workspacc o his drcams was a wholly pracLical maLLcr. BuL or
a man as subLly visual and as innovaLivc in his craL as dc Kooning, pracLi-
caliLy was subjccL Lo almosL inniLc rcncmcnLs oncc Lhc basic oricnLaLion
and conguraLion o Lhc primary sLrucLurc wcrc dccidcd. For sLarLcrs, LhaL
sLrucLurc lookcd noLhing likc his oLcn Lcncbrous Ncw York loLs, buL was
ovcrLly modcrn and lighL-llcd. Onc kcy clcmcnL was Lhc placcmcnL o his
small bcdroom abovc Lhc widc-opcn work arca so LhaL whcn hc awokc in Lhc
middlc o Lhc nighL, anxious abouL whaL hc had donc during Lhc day or cagcr
51
Lo projccL a rcsh LhoughL onLo Lhc painLcrly cld hc had bccn laboring ovcr,
all hc nccdcd Lo do was look ouL Lhc inLcrior glass window o Lhc bcdroom
and down Lo Lhc oor bclow. Dcsiring a bcLLcr vanLagc poinL, dc Kooning
subscqucnLly addcd a canLilcvcrcd, railcd promonLory much likc Lhc plaL-
orm bowspriL o a dccp-sca shing boaL. Walking ouL on Lhis narrow ovcr-
hang, dc Kooning could scan Lhc cnLirc oor bcncaLh him, and look sLraighL
aL drawings and painLcd scraps o ncwspapcr laid on iL, jusL as hc would look
Willem de Kooning in
his East Hampton stu-
dio, 1983. Photograph
by Hans Namuth.
52
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aL a disLancc aL Lhc samc kinds o maLcrials Lackcd Lo Lhc wall, LhaL is Lo say,
aL a nincLy-dcgrcc anglc.
As hc agcd and bccamc lcss ablc movc his canvascs, dc Koonings assis-
LanLs camc Lo Lhc rcscuc by invcnLing an cascl LhaL aL Lhc push o a ooL pcdal
would raisc, lowcr, and, mosL imporLanLly, givcn his habiLs and Lcchniqucs,
roLaLc Lhcm aL any hcighL, wiLh a Lrough in Lhc oor swallowing Lhc boLLom
cdgc whcn hc nccdcd Lo work on Lhc Lop rom Lhc samc sLanding posiLion in
ronL o his picLurc. A virLually idcnLical sysLcm is currcnLly in usc by Chuck
Closc. Tanks Lo iL hc can painL largc ormaL painLings rom his whcclchair,
Lhough in oLhcr rcspccLs, Closcs sLudio is jusL a convcrLcd sLorcronL o a
kind rcnLcd by counLlcss arLisLs in counLlcss nondcscripL commcrcial zoncs.
Such ordinary aadcs arc pcrccL camouagc or Lhc cxLraordinary Lhings
ound insidc, or insoar as somc arLisLs may scck Lhc limclighL, oLhcrs arc
on Lhc look ouL or a placc whcrc Lhcy can go Lo ground and, no morc con-
spicuously Lhan Lhc shopkccpcr or Lhc plumbcr across Lhc sLrccL, go Lo work
unmolcsLcd by Lhc idly curious.
WiLh all o Lhis in mind, dc Kooning who could dazzlc whcn hc wanLcd Lo
buL gcncrally prccrrcd Lo drcss down and blcnd inLo his surroundings, ncv-
crLhclcss spcnL lavishly on a largc idiosyncraLically modcrnisL sLudio siLcd in
a small Iong Island Lown dominaLcd by armhouscs, shcrmcns dwcllings,
and carly LwcnLicLh-ccnLury vacaLion homcs or Lhc unprcLcnLiously wcll-
hcclcd, Lhough Lhc sprawl o Lhc HampLons and iLs osLcnLaLious csLaLcs has
so alLcrcd Lhc landscapc LhaL dc Koonings olly looks modcsL by comparison.
Why olly` Bccausc iL would sccm LhaL onc o Lhc principlc objccLs o Lhc cx-
Lcnsivc rcmodcling o dc Koonings sLudio was Lo usc up Lhc orLunc hc had
madc and LhaL madc him so uncomorLablc. In conLrasL Lo Lhc conspicuous
cxpcndiLurc LhaL boasLully advcrLiscs unlimiLcd wcalLh, dc Kooning almosL
sccmcd dcLcrmincd Lo rid himscl o whaL hc had by spcnding likc a sailor.
Or so somc who wcrc closc Lo him havc said. Irving Sandlcr rccalls mccL-
ing a dcjccLcd dc Kooning on Lhc sLrccL in Ncw York during his rsL ycars
o prospcriLy. Whcn Sandlcr askcd whaL was boLhcring him, dc Kooning rc-
plicd, DidnL painL Loday, rucully adding, CosL mc Lcn Lhousand bucks.
Prcviously, bad days in Lhc sLudio had had no pricc Lag bccausc his work
had almosL no markcL. Now losing moncy by noL working jusL madc maL-
Lcrs worsc, Lhough in dc Koonings casc having moncy was iLs own orm o
LorLurc. WhcLhcr or noL iL is Lruc LhaL dc Kooning wanLcd Lo divcsL himscl
o millions by pouring iL inLo his sLudio, iL is ccrLainly Lruc or oLhcrs who
rom onc scason Lo Lhc ncxL havc bccn caLapulLcd rom Lhc lowcr cconomic
ranks o Amcrican socicLy Lo Lhc uppcr oncs LhaL crcaLing housc or sLu-
dio bcauLiul is lcss a maLLcr o kccping up wiLh collccLors or showing o Lo
pccrswho prompLly bcgin Lo cnvy such visiblc succcss, rcsulLing in miscry
53
on boLh sidcs o Lhc yawning dollar dicrcnLialLhan o prcoccupicd pcoplc
who havc lcarncd how Lo livc wiLhouL moncy jusL noL knowing how Lo livc
wiLh iL. Opcn Lhc pagcs o an arLiclc in Lhc licsLylc prcss LhaL displays an
arLisLs pcrccL sprcadand Lrcmblc.
For arLisLs Lhcrc arc, Lo bc surc, oLhcr orms o luxury Lhan cusLomizcd
or unlimiLcd spacc. UnlimiLcd maLcrials arc, i anyLhing, Lhc mosL dcsir-
ablc onc. NcxL comcs sLoragc. Considcr, or cxamplc, Lhc dccp lockcrs run-
ning around Lhc basc o Lhc windows in dc Koonings sLudio. In Lhc laLc
107us, whcn iL sccmcd LhaL hc was drowning in a Lidc o alcohol LhaL washcd
Lhrough his scasidc rcLrcaL bccausc cnabling and cqually hcll-bcnL assisLanLs
had lcL Lhc doors opcn Lo iLncvcr Lakc rcugc in Lhc counLry i your rsL
gucsLs comc wiLh a six pack and your ncxL onc is a losL soul wiLh a boLLlc
his csLrangcd wic Flainc Look maLLcrs in hand. A rcormcd alcoholic hcr-
scl, shc drovc ouL Lhc bccr buddics and Lhcn wcnL abouL LcmpLing Lhc dricd
ouL buL sLill largcly inacLivc old masLcr back Lo work by laying ouL bcorc
him a Lrcasurc Lrovcor drunkards drcamo painLs LhaL playcd on his
grcaLcr addicLion Lo oil pigmcnLs. Tus somc $1u,uuu worLh o Lhc high-
csL gradc Winsor & NcwLon pigmcnLs in orangc boxcs was dcposiLcd in Lhc
bcnch/bins ncarby his dining room Lablcsizc glass palcLLcs, likc a dcposiL
on Lhc ncxL dccadc o work. Whcn Lhc supplics wcrc dcplcLcd Flainc Loppcd
Lhcm up again wiLh a quick call Lo Ncw York CcnLral ArL Supplics in Lhc FasL
Villagc or somc oLhcr ouLlcL in ManhaLLan.
Tis abundancc o maLcrials rccalls LhaL o Arshilc Corky, whosc sLudio
dc Kooning rsL visiLcd in Lhc mid-103us. Tcrc, in Lhc dcpLhs o Lhc CrcaL
Dcprcssion, Corky hordcd prccious Lubcs o painL, canvas, papcr, brushcs o
cvcry dcscripLion, and all Lhc oLhcr Lools o his Lradc. IL is a sac bcL LhaL Lhc
sLudio on Union Squarc was a cold-waLcr walk-uphow many arLisLs wiLh
Lhcir cyc on Lhc ads in Artforum know whaL LhaL is, much lcss rcmcmbcr liv-
ing in onc`buL dc Kooning and oLhcrs rcmcmbcr Lhc sLudio as a kind o
paradisc in conLrasL Lo Lhcir grcaLcr povcrLy. A variaLion on dc Koonings
cornucopia o oil colors can bc ound in Lhc garagc/hangar in SarasoLa, Flor-
ida, LhaL 1ohn Chambcrlain has uscd Lo sLorc car parLs and scrap mcLal. Vis-
iLing Lhis sLudio almosL LwcnLy ycars ago I ound iLs owncr/ occupanL holcd
up in rooms o Lo onc sidc LhaL had in all likclihood bccn Lhc occs o Lhc
mcchanics who had builL Lhc placc. Whcn I callcd ouL Chambcrlains namc
Lhcrc was much hung-ovcr growling in LhaL cavc, as i a bcar had bccn rouscd
rom iLs hibcrnaLion, alLhough iL was laLc morning on a sunny day. ALcr dc-
ciding LhaL iL was unwisc Lo provokc him urLhcr, I scL ouL on my own scl-
dirccLcd Lour o Lhc mammoLh shcd. On Lhc concrcLc oor wcrc disLribuLcd
groups o cndcrs, doors, sccLions o roo, hoods, and oLhcr morc or lcss
primc cuLs o chop-shoppcd auLomobilcs carcully sorLcd by nish and huc,
54
much as dc KooningLo whosc work Chambcrlains lookcd as admiringly
as dc Koonings had lookcd Lo Corkyshad laid ouL blobs o ccrulcan bluc,
cobalL grccn, cadmium orangc and rcd, alizarin crimson, jaune brillante, and
various cxoLic LinLs and shadcs, plus Langlcs o shiny chromc LhaL could havc
bccn squcczcd rom giganLic lcad Lubcs by a LiLanic hand. Pcrhaps only Lhosc
amiliar wiLh scrap yards can ully apprcciaLc how clcganL and cpicurcan Lhc
wholc cnscmblc was, buL i Lhc imagc Lhc gcncral public has o junk sculp-
Lurc hingcs on crudcncss and visual chaos, in Lhis rcscrvoir o scmi-raw
John Chamberlain studio,
Sarasota, Florida, 1991.
55
maLcrials acsLhcLicism and ordcr rcigncd suprcmc in Lhc ading ycars o Lhc
Machinc Agc.
AL Lhc oLhcr cxLrcmc was Lhc rural sLudio o Lhc wood carvcr Raoul Haguc.
Tc Armcnian Haguc was a primiLivisL o modcrnism in Lhc samc way LhaL
Lhc Romanian sophisLicaLc ConsLanLin Brancusi was a Parisian pcasanL. (I
owc LhaL phrasc Lo Lhc SurrcalisL/SLalinisL dandy Iouis Aragon, who im-
probably and incxcusably managcd Lo lovc MaLissc and SocialisL Rcalism
cqually.) ALcr having madc his rcpuLaLion in ManhaLLan during Lhc hcyday
o Lhc rsL-gcncraLion Ncw York School, Haguc rcmovcd himscl Lo a small
housc on Lhc propcrLy ncxL Lo Lhc onc Philip CusLon had boughL ncar Wood-
sLock, Ncw York, around Lhc samc Limc. Tis was roughly Lhc samc pcriod
during which dc Kooning, Iarry Rivcrs, and oLhcrs madc Lhcir cxodus rom
Lhc incrcasingly busy, disLracLing, and cvcr morc youLhul downLown Man-
haLLan sccnc o Lhc laLc 105us and carly 106us. Pcrhaps iL was Lhc habiL o
cold-waLcr walk-ups or nosLalgia or ancicnL homcsLcads in Lhc old counLry
LhaL convinccd him Lo go radically grccn hal a ccnLury bcorc iL was ash-
ionablc, buL Hagucs housc had no ccnLral hcaLingonly an anLiquc sLovc
and a bcd pilcd high wiLh warm blankcLs. And cvcn whcn Lhc air was crisp,
as iL was Lhc day I paid him a call, Lhc windows wcrc widc opcn. As onc ap-
proachcd Lhc houscI crawlcd ovcr a crumbling cncc rom CusLons land
Lo gcL Lhcrconc saw an almosL Tim BurLonlikc Amcrican CoLhic dwcll-
ing sLanding alonc in a clcarcd cld. Tcrc was a Lall, soliLary Lrcc closc Lo iL,
and Lhc ouLcr wall was covcrcd wiLh mirrors LhaL caughL and rcccLcd Lhc
sun. I bclicvc Lhc glarc Lhcy crcaLcd was inLcndcd Lo righLcn away birds, buL
Haguc was also good wiLh a gun, and onc o Lhc prcscnLs hc gavc Lo visiLors
wcrc Lhc Lorn-o wings o bluc jays LhaL hc kcpL in a carvcd woodcn bowl
by Lhc door.
Haguc populaLcd Lhis splcndid isolaLion wiLh his own sculpLurcs, which
hc kcpL in an arc o spccially dcsigncd barns LhaL parLially cncirclcd Lhc
housc, likc baLLlcmcnLs around a mcdicval kccp. His work was or Lhc mosL
parL Lailorcd rom massivc Lrcc Lrunks hc had prcscrvcd aLcr clcaring Lhc
Lcrrain, and rom Lhosc LhaL highway crcws cuLLing ncw roads in upsLaLc
Ncw York droppcd o. I havc noL bccn Lhcrc sincc Lhc mid-10SusHaguc
dicd aL cighLy-ninc in 1003buL I imaginc much o Lhc compound hc crc-
aLcd rcmains, along wiLh much o Lhc work, sincc in Lhc cra o indusLrially
abricaLcd collccLiblcs by Lhc likcs o Damian HirsL and Takashi Murakami,
Lhc dcmand or naLuralisL sculpLurc is prcLLy slow. BuL slowncss bccomcs
such an acsLhcLic, and Lo Lhc cxLcnL LhaL Hagucs sculpLurcs can bc sccn
againsL a background o Lhc living orcsLs rom which hc cxLracLcd Lhcir pri-
mary clcmcnLs, LhaL scLLing is also Lhc pcrccL placc Lo bcgin Lo undcrsLand
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Lhc arL Haguc addcd Lo naLurc. In Lhis way, Lhc Haguc sLudio has a chancc o
morphing inLo a Haguc muscum. IL would bc Lhc pcrccL soluLion or work
LhaL could ncvcr havc ourishcd in Lhc ciLy and docs noL nccd iL now.
TaL said, Lhc sLudio-as-acLory LhaL David SmiLh csLablishcd or him-
scl in Lhc rolling hills o norLhcrn Ncw York SLaLc aL BolLon Ianding is a
rcmindcr LhaL Lhc Machinc in Lhc Cardcn, as culLural hisLorian Ico Marx
Lcrmcd Lhc dialccLic bcLwccn Lhc pasLoral and Lhc Lcchnological, has bccn
onc o Lhc major Lropcs o Amcrican arL sincc carly in Lhc nincLccnLh ccn-
Lury. And as MarxisL hisLorian F. D. Klingcndcr noLcd in his sLudy Art and
the Industrial Revolution, Lhc carlicsL acLorics builL in Fngland Lcndcd Lo
crop up in locaLions closc Lo Lhc raw maLcrials Lhcy uscd, hcncc William
Blakcs imagc o naLural paradisc dcspoilcd by dark saLanic mills. BuL jusL
as Lhc organic connccLion bcLwccn naLurc and arL lcnds somcLhing spccial
Lo boLh in Hagucs sLudio/sLoragc aciliLy, Lhc sLark conLrasL bcLwccn vcr-
durc and mcLal, naLural grccns and cnamcl ycllows, growLh orms and abri-
caLcd oncs aL BolLon Ianding, acccnLs boLh naLurc and arL jusL as sLrikingly
i noL morc so.
In varying dcgrccs oLhcr cx-urban sLudios, likc LhaL o Hcnry Moorc in
Much Hadham, HcrLordshirc, or LhaL o Lhc laLc Scncgalcsc sculpLor Mus-
Lapha Dimc on Corcc Island o Lhc coasL o Dakar, rcsulL rom morc Lhan a
dccision Lo lcavc bchind Lhc big ciLy, buL also rcprcscnL a posiLivc choicc in
avor o a congcnial work siLc LhaL aords Lhc arLisL a chancc Lo scc his arL
in Lhc conLcxL o spccically compaLiblc or conLrasLing ways LhaL is uLLcrly
disLincL rom Lhc condiLions Lypical o Lhc WhiLc Cubc modcrnisL gallcry.
In shorL, arLisLs donL ncccssarily hcad or Lhc hills Lo gcL away rom iL all
or, in Lhc currcnL HampLons sLylc LhaL now cxLcnds Lo oLhcr dcluxc rcLrcaLs
likc Lhc Hudson Vallcy, rural ConnccLicuL, Aspcn, and SanLa Fc, Lo gcL closcr
Lo Lhcir acLual or poLcnLial collccLor basc. In many cascs Lhcy lcavc Lown
bccausc Lhc ciLy has givcn Lhcm and Lhcir arL all iL can givc, whcrcas oLhcr
working locaLions ocr a ncw background or whaL Lhcy do and so a ncw
undcrsLanding o iL, or suggcsL ncw courscs o acLion and ncw audicnccs.
Somc arLisLs who havc gonc Lo a prcviously unamiliar ciLy or arca Lo work on
a bicnnial or siLc-spccic show cnd up changing undamcnLal Lhings abouL
Lhcir work and moving Lo Lhc placc whcrc LhaL changc rsL occurrcd.
ILs noL all abouL Ncw York and Ios Angclcs. And ncvcr was. For dccadcs,
Siah Armajani has carricd on a major inLcrnaLional carccr rom Minncapo-
lis. ALcr making a namc or hcrscl in Ncw York in Lhc 105us and 106us, Lhc
Canadian-born Agncs MarLin abrupLly quiL Ncw York in Lhc 107us and, in
Lcrms o hcr slow buL sLcady conqucsL o Lhc mainsLrcam gallcry and mu-
scum sysLcm, wcnL AWOI or scvcral ycars, during which Limc shc builL
wiLh hcr own hands a small housc and sLudio in Cuba, Ncw Mcxico, bcsLing
57
cvcn Ccorgia OKccc or o-Lhc-grid monasLicism. IaLcr MarLin movcd
Lo anoLhcr barc-boncs sLudio in CalisLco, Ncw Mcxico. TaL placc Loo had a
quasi-hcrmcLic aura Lo iL, according Lo Lhosc who visiLcd Lhcrc. I ncvcr did.
Howcvcr, Loward Lhc cnd o hcr lic I madc Lhc Lrck Lo Taos, whcrc shc crc-
aLcd anoLhcr homc or hcrscl unLil hcr dcaLh aL nincLy-Lwo, a dcaLh shc rc-
qucnLly prcdicLcd and cvcn longcd or, cvcn as shc conLinucd Lo sLarc mor-
LaliLy down by working on an almosL daily basis.
AL Lhis nal sLop Lhc uniLy o hcr living and working spacc brokc down,
or raLhcr, MarLin dccidcd Lo scparaLc Lhc Lwo uncLions in an uLLcrly prag-
maLic way. Hcr domcsLic quarLcrs consisLcd o a Liny Lwo-room aparLmcnL
wiLh baLh in an adobc-sLylc Taos moLcl LhaL had bccn convcrLcd inLo a rc-
LircmcnL rcsidcncc. Tcrc was noLhing in iL LhaL rcccLcd Lhc wcalLh shc had
acquircd Lhrough Lhc salc o hcr works, which by Lhcn commandcd whop-
ping priccs. Nor, wiLh an OKccc rcproducLion and a small Aboriginal bark
painLing on Lhc bluc walls o hcr siLLing room, was Lhcrc anyLhing LhaL sug-
gcsLcd shc was oLhcr Lhan Lhc sorL o arL-lovcr LhaL a rcLircd schoolmisLrcss
Agnes Martin, New
Mexico, 1992.
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mighL bc. (In acL shc had sLudicd aL Columbia UnivcrsiLy Tcachcrs Collcgc,
as did a numbcr o oLhcr promincnL arLisLs o Lhc pcriod, sincc in Lhc 103us
and 104us Lhc Tcachcrs Collcgc was onc o rclaLivcly cw acadcmic insLiLu-
Lions in Ncw York LhaL ocrcd sLudio classcs.) Across Lhc dusLy parking loL
ouLsidc hcr uniL and down Lhc sLrccL was a rcsLauranL whcrc shc Look somc
o hcr mcals, and acing iL was a small building whcrc shc rcnLcd spacc Lo
painL. Tcrc, whcn I saw hcr, MarLin had a group o largc canvascs in vari-
ous sLaLcs o complcLion proppcd up so LhaL shc could work on Lhcm. To
simpliy hcr manual conLrol ovcr Lhc drawing and LinLing o Lhc horizonLal
lincs LhaL providcd Lhc canvascs ickcring pasLcl ycllow, bluc, and pink im-
agcry, Lhc arLisL had arrangcd Lhcm so LhaL Lhosc lincs dcsccndcd vcrLically,
Lhc bcLLcr Lo pull Lhc rcchand sLrokcs wiLh a sLcady gcsLurc. I rcccivcd Lhis
cxplanaLion aLcr rcconnoiLcring Lhc sLudio on my own, MarLin bid mc go
alonc and lcL myscl in by Lurning Lhc handlc o Lhc unlockcd door. Whcn I
ound hcr again aL hcr usual Lablc aL Lhc rcsLauranL shc rcmarkcd LhaL Lhc
painLings Id sccn wcrc a commission and LhaL shc was going Lo gcL a mil-
lion dollars or Lhcm. Tis rcmindcd mc LhaL, likc LhaL o many oLhcr arLisLs
whosc quoLidian circumsLanccs arc liLLlc cnhanccd by richcs, MarLins pu-
riLy did noL prccludc a kind o absLracL avaricc. No lcss Lhan in Lhc uppcr
cchclons o Lhc busincss world, whcrc pcoplc makc orLuncs grcaLcr Lhan
Lhcy can possibly spcnd, in Lhc uppcr rcachcs o Lhc arL world arLisLs bank
moncy Lhcy will ncvcr lavish on Lhcmsclvcs. YcL Lhcy do iL and carcully
moniLor iL or a hosL o rcasons. Among Lhc inccnLivcs Lo counL oncs cash
as MarLin did arc Lo casc Lhc anxicLics abouL rcLurning Lo ormcr povcrLy, Lo
makc surc LhaL collccLors who cxprcss inLcrcsL in oncs work wanL iL badly
cnough LhaL iL hurLs, or Lo kccp scorc wiLh Lhc posLcd priccs o oncs con-
Lcmporarics. MarLins indulgcnccs wcrc conncd Lo charming Lhc waiLcr o
Lhc unliccnscd caLcry shc rcqucnLcd inLo rcpcaLcdly lling our cocc cups
wiLh chcap rcd winc rom a boLLlc hc hid in Lhc kiLchcn cspccially or hcr.
Tus hcr sLudio-spacc-Lo- living-spacc rouLinc was scL, and shc ollowcd iL
likc Lhosc Zcn masLcrs whosc brighL smiling accs havc Lhc unapologcLic
glow o gcnLlc incbriaLion.
Tc sLudios o Susan RoLhcnbcrg and Brucc Nauman arc likcwisc ar rom
mcLropoliLan hurly-burly, Lhough iL is hard Lo Lhink o Lwo arLisLs who arc
morc a parL o cosmopoliLan modcrn culLurc. UnLil shc movcd Lo CalisLco,
Ncw Mcxico, wiLh Nauman in Lhc 100us, RoLhcnbcrg was a quinLcsscnLially
urban arLisL, raiscd in Bualo, Ncw York, and scasoncd in Lhc griLLy lowcr
ManhaLLan sccnc o Lhc 107us. Among oLhcr Lhings, shc painLcd horscs, buL
shc didnL kccp Lhcm. Nauman kcpL Lhcm, buL didnL much usc Lhcm as im-
agcry unLil Lhcy scLLlcd LogcLhcr on Lhcir ranch which siLs on high, cnccd
scrubland wiLh ancicnL NaLivc Amcrican ruins abovc a gcncrally dry arroyo
59
aL onc corncr o Lhcir cxpansivc acrcagc. Tc housc is spacious buL vcry plain.
A small carly RoLhcnbcrg painLing hangs ncar Lhc door Lo a paLio in Lhc
middlc o which siLs a bronzc ounLain composcd o rampanL ccorchc dogs
by Nauman. Tcrc is virLually no oLhcr arL in sighL.
AL ciLhcr sidc o Lhc back o Lhc paLio arc simplc rccsLanding buildings.
Onc is RoLhcnbcrgs painLing spacc, onc is Naumans all-purposc workspacc.
Hcrs is opcn and rclaLivcly uncluLLcrcd cxccpL or old drawings and kccp-
sakc imagcs pinncd Lo Lhc wall and unsLrcLchcd canvascs o various sizcs
and in various sLaLcs o dcvclopmcnL sLaplcd Lo Lhc walls, or largc shccLs o
papcr laid aL. BuL or Lhc SouLhwcsLcrn lighL, iL could bc almosL anywhcrc.
Naumans working spacc is, as a rulc, ull Lo ovcrowing wiLh rcmnanLs rom
projccLs LhaL may or may noL nd Lhcir way inLo ncw work. For cxamplc, scv-
cral bcrglass casLs o hcads madc in Lhc 100us kickcd around or ycars unLil
drawing Lhcm in dicrcnL oricnLaLions bccamc an all-consuming prcoccupa-
Lion. Hcrc and Lhcrc arc morc or lcss comorLablc rcading chairs, wiLh sLacks
o books on a widc array o subjccLs wiLhin casy rcach, a rcmindcr, i any-
onc nccdcd iL, LhaL conccpLual arLisLs Lcnd Lo bc curious as wcll as ccrcbral,
anxious Lo know abouL Lhc world as wcll as clcvcr in Lhcir abiliLy Lo ormulaLc
challcnging idcas abouL iL. AL any raLc, Nauman is. And aLcr all, or somc Lhc
sLudio is, wiLhouL any acadcmic dusL, a sLudy. In addiLion Lo Lhcsc rcscarch
ncsLs, compuLcr cquipmcnL or cdiLing vidco Lakcs up a air amounL o spacc,
as do oLhcr Lypcs o cquipmcnL suiLablc Lo oLhcr purposcs.
BuL Lhc ovcrwhclming imprcssion lcL by boLh sLudios is LhaL Lhcy arc
Lhc placc Lwo quiLc dicrcnL arLisLs go cvcry day Lo rcLhink Lhc vcry dicr-
cnL kinds o arL Lhcy makc as i iL wcrc Lhcir rsL day on Lhc job. I rccall
Lhc sccond-gcncraLion AbsLracL FxprcssionisL painLcr 1oan MiLchcll oncc
Lclling mc LhaL shc wcnL Lo Lhc sLudio rcligiously, cvcry day, or a consisLcnL
pcriod o Limc cach day. WhcLhcr shc saL or hours in ronL o whaL shc had
donc Lhc prcvious scssion looking or Lhc poinL o rccnLry, or saL or days
in ronL o an cmpLy canvas Lrying Lo x hcr sLarLing poinL, or painLcd u-
riously wiLh unwavcring inLuiLivc purposc unLil Lhc sun scL, iL was all, shc
said, work. SomcLhing o Lhc kind sccms Lo bc Lruc or RoLhcnbcrg and Nau-
man, Lhough I cannoL say rom rsLhand cxpcricncc, bccausc or as long as
I havc known Lhcm boLh I havc ncvcr waLchcd Lhcm work. TaL, iL sccms, is
a soliLary acLiviLy, cxccpL in cascs whcrc Lhc naLurc o Naumans arLbc iL
prcparing insLallaLions, making molds, or sLaging and Laping pcrormanccs
involving oLhcrsrcquircs anoLhcr pcrson.
In LhaL connccLion, Lhcrc is, o coursc, Lhc amous rcmark 1ohn Cagc
madc Lo Philip CusLon whcn Lhc laLLcr was sLruggling wiLh scl-conscious-
ncss whilc making his laLc 105us gcsLural painLings. You know, Cagc rc-
porLcdly said, whcn you cnLcr your sLudio, cvcryonc is Lhcrc, Lhc pcoplc
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in your lic, oLhcr arLisLs, Lhc old masLcrs, cvcryonc. And as you work Lhcy
lcavc, onc by onc. And i iL is a rcally good working day, wcll, you lcavc Loo.
In a scnsc, Nauman puL LhaL noLion Lo Lhc LcsL whcn hc shoL Lhc proLoLypc o
his mulLi orm vidco insLallaLion piccc, Mapping the Studio (Fat Chance John
Cage) (2uu2). In iL, synchronizcd vidco ooLagc rccords scvcral vicws o his
sLudio by nighL vision, Limc-lapsc survcillancc camcraswiLh Lhc rsL cw
imagcs rccording his dcparLurc rom Lhc spacc. WhaL onc Lhcn sccs is an
cmpLincss animaLcd by insccLs, rodcnLs, and a prowling caL. IL is Lhc lic o
Lhc sLudio aLcr Lhc lic o arL has bccn suspcndcd. IL is Lhc arLisLs cnviron-
mcnL abscnL Lhc arLisL and his LransormaLivc prcscncc. IL is Lhc physical liL-
cralizaLion o Cagcs parablc, and in a sly way iL poinLcdly poscs and bcgs Lhc
qucsLion o whcLhcr Lhc crcaLivc individual who lcavcs has indccd clcarcd
Lhc dccks o his cgo and his obscssions, or whcLhcr hc has Lakcn Lhcm wiLh
him inLo whaLcvcr spacc hc Lhcn occupics, which, givcn Lhc houschold lay-
ouL, in Lhis casc mcans Laking Lhc sLudio inLo domcsLic arcas bccausc Lhc
sLudio is Lhc mind and Lhc spacc bcing phoLomcchanically mappcd is a quasi
void inhabiLcd by crcaLurcs or which arL and iLs maLcrial manicsLaLion is
an obsLaclc coursc Lhcy navigaLc in cral pursuiL o cach oLhcr or o invisiblc
prcy, in shorL, a Hobbcsian sLaLc o naLurc wiLh Naumans Lools and unn-
ishcd projccLs as iLs landmarks. FaL chancc, 1ohn Cagc, says Lhc man whosc
106S sound piccc ranLs, CcL ouL o my mind! CcL ouL o Lhis room!
On LhaL noLc, lcL mc draw Lhis bric sLudio Lour Lo a closc wiLh onc rc-
laLcd cxamplc and onc imporLanL prcccdcnL rom Lhc samc pcriod as LhaL
carly Nauman insLallaLion. Tc prcccdcnL is a Lcrm coincd by Naumans cl-
low Caliornia conccpLualisL 1ohn Baldcssari, who in 107u burncd all Lhc
work hc had donc as a painLcr Lo clcar Lhc way Lo cmbark on a ncw arLisLic
dirccLion prcdicaLcd on making work rom idcas haLchcd wiLhouL rccoursc
Lo LradiLional mcans and rcalizcd according Lo whichcvcr orms and pro-
ccsscs bcsL conLaincd and prcscnLcd a givcn idca. In cccL, Baldcssari camc
up wiLh a noLion and Lhcn chosc his mcdiumvidco, phoLography, phoLo-
monLagc, and so onas hc saw L. Taking Lhc lcssons hc had lcarncd rom
Lhis mcLhodological lcap inLo Lhc classroom whcrc hc madc his living as a
Lcachcr aL Caliornia InsLiLuLc o Lhc ArLs (CalArLs) Baldcssari insLiLuLcd a
coursc callcd PosL-SLudio ArL and iniLiaLcd a quicL rcvoluLion in Lhc way
many arLisLs makc Lhings and much o Lhc public Lhinks abouL arL produc-
Lion, LhaL vcry phrasc signaling Lhc shiL as dcniLivcly and as succincLly as
anyLhing clsc LhaL could bc said abouL iL.
ParcnLhcLically, aL scvcnLy-vc Baldcssari sLill Lcachcs, Lhough hc no lon-
gcr nccds Lhc incomc, as docs Lhc cighLy-ninc-ycar-old Waync Ticbaud
Lhc WcsL CoasL Pop painLcr in whosc drawing classcs Nauman scrvcd as
61
a Lcaching assisLanLdisproving Lhc canard LhaL Lhosc who can do and
Lhosc who canL Lcach. As an asidc I would also noLc LhaL Lhc laLc-blooming
scvcnLy-ninc-ycar-old painLcr Raoul dc Kcyscr, who was in somc rcspccLs a
rolc modcl or Lhc much youngcr and vcry quick-o-Lhc-mark Iuc Tuymans,
workcd mosL o his lic as a public school adminisLraLor in a small Lown in
Bclgium. His sLudio is an opcn aLLic aLop a simplc suburban housc in Lhc
middlc o which dc Kcyscr has Lwo birdcagcs bccausc, hc says, Lhc birds in-
sidc providc him wiLh an consLanL rcmindcr o movcmcnL and color.
BuL back Lo Lhc rclaLcd cxamplc o sLudiolcss pracLicc I promiscd, namcly
LhaL o Lhc mulLiarious Fclix Conzalcz-Torrcs. To my way o Lhinking, Con-
zalcz-Torrcs is as paradigmaLic a gurc in his gcncraLion as Fva Hcssc was
in hcrs, insoar as during a vcry shorL carccr, LruncaLcd likc hcrs by a aLal
illncss, Conzalcz-Torrcs noL only csLablishcd ormal, conccpLual, and social
prcccdcnLs LhaL arc pivoLal or Lhc paLhs Lakcn by many arLisLs who havc ar-
rivcd on Lhc sccnc sincc hc was acLivc, buL bccausc hc also succccdcd in rc-
alizing a complcLc and complcx sLaLcmcnL o his primary Lhcmcs bcorc his
unLimcly dcaLh. Conzalcz-Torrcss acLual works rangc rom inLcracLivc, oLcn
scl-dcplcLing insLallaLion sculpLurcs LhaL usc rcadymadc modulcs likc can-
dics, cookics, and prinLcd imagcs and LcxLs Lo public billboards wiLh sccm-
ing privaLc mcssagcs, jig-saw puzzlcs, convcnLionally ramcd phoLographs,
phoLographic and Lypographic mulLiplcs, and morc. Nonc o Lhis work was
madc in a spccial workplacc, unlcss you considcr a small aparLmcnL llcd
wiLh Mickcy Mousc collccLiblcs and a Paul Nclson soa a workplacc.
YcL likc Naumans, and Baldcssaris, and LhaL o many oLhcrs, Conzalcz-
Torrcss producLion was inLcnscly visual and vcry spccically maLcrial, a sc-
rics o posL-Duchampian LhoughL objccLs whosc scnsory qualiLics wcrc
inLrinsic Lo Lhcir mcaning raLhcr Lhan mcrcly illusLraLivc o iL: in sum, quinL-
csscnLial dcmonsLraLions o Lhc yin/yang o Lhc conccpLual and Lhc pcrccp-
Lual. FxccpLionally wcll rcad in criLical Lhcory, Conzalcz-Torrcs bclongcd Lo
a circlc o arLisLs o Lhc 10Sus and 100us LhaL mounLcd cvcry imaginablc
challcngc Lo Lhc cLishizaLion o arL and ycL sLill madc uLLcrly disLincLivc
Lhings whosc conLcnL was inacccssiblc unlcss onc cxpcricnccd Lhcm rsL-
hand as Lhings.
Why insisL on Lhis poinL aL Lhc concluding sLagc o a long mcandcring
piccc on sLudios` Bccausc Lhcrc is a considcrablc consLiLucncy wiLhin Lhc
arL world LhaL cLishizcs noL only whaL arLisLs havc LradiLionally donc buL
whcrc Lhcy havc LradiLionally donc iL. Hcncc Lhc romanLicizing phoLographs
o arLisLs in Lhcir lairs LhaL graccand somcLimcs disgraccso many
conLcmporary caLalogs, rom Lhosc LhaL rccord AlbcrLo CiacomcLLis primor-
dial, plasLcr-spaLLcrcd Bohcmian dcn or Pollocks crampcd shack, Lo Lhosc
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o Francis Bacons holc-in-Lhc-wall aL 7 Rcccc Mcws in Iondon (alLhough
rcporLcdly Bacon didnL acLually makc his gcncrally asLidious cxprcssionisL
painLings in Lhc much documcnLcd marcs ncsL, which was posLhumously
rclocaLcd in Lhc Hugh Ianc Callcry, Dublin as a shrinc Lo his SaLurninc gc-
nius), Lo Lhc incomparably campy Lablcaux o 1ulian Schnabcl acing down
Lhc muscs in his palaLial sLudio-as-sLagc-scL. TaL a Lomc publishcd Lo ccl-
cbraLc an cxhibiLion o works drawn rom Lhc collccLion o Frcnch Lycoon
Franois PinnaulL, misnamcd Mapping Lhc SLudio, opcns wiLh somc Ly
phoLo sprcads o arLisLs sLudiosConzalcz-Torrcss Mickcy Mousc shcl
appcars, as docs Naumans vacanL rcdoubLjusL shows how rmly Lhis culL
rcLains iLs hold on Lhc collccLivc imaginaLion.
IiLLlc can bc donc Lo prccmpL LhaL ascinaLion wiLh Lhc placc whcrc lighL-
ning supposcdly sLrikcs, buL lcL mc cnd whcrc I bcgan: Lhc boLLom linc is
LhaL arLisLs work whcrc Lhcy can, and how Lhcy can. Tcrc is noLhing mys-
Lcrious abouL Lhis, sincc arLisLs musL bc pragmaLic cvcn whcn Lhcy prcLcnd
noL Lo bc or do Lhc bcsL Lhcy can Lo disguisc Lhcmsclvcs and conccal Lhcir
proccss. Tc mysLcry and Lhc marvcl is in Lhc work. Tc rcsL is conLingcnL
rcaliLy and rcal csLaLc.
63
Bruce Nauman
Sctting a Cood Corncr
When I was making that piece [The Artist Is an Amazing Luminous Fountain,
1967] originally and then thinking about it later, people, a lot of people, were
thinking about how to structure time. John Cage was making different kinds
of ways of making music and Merce [Cunningham] was structuring dance in
different kinds of ways. And then Warhol was making lms that went on for a
long period of time. And Steve Reich and La Monte Young were making music
that was structured in a very different way. So it was interesting for me to have
a lot of ways to think about things. And one of the things I liked about some of
those people was that they thought of their works as just ongoing. And so you
Bruce Nauman, stills from Setting a Good Corner (Allegory and Metaphor), 1999.
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ncould come and go and the work was there. There wasnt a specic duration.
This thing can just repeat and repeat and repeat, and you dont have to sit and
watch the whole thing. You can watch for a while, leave and go have lunch or
come back in a week, and its just going on. I really liked that idea of the thing
just being there. The idea being there so that it became almost like an object
that was there, that you could go back and visit whenever you wanted to.
In Setting a Good Corner, were building a corner to stretch a fence and
hang a gate. It had a real purpose in the ranch here. I needed to do this. But
at the same time, it made a beautiful structure. . . . My partnerBill Riggins at
the end of the tapeI showed him the tape, and he said, Boy, youre going to
get a lot of criticism on that because people have a lot of different ways of do-
ing those things. So I put down some of the things that he said, about keep-
ing your tools sharpened and not letting them lie on the ground where they
get hurt or get abused and dirty and you cant nd them. And some thoughts
about how his father used to do things. How these thingsif you grow up with
themyou learn them in one way.
I wasnt sure when I nished it if anybody would take it seriously. It turned
out to be kind of interesting to watch. I gave a certain amount of thought to how
I set up the shot and then after that. . . . Thats not an uncommon way for artists
to proceed. What makes the work interesting is if you choose the right ques-
tions. Then, as you proceed, the answers are whats interesting. If you choose
65
the wrong questions, you still get a result, but its not interesting. So thats in
there. I think I learned some of that from Sol LeWitt, who does a lot of that. He
builds a structure that you have to work with, and the work could come out
different every time. But if you follow the structure, its interesting, sometimes
beautiful and sometimes just interesting.
Well, thats the art part and thats what you dont know. Thats the hard part.
Sometimes the question that you pose or the project that you start turns into
something else, you know, but at least it gets you started. And sometimes you
nish and you look at it and say, I got a bad result; I dont like what came out
here. And so you have to start over or change it somehow.
I mean if the fence is going to last it has to be done well. And so you want
to do a good job. Other cowboys and ranchers are going to come around and
theyll see it and theyll say, Well, thatthats a good one. Or, Thats not a
good one. Its when you go to work at somebody elses place and the gates
all work, or you have to get out of the truck, or off your horse, and drag them
around and make a lot of extra work for yourself because nobody wants to
spend the time to x them up and make them work better. I have a lot of other
things to do, so if Im going to do it, Id like to get it right so that when I have to
use it, its just there and its useful and usable and Im not wasting time with a
lot of extra baling wire and stuff, patching it every once in a while.
You have to adjust yourself to it because its hard work. And so you adjust
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yourself to the task and if you go out there and say, Boy, I just hate doing this
and I got to get it done, youre probably not going to do a good job. Or you
might just forget, not even bother. But if you can nd that spotI suppose its
like runningI used to be a swimmer and swim laps, and you just have to be
there with what youre doing. Your mind could actually go a lot of other places,
but your body has to be there with what youre doing. Its a good discipline. In
the studio, I dont do a lot of work that requires repetitive activity. I spend a lot
of time looking and thinking and then try to nd the most efcient way to get
what I want, whether its making a drawing or a sculpture, or casting plaster,
or whatever. But part of the enjoyment I take in it is nding the most efcient
way to do it, which doesnt mean that corrections arent made. I like to have a
feeling of the whole task before I start, even if it changes.
If youre an amateur artist, you can get it sometimes and not other times,
and you cant tell and you cant always do it over again. And the part about be-
ing a professional artist is that you can tell and you can do it over again, even if
you cant say how you got there exactly. Youve done it enough and you know
how to get there. I dont have any specic steps to take because I dont start
the same way every time. But there is a knowing when its enough and you can
leave it alone. You could go on and maybe make some changes, but they could
ruin it and they arent going to necessarily make it better. Theyre just going to
be different. And so thats what keeps me in the studio, the not knowing part
and always being surprised.
67
From an interview with Bruce Nauman conducted for the documentary series ArL:21ArL in
Lhc TwcnLy-rsL CcnLury (2001), originally published in the companion volume of the same title
(vol. 1, 2001). Art21, Inc. 20012009. All rights reserved.
68
Michael Peppiatt and
Alice Bellony-Rewald
Studios o Amcrica
IL appcars scl-cvidcnL Loday LhaL a disLincLly Amcrican sLudio cxisLs. No
sooncr arc Lhc words said Lhan onc sccs a vcry largc, plain, whiLcwashcd
spacc in a building LhaL oncc uncLioncd as a acLory or a warchousc, rc-
qucnLly in a dilapidaLcd parL o Lown. Tcrc mighL bc a chair or Lwo, a couplc
o phoLos or imagcs Lackcd Lo Lhc wall, buL Lhc cmphasis is cnLircly on Lhc
work undcr way. NoLhing connccLs iL Lo Lhc plush, wcll-llcd aLclicrs our
grandaLhcrs and grcaL-grandaLhcrs admircd. NoL only is Lhcrc no aLLcmpL
aL a rcassuring comorL and osLcnLaLion (quiLc Lhc rcvcrsc!), buL virLually
cvcry csLablishcd sLudio pracLicc and cvcry piccc o cquipmcnL has changcd.
In Lhis barc modcrn room, palcLLc and cascl, punch and mallcL would look
likc hcirlooms. Tc canvas is sprcad dirccLly on oor or wall, and a pcrson
drcsscd noL in vclvcL buL in workmans dungarccs gocs aL iL wiLh housc-
painLcrs Lools and hugc poLs o indusLrial painL, or opcraLcs Lrip-hammcr
and accLylcnc Lorch in an acrid, machinc-shop aLmosphcrc. YcL Lhis rccdom
rom Lhc pasL was achicvcd only aLcr many gcncraLions o Amcrican arLisLs
had absorbcd ccnLurics o LradiLion.
Up unLil Lhc 103us, whcn Lhc loLlikc aLclicr madc iLs LcnLaLivc dcbuL,
Lhc lcading Amcrican sLudios closcly rcscmblcd Lhcir Furopcan counLcr-
parLs. Whcn Frcdcric Fdwin Church builL his painLcrs casLlc abovc Lhc Hud-
son Rivcr, hc was noL unmindul o Lhc hybrid splcndor in which his pccrs
wcrc lodgcd in Iondon, Paris, and Vicnna. Similarly, William McrriLL Chasc
vowcd hc would makc his ManhaLLan sLudio as cxoLically imprcssivc as any-
Lhing hc had sccn during his six ycars o sLudy and Lravcl in Furopc. YcL cvcn
Lhc mosL slavish imiLaLions o Lhc way promincnL arLisLs wcrc csLablishcd
abroad cndcd, naLurally cnough, by acquiring an irrcducibly Amcrican noLc.
And or cvcry Church and Chasc, Lhcrc wcrc scorcs o morc humblc arLisLs
who livcd by painLing anyLhing rom shop signs Lo porLraiLs, scLLing up Lhcir
sLudios whcrcvcr commissions wcrc Lo bc had, and Lhcn moving on likc Lhc
iLincranL arLisLs o Furopc during Lhc Middlc Agcs.
Churchs masLcr, Lhc highly giLcd Tomas Colc, bcgan his carccr in jusL
69
Lhis way. Fnglish-born, buL having arrivcd in Philadclphia as a young man
in 1S1S, Colc was kccnly awarc o Lhc ncw naLions unLappcd visual wcalLh.
All naLurc hcrc is ncw Lo arL, hc noLcd, and wiLh no urLhcr apprcnLiccship
Lhan having waLchcd anoLhcr painLcr aL work, hc scL o across Lhc coun-
Lry wiLh a knapsack ull o canvas, raw pigmcnLs, and Lhc oLhcr Lools o Lhc
Lradc. NaLurally, Lhc unLuLorcd young arLisL acccpLcd all rcqucsLs, howcvcr
inglorious, such as Louching up unaLLcring porLraiLs lcL bchind by oLhcr
iLincranL painLcrs. Tc odd succcss ncvcrLhclcss occurrcd, as whcn hc was
askcd Lo painL Lhc visagc o a miliLary occr, Lhis Lurncd ouL Lo bc his
bcsL likcncss sincc, hc said, I could hardly miss iL. Twas all nosc, and in
Lhc background a rcd baLLlc. Colc did noL comc inLo his own, howcvcr, unLil
hc journcycd up Lhc Hudson Rivcr in 1S25. WiLh Lhc crvor o onc who had
suddcnly discovcrcd his Lruc calling as an arLisL, hc skcLchcd Lhc magni-
ccnL spccLaclc bcorc him, Lhcn carricd Lhc rcsulL back Lo his garrcL in Ncw
York CiLy, whcrc, pcrpcLually ghLing wiLh a kind o LwilighL . . . clbowcd
and pushcd by mcan parLiLions, hc workcd up on canvas Lhc vasL ycL dc-
Lailcd and luminous vision o naLurc LhaL was Lo bc variously inLcrprcLcd by
a wholc school o Amcrican landscapisLs.
By Lhc Limc hc was LwcnLy-cighL, Colc was csLablishcd as Amcricas lcad-
ing painLcr. Iikc mosL succcssul Amcrican arLisLs LhroughouL Lhc ccnLury,
hc wcnL on an cxLcndcd Lour o Furopc, ycL hc was in no way awcd by Lhc old
conLincnLs grcaL ccnLcrs o arLisLic LradiLion. Indccd, hc opcnly criLicizcd
Lhc laLcr landscapcs o Turncr (whosc prcvious work hc much admircd) and
lcL Iondon convinccd LhaL hc had donc morc Lhan all Lhc Fnglish painL-
crs. ShorLly bcorc his dcaLh in 1S4S, Colc was Lo rcLurn Lo Furopc and lock
himscl in a Roman sLudio so as Lo work ouL o sighL o Lhc ILalian old mas-
Lcrs who, unlikc Lhc Fnglish, gavc him a crippling scnsc o arLisLic inadc-
quacy. BuL his work as a grcaL iniLiaLor had bccn accomplishcd, and passion
or landscapc on Lhc grandcsL Amcrican scalc had bccn sparkcd in his mosL
succcssul pupil, Frcdcric Church. Schoolcd or Lhrcc ycars by Colc in Lhc laL-
Lcrs CaLskill sLudio, Church losL no Limc in csLablishing Lhc paLLcrn o his
painLing lic. Having spcnL Lhc wholc summcr Lravcling and skcLching ouL
o doors, hc would rcLurn, L and bronzcd as a sporLsman, in OcLobcr, and
disappcar inLo his Ncw York CiLy sLudioLo cmcrgc a pallid wraiLh, uscd up
by Loo much work, in Lhc spring. UnLil hc rcLircd Lo his drcam casLlc, Olana,
builL on a blu ovcrlooking Lhc Hudson, Church workcd in Lhc amous WcsL
TcnLh SLrccL SLudio Building, a hub o Amcricas socicLy avoriLcs. A pro-
digious amounL o cncrgy wcnL inLo cach o Churchs hugc, mcLiculously
accuraLc composiLions. Tcy wcrc rcscarchcd during voyagcs LhaL Look Lhc
inLrcpid arLisL as ar acld as Fcuador, Crcccc, Lhc Ncar FasL, and (Lo gain a
rsLhand amiliariLy wiLh iccbcrgs) Iabrador. Hundrcds o oil skcLchcs wcrc
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dmadc in siLu and broughL back Lo Ncw York, whcrc Lhcy wcrc Lransormcd
Lhrough Lhc arLisLs dcxLcriLy and prodigious visual mcmory inLo landscapcs
so ull o naLural acL LhaL or onc o Lhcm an cssay-lcngLh guidc was pro-
duccd Lo dirccL Lhc spccLaLors cyc Lo various salicnL poinLs.
Tc canvas in qucsLion was Heart of the Andes, nishcd in 1S50. IL was
cagcrly awaiLcd, and whcn Lhc momcnL camc Lo rcvcal Lhc painLing Lo Lhc
public, Church shuL ouL all naLural lighL rom his sLudio and spoLliL Lhc work
by mcans o clusLcrcd gas jcLs scL in silvcr rcccLors. FxoLic planLs and sump-
Luous hangings hcighLcncd Lhc imprcssion o a magical cvcnL: a disLanL land
broughL in all iLs rcal-lic splcndor Lo Lhc hcarL o Ncw York! Tc cxhibiLion
bccamc a roaring succcss, ncLLing ncarly $6uu a day in cnLrancc ccs, and Lhc
picLurc laLcr drcw crowds in a dozcn major Furopcan ciLics. Iikc his coun-
LcrparLs in Francc and FnglandLhc Ccrmcs and Alma-TadcmasChurch
aimcd aL absoluLc dcliLy Lo mcasurablc acL in cvcryLhing hc painLcd, and
likc Lhcm hc workcd rcgularly rom phoLographs and sLcrcographs. In Lhc
WcsL TcnLh SLrccL sLudio, likcncd by onc cnLhusiasL Lo a grcaL alchcmisLs
laboraLory, wholc porLolios o documcnLs wcrc asscmblcd Lo assurc Lhc
accuracy o cach composiLion. Jerusalem was noL bcgun unLil a phoLogra-
phcr had providcd spccial panoramic vicws o Lhc ciLy. CollccLions o Lropi-
cal birds cggs and buLLcrics, backcd up by a comprchcnsivc naLural hisLory
library, ormcd parL o Lhc archivcs o Lhis rcmarkablc aLclicr in Crccnwich
Villagc. YcL howcvcr imprcssivc, iL was dwarcd by Churchs subscqucnL cx-
Lravaganza.
AbouL an hour Lhis sidc o Albany is Lhc CcnLcr o Lhc World, Lhc arLisL
wroLc Lo a ricnd. I own iL. By 1S72, Church had movcd inLo whaL musL bc
Lhc mosL ambiLious sLudio-palacc cvcr builL. Callcd Olana (rom Lhc Arabic
mcaning our placc on high), Lhis loLy mansion was a grand archiLccLural
anLasy in Lhc VicLorian-Pcrsian sLylc, dcsigncd by Lhc arLisL and incorpo-
raLing polychromc Lowcrs, brick minarcLs, and OricnLal inLcriors. Tc sLu-
dio wingparL Mcxican, parL OricnLal in inspiraLionconLaincd a gallcry
and a rooLop obscrvaLory LhaL providcd an unparallclcd vicw ovcr Lhc Hud-
son Lo Lhc CaLskill and Bcrkshirc mounLains. Hcrc Church planncd Lo makc
asLounding ncw sLudics o Lhc sLorms and sunscLs LhaL had always asci-
naLcd him. BuL a chronically rhcumaLic wrisL prcvcnLcd him rom working,
and Lhc splcndid sLudiowiLh iLs Tiany silvcr, iLs Shakcr rocking chair and
picLurcs by Colc and Murillorcmaincd csscnLially a showplacc o Lhc arL-
isLs cclccLic LasLcs.
Olana was only onc o a considcrablc numbcr o sLudios Lo havc sprung
up likc a pickcL linc along Lhc Hudson Rivcr. AlbcrL BicrsLadL, Ccrman-
Lraincd and immcnscly succcssul as a limncr o Lhc grandiosc WcsL, com-
mandcd such high priccs rom Lhc inLcrnaLional cliLc LhaL hc was ablc Lo
71
build a painLcrs casLlc ovcrlooking Lhc Tappan Zcc. Callcd MalkasLcn (and
sincc dcsLroycd by rc), iL conLaincd LhirLy-vc rooms, including a scvcnLy-
vc-ooL-long sLudio, which Lhc vigorous arLisL had cnlivcncd wiLh Indian
arLiacLs, wapiLi hcads, and oLhcr shoLgun Lrophics. Scvcral painLcrs had
sLudios spccially consLrucLcd Lo conLain livc animals, Ccorgc Inncss, or in-
sLancc, crcaLcd a zoological glasshousc in which hc was ablc Lo dcpicL Lhc
animals o his choicc againsL a varicLy o backgrounds wiLhouL cvcr lcav-
ing his comorLablc inLcrior. Tc Iong Island gcnrc painLcr, William Sid-
ncy MounL, madc Lhc conLrary arrangcmcnL. Following his bclic LhaL Lhc
painLcr should havc no homcbuL wandcr in scarch o sccncry and charac-
Lcr, MounL dcviscd a horsc-drawn sLudio LhaL allowcd him Lo amblc down
counLry lancs and cxccuLc porLraiLs, picLurcs and landscapcsrcc rom
much dusL, hcaL and coldduring windy and sLormy wcaLhcr. Scvcral rusLic
sccncs laLcr, MounL sang Lhc praiscs o Lhis aLclicr on whccls as Lhc cxLracL
o Lhc vcry bcsL sLudios in Lhc world.
WiLh Lruc Amcrican pracLicaliLy, arLisLs scL up Lhcir sLudios in Lhc mosL
uncxpccLcd placcs whcncvcr commissions sccmcd Lo bc orLhcoming. A-
Lcr spccializing or a Limc in hugc, rapidly painLcd poliLical banncrs, Ccorgc
Calcb Bingham csLablishcd himscl in a huL aL Lhc ooL o CapiLol Hill and
waiLcd or amous sLaLcsmcn Lo comc and siL or Lhcir porLraiLs, nonc did,
and Bingham Lurncd, morc rcwardingly, Lo dcpicLing lic on Lhc Missouri.
OLhcr cagcr porLraiLisLs opcncd Lhcir cascls in Lhc Ncw York SLock Fxchangc
and dashcd o an invcsLors likcncss bcorc a changc o orLunc could inLcr-
vcnc. Many o Lhosc orLunaLc cnough Lo havc somc kind o a painLing room
had no oLhcr accommodaLion and wcrc obligcd, as onc conLcmporary noLcd,
Lo bivouac aL nighL in Lhcir sLudios or occs amid . . . plasLcr casLs, boxing-
glovcs, cascls, squarcs o canvas, skulls, cncing-oils, porLolios, pipcs, ar-
mor, wcapons and skcLchcs.
Such makcshiL arrangcmcnLs would noL havc bccn LolcraLcd, naLurally,
by Lhc grandccs o Amcrican arL, many o whom aL somc poinL in Lhcir ca-
rccrs kcpL a sLudio in Lhc prcsLigious WcsL TcnLh SLrccL building. Church
and Chasc wcrc long rcsidcnL Lhcrc, and oLhcr noLcd inhabiLanLs includcd
BicrsLadL, Sanord Ciord, Fmmanucl IcuLzc, MarLin Hcadc, and Winslow
Homcr. Tus Lhc building, which conLinucd as an arLisLs communiLy unLil
iL was pullcd down in 1055, providcd Lhc ocal poinL o Ncw Yorks arLisLic
lic or scvcral dccadcs. MosL o Lhc sLudios opcncd inLo onc anoLhcr, and
alLhough, likc lcss orLunaLc arLisLs rooms, Lhcy harborcd all sorLs o odds
and cnds o old drapcry and knick-knacks Lhrown abouL in Langlcd, picLur-
csquc conusion, Lhcy lcnL Lhcmsclvcs admirably Lo showing o ncw work
Lo a sclccL public o poLcnLial collccLors and provcn cognosccnLi. Tcsc visiLs
gradually grcw inLo ull-scalc arLisLs rcccpLions, ouLsLanding social cvcnLs
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dLo which inviLaLions wcrc covcLcd. Fvcry Lracc o Loil was rcmovcd rom
Lhc sLudio and Lhc mosL salablc painLings hoisLcd Lo bcsL advanLagc amid
arLisLically scaLLcrcd poLLcd planLs and curios. Tc arLisLs, or Lhcir parL,
Lrimmcd Lhcir bcards, donncd Lhcir Sunday bcsL, and sLood by Lhcir sLudio
doors Lo grccL visiLors. Music and a bucL wcrc oLcn providcd, parLicularly
in Chascs sLudio, which had oncc bccn Lhc communal cxhibiLion arca and so
was by ar Lhc largcsL spacc in Lhc building. As prodigal as hc was succcssul,
Chasc cnLcrLaincd likc a rajah, giving sLudio parLics LhaL wcrc dcscribcd as
Lhc scnsaLion o Lhc 1SSus. Tc ablcd CarmcnciLa, inviLcd by 1ohn Singcr
SargcnL, danccd Lhcrc wiLh such cclaL LhaL somc o Lhc ladics prcscnL Lorc
o Lhcir jcwcls and casL Lhcm aL hcr ccL. Chascs Russian grcyhounds, ma-
caws, and cockaLoos ncvcr ailcd Lo makc an imprcssion, whilc or Lhc singlc-
mindcd arL cnLhusiasL Lhcrc wcrc, as onc visiLor rccords, adcd LapcsLrics
LhaL mighL Lcll sLrangc sLorics, quainL dccoraLcd sLools, damasccncd bladcs
and groLcsquc inLlocks.
Onc mighL lcavc Lhcsc busy inLcriors and ollow similarly wcll csLablishcd
arLisLs Lo Lhcir summcr haunLs, Lo Lhc skcLching parLics or rclaxcd painLing
schools Lhcy scL up in prospcrous villagcs along Lhc casLcrn scaboard, Lakc
urLhcr noLc o Lhcir ccccnLriciLics and cxLravaganccs, and concludc LhaL iL
was a goldcn agc o populariLy and casc or arLisLs. TaL would, o coursc, bc
a alsc imprcssion. Amcrica mighL Lakc Lo hcr bosom a painLcr who skillully
convcycd Lhc imagc o hcr prospcriLy and grandcur. BuL anyonc lcss succcss-
ul Lhan Lhc handul o socicLy avoriLcs Lcndcd Lo sucr, i noL maLcrially,
Lhcn aL lcasL rom a crippling scnsc o isolaLion. In Munich or Dusscldor, Vi-
cnna or Romc, arLisLs ciLhcr obscurc or in sLylisLic rcbcllion could counL on a
ccrLain undcrsLanding and cvcn a scnsc o communiLy. Amcrica was sLill Loo
ncw and Loo vasL Lo aord Lhis, and whcn Lhcy could, many Amcrican arLisLs
Look cxLcndcd rcugc in Furopc, whcrc, according Lo NaLhanicl HawLhornc,
Lhcy conLinucd Lo shivcr aL Lhc rcmcmbrancc o Lhcir loncly sLudios in Lhc
unsympaLhizing ciLics o Lhcir naLivc land.
An indcpcndcnLly Amcrican arL, and hcncc an indcpcndcnLly Amcrican
sLudio, was sLill ar o. TroughouL Lhc laLc nincLccnLh ccnLury, Amcrican
arLisLs who had opLcd Lo livc in Furopc wcrc, as Church dryly obscrvcd, as
plcnLiul as anLs in an anLhill, and Lhcrc was noL a singlc acadcmy or opcn
aLclicr rom Iondon Lo Romc LhaL could noL boasL a LransaLlanLic pupil. Tus
Lhc laLcsL Furopcan aLLiLudcs in arL wcrc rcgularly shippcd back Lo Amcrica.
Bcorc rcLurning Lo his naLivc Philadclphia, whcrc hc LaughL aL Lhc Pcnnsyl-
vania Acadcmy o Lhc Finc ArLs, Tomas Fakins sLudicd undcr Ccrmc
whosc aLclicr aL Lhc Fcolc dcs Bcaux-ArLs in Paris also includcd Frcdcric A.
Bridgman, AbboLL Taycr, and 1. Aldcn Wcir. Tc siLuaLion did noL changc
grcaLly in Lhc carly ycars o Lhis ccnLury. AL Lhc Limc o Lhc CubisLs, dcpcn-
73
dcncc on Furopc was sLill sucicnLly absoluLc or onc o Lhc mosL pcrcipicnL
connoisscurs o Lhc pcriod, CcrLrudc SLcin, Lo dcclarc, PainLing in Lhc ninc-
LccnLh ccnLury was only donc in Francc and by Frcnchmcn, aparL rom LhaL
painLing did noL cxisL, in Lhc LwcnLicLh ccnLury iL was donc in Francc buL by
Spaniards. Bcorc such massivc ovcrsimplicaLion could bc dcniLivcly rc-
jccLcd, Amcrican arLisLs had Lo Lakc a long, loncly lcap inLo Lhc dark.
Tc mosL dramaLic o Lhc gurcs Lhrough whom Lhc LransiLion Lo a morc
spccically Amcrican arL Look placc was undoubLcdly Arshilc Corky. Born
and broughL up in Armcnia, bcorc cmigraLing Lo Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs in 102u,
Corky rcmaincd kccnly awarc o Lhc imporLancc o rsL assimilaLing Lhc
grcaL achicvcmcnLs o Lhc modcrn Furopcan arLisLs. I was with Cczannc
or a long Limc, hc Lold his uLurc dcalcr, 1ulicn Icvy, and now naLurally
I am with Picasso. Fach apprcnLiccship was undcrLakcn wiLh such crvor
LhaL Lhis laLLcr aLLachmcnL carncd Corky Lhc nicknamc Picasso o Wash-
ingLon Squarc. During a Picasso cxhibiLion in Ncw York in 1037, somc cl-
low arLisLs chacd Corky abouL Lhc acL LhaL Picasso had bcgun Lo allow his
painL Lo drip. 1usL whcn youvc goLLcn Picassos clcan cdgc, onc o Lhcm
lamcnLcd sarcasLically, hc sLarLs Lo run ovcr. I hc drips, Corky rcplicd,
undcLcrrcd, I drip.
Corkys sLudios in Ncw York announccd a ncw dcgrcc o dcsolaLion in
Amcrican arL. Fvcn Lhc mosL criLicizcd and conLrovcrsial o his immcdi-
aLc orcbcars, Lhc mcmbcrs o Lhc so-callcd Ash Can School, would havc
bccn alarmcd Lo nd an arLisL rcduccd Lo such povcrLy and isolaLion. RobcrL
Hcnri, or insLancc, Lhc lcadcr o Lhcsc aposLlcs o uglincss, livcd in rca-
sonablc comorL in his sLudio on WalnuL SLrccL in Philadclphia, iL bccamc a
rcgular arLisLs club whcrc acsLhcLic discussion was rcqucnLly inLcrrupLcd
by all kinds o gamcs and gcncrous scrvings o Wclsh rabbiL and bccr. Simi-
larly, William Clackcns and Lhc PrcndcrgasL broLhcrs organizcd a Lranquil
lic, dcspiLc crcc criLicism, in Lhc housc Lhcy had spliL up inLo sLudios aL 5u
WashingLon Squarc in Ncw York CiLy. Corky livcd in obscuriLy on Lhc samc
squarc or a whilc, Lhcn ound anoLhcr room or his sLudio on Union Squarc.
Tc barrcn walls o Lhis aLclicr wcrc rclicvcd Lo somc cxLcnL by ading rcpro-
ducLions o somc o Lhc arLisLs hc mosL admircd, noLably Ucccllo, Picro dclla
Franccsca, and ManLcgna. AdmiraLion or Lhc puriLy o Ingrcss linc was
also apparcnL in Lhc phoLosLaL o his Self-Portrait at the Age of Twenty-Four,
which Corky kcpL bcsidc him whilc hc workcd. Tc only oLhcr promincnL
caLurc in Lhis unaccommodaLing room was Lhc casL o a HcllcnisLic cmalc
hcad rom which Corky drcw Lhc largc, grcaLly simplicd cycs LhaL hc uscd
in Lhc carly porLraiLs o himscl and his amily.
Tis aLmosphcrc o wanL and lonclincss was hcavily undcrlincd by Corkys
74
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down appcarancc. Hc was a Lall, gaunL man, and his lcanncss was dramaLically
cmphasizcd by Lhc raggcd, ouLsizc ovcrcoaL hc worc likc an cmblcm o his
arLisLic sLaLus, a bcing bcyond ordinary socicLy. Tc air o arroganL povcrLy
rcccLcd noL only Corkys prccarious maLcrial siLuaLion buL his dcspair aL
Lhc Lask looming bcorc him cach day. How could Lhc Amcrican arLisL comc
ouL o Lhc shadow o Lhc Furopcan hcriLagc and orgc a languagc o his own`
In his mclodramaLic ashion, Corky summoncd a numbcr o Ncw York arL-
isLs Lo his Union Squarc sLudio and announccd his conclusion: IcLs acc iL,
hc Lold Lhc asscmblcd company, wcrc bankrupL. Hc wcnL on Lo suggcsL
LhaL Lhc only saLisacLory work Lhcy mighL do would bc collccLivcwiLh onc
arLisL providing Lhc ovcrall projccL, anoLhcr drawing iL, a Lhird sclccLing Lhc
colors, and so on.
By Lhc Limc Corky had cvolvcd a disLincLly pcrsonal sLylc o painLing, mis-
orLunc ovcrcloudcd any scnsc hc mighL havc had o his achicvcmcnL. In his
lasL ycars hc had bcgun Lo painL in a barn in Shcrman, ConnccLicuL, in 1an-
uary 1046, Lhis rough and rcady sLudio burncd down. PainLings, drawings,
skcLchcs, and books, all wcrc burncd Lo ashcs, noL a Lhing was salvagcd, hc
wroLc in dcspair. AL lcasL LwcnLy-scvcn painLings wcrc losL. Tc ollowing
monLh, Corky undcrwcnL an opcraLion or canccr. Physically undcrmincd,
hc dccidcd Lo scLLlc in Shcrman. BuL his hcalLh was oncc again scriously
accLcd by a bad auLomobilc accidcnL. ShorLly LhcrcaLcr, in 1uly 104S, hc
hangcd himscl.
Similarly Lragic cnds cuL shorL Lhc livcs o many o Lhc oLhcr arLisLs, major
and minor, o LhaL scl-asscrLivc and painully isolaLcd gcncraLion. 1ackson
Pollocks hcadlong carccr and suddcn dcaLh havc now, likc Corkys, bccomc
wovcn inLo Lhc largcr myLh o Lhc artiste maudit, Lhc PromcLhcan scckcr
punishcd by Lhc gods. Pollocks sLudio-barn in FasL HampLon, Iong Island,
has acquircd a corrcsponding aura as onc o Lhc high placcs o conLcmporary
crcaLion: an ordinary spacc rcndcrcd magical bccausc an cxciLingly original
approach Lo painLing was cvolvcd wiLhin iLs walls. Pollock had bcgun work-
ing Lhcrc in Lhc mid-104us, lcaving Lhc Crccnwich Villagc arca or Lhc sum-
mcr (likc so many oLhcr loL raLs, as soon as Lhcy had Lhc chancc). In win-
Lcr, Lhc biLLcr ALlanLic winds whisLlcd Lhrough Lhc loosc planking o Lhc barn,
making iL virLually unusablc. Pollock had iL propcrly insulaLcd in Lhc lasL
ycars Lo cnablc him Lo work all ycar round, buL noL bcorc hc had brokcn a
Lwo-ycar absLincncc by downing a glass o whisky Lo hclp him Lhaw ouL a-
Lcr an icy scssion in Lhc sLudioLhus going back or good Lo his addicLion
Lo alcohol.
Tc FasL HampLon barns largc, plain spacc clcarly had iLs cccL on Lhc
dcvclopmcnL o Pollocks ncw sLylc, which hc bcgan Lo pracLicc rom 1047
onward. Hcrc was a sLudio LhaL had noLhing Lo do wiLh any LradiLional con-
75
ccpL o whaL Lhc arLisLs working spacc should bc. CcnLurics o prcccpL and
mcLhod cll away: a sLrucLurc normally uscd Lo housc caLLlc or a plow madc
no claims on arL hisLory. NciLhcr did Lhc arLisL. Bcorc him Lhcrc wcrc noLh-
ing buL hugc, virgin canvascs and quanLiLics o indusLrial painL. A mcdicval
painLcr would havc supposcd Lhc spacc Lo bclong Lo an arLisan o Lhc crudcsL
kind, and iL is unlikcly LhaL many conLcmporarics would havc linkcd iL Lo any
noLion o crcaLiviLy. BuL Pollock wanLcd insLincLivcly Lo bcgin aL Lhc bcgin-
ning. Tc sLrangc war dancc hc pcrormcd wcnL back Lo Lhc mosL primiLivc
riLual, bcsidc iL, Lhc cavc painLings o AlLamira or Iascaux arc incompara-
bly sophisLicaLcd. YcL Lhis primiLivism was in no way akcd. IL sprang rom a
rcal nccd, an almosL physical nccd Lo comc aL painLing as i no onc had cvcr
painLcd bcorc.
Pollock ncvcrLhclcss provcd quiLc arLiculaLc abouL Lhc clcmcnLal mcLh-
ods hc uscd. I hardly cvcr sLrcLch my canvas bcorc painLing, hc cxplaincd.
I prccr Lo Lack Lhc unsLrcLchcd canvas Lo Lhc hard wall or oor. I nccd Lhc rc-
sisLancc o a hard suracc. On Lhc oor I am morc aL casc. I ccl ncarcr, morc
parL o Lhc painLing, sincc Lhis way I can walk round iL, work rom Lhc our
sidcs and liLcrally bc in Lhc painLing. Scvcral Lhcorics havc bccn advanccd Lo
suggcsL how Pollock mighL havc bccn lcd Lo his rcvoluLionary dripping Lcch-
niquc. Tc Limc hc spcnL in 1036 aL Lhc cxpcrimcnLal workshop opcncd in
Ncw York by Lhc Mcxican painLcr David Alaro Siquciros wouldaL Lhc vcry
lcasLhavc opcncd his cycs Lo a widcr rangc o Lcchnical possibiliLics. SiLu-
aLcd on WcsL FourLccnLh SLrccL, Lhc workshop promoLcd Lhc usc o spray
guns and airbrushcs, as wcll as Lhc laLcsL synLhcLic painLs and lacqucrs, dis-
cussion bcLwccn Lhc arLisLs Lhcrc rcqucnLly Lurncd Lo sponLancous or
gcsLural ways o painLing, and such scducLivc noLions as conLrollcd acci-
dcnL wcrc also bandicd abouL. Pollock himscl rccrrcd Lo his inLcrcsL in Lhc
riLual and Lcchniqucs o Indian sand painLing, buL oncc hc had csLablishcd
Lhc bascs o his own mcLhod, his dominanL conccrn was Lo Lakc Lhc cxpcri-
mcnL as ar away rom convcnLional pracLicc as possiblc. I conLinuc Lo go
urLhcr rom Lhc usual painLcrs Lools such as cascl, palcLLc, brushcs, cLc., hc
said. I prccr sLicks, Lrowcls, knivcs and dripping painL or a hcavy impasLo
wiLh sand, brokcn glass and oLhcr orcign maLLcr addcd.
For a dccadc, Lhc Iong Island barnmuch phoLographcd and cvcn
lmcdrcmaincd Lhc sccnc o Pollocks corLs Lo achicvc a dynamically ncw
picLorial sLaLcmcnL. WiLh nishcd works and oLhcrs in progrcss Lackcd Lo
iLs walls and a oor hcavy wiLh Lhc inLcrlacings o counLlcss painL drippings,
Lhc sLudio camc Lo look likc a vasL Lhrcc-dimcnsional Pollock picLurcan
archivc o pasL accidcnL, buL also a maLrix suggcsLivc o ncw bcginnings.
CuL o rom LradiLion as wcll as conLacL wiLh Lhc conLcmporary world, iL
bccamc a world unLo iLscl, a univcrsc o purc painL.
76
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dOuLsidc Lhc privaLc univcrsc o Lhc sLudio, Lhcrc wcrc cw cnough placcs
or Ncw York arLisLs o LhaL posLwar gcncraLion Lo go Lo nd Lhc sorL o
sLimulus LhaL Lhcir Parisian counLcrparLs cxpccLcd in cac discussion groups
or LhaL Iondon arLisLs lookcd orward Lo in ccrLain rcsLauranLs, pubs, and
clubs. I donL scc why Lhc problcms o modcrn painLing canL bc solvcd as
wcll hcrc as clscwhcrc, Pollock had sLaLcd dcanLly, buL hc was kccnly awarc
o Lhc grcaLcr isolaLion in which Amcrican painLcrs and sculpLors did Lhcir
work. Tc main placcs whcrc arLisLs mcL ouLsidc Lhcir sLudios wcrc Lhc Wal-
dor CacLcria, aL FighLh SLrccL and SixLh Avcnuc, and Lhc Ccdar Tavcrn, on
UnivcrsiLy Placc, boLh in Crccnwich Villagc. ALcr a disagrccmcnL wiLh Lhc
Waldor managcmcnL abouL Lhcir righL Lo kccp a Lablc all cvcning or Lhc
pricc o a cup o cocc, a numbcr o arLisLs dccidcd Lo rcnL spacc on FighLh
SLrccL, Lhus ounding Lhc FighLh SLrccL Club, which bccamc Lhc ocal poinL
o Lhc Ncw York Schools cxLrasLudio acLiviLics unLil Lhc cnd o Lhc 105us.
Tc club provcd a boon abovc all Lo arLisLs who had movcd ouL o ManhaL-
Lan and who, likc Lhc sculpLor David SmiLh, madc rcgular Lrips inLo Lhc ciLy
Lo visiL Lhc gallcrics and run inLo laLc-up arLisLs chcwing Lhc aL.
SmiLh, whosc lic, likc Pollocks, was cuL shorL by a driving accidcnL, scL up
his sLudio in Lhc mounLains abovc Iakc Ccorgc, in BolLon Ianding, Ncw York,
in 104u. Callcd Lhc Tcrminal Iron Works aLcr Lhc waLcrronL wclding shop
in Brooklyn whcrc SmiLh rsL wcldcd sculpLurc, Lhc sLudio rcscmblcd a pcr-
sonalizcd oundry morc Lhan an arLisLic placc o work. ALcr a visiL Lhcrc
or Art News magazinc, Flainc dc Kooning gavc Lhis highly cvocaLivc sum-
mary o iLs conLcnLs: Tc hugc cylindcrs, Lanks and boxcs o mcLal scrap,
Lhc racks llcd wiLh bars o iron and sLccl-plaLc, Lhc moLor-drivcn Lools wiLh
rubbcr hoscs, discs and mcLcrs, Lhc largc ncgaLivcly chargcd sLccl Lablc on
which hc cxccuLcs much o his work, Lhc orging bcd ncarby, and Lhc big Ford
cnginc LhaL supplics Lhc currcnL or wclding. Addcd Lo Lhis wcrc Lhc moun-
Lains o maLcrials LhaL SmiLh rcquircd. ShccLs o sLainlcss sLccl, cold and
hoL rollcd sLccl, bronzc, coppcr and aluminum arc sLackcd ouLsidc, lcngLhs
o sLrips, shapcs and bar sLock arc rackcd in Lhc bascmcnL o Lhc housc or
inLcr laccd in Lhc joisLs o Lhc roo, and sLocks o bolLs, nuLs, Laps, dics, painLs,
solvcnLs, acids, proLccLivc coaLings, oils, grinding whccls, polishing discs, dry
pigmcnLs and waxcs arc sLorcd on sLccl shclving in his shop.
SmiLh modclcd in wax and carvcd in wood and marblc, buL sLccl was whaL
hc callcd his mosL ucnL mcdium. Possibly sLccl is so bcauLiul, Lhc sculp-
Lor suggcsLcd, bccausc o all Lhc movcmcnL associaLcd wiLh iL, iLs sLrcngLh
and uncLions. . . . YcL iL is also bruLal: Lhc rapisL, Lhc murdcrcr and dcaLh-
dcaling gianLs arc also iLs ospring. SmiLhs crcaLivc ucncy sLcmmcd in
parL rom Lhc apparcnL casc wiLh which hc Lransormcd discardcd biLs o
mcLal and machincry inLo arrcsLing sculpLural conccpLs. PcrpcLually on Lhc
David Smith at work on
Canopic Head, 1951,
Bolton Landing.
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dlookouL or promising clcmcnLs, SmiLh amasscd mounLains o rusLcd scrap,
Lhcn rcccLcd aL lcisurc on Lhc ncw rolc hc mighL givc Lhcm. Tus hc sal-
vagcd our discardcd Lurnbucklcs and had Lhcm hanging in Lhc sLudio or
a couplc o monLhs bcorc, suddcnly, hc rccognizcd Lhcm as Lhc bodics o
soldicrs wiLh Lhc hooks or hcads. OuL o LhaL ash o rccogniLion camc a
sculpLurc rcprcscnLing our soldicrs aL Lhc chargc.
Tc sLudio o a sculpLor, NaLhanicl HawLhornc obscrvcd in Te Marble
Faun, is gcncrally buL a rough and drcary-looking placc. . . . Barc oors o
brick or plank, and plasLcrcd walls, an old chair or Lwo, or pcrhaps only a
block o marblc . . . Lo siL down upon, somc hasLily scrawlcd skcLchcs o nudc
gurcs on Lhc whiLcwash o Lhc wall. Hc would havc bccn asLoundcd by
SmiLhs prousion o mcLals and machincs or by Lhc cqually orgclikc aLmo-
sphcrc o Alcxandcr Caldcrs workshops, wiLh Lhcir orcsLs o mobilc and
sLaLic orm. Tis dcscripLion, howcvcr, closcly cvokcs Lhc dcsolaLc air o Lhc
placcs whcrc Lhc Ncw York Schools mosL illusLrious survivor, Willcm dc
Kooning, bcgan working. Tc maLcrial diculLics LhaL doggcd dc Kooning
or many ycars arc sucicnLly wcll known Lo havc mcrgcd inLo Lhc broad ro-
manLic myLh o Lhc arLisL sLruggling Lo csLablish a ncw vision amid povcrLy
and ncglccL. Tc hardships wcrc noncLhclcss rcal, and dc Koonings giL or
survival may wcll bc rclaLcd Lo his LasLc, whilc aL work, or unavorablc odds,
scLbacks, and rcpcaLcd risksbccausc, as hc says, whcn Im alling, Im
doing all righL, whcn Im slipping, I say, hcy, Lhis is inLcrcsLing. ILs whcn Im
sLanding sLraighL LhaL boLhcrs mc.
Tis insLincL aL lcasL madc him onc o Lhc rsL arLisLs Lo rcalizc LhaL or-
mcr buLLon or Loy or haL acLorics in downLown ManhaLLan could providc
largc, chcap working spaccs. Oncc insidc, all Lhc indigcnL arLisL had Lo do
was Lo rcmovc parLiLions and slap on a loL o whiLc painL, Lhus crcaLing (Lo
quoLc dc Koonings biographcr Tomas Hcss) a room as scrcnc as Lhc navc
o a CisLcrcian chapcl. So Lhc arLisLs loL was born, urLivcly cnough, sincc
such spaccs wcrc limiLcd by law Lo commcrcial usc only and rcquircd carcul
vcLLing o any uncxpccLcd knocks aL Lhc door, as wcll as a bcd LhaL could bc
oldcd insLanLly ouL o sighL. Dc Koonings loL on TcnLh SLrccL had noLh-
ing homcly abouL iL, aparL rom a small gallcry, a circular Lablc, and a cw
chairs, Lhc wholc arca was givcn ovcr Lo work. A glass Lablc Lop scrvcd as a
palcLLc, and Lhc walls wcrc casily Lransormcd inLo cascls by Lacking Lhc can-
vas dirccLly onLo Lhcm, Lhus dc Kooning could also dispcnsc wiLh sLrcLch-
crs unLil hc clL a painLing was complcLc. Among Lhc shclvcs sLackcd wiLh
maLcrials, Lhc porLolios o drawings and Lhc painLings in progrcss, Lhc onc
vagucly cxLracurricular noLc was a bullcLin board on which, bcsidc drawings
and arL-book rcproducLions, Lhc arLisL kcpL sporLs phoLos, Lhc odd pinup,
lcLLcrs, and Lclcphonc numbcrs.
79
IaLcr dc Kooning Look ovcr Lhc Lop oor o anoLhcr building on Broadway,
Lransorming iL inLo a morc clcganL aair wiLh sandcd and waxcd oors. Ncw
Yorks crysLal lighLcomparcd by MaLissc aLcr his rsL glimpsc o ManhaL-
Lan Lo Lhc lighL in Lhc skics o Lhc ILalian primiLivcsand Lhc unbrokcn,
unussy spaciousncss o Lhc loL hclpcd Lo rcc Lhc arLisL in his scarch or
an cxprcssiviLy unLrammclcd by prcconccivcd noLions as Lo whaL a painL-
ing should bc. Unlikc his ricnd Mark RoLhko, who kcpL Lhc skylighL o his
convcrLcd carriagc housc on Ncw Yorks Uppcr FasL Sidc shroudcd wiLh a
parachuLc, dc Kooning has always avorcd dirccL naLural lighL. Tc unusual
luminosiLy o Springs on Iong Island was onc o Lhc acLors LhaL dccidcd Lhc
arLisL Lo build his ncw sLudio Lhcrc, and sincc 1063, dc Kooning has bccn
ablc Lo painL (and, laLLcrly, Lo sculpL) in an cnvironmcnL cnLircly o his own
choosing. TroughouL LhaL Limc, his prcoccupaLion wiLh qucsLions o purc
Lcchniquc has conLinucd Lo bc as inLcnsc as cvcr. Wc all havc our Lricks,
hc rcmarkcd a cw ycars ago, buL his own Lricks posscss a ncar-mcdicval
complcxiLy. To his oil painL, or insLancc, dc Kooning has aL onc Limc or
anoLhcr addcd kcroscnc, saowcr oil, and cvcn mayonnaisclcss Lo LasLc
Lhan Lo achicvc a parLicular consisLcncy. AnoLhcr accounL o his cxpcrimcnLs,
worLhy o Ccnnino Ccnnini, mcnLions gcncrous dashcs o LurpcnLinc, sLand
oil, and dammar varnish. HouscpainLcrs brushcs camc naLurally Lo Lhis rc-
silicnL iconoclasL aL a Limc whcn such a choicc sccmcd an acL o dclibcraLc
dcrision. BuL Lhc iconoclasm was sccondcd by a painsLaking applicaLion LhaL
lcads dc Kooning Lo rcwork ccrLain passagcs o his canvas ovcr and ovcr
again Lo achicvc Lhc grcaLcsL illusion o sponLanciLy possiblc.
As wiLh Lhc chickcn and Lhc cgg, iL would bc hard Lo say which camc rsL:
a Lypically Amcrican painLing and sculpLurc, or a Lypically Amcrican sLu-
dio. Tc LruLh is, no doubL, LhaL Lhcy havc always bccn inscparablc, Lhc onc
shaping and dcning Lhc oLhcr. Tc loL Lypc o sLudio, wiLh iLs unprcLcn-
Lious, unvarnishcd appcarancc and iLs cmphasis on a rccr, morc arLisanlikc
approach Lo Lhc Lask in hand, was crcaLcd in Lhc imagc o Lhc ncw Amcri-
can arLisLs nccds. Sincc Lhcn, iL has bccn adopLcd, wiLh iLs rcsh scL o aL-
LiLudcs and Lcchniqucs, all ovcr Lhc world. IL now consLiLuLcs Lhc conLcm-
porary sLudio par cxccllcncc, and iLs basic ormula is sucicnLly cxiblc Lo
allow o any numbcr o uLurc variaLions. BuL howcvcr rcprcscnLaLivc and
proLcan, Lhc loL rcmainsas wc shall scc in Lhc nal chapLcronly onc o
a rangc o arLisLs sLudios as asLonishingly divcrsc as Lhc spccLrum o con-
Lcmporary arL iLscl.
From ImaginaLions Chambcr: ArLisLs and Tcir SLudios (Boston: Little Brown, 1982), chap.
9, pp. 173200.
80
Annika Marie
Action Painting Fourold:
Harold Roscnbcrg and an
Arcna in \hich to Act
Trow some blue love
Its like action painting
Dash yourself against the canvas
Its very action painting
AcLion PainLing, sung by Lhc PizzicaLo Fivc (100S)
I scc Lhis cssay as a small conLribuLion Lo Lhc growing, Lhough sporadic, body
o scholarship o Lhc lasL Lhrcc dccadcs LhaL aLLcmpLs Lo rcconsidcr Lhc Amcr-
ican culLural criLic Harold Roscnbcrg. As my prcdcccssors havc poinLcd ouL,
Lhc primary obsLaclc in Lhis undcrLaking has bccn Lhc vcry promincncc and
LcnaciLy o Lhc popular imagcry o AcLion PainLing and iLs sccmingly un-
limiLcd susccpLibiliLy Lo gaglikc rccnacLmcnLs. In 2uu0 Lhc undcrgraduaLc
arL sLudcnL Nicholas SLcindor sLagcd a vidco pcrormancc o ridiculously
rcncLic acLiviLy in a mockcd-up sLudio, advcrLiscd via rock conccrLsLylc
posLcrs, and Lhc Boston Globe rcporLcd on BMW- sponsorcd arLisL Robin
Rhodcs ooLball cldscalc acLion painLing madc using a Z4 roadsLcr ouL-
LLcd wiLh painL nozzlcs. Tc problcm is LhaL wc know Lhc AcLion PainLcrs
sccnc and scripL Loo wcll: AL a ccrLain momcnL Lhc canvas bcgan Lo appcar
Lo onc Amcrican painLcr aLcr anoLhcr as an arcna in which Lo acL, and
LhcrcaLcr Lhc painLcr approachcd Lhc canvas hcad-on, in dirccL, unprcmcd-
iLaLcd conronLaLion, and lcL iL sLrcwn wiLh drips and splaLLcrs, accidcnLal
gcsLurcs and sLudio dcbris.
In visiLing and rcvisiLing Lhis simulacral AcLion PainLcrs sLudio (a siLc
dcviscd and susLaincd by a slcw o ragmcnLsquoLaLions, phoLographs,
lms, advcrLiscmcnLs), I myscl bcgin Lo slidc inLo Lhc sLock rolc o Lhc sLub-
born dcLccLivc who conLinucs working a hopclcss closcd casc. WhaL is Lhc
crimc` onc mighL ask: Lhc AcLion PainLcrs sLudio was supposcd Lo bc Lhc
vcry locus o auLhcnLiciLy, a sancLum whcrc cxprcssion and acLion ormcd
a singlc inviolaLc gcsLurc, buL wc nd insLcad Lhc sLagc scL and props or
81
casy pop clichcs, likc Lhosc in Lhc PizzicaLo Fivcs song. A pragmaLic supc-
rior would havc Lakcn mc o Lhc assignmcnL long ago, admonishing mc noL
Lo wasLc Lhc Laxpaycrs moncy, assuring mc LhaL Lhcrc was noLhing morc Lo
bc donc.
Tc rsL qucsLion aL Lhc crimc sccnc is always Whcrcs Lhc body` BuL in
Lhc casc o Lhc AcLion PainLing sLudio, cvcn Lhis is morc complicaLcd, and al-
rcady my dcLccLivc alLcr cgo is umbling badly: Whcrc and what is Lhc body/
gurc, and on whaL ground` Whcrc did Lhc acLion Lakc placc` Wc know rom
Tc Amcrican AcLion PainLcrsRoscnbcrgs scminal 1052 Art News cssay
LhaL inLroduccd Lhc Lcrm AcLion PainLingLhaL Lhc inLcrcsL lics in Lhc
kind o acL Laking placc in Lhc our-sidcd arcna, a dramaLic inLcrcsL. And
wc arc amiliar wiLh arcnas as ramcd spaccs or sLaging, or ocusing aL-
LcnLion on dramaLic, oLcn conicLual, cncounLcrs, rccalling pcrhaps LhaL
Lhc pragmaLic Romans covcrcd Lhcir arcnas wiLh sand Lo soak up Lhc blood.
BuL is Lhc our-sidcd arcna Lhc Lwo-dimcnsional canvas on Lhc cascl or
Lhc Lhrcc-dimcnsional room o Lhc sLudio` Is Lhc acL a dramaLic dialoguc
among sLrokcs o painL on Lhc canvas or Lhc sLagcd cncounLcr bcLwccn Lhc
painLcr wiLh maLcrial in his hand and LhaL oLhcr piccc o maLcrial in ronL o
him` ILs a qucsLion o oricnLaLion: should Lhc dcLccLivc bc looking up and
ouL Loward whaL hangs vcrLically on Lhc walls, or down and around aL Lhings
on Lhc horizonLal grounds`
Roscnbcrgs dcLracLors could wriLc o Lhis uncxplaincd disjuncLurc Lo his
incapaciLy as an arL criLic, compoundcd by his signaLurc rhcLorical cxLrava-
gancc. Roscnbcrg was a lousy and blind arL criLic, Paul Coodman chidcd in
a 1050 Dissent rcvicw o Tradition of the New, who had ailcd Lo conccnLraLc
his inLclligcncc on Lhc objccL bcorc him, onc whosc criLical wriLing, Sidncy
Tillim allowcd in 107u, ncvcr provcd Lo mc LhaL hc was capablc o undcr-
sLanding a picLurc in visual Lcrms. 1ohn Russcll sLaLcs, cvcn morc harshly,
in an obiLuary or Roscnbcrg, Hc did noL so much ail Lo mccL as aLly ig-
norc Lhc undamcnLal LcsL o an arL criLic: his abiliLy Lo analyzc a givcn work
o arL in dcpLh and aL lcngLh. . . . Hc was noL a criLic. Hc was noL, LhaL is Lo
say, a man who could ocus on a singlc canvas.` InsLcad hc goL caughL up in
Lhc siLuaLionin hisLory, social rclaLionships, philosophical schcmcs, and
idcological sLanccs. RhcLorical dough, HilLon Kramcr callcd him.
WhaL was Roscnbcrg doing, Lhcn` Why was hc Lhcrc, so rcqucnLly, in Lhc
arLisLs sLudio` WhaL was hc sccing i noL painL and canvas` WhaL, in acL,
was hc wriLing abouL` Tc primary changc in rcccnL Roscnbcrg scholarship
has bccn Loward qucsLioning Lhc scL cxpccLaLions by which Roscnbcrgs criL-
icism ails and asking insLcad whcrc iL succccds. WhaL scholars such as Frcd
OrLon, Flainc OBricn, Brian Winkcnwcdcr, and Hcc-Young Kim all havc
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sLrcsscd is Roscnbcrgs complcx, cxLcnsivc, and carccr-long cngagcmcnL
wiLh Lhc acL, in LhcorizaLions o acLion LhaL arc damagingly condcnscd by
LhaL spoLlighLcd momcnL in 1052 whcn Roscnbcrg goL pcggcd as Lhc slick
AcLion CriLic.' In parL, iL has bccn by Laking Roscnbcrgs acL ouL o Lhc sLudio,
by unlinking Lhc Lcrms action and painter, by acknowlcdging LhaL Lhc rsL o
Lhosc Lcrms invokcs Lhc acLor, noL Lhc arLisL, LhaL somc disLancc has bccn crc-
aLcd bcLwccn Lhc AcLion PainLing clichcs and Roscnbcrgs Lhcory o Lhc acL.
From Lhcsc invcsLigaLions inLcrcsLing qucsLions arisc: WhaL kind o Lhcory
o Lhc acL is iL` Is Roscnbcrg a Dcwcyan pragmaLisL, a SarLrcan cxisLcnLial-
isL, a hisLorical maLcrialisL` a Marxian dialccLician` a Schlcsingcrian libcral`
WhaL arc Lhc philosophical, poliLical, and acsLhcLic implicaLions o cach`
Nicholas Steindorf,
In Action, 2009.
83
I would likc Lo sidcsLcp Lhosc qucsLions or Lhc momcnL by sLaying wiLh
Lhc Amcrican AcLion PainLcrs and all Lhc diculLics and cmbarrassmcnLs
LhaL compound Lcrm spawns. WhaL I wanL Lo suggcsL is LhaL Lhc ambiguiLy
in oricnLaLion, dimcnsionaliLy, and raming discovcrcd hcrc in Lhc primal
sccnc o Lhc AcLion PainLcrs sLudio should noL bc shruggcd o buL raLhcr
considcrcd as a signal rupLurc LhaL oricnLs us Lo Roscnbcrgs own criLical
arcna and objccL. WhaL Lhc conusion o Lhc Lwo ramcs or arcnasLhaL o
Lhc canvas and LhaL o Lhc sLudiosLagcs or draws aLLcnLion Lo is Lhc ac-
LiviLy o raming and oricnLaLion, o guring and grounding, and Lo whaL
iL is LhaL gcncraLcs or scLs Lhc sLagc such LhaL acLs and acLors arc ramcd
and bccomc visiblc cnLiLics. WhaL would happcn i wc Look Lhosc our-
sidcd arcnas o Lhc AcLion PainLcrLhc sLudio and Lhc canvasand consid-
crcd Lhcm as anccsLors o Lhosc ourold arcnas Lo which MarLin Hcidcggcr
broughL such aLLcnLion Lhrough his cLymology o Lhc word thing. Hcidcggcr
noLcd LhaL in a numbcr o languagcs Lhc word rccrrcd Lo Lhc ancicnL discur-
sivc siLcs o rcprcscnLaLivc asscmblyboLh a clcaring and a gaLhcring
whcrc issucs wcrc playcd ouL, maLLcrs Lcndcd Lo, judgmcnLs rcndcrcd. Tcsc
wcrc Lhc ramcs (Lhc gaLhcring and Lhc clcaring in which iL occurrcd) and
proccsscs (dialoguc, qucsLions, and dccisions) by which sLu achicvcd vis-
ibiliLy, bccoming a Lhing. WhaL i wc Look Lhc AcLion PainLcrs acL as a locus
or Lhc Lhinging o Lhc Lhing`'
WiLh Lhis imagc in mind, Id likc Lo proposc a rough suggcsLion or conLinu-
ing Lo uncarLh and piccc LogcLhcr Roscnbcrgs Lhcory o Lhc acL. WhaL I am
sLruck by arc Lhc similariLics bcLwccn Roscnbcrgs mcLhodological and criL-
ical usc o Lhc acL and Lhc conccrns o acLor-ncLwork Lhcory (ANT), a criLi-
cal social Lhcory LhaL cmcrgcd in Lhc 10Sus, associaLcd wiLh Lhc LhcorisLs
Michcl Callon, Bruno IaLour, and 1ohn Iaw, among oLhcrs, and LhaL scL ouL
a ncw mcLhodology or picLuring Lhc social as gaLhcrings and movcmcnLs
wiLhin an acLor-ncLwork.
IL may sccm pcrvcrsc Lo suggcsL such an alignmcnL, cspccially i onc has
prccasL Roscnbcrgs AcLion PainLcr as unhingcd rom Lhc social ncLwork,
acLing in an auLonomous spacc and modc as Lhc purc crcaLor. BuL con-
Lrary Lo Lhis prcvalcnL misrcading, Roscnbcrgs acL was siLuaLcdsiLuaLcd
wiLhin cxLcrnal dcLcrminaLionsas hc madc clcar whcn hc sLaLcd, Rcgard-
lcss o whaL hc Lhinks, anyonc who spcaks or acLs is an agcnL o somconc
or somcLhing clsc. Tc acL LhaL Roscnbcrg spcnL his lic grappling wiLh
was Lhc grcaL riddlc o Lhc LwcnLicLh ccnLury, a hybrid, LransiLory and
ragmcnLary ncxus LhaL hc was ablc Lo rcprcscnL only roughly using Lhc
inadcquaLc dualisms o subjccL-objccL, synLagmaLic sLrucLurcdiachronic
hisLory, idcaliLy-maLcrialiLy, individual-collccLivc, rcpcLiLion-dicrcncc. As
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hc lamcnLs in 1052, Loward Lhc cnd o Tc Amcrican AcLion PainLcrs, Ian-
guagc has noL accusLomcd iLscl Lo a siLuaLion in which Lhc acL iLscl is Lhc
objccL.
DcspiLc whaL Roscnbcrg pcrccivcd as Lhc abscncc o languagc or gur-
ing Lhc acL as objccL, hc rcpcaLcdly Lricd Lo dcscribc Lhis clusivc ycL concrcLc
proccss-Lhing, Lhis noun-vcrb. Tc human acL, i iL cxisLs aL all, hc wroLc,
is suspcndcd aL Lhc inLcrsccLion o numcrous impcrsonal proccsscs, somc
sLill unlabclcd. To acL is Lo locaLc oncscl in a middlc. Bruno IaLour has
similarly characLcrizcd Lhc ANT undcrsLanding o acLion as noL donc un-
dcr Lhc ull conLrol o consciousncss, acLion should raLhcr bc clL as a nodc,
a knoL, and a conglomcraLc o many surprising scLs o agcncics LhaL havc Lo
bc slowly discnLanglcd. WhaL also sccms kcy is Lhc aLLcnLion paid, in boLh
cascs, Lo Lhc rolcs playcd by objccLs, Lhings, and maLcrials in Lhcsc inLcrscc-
Lions, nodcs, and knoLs. ANT has bccn dcscribcd as bringing objccLs back
inLo acLion, as insisLing LhaL objccLs Loo play a rolc, LhaL Lhcy arc acLors, or
morc prcciscly participants, in Lhc coursc o acLion waiLing Lo bc givcn gura-
Lion. Similarly, in Roscnbcrgs amous dcscripLion Lhc canvas iLscl is Lhc
mind Lhrough which Lhc painLcr Lhinks, iL Lalk[s] back Lo Lhc arLisL . . .
Lo provokc him inLo a dramaLic dialoguc. I wondcr whaL Lhc ormulaLors
o ANT would makc o Roscnbcrgs dcscripLion o AcLion PainLing, which
sccms Lo locaLc iLs spccialncss in Lhc scmioLic-maLcrial union:
Tc innovaLion o AcLion PainLing was Lo dispcnsc wiLh Lhc representation o
Lhc sLaLc [Lhc arLisLs psychic sLaLc or Lcnsion] in avor o enacting iL in physical
movcmcnL. Tc acLion on Lhc canvas bccamc iLs own rcprcscnLaLion. Tis was
possiblc bccausc an acLion, bcing madc o boLh Lhc psychic and Lhc maLcrial, is
by iLs naLurc a signiL is Lhc Lracc o a movcmcnL whosc bcginning and char-
acLcr iL docs noL in iLscl cvcr alLogcLhcr rcvcal . . . ycL Lhc acLion also cxisLs as a
Lhing in LhaL iL Louchcs oLhcr Lhings and accLs Lhcm.
My gucss is LhaL Lhcy would nciLhcr havc mindcd Roscnbcrgs blindncss
nor Lakcn him as so much rhcLorical dough.
To cnd, a closing shoL o Lhc AcLion PainLcr. WhaL I bclicvc Roscnbcrgs
1052 cssay ocrs is Lhc rcprcscnLaLion o Lhc arLisLs sLudio as an acLor-
ncLwork. By playing wiLh scalc and oricnLaLion Lhrough Lhc ambiguiLy o
Lhc Lcrm arena, whaL is sLrcsscd, cvcn aggravaLcd, arc our ramcs or sccing
Lhings, our own proccsscs o Lhinging, challcnging us Lo posc Lhc qucsLions
o whaL sLagc nccds Lo bc scL or which acLors Lo appcar, and vicc vcrsa. Tcrc
is sLill a pcrormancc going on, buL iL is onc having lcss Lo do wiLh myLhology
and morc Lo do wiLh mcLhodology.
85
1 From Lhc album Pizzacatomania, LranslaLcd rom Lhc 1apancsc by Andrci Cunha, hLLp:
//ncw.music.yahoo.com/pizzicaLo-ivc/albums/pizzicaLomania--1S0146100,_ylL=
AlB1ZIW1SahsOM.SwVXSOxCUv, acccsscd 1unc 1, 2uu0.
2 Harold Roscnbcrg, Tc Amcrican AcLion PainLcrs (1052), in Te Tradition of the New
(Ncw York: Horizon Prcss, 1050), 25.
3 Ibid., 20.
4 Paul Coodman, Fssays by Roscnbcrg (rcvicw o Harold Roscnbcrgs Te Tradition of the
New), Dissent 6, no. 3 (summcr 1050): 3u5, quoLcd in Brucc Clascr, Modcrn ArL and Lhc
CriLics: A Pancl Discussion, Art Journal 3u, no. 2 (WinLcr 107u71): 155.
5 1ohn Russcll, Tc AcLion CriLic, New York Times, April 22, 1070, 3.
6 HilLon Kramcr, MonLh in Rcvicw, Arts Magazine 33, no. 1u (ScpLcmbcr 1050): 5650.
7 Scc Frcd OrLon, AcLion RcvoluLion PainLing, Oxford Art Journal 14, no. 2 (1001): 317,
Flainc Owcns OBricn, Tc ArL CriLicism o Harold Roscnbcrg: TcaLcrs o Iovc and Com-
baL, PhD disscrLaLion, CiLy UnivcrsiLy o Ncw York, 1007, Brian Winkcnwcdcr, ArL HisLory,
SarLrc and IdcnLiLy in Roscnbcrgs Amcrica, Art Criticism 13, no. 2 (100S): S31u2, and Hcc-
Young Kim, Tc Tragic Hcro: Harold Roscnbcrgs Rcading o Marxs Drama o HisLory, Art
Criticism 2u, no. 1 (2uu5): 721.
8 Scc MarLin Hcidcggcr, Tc Ting (1051), in Poetry, Language, Tought, LranslaLcd by
AlbcrL HosLadLcr, (Ncw York and Iondon: Harpcr Colophon Books, 1075), pp. 17475.
9 Harold Roscnbcrg, Tcmcs, in Discovering the Present: Tree Decades in Art, Culture, &
Politics (Chicago: UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss, 1073), 2uS.
10 Bruno IaLour, Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Teory (Oxord:
Oxord UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 2uu5), 71.
11 Harold Roscnbcrg, Tc Diminishcd AcL, in Act and the Actor: Making the Self (Ncw York:
World Publishing Company, 107u), 6.
12 IaLour, Reassembling the Social, p. 71.
13 Roscnbcrg, Amcrican AcLion PainLcrs, 26.
14 Roscnbcrg, Amcrican AcLion PainLcrs, 27. Tis is a ooLnoLc addcd Lo Lhc cssay in Lhc
1050 Horizon rcprinL.
Kimsooja, An Album: Hudson Guild, work in process, 2009.
87
Kimsooja
There are projects which were not possible because of economic, time, space,
and technical problems. Some forgotten project will come back to mind when
it is needed. I contain my projects in my body, which I nd as my studio, and I
dont try to remember or describe them all.
My working process is intuitive and I believe its own logic. Being nothing/
nothingness and making nothing/nothingness is my goal. It is a long process.
88
Barry Schwabsky
Tc Symbolic Studio
RcccnLly Lhc idca camc Lo mc Lo inLcrvicw Tchching Hsich. Hsich is an arL-
isL whosc work accLcd mc dccply cvcn bcorc I bcgan coming inLo con-
LacL wiLh Lhc arL world or wriLing or arL magazincs. And iLs noL surprising
LhaL his arL rcachcd mcLhrough no oLhcr mcdium Lhan word o mouLh
bcorc I had any connccLion Lo Lhc insLiLuLions o arL, bccausc his arL had
vcry liLLlc connccLion wiLh Lhosc insLiLuLions (gallcrics, muscums, maga-
zincs, cLc.) and in acL as liLLlc connccLion as possiblc wiLh any insLiLuLion
whaLsocvcr, sincc during Lhc Limc mosL o his work was madc hc was living
in Ncw York as an illcgal immigranL. Bcgun in 107S, his work was csscnLially
ovcr by 10S6, during which Limc hc pcrormcd vc ycar-long works: living
in a cagc, punching a Limc clock cvcry hour on Lhc hour, living ouLsidc, bc-
ing Licd Lo anoLhcr pcrson, and no arL. In 10S6 hc dcclarcd LhaL or Lhc ncxL
LhirLccn ycars, unLil Lhc cnd o Lhc millcnnium, hc would makc arL buL noL
makc iL public, on 1anuary 1, 2uuu, hc rcporLcd LhaL during Lhis pcriod hc
had sLaycd alivc. Sincc Lhcn, hc has noL madc any arL, and his work was ac-
cordcd liLLlc rccogniLion.
Suddcnly all LhaL changcd. In 2uu0 documcnLaLion o his work was cxhib-
iLcd aL Lhc Cuggcnhcim (as parL o Lhc cxhibiLion Tc Tird Mind: Amcr-
ican ArLisLs ConLcmplaLc Asia) and MoMA (Pcrormancc 1: Tchching
Hsich), Lhc MIT Prcss publishcd a big monograph on his work, and Ma-
rina Abramovi inviLcd him Lo bc prcscnL as a masLcr in a pcrormancc
csLival shc organizcd in ManchcsLcr, Fngland. I was curious Lo scc whaL my
old hcro LhoughL o his bclaLcd succcss, how hc had bccn occupying himscl,
and how Lhc work o his youLh now sccmcd Lo him.
I didnL know Hsich pcrsonally, buL Lhrough an inLcrmcdiary I madc con-
LacL. Hc agrccd Lo Lhc inLcrvicw and I was askcd Lo mccL him in his Brooklyn
sLudio. Alrcady I was ascinaLcd: WhaL did iL mcan, studio` I cvcr an arLisL
cmbodicd a posL-sLudio pracLicc, Id havc LhoughL, iL musL surcly bc Hsich.
And on Lop o LhaL, hc hadnL madc any arL o any kind or a dccadc. Why
89
docs such an arLisL kccp a sLudio, and whaL docs Lhc word studio mcan in
such a casc`
To somc cxLcnL I ound an answcr whcn I madc my visiL or Lhc inLcr-
vicw. In Hsichs casc, a sLudio is a clcan whiLc spacc wiLh a Lablc, chairs, and
a compuLcr, iLs walls prcLLy much barc cxccpL or Lhc posLcrs Lracking his
pcrormanccs o Lhc 107us and 10Sus. I Lhis was a sLudio, Lhcn a sLudio
mcanL, noL ncccssarily a placc or making Lhings, buL or Lhinkinga rcugc
rom disLracLion. BuL LhaL sccms likc somcLhing almosL anyonc would wanL
Lo havc i Lhcy LhoughL Lhcy could. Why call iL a sLudio i whaL was going on
Lhcrc was noL arL`
In rcLrospccL, I undcrsLand why. Hsich docs noL say, cxacLly, LhaL hc will
noL makc any morc arL, buL only LhaL hc has noL bccn making arL. And hc
docs noL say LhaL hc is no longcr an arLisL. Hc makcs a vcry clcar disLincLion,
Loo, bcLwccn his 10S5S6 pcrormanccwhich was Lo noL do ART, noL Lalk
ART, noL scc ART, noL rcad ART, noL go Lo ART gallcry and ART muscum or
onc ycar. I jusL go in licin which hc was making arL by absLaining rom
arL, and whaL hc is doing in Lhc prcscnL, which is simply noL making arL.
Hsich has said LhaL during his LhirLccn-ycar program, Lhc work LhaL hc
aLLcmpLcd Lo dobuL ailcdwas Lo disappcar. I wcnL Lo a LoLally sLrangc
placc Lo sLarL a ncw lic. BuL hc gavc iL up. I didnL nish Lhis plan, buL aL
lcasL iL can show Lhc dirccLion in which I pracLiccd arL. I canL hclp Lhink-
ing o Lhc grcaLcsL disappcaring acL in Lhc hisLory o modcrnism, LhaL o
ArLhur Rimbaud and his dccadcs o silcncc in Abyssinia. BuL Hsich was no
Rimbaudmorc likc Duchamp, who pracLiccd silcncc wiLhouL disappcaring,
mainLaining an cnigmaLic prcscncc.
To undcrsLand whaL a sLudio is or such an arLisL, considcr Lhis passagc,
which mighL aL rsL sccm Lo bc purcly humorous or saLirical: Flainc dc Koon-
ings accounL o Adol M. Purc, an imaginary painLcr (LransparcnLly bascd
on Ad RcinhardL) who makcs only whiLc painLings. Purcs rcjccLivc mcLhod
ncccssiLaLcs having a grcaL many maLcrials in his sLudio which hc musL noL
usc. A painLing musL havc no color, cxplains Purc, Lhcrcorc his shclvcs
arc lincd wiLh Lubcs o color LhaL hc ncvcr Louchcs. (PcrmancnL grccn lighL
and alizarin crimson arc Lhc pigmcnLs hc mosL prccrs Lo rcjccL.)` Whilc dc
Koonings porLraiL as Lhc arLisL as purisL is vcry unny, iL wouldnL bc hal as
amusing i iL wcrcnL bascd on a proound grasp o acsLhcLics, including Lhc
acsLhcLics shc is lampooning. Fvcry acsLhcLic choicc is a rcjccLion o whaL-
cvcr clsc could havc bccn choscn buL was passcd ovcr, i Mr. Purc nds iL ncc-
cssary Lo kccp aL hand all Lhc colors hc has no inLcnLion o using, Lhis is Lo
dcmonsLraLc (abovc all buL noL only Lo himscl) LhaL his disrcgard or Lhcm
is noL simply a maLLcr o habiL buL o a choicc consLanLly rcncwcd. IL dcmon-
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sLraLcs LhaL as a painLcr, hc has cvcry color availablc or his usc, and LhaL his
dccision noL Lo usc Lhcm is a dccision madc wiLhin Lhc rcalm o painLing
iLs hisLory and convcnLions, including Lhosc o iLs maLcrials.
Making somcLhing, as Duchamp amously puL iL, spcaking jusL Lwo ycars
aLcr Lhc publicaLion o dc Koonings Lalc, is choosing a Lubc o bluc, a Lubc
o rcd, puLLing somc o iL on Lhc palcLLc, and Lhc arLisL always choosing Lhc
qualiLy o Lhc bluc, Lhc qualiLy o Lhc rcd, and always choosing Lhc placc Lo
puL iL on Lhc canvas, iLs always choosing. Duchamp was rcraming Lhc
pracLicc o painLing in Lcrms o his idca o Lhc rcadymadc Lhrough Lhc ubiq-
uiLous rolc o choicc in arL, buL iL was alrcady bccoming possiblc Lo imaginc
choosing not Lo choosc Lhosc Lubcs as a way Lo makc somcLhing, Loo: arL as
whaL Lhc Hcgclians would call a determinate negation.
I wondcr i or Hsichan arLisL whosc pracLicc could also bc dcscribcd
as onc bascd on a mulLiLudc o rcjccLions, and Lo an cxLcnL LhaL would havc
bccn unimaginablc Lo dc Kooning, Lhough shc was wriLing jusL LwcnLy-onc
ycars bcorc Hsich bcgan his rsL onc-ycar pcrormanccLhc dccision Lo
mainLain a sLudio mighL noL havc a similar basis. Hc uscs his sLudio, I Lhink,
in ordcr Lo bc clcar abouL, and Lo choosc ancw cvcry day, his dccision noL Lo
makc arL. Hc uscs his sLudio, in oLhcr words, in ordcr noL Lo makc arL as an
artist raLhcr Lhan, as oLhcrs do, noL making arL bccausc onc is noL an arL-
isL. ArLisLs usc all kinds o cquipmcnL Lo makc Lhcir work: brushcs, camcras,
compuLcrs, and innumcrablc oLhcrs. Fach Lool is spccic Lo parLicular kinds
o arL buL irrclcvanL Lo oLhcrs. Tcrc is only onc LhaL comcs closc Lo bcing an
all-purposc Lool or arL-making in gcncral, and LhaL is Lhc onc LhaL wc Lakc
so much or granLcd LhaL wc barcly cvcn rccognizc, mosL o Lhc Limc, LhaL iL
is somcLhing likc a Lool, and LhaL is Lhc sLudio. Hsich uscs Lhc sLudio Lo cn-
ablc his dcLcrminaLc ncgaLion o arL in gcncral.
My purposc hcrc is noL Lo analyzc Lhc work o a grcaL arLisL, buL simply
Lo poinL how hcalmosL by Lhc by buL Lhrough Lhc samc scvcrc proccss o
rcducLion LhaL hc has imposcd on cvcryLhing Lo do wiLh his arL, cspccially
whaL is mosL basic Lo iLmadc morc pcrspicuous Lo mc Lhc symbolic impor-
Lancc o Lhc arLisLs sLudio, an imporLancc LhaL is inscparablc rom iLs usc
valuc. O coursc Lhc sLudio as symbol is an old sLory. Fvcryonc knows Cour-
bcLs rcal allcgory o 1S55, LhaL vasL work in which Lhc idca o Lhc sLudio is
sccn Lo cncompass, noL simply Lhc placc in which Lhc arLisL works, buL also
all Lhc pcoplc who scrvc my causc, susLain mc in my idcal and supporL my
acLiviLy, ciLhcr Lhrough Lhcir maLcrial or moral supporL o his arL or Lhrough
making up his subjccL maLLcr: Lhc masscs, wrcLchcdncss, povcrLy, wcalLh,
Lhc cxploiLcd and Lhc cxploiLcrs.' And ycL Lhc painLing LhaL wc scc him syn-
Lhcsizing ouL o all Lhis, Lhc picLurc wiLhin Lhc picLurc, dcpicLs nonc o iL, on
his cascl is a landscapcnoL Lhc Paris o Lhc sLudio buL Lhc arLisLs homc
Tehching Hsieh, One
Year Performance, New
York, 19801981.
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Lur, his bclovcd Franchc-ComLc. CourbcLs rich and cnigmaLic painLing un-
doubLcdly rcprcscnLs Lhc bcginning o Lhc modcrn myLh o Lhc sLudio, buL
sincc Lhcn cvcry arLisL who has madc Lhc sLudio an undisguiscd parL o his
or hcr imagcry has bccn producing rcal allcgorics o Lhc arLisLic cnLcrprisc,
righL up Lhrough conLcmporary rcalisL painLcrs likc Iucicn Frcud and Philip
PcarlsLcin, or whom Lhc sLudio is Lhc only scLLing or an cncounLcr wiLh
Lhc modcl, whcLhcr Lhis cncounLcr is conccivcd o in anxiously cxisLcnLial
Lcrms or coolly phcnomcnological oncs. In ciLhcr casc, Lhc painLing is ncvcr
so much abouL Lhc modcl as iL is abouL whaL happcns in Lhc sLudio whcn Lhc
painLcr Lrics Lo accounL or Lhc modcls prcscncc.
For mosL conLcmporary arLisLs, o coursc, Lhc livc modcl is no longcr a
ncccssary parL o whaL sLudio work cnLails. YcL or a wriLcr, uscd Lo work-
ing alonc, iL is imprcssivc how liLLlc Lhc sLudio is Lypically a placc o soliLudc,
and how opcn mosL arLisLs arc abouL allowing oLhcrs Lo glimpsc Lhc work in
progrcss going on Lhcrc. Only onc arLisL LhaL I can Lhink o cvcr aL-ouL rc-
uscd Lo lcL mc in bccausc hc didnL wanL his unnishcd painLings Lo bc sccn.
TaL was Chris Oli, whcn hc was prcparing or Lhc Vcnicc Bicnnalc in 2uu3,
and I sympaLhizc wiLh him, Lhc idca LhaL somconc would scc a piccc o my
wriLing bcorc Id nishcd iLI mcan bcorc I had a clcan draL L Lo show
Gustave Courbet, The
Artists Studio: A Real
Allegory, 1854/1855.
93
my cdiLoris horriying. YcL whilc painLing-as-pcrormancc can bc said Lo
havc cmcrgcd aL Lhc Limc o Ccorgcs MaLhicu and Yvcs Klcin in Lhc 105us,
CourbcLs Studiocvcn Laking inLo accounL iLs blaLanL cLiLiousncsssug-
gcsLs LhaL Lhc sLudio acLiviLy o Lhc painLcr has ncvcr bccn sccn as csscnLially
privaLc buL always somchow pcrormaLivc. O coursc iLs origins in Lhc vari-
ously consLiLuLcd workshops o Lhc Middlc Agcs, Rcnaissancc, and Baroquc
craall copiously pcoplcdonly supporLs LhaL obscrvaLion.
In any casc, Lhc sLudio is noL only a mccLing poinL or pcoplc buL also or
Lhings. Spcaking o Lhc arLisLs o Lhc nincLccnLh ccnLury, 1acqucs IcLhcvc rc-
markcd LhaL cvcn i Lhcy almosL always nccdcd Lo rccr Lo modcls (whcLhcr
living modcls or objccLs) in carrying ouL Lhcir works, ycL in Lhc lasL rcsorL
Lhcy uscd Lhcm in ordcr Lo Lransorm Lhcm. Tcy mighL Lurn a poor girl
hircd or vc rancs an hour inLo a Quccn o Lhc FasL or immorLalizc a baskcL
o applcs or a pcwLcr jug.' Pcrhaps somcLimcs, i Lhc narraLor o In Search of
Philip Pearlstein, Two Models in a Window with Cast Iron Toys, 1987.
94
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Lost Time is Lo bc bclicvcd, Lhc mcLamorphosis could go in Lhc rcvcrsc dircc-
Lion: In Lhis connccLion, a cousin o Lhc Princcss o Iuxcmbourg, a woman
o grcaL bcauLy and arrogancc, having Lakcn a ancy Lo a orm o arL LhaL was
ncw aL Lhc Limc, commissioncd a porLraiL o hcrscl rom Lhc mosL promi-
ncnL o Lhc painLcrs o Lhc naLuralisL school. Tc arLisLs cyc had insLanLly
dcLccLcd whaL iL soughL cvcrywhcrc: on Lhc complcLcd canvas, insLcad o Lhc
grand lady, Lhcrc was Lhc drcssmakcrs crrand girl.
In Lhc prcscnL, whcn onc Lhinks o a posL-sLudio Lcndcncy, iL may im-
pliciLly bc Lhis aspccL o Lhc sLudio LhaL is mosL poinLcdly LhoughL o as hav-
ing bccn abandoncd: Lhc sLudio as a placc whcrc illusion or cvcn a sorL o
LransubsLanLiaLion is pracLiccd. For in Lhc mcanLimc iL has bccomc possiblc
Lo Lhink o arL as a purcly indcxical acLiviLy. ConccpLual arL is jusL poinL-
ing aL LhingsLhis rcmark by Lhc arLisL Al Hcld is supposcd Lo havc bccn
Lhc origin o a amous group o painLings by 1ohn Baldcssari, Lhc Commis-
sioned Paintings o 1060, cxccuLcd by amaLcur rcalisL painLcrs rom snap-
shoLs Lakcn by Baldcssari o a ricnd (said Lo bc William Wcgman) poinL-
ing Lo Lhings LhaL wcrc inLcrcsLing Lo him. A sign painLcr was Lhcn hircd
Lo add an inscripLion Lo cach painLing, giving Lhc painLcrs namc, or cxam-
plc, A PainLing by PaL Purduc. Tc phrasing is imporLanL: Lhc painLing is
by PaL Purduc buL Lhc arL is by Baldcssari. TaL Hclds inLcndcd dismissal
could bc rccongurcd as Lhc sLarLing poinL or a workboLh conccpLual and
painLing, buL signicanLly noL a producL o Lhc arLisLs own sLudio, having
bccn madc in Lhosc o painLcrs conccivcd o (by Baldcssari and pcrhaps by
Lhcmsclvcs) as mcrc hircd handsshows LhaL Baldcssari had rccognizcd
and bccn plcascd by iLs csscnLial LruLh. PuLLing Lo onc sidc Lhc labcl con-
ccpLual, abouL which onc could dispuLc cndlcssly and probably uLilcly, onc
can say LhaL Lhc paradigm o Lhc rcadymadc mcans noLhing oLhcr Lhan Lhis:
LhaL Lhc arLisL nccd noL Lransorm anyLhing buL mcrcly poinL Lo somcLhing
alrcady Lhcrc, indicaLc somcLhing wiLhin Lhc rcalm o Lhc rcal.
AL worsL, Lhis noLion could lcad Lo LhaL vcriLablc mania or dcsignaLing
rcalia as arL, and Lhc grandcr Lhc bcLLcr, which was characLcrisLic o whaL
somc criLics rccr Lo as Lhc nco-avanL-gardcs o Lhc posLwar cra. Such prac-
Liccs ccrLainly sccm Lo makc Lhc sLudio a dispcnsablc piccc o cquipmcnL, i
only bccausc a sLudio could ncvcr conLain cnough o Lhc world Lo makc a di-
crcncc in Lhc gamc. Morc Lo Lhc poinL, Lhough, and cvcn or cspccially wiLh
rcspccL Lo morc subLlc and sophisLicaLcd inLcrprcLaLions o Lhc Duchampian
modcl, Lhc sLudio could bc sccn as no longcr ncccssary, and pcrhaps as a
hindrancc, insoar as Lhc vcry idca o Lhc sLudio sccmcd Lo imply a nccd on
Lhc arLisLs parL Lo Lransorm somcLhing. And Lhc LransormaLions LhaL had
bccn rcndcrcd unncccssary or cvcn rcgrcssivc wcrc noL only Lhosc o Lhc
95
modcls o whom IcLhcvc spcaksLhc working girl Lurncd inLo a quccn
buL also and cspccially o Lhc arLisLs vcry maLcrials.
IcLs go back Lo whaL Duchamp said: Tc word arL, cLymologically spcak-
ing, mcans Lo makc, simply Lo makc. Now whaL is making` Making somc-
Lhing is choosing a Lubc o bluc, a Lubc o rcd, puLLing somc o iL on Lhc pal-
cLLc, and Lhc arLisL always choosing Lhc qualiLy o Lhc bluc, Lhc qualiLy o Lhc
rcd, and always choosing Lhc placc Lo puL iL on Lhc canvas, iLs always choos-
ing. In saying Lhis, likc cvcry modcrnisL arLisL who wanLcd Lo undcrsLand
his pracLicc as having Louchcd Lhc csscncc o arL, or aL lcasL Lhc csscncc o
an arL, Duchamp shows LhaL Lhc rcadymadc can bc sccn as Lhc undcrlying
modcl or painLing. And ycL hc is silcnL abouL whaL cvcry painLcr bcorc him
had undcrsLood as Lhc rcason or Lhc choiccs hc or shc mighL makc: Lo Lrans-
orm Lhis rcd, Lhis bluc, and so on inLo a painLing, Lo Lransorm raw maLcrial
inLo a vchiclc o LhoughL, Lo Lransorm corL inLo succcss. How many Limcs
havc I walkcd inLo a sLudio llcd wiLh unnishcd painLings and shuddcrcd
or Lhc arLisL who would havc Lo prcscnL Lhcsc unpromising cxcrLions in a
show alrcady schcdulcd Lo Lakc placc in jusL a cw shorL monLhs, only Lo nd
aL Lhc cnd o LhaL pcriod LhaL whaL nally mcL my gazc in Lhc gallcry wcrc
Lhc bcauLiul dcvclopmcnLs o Lhc malormcd ugly ducklings Id glimpscd
noL vcry long bcorc. TaLs LransormaLion or you.
Im sLill Lhinking abouL Hsich and his cmpLy sLudio. Unlikc Duchamps
imaginary painLcr, hc ccls no nccd Lo choosc a Lubc o rcd or a Lubc o bluc,
nor cvcn a nccd, unlikc Flainc dc Koonings, Lo rcjccL Lhcm. SccrcLly, I mighL
havc hopcd Lo nd LhaL hc was, or insLancc, occupying himscl by painLing,
say, liLLlc sLill licsanoLhcr way o making arL by noL making arL, pcrhaps,
buL ccrLainly a way o passing Limc, which is how Hsich dcncs his acLiv-
iLybuL, o coursc, Lhis was noL Lhc casc. YcL Lhc sLudio was sLill Lhcrc, and
Lhis is pcrhaps bccausc Lhc dcmand or LransormaLion has, dcspiLc all ap-
pcaranccs, ncvcr bccn abscnL rom Hsichs arL: An arLisL, hc should havc Lhc
abiliLy Lo Lransorm basic living condiLions inLo arL works Lo pondcr lic, arL
and bcing. Fvcn Lhc arLisL who works solcly wiLh Lhc rcal (raLhcr Lhan wiLh
illusion, imaginaLion, or mcLaphor) musL Lransorm iLno longcr changing
painL inLo a painLing buL lic inLo arL. Hsichs cmpLy sLudio sLands as a rc-
mindcr o Lhc uncxhausLcd poLcnLial or Lhis LransormaLion Lo rccur.
1 Tcsc wcrc: One Year Performance, 107S70 and 10SuS1, boLh aL 111 Hudson SLrccL, Ncw
York, One Year Performance, 10S1S2, aL various locaLions in Ncw York CiLy, Art/Life One
Year Performance, 10S3S4, during which hc was Licd Lo arLisL Iinda MonLano, and One Year
Performance, 10S5S6.
96
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2 Marcia Tuckcr, ounding dirccLor o Ncw Yorks Ncw Muscum o ConLcmporary ArL, was
an carly supporLcr o Tchching Hsich. Scc hcr cssay No TiLlc in Buddha Mind in Contem-
porary Art, cd. 1acquclynn Baas and Mary 1anc 1acob (Bcrkclcy: UnivcrsiLy o Caliornia
Prcss, 2uu4), 75S5.
3 Out of Now: Te Lifeworks of Tehching Hsieh (Iondon: Iivc ArL DcvclopmcnL Agcncy/Cam-
bridgc, MA: MIT Prcss, 2uu0).
4 Adrian HcaLhcld, I 1usL Co in Iic: An Fxchangc wiLh Tchching Hsich, in Out of Now, 33S.
5 Flainc dc Kooning, Purc PainLs a PicLurc (1057), in Te Spirit of Abstract Expressionism:
Selected Writings (Ncw York: Ccorgc Brazillcr, 1004), 150.
6 Marccl Duchamp Spcaks, inLcrvicw by Ccorgc Hcard HamilLon and Richard HamilLon,
Iondon, BBC, 1050, publishcd in Audio Arts Magazine 2, no. 4 (1076), quoLcd in Ticrry dc
Duvc, Kant after Duchamp (Cambridgc, MA: MIT Prcss, 1006), 161.
7 CusLavc CourbcL, lcLLcr Lo Champcury, auLumn 1S54, collccLion Muscc du Iouvrc, in-
vcnLory no. S0uS3, quoLcd in Hclcnc ToussainL, Tc Dossicr on Tc SLudio by CourbcL, in
Gustave Courbet 18191877, cxhibiLion caLalog (Iondon: Royal Acadcmy o ArLs, 107S), 254.
8 1acqucs IcLhcvc, Daily Life of French Artists in the Nineteenth Century, Lrans. Hilary F. Pad-
don (Ncw York: Pracgcr: 1072), 57.
9 Marccl ProusL, In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower, Lrans. 1amcs Cricvc (Ncw York: Pcn-
guin Books, 2uu4), 441.
10 1ohn Baldcssari, in John Baldessari: Paintings (Findhovcrn: SLcdclijk Van Abbcsmuscum,
10S1), quoLcd in PcLcr Osbornc, Conceptual Art (Iondon: Phaidon Prcss, 2uu2), S0.
11 In 1022, or his Tclcphonc PainLings, Moholy-Nagy hircd a sign painLcr Lo cxccuLc his
dcsigns.
12 HcaLhcld, I 1usL Co in Iic, 33S.
13 Ibid., 326.
Te
Studio
as
Stagc
99
David J. Getsy
Tc Rcconstruction o thc
Francis Bacon Studio in Lublin
Dublin has bccomc Lhc posLhumous homc o Francis Bacon. Somc scvcnLy-
vc ycars aLcr hc lcL Ircland aL Lhc agc o sixLccn, hc has bccn wclcomcd
back as a local arL hcro. In addiLion Lo imporLanL cxhibiLions and collccLions,
Lhc ccnLcrpiccc o Dublins cmbracc o Bacon is undoubLcdly Lhc rc-crcaLion
o his Iondon sLudio. Originally locaLcd aL 7 Rcccc Mcws in SouLh Kcnsing-
Lon, Lhc sLudio and iLs conLcnLs havc bccn movcd Lo Lhc Hugh Ianc Callcry,
onc o Irclands orcmosL muscums o modcrn and conLcmporary arL. Do-
naLcd by 1ohn Fdwards and Lhc Bacon FsLaLc in 100S, Lhc sLudio opcncd in
May 2uu1 in a ncw wing builL spccially Lo housc iL, as a pcrmancnL anncx Lo
Lhc HIC, which has undcrLakcn Lhc Hcrculcan Lask o caLaloging and rccon-
sLrucLing Bacons amously chaoLic workplacc. A Lcam o archacologisLs and
arL hisLorians siLcd Lhrough Lhc mass o maLcrial, cphcmcra, and rubbish
conLaincd in Lhc sLudio aL Lhc Limc o Lhc arLisLs dcaLh in 1002. Tc ouLcomc
o Lhis dig is a vasL, compuLcrizcd daLabasc o ovcr scvcn Lhousand rccords,
which vicwcrs can pcrusc in an inLcracLivc gallcry. BuL whilc Lhis painsLaking
corL o prcscrvaLion and rcconsLrucLion has yicldcd spccLacular rcsulLs, iLs
undcrlying assumpLions and moLivaLions appcar Lo havc gonc uncxamincd.
WiLhin Lhc hisLory o modcrn arL in BriLain and Ircland, Bacon has an
iconic sLaLus analogous Lo 1ackson Pollocks in Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs. AlLhough
rcLaining guraLivc rcprcscnLaLion, hc Lransormcd iL Lhrough an cmphasis
on Lhc cxprcssivc gcsLurc, and Lhc absorpLion and synLhcsis o a widc rangc
o visual sourcc maLcrial. Bacon uscd Lhc pilcs o phoLographs and ncwspa-
pcr clippings scaLLcrcd LhroughouL his sLudio as an cvcr-cvolving imagc bank.
Pcrilously cluLLcrcd, 7 Rcccc Mcws sccmcd Lo bcar Lhc visual Lraccs o his
impulsivc working proccss. (CommcnLs by Lhc arLisL, such as chaos or mc
brccds imagcs, urLhcr supporL Lhis assumpLion.) Tc small, dark building
also conLaincd a Liny living arca wiLh Lhc singlc bcd whcrc Bacon slcpL. Al-
Lhough collccLors and muscums wcrc willing Lo pay cxLrcmcly high priccs or
his painLings, hc livcd and workcd in Lhcsc crampcd quarLcrs or ovcr LhirLy
ycars. TroughouL Lhc liLcraLurc on Bacon, phoLographs o Lhc sLudio havc
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rcgularly bccn uscd Lo brackcL discussions o his arL. Trough Lhcsc phoLo-
graphs and wriLLcn dcscripLions o Lhc spacc, Lhc sLudio iLscl has bccomc
Bacons mosL rccognizablc imagc. A popular, rcccnLly publishcd cocc-Lablc
book by phoLographcr Pcrry Ogdcn, 7 Reece Mews: Francis Bacons Studio,
providcs anoLhcr cxamplc o Lhc long-sLanding obscssion wiLh Lhc sLudio as
a spccLaclc disLincL rom Bacons arL.
Prcscrvcd in a Plcxiglas box in onc room o Lhc HICs ncw wing, Lhc
sLudio is bucrcd by Lwo inormaLion gallcrics. Vicwcrs rsL cncounLcr a
conLinuously running vidco o Mclvyn Braggs inLcrvicw wiLh Bacon in his
sLudio rom Lhc South Bank Show, shoL in 10S5. Tc cxiL gallcry conLains
compuLcr Lcrminals giving visiLors acccss Lo Lhc daLabasc o Lhc sLudios con-
LcnLs. Tc gallcry conLaining Lhc sLudio iLscl is lincd wiLh viLrincs, display-
ing a sclccLion o signicanL objccLs cxLracLcd rom Lhc arLisLs workplacc
(mosL noLably, Bacons casL o Lhc dcaLh mask o William Blakc), as wcll as
phoLographs o Bacon and his companions.
Tcrc arc only Lhrcc limiLcd vanLagc poinLs rom which Lo scc Lhc inLc-
rior o Bacons workplacc. FirsL, a doorway opcns onLo Lhc rcconsLrucLcd
aLclicr. Tc spccLaLor, howcvcr, is givcn only cnough room Lo sLcp insidc Lhc
Lhrcshold, as a Plcxiglas box prcvcnLs urLhcr cnLry (a siLuaLion LhaL also al-
lows room or only onc pcrson Lo vicw Lhc spacc aL a Limc). Tc Lwo adjaccnL
windows locaLcd on Lhc ar cnd o Lhc sLudio, which wcrc kcpL blockcd by
Bacon wiLh Lhc back o his canvascs in progrcss, arc opcncd up Lo providc a
sccond siLc rom which Lo pccr inLo Lhc room. Pcrhaps Lhc sLrangcsL LrcaL-
mcnL o Lhc sLudio is Lhc Lhird avcnuc o visual acccss. Whcn noL sLanding
in Lhc doorway or aL Lhc window, visiLors Lo Lhc HIC insLallaLion arc con-
ronLcd mosLly wiLh blank, gray walls. In ordcr Lo add anoLhcr vanLagc poinL
Lo scc insidc Lhc sLudio spacc, Lhc ar corncr o onc o Lhcsc solid walls has
bccn picrccd wiLh Lwo cycholcs. Two sLccl cylindcrs havc bccn aLLachcd Lo
Lhc holcs and proLrudc ouL rom Lhc oLhcrwisc blank cxLcrior wall. Around
LwcnLy ccnLimcLcrs in lcngLh and Lcn in diamcLcr cach, Lhcsc proLrusions
conLain sh-cyc lcnscs, which allow Lhc vicwcr Lo scc parLs o Lhc sLudio noL
visiblc rom Lhc door or Lhrough Lhc windows. Bacon oLcn uscd Lhc walls
and ccilings o Lhc sLudio as his palcLLc. Tc lcnscs arc ocuscd on sccLions
o wall on which Bacon had LcsLcd ouL painLs and colors, raming Lhcm as i
Lhcy wcrc painLings in Lhcir own righL. (Hcrc, Lhc insLallaLion builds on an
ohand commcnL by Bacon LhaL Lhcsc walls wcrc his only absLracL works.)
WhcLhcr pccking in Lhc windows, looking Lhrough Lhc Plcxiglas-cncascd
vcsLibulc, or pccring Lhrough Lhcsc cycholcs, Lhc visual cxpcricncc o Ba-
cons sLudio bccomcs likc a soliLary pccpshow, a voycurisLic qucsL or Lhc ap-
prchcnsion o somc LiLillaLing dcLail.
101
Tc limiLcd and rcsLricLcd vanLagc poinLs guaranLcc LhaL onc cannoL cas-
ily scc anoLhcr pcrson looking inLo Lhc sLudio, no maLLcr how busy Lhc gal-
lcry is. Tc insLallaLion kccps Lhc vicwcr ouLsidc Lhc sLudio buL sLagcs ac-
ccss Lo a cLiLious inLcrioriLy. Bccausc Lhc sLudios main conLcnLs arc Lools
and dcbris, Lhc vicwcr scarchcs or clucs and pcrsonalia in and amongsL Lhc
rubbish. Rcading Lhc hcadlincs on discardcd ncwspapcrs or looking aL Lhc
phoLographs sLrcwn across Lhc oor, spccLaLors can casily bc oolcd inLo
Lhinking LhaL Lhcy arc gaining privilcgcd acccss inLo Bacons privaLc spacc.
Tc iniLial shock o Lhc chaos o Lhc sLudio adcs, howcvcr, as onc bcgins
Reconstruction of the Francis Bacon studio, Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, 2001.
102
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Lo rccognizc how iLs conLcnLs havc bccn subLly arrangcd. Too many o Lhc
phoLos and books arc lcgiblc rom Lhc doorway, orming lincs o sighL cma-
naLing rom Lhc main vanLagc poinL insidc Lhc Lhrcshold. DcspiLc iLs ovcr-
whclming mcss and disarray, Lhc spacc is a carcully orchcsLraLcd arLicc
onc dcsigncd Lo convincc us LhaL wc arc sccing inLo Lhc inncr workings o
Bacons workplacc and, by cxLcnsion, his crcaLivc proccss.
Bacon himscl ncvcr allowcd oLhcrs Lo waLch him painL, buL hc did allow
pcoplc Lo visiL Lhc sLudio. IL camc Lo uncLion, as in Lhc South Bank inLcrvicw,
as a mcans o dcccLing aLLcnLion raLhcr Lhan inviLing cxaminaLion. Tc
sLudio was lcss a window inLo Bacons privaLc scl (as Lhc HIC insLallaLion
implics) Lhan a shicld bchind which hc could hidc whcn oLhcrs wcrc prcs-
cnL. Tc liLcral scdimcnLaLion o imagcs and maLcrials was, indccd, a unda-
mcnLal parL o his proccss, buL Lhc sLudios spccLacular disarray also unc-
Lioncd as a orm o camouagc. DcspiLc his undisguiscd homoscxualiLy and
dark subjccL maLLcr, Bacon achicvcd a lcgcndary sLaLus during his licLimc
and was rcqucnLly considcrcd onc o BriLains grcaLcsL living painLcrs. 1usL
as much as his powcrul works, his mad gcnius bchavior uclcd Lhcsc lcg-
cnds. Bacon hid bchind Lhc myLhology o Lhc modcrn arLisL, and his work-
placc playcd a kcy rolc in aligning his public pcrsona wiLh LhaL sLcrco Lypc.
ConscqucnLly, iL was pcrccivcd by many as a LransparcnL rcccLion o Lhc
inncr workings o Lhc mind LhaL could producc such disLurbing painLings
concrcLc proo o Bacons disLurbcd ccccnLriciLy. SLorics o Bacons dcalcrs
wading Lhrough Lhc mcss Lo nd slashcd canvascs and rccovcr buricd painL-
ings hclp Lo conrm Lhc imagc o Bacon as Lhc conLcmporary hcir Lo Lhc
popular myLh o Lhc arLisL as mad, crcaLivc gcnius. UnorLunaLcly, iL is Lhis
sLcrcoLypc, raLhcr Lhan Bacon or his work, LhaL Lhc Hugh Ianc Callcry ulLi-
maLcly capiLalizcs on and cnshrincs.
Tc HIC projccL docs liLLlc Lo illuminaLc Lhc Lcchnical, conccpLual, and
visual sophisLicaLion o Bacons arL, nor docs iL criLically cngagc wiLh Lhc
consLrucLion o Bacons arLisLic pcrsona (by himscl and oLhcrs) Lhrough
Lhc sLudio. For all Lhc assiduous rcconsLrucLion o Lhc spacc, Lhc sLudio is
prcscnLcd lcss as a workspacc Lhan as a social spacc. PhoLographs o Bacons
ricnds and companions (many Lakcn in Lhc sLudio) havc bccn insLallcd in
Lhc display cascs, ycL Lhcrc is liLLlc aLLcmpL in Lhc insLallaLion Lo discuss how
Bacon acLually uscd his sLudio and whaL iL allowcd him Lo do in painLing. Tc
ocus is largcly on Bacon Lhc individual raLhcr Lhan on Bacon Lhc painLcr. FiL-
Lingly, Lhcrc is no arL insidc Lhc sLudio. Unlikc oLhcr rcconsLrucLions, such as
Lhc ALclicr Brancusi in Paris, Lhc Bacon sLudio has had iLs arL cxLracLcd. An
imporLanL group o ovcr scvcnLy drawings (Bacon rcpcaLcdly and amously
dcnicd LhaL hc crcaLcd drawings or his painLings) havc bccn Lranscrrcd
Lo Lhc HIC collccLions. Somc o Lhc canvascs, which rcmaincd incomplcLc
103
upon Bacons dcaLh, havc bccn insLallcd in a scparaLc gallcry in Lhc sLudio
wing, prcscnLcd likc nishcd works. Prcscrvcd as iL is in iLs Plcxiglas shcll,
Lhc Bacon sLudio rcscmblcs an cmpLy sLagc scL, or an old-sLylc naLural his-
Lory muscum display. As such, iL lacks only iLs Laxidcrmicd proLagonisL.
UndoubLcdly, Lhc caLaloging o Lhc disparaLc conLcnLs o Lhc sLudio and
Lhc archacological and phoLographic rccording o Lhcir placcmcnL will bc o
usc Lo Bacon scholars sccking Lo uncovcr his cmploymcnL o visual sourccs,
ncw Lcchniqucs, and maLcrials. Tis compuLcrizcd visual caLalog is Lhc rcal
bcncL o Lhc HICs corLs. IL is markcd, howcvcr, by Lhc samc problcm as
Lhc physical rcconsLrucLion o Lhc sLudio spacc: Lhc problcm o aLLcmpLing
Lo rcczc onc nal momcnL in Lhc hisLory o an cvcr-changing cnvironmcnL.
During his lic, Bacons sLudio could changc dramaLically and LraumaLically
rom hour Lo hour. Tc daLabasc, much likc Lhc insLallaLion and Lhc many
phoLographs Lakcn o Lhc sLudio bcorc iL was movcd Lo Dublin rom Ion-
don, can only providc cpisodic glimpscs. IosL is Lhc cxpcricncc o Lhc con-
sLanLly shiLing mass o maLcrials and imagcs LhaL madc Lhc sLudio so usc-
ul Lo Bacon. NcvcrLhclcss, Lhc daLabasc providcs signicanL insighL inLo
Lhc dcpLh and rangc o sourccs aL Lhc sLudios lasL incarnaLion. Bcyond Lhis
valid jusLicaLion or Lhc cnormous cxpcnsc o Lhc projccL, Lhc rcason or
prcscrving Bacons sLudio in a muscum is singular: Lo capiLalizc on Lhc my-
Lhology o Lhc modcrn arLisL by providing visually sLunning buL ulLimaLcly
voycurisLic and somcwhaL cxploiLaLivc cnLcrLainmcnL. Tc Hugh Ianc Cal-
lcry may wcll havc gaincd a succcssul LourisL aLLracLion, buL iL has losL ouL
on Lhc chancc Lo makc a uscul criLical conLribuLion Lo Lhc undcrsLanding o
Baconor o modcrn arL.
From DocumcnLs 22 (Fall 2002): 6569.
104
Art & Language
Art 8 Ianguagc Paints a Picturc
Dircction:
ArL & Ianguagc painLs a picLurc in a sLudio aL 3 Wcslcy Placc, Chacombc.
Chacombc is a villagc on Lhc bordcr o Oxordshirc and NorLhampLonshirc,
Fngland. Tc sLudio is small (approximaLcly 6 ~ 3.55 mcLcrs) wiLh a singlc
window acing souLh. IL has a small washbasin in onc corncr. Tcrc is an im-
prompLu Lablc ncar Lhc door. A roll o papcr rcsLs across Lhc cnLirc widLh o
Lhc room. IL rcsLs on an inLcrnal Lubc which is xcd Lo Lhc Lop o Lhc skirLing
board on ciLhcr sidc. Tcrc arc drums o acrylic cmulsion sLanding among
Lhc junk undcrncaLh Lhc Lablc, and packcLs o pigmcnL arc pilcd in a small
rcccss cupboard. Two arLisLs, (1) and (2), arc unwrapping a brown papcr par-
ccl conLaining whiLc coLLon-duck canvas. A largc pcncil drawing is pinncd Lo
onc long wall, a smallcr halLonc skcLch is pinncd Lo Lhc oLhcr. Tc pcncil
drawing is dividcd inLo 6-ccnLimcLcr squarcs wiLh grccn ink.
(1) A rcsh canvas. WhaL iL is Lo sLarL Lhc day wiLh a rcsh canvas o almosL
Lhc bcsL qualiLy.
(2) I wanL Lo say, buL iL is by no mcans going ar cnough . . . I wanL Lo cnjoin,
Do painLings addrcsscd Lo Lhc cxprcssion o cmoLion and do iL rcconsLruc-
Lablyin Lhc paLLcrn o causaliLy. Tis mighL bc Lhc rouLc Lo noLhing. You
mighL say Lhc paradigmaLic rouLc.
(1) WhaL would a SLudio said Lo cxprcss, c.g., angcr bc likc` And how would
Lhis qucsLion bc accLcd by our prcscncc or abscncc as gurcs in Lhc pic-
Lurc`
(2) I wc wcrc cxcludcd, how` TaL wc arc in Lhc dark docs noL mcan wc arc
noL Lhcrc. Tcrc arc oLhcr qucsLions o lighLing, o rcprcscnLaLional ordcr
and so orLh.
(1) Tc possibiliLy o spiriLual pcniLcncc docsnL sccm Lo bc a possibiliLy
o cxprcssion. Is Lhis why wc wanL Lo makc cxprcssion claims` Wc can only
hang our hcads in silcncc by noL sccming Lo do LhaL aL all.
105
(2) Tc SLudio gcnrc is hardly pcniLcnL. IL gocs Lo plaLiLudcs o auLonomy.
(1) Wc makc a hiaLus o Lhcsc.
(2) BuL iL is our hiaLus.
(1) Docs LhaL mcan iL was madc or us`
(2) Wc Lalk o pcniLcncc or pcrhaps o rcvcngc. Wc uscd Lo spcak o subvcr-
sion. Rcvcngc implics upholding Lhc causc buL also cxacLing rcLribuLion. ILs
hoL and nasLyyou can havc a carccr in supcrsLrucLural subvcrsion. Wc arc
Laking Lhc work ouL o LhaL virLuoso dcbaLc and inLo . . . whaL`
Wc adopL various pcrsonac. Wc arc arLisLs acLing arLisL. Tc works,
painLings wc producc, arc likc masks which arc inviLaLions Lo look bchind
Lhcm, whcrc mcaning and signicaLion is pcrpcLually ugiLivc. I you Lalk o
ugiLivc signicancc . . .
(1) Fh`
(2) . . . you could pcrhaps Lalk o a kind o criminaliLy. A criminal gocs in or
various kinds o ugiLivc acLiviLicsrobs, murdcrs, cmbczzlcs, cLc. A crimi-
nal docsnL usually makc a display o his criminal acLiviLics. Unlcss you go
in or a kind o ashionablc Lcrrorism, which is a kind o rcvcngc, I supposc,
aunLing criminaliLy raLhcr Lhan conccaling iL.
Dircction:
(1) and (2) unold Lhc canvas and aLLach onc shorL cdgc Lo Lhc papcr roll wiLh
whiLc Lapc. Tcy Lhcn roll Lhc canvas around Lhc Lubc unLil whaL rcmains un-
rollcd lays aL and covcrs mosL o Lhc oor.
(1) Tc rcshncss o rcsh coLLon duck.
(2) Such prospccLs o our own incompcLcncc.
(1) To kccp oncs hcad hung is Lhc problcm.
(2) WhaL is hanging oncs hcad in whaL ChrisLian SchlaLLcr calls occidcn-
Lal culLurc`
(1) IL can hardly amounL Lo bcing dcprcsscd.
(2) IL mighL bc sccming dcprcsscd.
(1) Is iL pcrhaps making your work in a circumsLancc o somc morc or lcss
adcquaLc gcncLic knowlcdgc` And Lo makc noLhing, noLhing acsLhcLic
o Lhis`
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(2) Tis sccms jusL likc rcusing.
(1) WhaL Im Lrying Lo gropc or is Lhc idca LhaL our work is madc o anLcccd-
cnL acsLhcLic maLcrials and oLhcr gcncLic condiLions. IL prcscnLs Lhcsc ma-
Lcrials, Lhcsc gcnrcs, Lhcsc ncsscs, Lhcsc symbols wiLhouL rcsoluLion in
a raLhcr spccial way: as hiaLus. Tis is a pcniLcncc in our cmoLivisL acsLhcLic
culLurc. You cannoL bc pcniLcnL sub specie aeterni.
(2) So Lhcrc is somc sorL o conLingcncy.
(1) Tc work musL bc opcn Lo invcsLigaLion. RcconsLrucLablc, adcquaLcly
rcLrodicLablc. And Lhis gocs Lo a moraliLy o moral sLrcnuousncss.
Dircction:
(1) and (2) Lack sLrips o wood Lo Lhc long cdgcs o Lhc canvas wiLh Lhc aid
o a hardboard sLraighL cdgc. Tc hardboard is Lhcn uscd as a squarc and
sLrips arc Lackcd across Lhc canvas so as Lo orm a rccLanglc approximaLcly
3.5 ~ 4 mcLcrs.
(2) PcrccLion: Lhc absorbcnL suracc. I can hardly conLain my dcsirc, my
nccd, Lo mark iL.
(1) Tc world o modcrn arL has bccomc a world o hysLcrical malingcring.
(2) Wc arc produccrs o rcprcscnLaLions, noL only in Lhc scnsc LhaL wc arc
involvcd gcncLically, wiLh rcLrodicLion Lo various culLural condiLions, buL wc
also sccm Lo bc involvcd paranoiacally.
(1) DcmoliLion o Lhc cmoLivisL insLrumcnLaliLics o Lhc managcrs culLurc
cnLails sysLcmaLic dcmoliLion o Lhc agcnL o dcmoliLion.
(2) Our culLurc is noL so much a ruin as a cw Lrivial rcmnanLs.
(1) Our high culLurc, howcvcr, is a raud.
(2) BuL iL is mosLly ouL o Lhis, ouL o arL, KanL, and cmoLivism LhaL wc
makc our work.
(1) Tcrcs morc Lo iL Lhan LhaL.
(2) TaLs noL imporLanL: iLs dccadcnL raudulcncc is noL much in doubL.
WhaL is rcquircd o us is LhaL our dcsirc Lo rcproducc (in whaLcvcr appar-
cnLly cmcrgcnL orm) Lhc orm o lic which givcs us our maLcrials . . .
(1) FirsL-ordcr maLcrials . . .
107
(2) . . . bc maLchcd by our dcsirc Lo rcrain and hang our hcads in shamc.
Tcsc condiLions o culLurc arc noL cocrcivc.
(1) Wc nccd a criLiquc o Lhc Baudclairian ncur.
Dircction:
(1) and (2) bcgin Lo coaL Lhc canvas wiLh a bu-colorcd acrylic cmulsion us-
ing a rollcr. Tc painL is in a shallow grill pan.
(2) Tc canvas will now havc a skin. Wc arc commiLLcd now Lo painLing,
raLhcr Lhan Lo drawing: commiLLcd Lo bcing anally cxpulsivc.
(3) Modcrn arL is hysLcrical. YcL Lhcrc arc no masks. Only managcrial in-
sLrumcnLaliLics. Wc siL among Lhc producLs o an almosL cnLircly Lranspar-
cnL hysLcria. TransparcnL, ycL powcrul cnough Lo bc insLrumcnLal, Lo pro-
ducc and susLain acsLhcLics and arL.
(1) IL may bc LhaL our conccrn wiLh undiscloscd causal condiLions (and un-
discloscd causal assumpLions), our conccrn wiLh (hysLcrical cLc.) closurcs,
gocs Lo a sorL o imprisonmcnL. WhaL wc may nccd Lo know is noL how Lo
nd bcLLcr cxplanaLions buL how Lo gcL ouL o (by rcquiring, making a nc-
ccssiLy o) Lhc languagc o causcs alLogcLhcr. How Lo gcL oursclvcs and
oLhcrs Lo makc do wiLh noLhing (or lcss) builL upon an obscssion wiLh gc-
ncalogy. By Lhis I am suggcsLing LhaL Lo havc noLhing is bcLLcr Lhan Lo havc
chcck pouchcs. I mcan LhaL a noLhing ncccssiLaLcd by adcquaLc gcncalogical
inquiry is a sorL o pcniLcnL libcrLy. IibcraLion rom Lhc palc Konigsbcrgian
lighL may sccm Lo bc iLs cxLincLion.
(2) BuL iLs cxLincLion materially implying iLs usc`
(1) Pcrhaps iL is Lruc LhaL libcraLion rom Lhc misuse o KanLs illumina-
Lions is LanLamounL Lo Lhcir cxLincLion. IL is our cmoLivisL culLurc and our
Wcbcrian sociology LhaL has libcraLcd us rom KanL. BuL LhaL libcraLion
has bccn an inadmissiblc cnslavcmcnL Lo acsLhcLicsLo unrcccLivc man-
agcmcnLwcaring clcan KanLian cloLhcs. Tc main acsLhcLic caLcgorics arc
Lhc vcsLigcs o a dcad languagc whosc mcanings havc bccn Lransormcd inLo
insLrumcnLaliLics.
Dircction:
(1) and (2) now draw Lhc nails and rcmovc Lhc sLrips o wood. Tc painL drics.
Frcsh canvas is pullcd rom Lhc largc roll as Lhc painLcd sLu is rollcd onLo a
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smallcr papcr Lubc. Tc canvas now has Lhc appcarancc o a scroll. Tc rcsh
canvas is Lackcd down and painLcd wiLh primcr.
(1) AnoLhcr occan o bcauLy.
(2) BuL whcn iLs painLcd iL looks morc cxpcnsivc. Our lasL Lwo painLings
arc a conscious producLion o Lhc appcarancc o sickncss. Tcy arc noL mis-
Lakcs. Tcy arc in Lhc margin o lics. Tcy arc LhaL margin o lics which gocs
Lo hal-rcalizcd acLs o spiriLual pcniLcncc, Lo imagcs (or scl-imagcs) o si-
lcncc and hcad hanging.
(1) Tc SLudio scrics bcgan in onc world and iL will cnd, i iL cnds, in an-
oLhcr. Indccd, iL is alrcady in anoLhcr.
(2) IsnL iL raLhcr LhaL iL bcgan aL the margins o onc world and iL is now aL
Lhc margins o anoLhcr` Tc scrics bcgan in a world discursivcly connccLcd
wiLh conLcmporary arL (or wiLh various idcnLiablc modcls o conLcmpo-
rary arL).
(1) OuL o Lhis world wc sclccLcd symbols. Tcsc numbcrcd among our cx-
pliciL maLcrials.
(2) Tc discursivc connccLion was mcdiaLcd by a scnsc o groLcsquc raudu-
lcncc, o gcncalogical absurdiLy.
(1) Wc arc now in a world dislocaLcd rom Lhis. YcL wc musL prcsupposc,
conLinuc Lo makc a ncccssary condiLion o, our gcncalogical criLiquc, which
gocs in parL Lo conLcmporary arL.
(2) And Lhcn makc noLhing o whaL cmcrgcs.
(1) Rccognizc LhaL whaL cmcrgcs will bc ncxL Lo noLhing. Tc ncw world
is prcLLy rail.
(2) My LalcnL is waiLing Lo cxplodc on Lhc canvas.
(1) Tc managcrial barbarism o conLcmporary acsLhcLic discoursc is no in-
dicaLion LhaL Lhings will always bc likc Lhis.
(2) No. BuL a possiblc uLurc acsLhcLics will noL ncccssarily bc noL Lo gcL
noLhing ouL o Lhc cxposurc o Lhc roLLcnncss o Lhc prcvious posiLion. Tis
is possiblc cvcn i LhaL cxposurc is inLrinsic Lo Lhc laLcr onc.
(1) Our discursivc connccLion wiLh conLcmporary arL, soi disant, in iLs var-
ious worlds and manicsLaLions rcqucnLly acLcd Lo limiL our didacLic aims.
(2) MisrcprcscnLcd Lhcm.
109
(1) And worsc. IndcpcndcnLly pcrhaps o Lhis discursivc rclaLion, wc wcrc
Lcnding Lo imaginc somc cmcrgcncc, somc consLrucLivc signicancc in Lhc
gcncraLion o sccond-ordcr discourscs, causal criLiquc, and so orLh. And
Lhis noLwiLhsLanding a drcssing o hiaLus and hiaLus or us.
(2) Wc havcnL cxamincd Lhc signicancc o or Lhc mcchanism o our hiaLus
vcry ully. Tc possibiliLy LhaL wc do mcan LhaL which has had iLs mcaning
cancclcd by us, LhaL which is gcncLically dcpcndcnL upon a sccond-ordcr (or
nLh-ordcr) dcmoliLion o Lhc mcchanism o iLs mcaning, is a vcry dclicaLc
Lhing indccd.
(1) Howcvcr, wc musL noL bc saLiscd wiLh an cmoLivisL aesthetic o hiaLus.
(2) Tc schcrzos, Lhc vcriLablc ugucs on Lhcmcs o rcsurrccLion in our lasL
Lwo painLings, arc undcniablc.
(1) Could iL bc argucd LhaL Lhcir ailurc Lo signiy is rcdccmcd by Lhcir hap-
LiciLy`
(2) Wc do want Lo bc popular wiLh Lhc bourgcoisic, donL wc` A kiss is a kiss.
Tc scnsiLivc arc scnsiLivc. BuL rcccL on a kiss LhaL has bccn idcnLicd an-
LcccdcnLly as a conLracLion o hcrpcs.
(1) A SLudio in Lhc dark sccms Lo dcny Lhc possibiliLy o dcLail. And Lhis is
Lhc possibiliLy o vividncss pcrhaps.
(2) Tis lack o vividncss in rcspccL o rsL-ordcr rcprcscnLaLional dcLail will
havc Lo bc rccoupcd in somc way.
(1) In somc oLhcr indcx o dcLail.
(2) Wc arc noL painLing by mouLh.
(1) And wc arc noL claiming LhaL Lhis painLing is painLcd by mouLh.
(2) Wc arc noL dcnying iL Lhough.
(1) ILs graphical orm or, raLhcr, our basic charL or drawing is produccd by
mouLh.
(2) Whcn wc wcrc painLing Index . . . I and II wc pondcrcd Lhc qucsLion
WhaL arc Lhc conscqucnccs o an asscrLcd painLcd by mouLh claims noL
bcing in acL Lruc`
(1) Tc alschood o such a claim gocs Lo a gcnLlcmanly (or arLy) disLancc
rom hiaLus. Tc claim would bc Lhc claim o gcncalogical puppcLccrs.
(2) Wc would havc madc masks ncvcr Lo wcar Lhcm.
110
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(1) Tcrc arc somc Dali painLings LhaL show visagcs in clouds. Tcrc arc
oLhcr painLings o clouds wiLhouL physiognomics. Pcoplc saw accs in Lhcm.
(2) O Index: Te Studio at 3 Wesley Place III (in the Dark) wc makc no painLcd
by mouLh claim. Tcrc is Lhc possibiliLy LhaL somc onlookcr will sucr Lhc
Dali cccL, viz, rcading Lhc painLing as painLcd by mouLh.
(1) And LhaL would bc projccLing Lhc (slighL or largc) hiaLus cxpcricnccd in
rcspccL o Lhosc SLudio picLurcs o which painLcd by mouLh is a signicanL
rcLrodicLion.
(2) Rcading-in and sccing-in: arc Lhcsc rcal hcrmcncuLical misLakcs` Is
rcading-in or sccing-in, in Lhc scnsc o projccLion onLo or Lranscrcncc,
Lhc noL ycL o a hcrmcncuLical no longcr or Lhc no longcr o a hcrmc-
ncuLical noL ycL`
Dircction:
Tc priming conLinucs.
(1) Tis will bc a Lcdious wcck.
(2) YcL having primcd Lhis canvas wc havc signalcd our inLcnLion Lo cn-
gagc wiLh maLcrial.
(1) WiLh a maLcrial LradiLion.
(2) Tough lcss maLcrialisL Lhan sculpLurc.
(Child) Hcllo, FaLLy and Skinny.
Dircction:
Tc priming is complcLc. Tc lasL sccLion Lo bc pinncd (Lhc lcL-hand quar-
Lcr o Lhc painLing) is dividcd inLo 1u-ccnLimcLcr squarcs in pcncil. Tc linc-
drawing (by mouLh) is Lakcn rom Lhc wall and Lwo sLrips, corrcsponding Lo
Lhc lcL-hand quarLcr o Lhc painLing, arc cuL o.
(2) Somc o our maLcrials arc Lo bc ound in Lhc possiblc world (or worlds)
or ragmcnLs or rcmaindcrs hiding in or bcLwccn Lhc rclaLions o hiaLus. Tis
world (cLc.) is vcry likcly Lo bc, among oLhcr Lhings, a world o oolishncss
and moral disquicL.
(1) A vcry noLhing-likc possiblc world.
111
(2) IL may bc indccd LhaL our aims (cvcn our quoLidian acsLhcLic in somc
guisc) gocs Lo whaL Lo do in Lhc noLhing lcL bchind by hiaLus. Tc moLcs
hovcring abovc Lhc gap.
(1) And Lhc gap is madc o rcal possibiliLics. Tc condiLions o hiaLus arc, in
somc scnsc, dcmonsLrablc.
(Clcmcnt Grccnbcrgs voicc o) Braqucs Lack suggcsLs dccp spacc in a Lo-
kcn way and dcsLroys Lhc suracc in a Lokcn way.
(1) I wc add Lhis possibiliLy o hiaLus Lo Lhc oLhcr possibiliLics, wc gcL a
dicrcnL scnsc o hiaLus. A dicrcnL cardinaliLy. BuL a cardinaliLy which docs
noL rcccL Lhc ordinaliLy o onc morc hiaLus.
(2) Imaginc Index: Te Studio at 3 Wesley Place IV (Illuminated by an Explod-
ing Car).
(1) I wish wc did drawings Lhc samc sizc as Lhc painLing. A carLoon is a Ccr-
man procssors map.
(2) I wondcr whaL 1amcs Icc Byars is doing now. I wondcr whaL Cindy
Shcrman, 1org Immcndor, Tcrry ALkinson, Mrs. Braggins, and Lhc Crccn
ParLy arc doing now.
(1) Tim Clark is consLanLly on Lhc lookouL or pcoplc wondcring whaL
oLhcr pcoplc arc doing.
(2) Somconc mighL say LhaL wc havc losL Lhc arL world bccausc Lodays
aLuiLics arc worsc Lhan ycsLcrdays. BuL LhaL isnL Lhc rcason. NciLhcr do I
Lhink Lhc rcal rcason is LhaL conLcmporary arL suddcnly ovcrburdcncd us
wiLh angcr and humiliaLion.
(1) Or by using various masks or simulacra wc gcncraLc hiaLus. In spiLc o
sccond-ordcr (cLc.) discoursc, Liny shards o rcal angcr, rcal cxprcssion
sccmcd Lo rcmain. CaLlcss grins`
(2) Arc you surc in spiLc o is corrccL` You could say LhaL Lhcsc ragmcnLs
cxisL in virLuc o sccond-ordcr-ish criLiquc, LhaL Lhcy arc a philosophically
possiblc populaLion only aLcr such a criLiquc is accomplishcd.
(1) Pcrhaps Lhcsc shards arc lcL bchind by Lhc masks and noL by Lhc hiaLus.
(2) Tc masks arc connccLcd Lo hiaLus by ncccssiLy.
(1) I do noL Lhink LhaL Lhcsc ncxL-Lo-noLhings cmcrgcd as a conscqucncc o
Lhc ncccssiLy LhaL our causal criLiquc rcmains incomplcLc. Tc acL LhaL our
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invcsLigaLion o Lhc mcchanism o closurco misrcprcscnLaLionmcrcly
scrvcs Lo dramaLizc Lhc powcr o Lhc acsLhcLic managcmcnL is no indicaLion
LhaL LhaL invcsLigaLion is indccisivc.
(2) AL Lhc samc Limc, I Lhink LhaL Lhc ncxL-Lo-noLhings cmcrgc rom a rc-
doubling o Lhc scnsc o hiaLus. Tis rcdoubling is born o an inkling LhaL Lhc
ground o our sccond-ordcr (cLc.) discoursc is vain.
(1) PcniLcncc is a vcry Lcchnical Lcrm.
Dircction:
(1) and (2) Lranscribc Lhc drawing by mouLh onLo Lhc canvas in pcncil. Onc
o Lhcm works asLcr Lhan Lhc oLhcr. So as Lo havc somc work Lo do, hc/shc
kccps cuLLing sLrips o Lhc sccLion bcing Lranscribcd by his/hcr collcaguc.
(1) A blunL pcncil is Lruly alicnaLcd. A shorL onc is noL.
(2) WhaLs iL likc Lo havc Lhc surcncss o Louch o a Picasso in his scxual
primc`
(1) WhaLs iL likc Lo havc Lhc inLcnsiLy o scvcral Coyas`
(2) A criLiquc o causal-Lypc analysis or, raLhcr, a scnsc o iLs vaniLy docs
noL, howcvcr, lcad us Lo blaLhcr abouL scnsiLivc alLcrnaLivcs Lo Lhc modcrn
world. Tcsc alLcrnaLivcs arc Lhc ullcsL dramaLizaLions and Lhc dullcsL rc-
ccLions o cmoLivism.
(1) OpcraLic bruLalism is onc o Lhc mosL powcrul insLrumcnLs o Lhis man-
agcrial co-opLion o acsLhcLics.
(2) Tc conusion o LasLc wiLh mcchanismor raLhcr Lhc inaLion o LasLc
Lo Lhc sLaLus o mcchanismis sympLomaLic o cmoLivism.
(1) Tc shards rcmain possiblc as producLs o Lhis mcss.
Dircction:
Tc LranscripLion is complcLc. (1) and (2) arc now looking aL Lhc righL-hand
quarLcr o Lhc canvas.
(1) Wc should roll back. IL is mcLhodologically imporLanL, cvcn a Lran-
sccndcnLal ncccssiLy, cvcn a Rcich dcs Sollcns Lo sLarL in Lhc Lop lcL-hand
corncr.
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Dircction:
Tcy roll back in a manncr rcconsLrucLablc rom Lhc dcscripLions abovc.
PainL is mixcd, dry powdcr is mixcd in a ood proccssor wiLh acrylic cmul-
sion. Tc pigmcnLs arc lamp black, hcavy Frcnch black, mars black, graphiLc
powdcr, oricnLal bluc, oricnLal grccn, mars violcL. Tcrc arc oLhcr colors in
Lubcs. Tc ood proccssor cxplodcs. Tcy conLinuc Lo mix Lhc painL by hand.
(1) dccanLs somc painL inLo baby-ood jars (lamp black, mars black, and a
graphiLclamp black mixLurc). Hc sLarLs painLing aL Lhc ar Lop lcL. (2) Lakcs
Lhc largcr conLaincr and sLarLs Lo work on his righL. Tcrc is a rcproducLion
o a Coya on Lhc wall. Tc halLonc drawing has bccn Lakcn down and lics
proppcd up in ronL and bcLwccn Lhc Lwo arLisLs.
(1) Wc makc causal, gcncLic-Lypc cnquirics. Wc also Lry Lo makc ncccssiLics
o Lhcsc. BuL Lhcsc cnquirics arc noL somc kind o no longcr.
(2) Tc ormula is madc Loo liLLlc o by NicLzschcs liLcrary inLcrprcLcrs. IL
is jusL a consumcrs insighL LhaL arL rcsidcs somcwhcrc bcLwccn Lhc raLio-
nalisLic no longcr and Lhc (whaL`) irraLionalisLic noL ycL. Tc conLcnLs
o a noL ycL will always includc a maximally closcd orm o a no longcr,
and Lhc conLcnLs o a no longcr will always bc, in parL, a noL ycL.
(1) Indccd, iL could bc argucd LhaL a no longcr is always a noL ycL rom
somc poinL o vicw.
(2) BuL LhaL isnL inLcrcsLing. WhaL is inLcrcsLing is Lhc idca LhaL Lhcy arc
uncLionally connccLcd, isomorphous. Morc inLcrcsLing Lhan LhaL is Lhc idca
LhaL Lhcy arc gcncLically and logically inLcrdcpcndcnL.
(1) Angcr in Lhc mask o raLionaliLy, raLionaliLy in Lhc mask o angcr . . .
(2) Marxisms ailurc Lo includc iLscl in iLs no longcr is onc o Lhc condi-
Lions o iLs cmpLincss.
(1) Wc arc noL prcparcd Lo considcr a work o arL as indcpcndcnL o Lhc
characLcr o iLs crcaLor. And in Lhis scnsc wc arc noL prcparcd Lo considcr
Lhc acsLhcLic as indcpcndcnL o Lhc moral.
(2) To Lhis cxLcnL wc arc liLLlc dicrcnL rom Lhc shrill disimbricaLors o
powcr-scx idcology and oLhcr polyLcchnic-lccLurcrs Lhcmcs.
(1) Whcrc wc dicr is Lhc mcchanism o our pcniLcncc.
(2) Tcy arc noL ycLLing wiLh Lhcir no longcr, and ycL misrcprcscnLing
Lhis as no longcr LouL courL.
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(1) Tcy assumc a managerial modc.
(3) Ivc wriLLcn a biL morc lccLurc. Can you sLand Lo hcar iL`
(1), (2), (3) . . . Tc cxprcssivc rangc o Pollocks arL rcsLs on vcry limiLcd rc-
sourccs. In LhaL scnsc iL is boLh classical and pcssimisLic. As painLing gocs
iL is also vcry casy Lo rcconsLrucL Lcchnically. Tc subsLanLial lcsson o Pol-
locks arL lics noL in iLs opLical qualiLics, iLs rcducLion o picLorial dcpLh,
iLs rccing o linc rom Lhc uncLions o dcscripLion and dcniLion, iLs invo-
caLion o Lhc cosmos o hopc, or in any o Lhc oLhcr availablc orms o valc-
dicLion. IL lics raLhcr in Lhc rcquircmcnL o assiduousncss: in Lhc dcmand
LhaL onc rccognizc how liLLlc is lcL Lo work wiLh. . . .
(1) Wc can makc only Lhc minimum assumpLion LhaL wc will succccd in rc-
producing Lhis drawing.
(2) IcLs hopc iL is a minimum. Fnlargcd as a painLing, Lhis Lhing gocs Lo Lhc
canons o clcvcr and slightly paradoxical modernist painLing.
(1) Tc sorL o sLu LhaL only opcraLcs i you acccpL Lhc theoretical sLricLurcs
on iLs producLion. BurcaucraLic modcrnism wiLh iLcraLcd complcxiLy . . . onc
idca and a loL o inLracanonical variaLions.
(2) By conLrasL, I vicw Lhc sccLion o Lhc painLing upon which Im working
as uncocrccd, as a paysagc o passion.
(1) UnorLunaLcly, Ivc jusL madc an incompcLcnL AugusLus 1ohn.
(3) Can you sLand a biL morc`
(1), (2), (3) . . . Tc poinL I wish Lo makc is LhaL all Lhosc whosc work I
havc bccn discussing can bc sccn as aLLcmpLing Lo copcalbciL in dicr-
cnL wayswiLh Lhc conscqucnccs and implicaLions o AbsLracL Fxprcssion-
ism. Tcy wcrc dcLcrmincd by noLhing so much as iLs negative implicaLions,
by Lhc closing o o possibiliLics and by Lhc diculLy o conronLing LhaL
rcquircmcnL o assiduousncss or which Pollocks work sLands as an cxam-
plc. Tc linc o dcvclopmcnL Lhrough Lhc 105us and 106us is branching and
incohcrcnL, and Lhcrc arc a plcLhora o dcad cnds and liLLlc ailurcs. Tcrc
arc no clcar lincs o succcssion. For cxamplc, 1ohns docs noL iniLiaLc Mini-
mal ArL. RaLhcr 1ohns, SLclla, 1udd, and Morris cach arLiculaLc in dicrcnL
waysoLcn unconsciouslyan inLuiLion o Lhc hisLorical and culLural con-
diLions which dcLcrmincd Lhc producLion o arL rom Lhc mid-105us unLil
Lhc 107us. An idcnLiying characLcrisLic o Lhcsc condiLions was LhaL claims
or psychological or mcLaphysical conLcnL in arL sccmcd noL Lo bc susLain-
ablc wiLhouL baLhos. . . .
115
Dircction:
(1) and (2) conLinuc. Tcy complcLc an apparcnL sLagc in Lhc rcprcscnLaLion
o Burial at Ornans, Donnez Votre Travail, cLc. AbouL onc-quarLcr o Lhc painL-
ing has bccn covcrcd in lamp black, graphiLc black and oricnLal bluc.
(2) Tc bluc is hidcous buL ncccssary. Wc havc Lo bc ablc Lo navigaLc.
(1) ILs viLal wc avoid volunLccring. Wc musL bc commiLLcd Lo Lhc possibil-
iLy LhaL wc makc dccisions and noL Lo Lhc illusion LhaL our smoldcring Lal-
cnL will ouL.
(2) I Lhink Lhis dcpcnds on our working in dcscribablc sLagcs. Wc arc lcL Lo
do whaL wc can almosL noL bcar. Wc canL sLop and makc cmoLivisLic choiccs.
IL is Lhcsc wc musL avoid sysLcmaLically.
(1) Wc arc bound Lo makc Lhcm anyway.
(2) IL sccms parLly Lo bc a problcm o kccping Lhc scnsc o Lhc dcscribabil-
iLy o a givcn sLagc or proccss.
(1) IL is no doubL Lruc LhaL Lhc conccpLs o acsLhcLics may bc undcrsLood as
a ragbag o ragmcnLcd survivals rom an oldcr pasL Lhan our own. Tis can
bc a dangcrous insighL, a chancc or Lhosc dccpcsL cnLrcnchcd in cmoLivisL
culLurc Lo (mis)rcprcscnL Lhcmsclvcs as having Lransccndcd iL. Tc idcnLi-
caLion o dccp-laid rcsiducs and so orLh in ccrLain avorcd arL works is no
morc Lhan Lhc ccho o Lhc criLics own (cmoLivisL) voicc.
Dircction:
(1) and (2) survcy whaL Lhcy havc donc.
(1) Tis is so dcmoralizing, so incompcLcnL.
(2) Tis is a bad casc o Robcspicrrc.
(1) Worsc. Tis is maLcrially incompcLcnL, wiLlcss, and humiliaLing.
(2) WhaL is iL likc` Is iL worsc Lhan Lenin at the Rostrum`
(1) Worsc.
(2) Couragc is noL rcquircd.
(1) ILs goL Lo comc o. Tis is a monLhs work. WhaL crysLallinc rigor!
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Dircction:
SLarLing rom Lhc Lop lcL-hand corncr, (1) and (2) sprcad NiLromors, an cLh-
ylcnc chloridcbascd painL sLrippcr, on Lhc painLing. Tcy scrapc iL o, cx-
posing barc canvas.
(1) An crascd, incompcLcnL AugusLus 1ohn. Somchow iL docsnL havc Lhc
risson o Erased de Kooning.
Dircction:
(1) and (2) rcdraw largc arcas o Lhis sccLion o Lhc painLing. Tc painL is
mixcd Lo a waLcry consisLcncy and Lhc imagc is llcd in in Lhc manncr o
painLing by numbcrs. Tc lighLcsL arcas arc painLcd oricnLal bluc. Tis color
is applicd casually so as Lo ovcrlap conLiguous gray and black arcas. Tc black
so covcrcd looks coolcr and darkcr as a conscqucncc, Lhc grays approach
black.
(1) Tc paradigm is Guernica.
(2) IL was ncccssary Lo gcncraLc somc arbiLrary paLLcrn. OLhcrwisc wc will
rcLurn Lo oundcring wiLh Lhc gcomcLric boundarics o Lhings. Tc scnsc
in which Lhc Lhing is modcrn musL noL dcpcnd cnLircly on Lhc obscuriLy o
Lhings. IL musL mcnLion modcrniLy noL solcly in virLuc o a kind o opLical
cxhausLion in shadow. Tis musL rcmain a possibiliLy Lhough.
(1) I Lhink Lhc undamcnLal scnsc in which my cnjoymcnL o Lhc brcasL is
Lo bc maLchcd in my cnjoymcnL o Lhc painLing, crcaLing Lhc painLing, will
dcpcnd on Lhis.
Dircction:
(1) and (2) scrapc and sLrip a sccLion or a sccond Limc.
(1) IL is ouLragcous LhaL Ivc had Lo scrapc o Lhc wiLchcs-sabbaLh-o-
dooms-day-aspccL Lo rcplacc iL wiLh Lhc palLrincss o consisLcncy. Rcmov-
ing Lhc Lraccs o my passion.
(1), (2), (3) WhaL grounds conLcmporary acsLhcLics is caLasLrophically
cmpLy. Our cmoLivisL culLurc is Lhc nal occidcnLal acL. IL is Lhc ground o a
groundlcss acsLhcLics. Tc acsLhcLcs grounds arc insLrumcnLal and managc-
rial. Tc powcr o Lhc acsLhcLic managcr hidcs his cmpLincss. Misrcprcscn-
LaLion o Lhc mcchanism o his acsLhcLics imposcs ncccssiLy on LhaL mccha-
nism, Lhc mcchanism makcs ncccssiLy o Lhc misrcprcscnLaLion.
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Tosc who long or a nondccadcnL acsLhcLics, a nondccadcnL arL, do Lhcir
longing in imagcs o Lhcir arbiLrary powcr. Tc longings arc Lhcmsclvcs dcca-
dcnL. Tis givcs us somcLhing Lo do. BuL wc arc bound Lo usc Lhcsc rcsourccs
as Lhcir producLs and Lo makc nothing o Lhcm. Tosc rcsourccs o which wc
do noL, pcrhaps, makc noLhing arc liLLlc bcLLcr Lhan noLhing Lhcmsclvcs.
Tcrc is no angsL in Lhis rcmark. Only a scnsc o ncccssiLy and scarciLy.
Appcndix
Tc ollowing iLcms arc dcpicLcd in Index: the Studio at 3 Wesley Place III (In
the Dark) in monochromc. Tcy arc somc o our mosL lamcnLablc ailurcs.
Tcy havc bccn supprcsscd or hiddcn rom Lhc public domain. Tcy arc
sourccs o cmbarrassmcnL.
From Lop lcL Lo boLLom righL:
Portrait of V. I. Lenin at the Rostrum in the Style of Jackson Pollock, 1070
Born in Flames II, 107S
East Window of All Saints Church, Middleton Cheney, 1070
Its Still Privileged Art, 1076, posLcr by Carol Condc and Karl Bcvcridgc
A Miner Drilling the Hole for Shotring in the Style of Jackson Pollock, 10Su
Our Progress Lies in Hard Work, 107S
Riot at Night, Painted by Mouth, 10S1
Index 04, 1073, microlm rcadcr
Ten Postcards, 1077
Singing Man II, 1075
Commemorative Portrait of Robespierre, 10Su
Oak Tree near Middleton Cheney, 107S
Puzzle, 1077
Nobody, 1077
Ways of Seeing?, 107S
Monument Commemorating Pavel Pestel and Other Heroes, 10Su
Poster, 1076, by Michacl Corris and Andrcw Mcnard
Pure Painting (Closed to Open Forms), 1065, painLing by 1. KosuLh
From ArL & Ianguagc. Exhibition catalog (Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, May 1983), 5459.
David Reed studio, external view, 2009.
119
David Reed
I rst saw the work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres in a group show at Artists Space
in 1987 in New York. Impressed by his work, I asked to visit his studio. Felix
hung his head and said, Oh, David. Im sorry. I dont have a studio. Im just a
kitchen-table artist. I loved his phrase, but since I had a mistaken concept of
what a studio could be, I didnt ask to visit. Now, of course, I wish I had. We
could have had a studio visit sitting at his kitchen table. John Baldessari called
his legendary class at CalArts Post-Studio Art. I think there can be meaning-
ful postpost-studio art, but I dont want to go back to the misguided idea of
the studio that I had when I spoke with Felix.
Ive heard artists on panels say that they like painting because in the stu-
dio they feel free. I sometimes share this feeling, but Ive learned to distrust
it. Ive found that while painting, Im in a conicted emotional and perceptual
state. On one hand, I want to be in the painting, right there inside of what Im
doing. But on the other hand, I want to be aware of the whole of the painting,
and this requires me to be outside looking in. I nd the experience of this split
consciousness to be painful. At rst I tried to paint as quickly as possible to
avoid it. Now Ive learned to try to sustain the experience, to grit my teeth and
live with it. Perhaps the studio I want is a place in which one can have a similar
experience of being both inside and outside at the same timea studio with-
out walls. Can I make this kind of a place for myself?
When I think realistically about my life, I realize that the problem is not that
I need a studio that is a special place, even one conceptualized in a new way.
What I really need is more time, say, an extra six hours each day. Then I could
paint as well as have a life. Perhaps I could give myself just three hours each
day and call that gift to myself a studio. But I would still feel selsh and self-
centered and be back again to that old studio problem: How can I justify mak-
ing art that I hope is connected to the world if it requires a strategic, tempo-
rary disconnection from the world? I could argue that what I need is not really
a disconnection; it might seem to be a disconnection but its really a way to
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dconnect to the world. But thats not really honest, or at least it doesnt remove
my guilt. I could argue that the world, for some reason, hates art. But what is
the use of disagreeing with the world? A friend, Guy Goodwin, says that while
working in the studio he feels both completely alone and in the company of
others. Perhaps for those three hours each day, while I paint, I can pretend that
I am talking with Felix across his kitchen table.
121
Tomas Lawson
I have a straightforward relationship with my studio; it is the place where I
make my work. I have two skylit rooms, the larger and brighter of which is
where I work on the paintings. This room is minimally furnished, with a work-
table, a rolling cart for paint and brushes, and a couple of chairs. At any given
time there will be one or two works in progress, and a number of recently n-
ished pieces stacked against the walls. This is a resolutely practical space.
When I am there I am either sitting down, looking closely at a surface, consid-
ering a next move, or I am standing in front of the work, making that move. On
occasion I invite someone over to take a look at what Ive done. The other room
is more intimate; if the larger space is dedicated to the act, this is a space of
memory and consideration, the central nervous system mapping and guiding
decisions over a span of thirty-plus years. This archive is dynamic information
is added and rearranged all the time. Older ideas resurface to enrich new ones,
which grow in the shelter of experience.
These rooms are in a building on a busy thoroughfare in a complex and
thriving city. Art is made of the noise and distraction of the street, the pass-
ing signs, multiple voices, the endless cacophony of the city. But it can only
be brought to fruition at some remove from all that, and my workspace is in
the back of the building, withdrawn from the hurly-burly. Back there I reect,
make notes, begin to order my thoughts, and in time bring things into shape,
give them form and color.
I stress the everyday quality of this space because the idea of the studio is
too easily inated past recognition. Gustave Courbet painted a version of this
mythic space, a grand theater for the display of his talent, his model, and his
fans and collectors; that the model stands naked while all the rest wear coats
and hats only underscores the cruelty of the fantasy. But why shouldnt art-
ists celebrate their hard-won successes? Thus, the gaudy trophies of nancial
success, the castles and palaces collected and built by artists as various as
Frederic Church and Pablo Picasso, nd an ascetic counterweight in the strict
modesties of Mondrians room or Pollocks shack. The great stand-off between
122
ostentation and authenticity blinds an avid public eager to visit (through on-
site restoration, re-creation within a museum, or the vicarious snooping made
possible by real estate websites and blogs), to the daily reality that artists nd
in the spaces they feel most comfortable inand need to produce art. In some
cases, the appearance of such places, the elements of design consciously
brought forth, may throw some light on what they make, but for most artists
the best studio is neutral and practical, no more and no less than a place to
get away and work.
Thomas Lawson studio,
2009.
Charline von Heyl studio, 2009.
125
Charline von Heyl
The idea of the studio is as much a fantasy as the idea of the artist is a
fantasy.
Both cease to exist when the work begins.
If there is work, there is no studio, there is no artist.
The stage of the studio is necessary, though, to enjoy the tortures of
procrastination,
for the enactment of the melodrama of solitude,
for the playing out of visual monologues.
It is an anachronistic luxury to have studio-time and studio-space for the
celebration of perpetual creative crisis,
for the charging and discharging of moods, and for the invention of feelings.
Being aware of this probably accounts for always feeling slightly guilty while
in there as well.
The studio is the claustrophobic vault of the self-feeding vampire.
It is the stew-dio . . . an alchemic laboratory for inspiration, stagnation,
confrontation, resignation, procrastination, contamination, ination,
reection, intoxication, regression, invention.
The studio, with its excess of presence, invents the artist,
feeds pictures and movies to the hungry eye.
The raw silence at night. Poussin called it silence panique,
the empty canvases.
But the studio full of new paintings: hall of mirrors, royal pleasure, Versailles.
The studio initiates work as nally the only way out of the swamp of self.
The jump to action from the pull of the sofa is an act of survival,
a leap to freedom, the jump into the abyss, the fall into the sky.
It is breaking out of the prison of the studio into the freedom of the work.
126
Svetlana Alpers
Tc Vicw rom thc Studio
By looking aL painLings madc boLh in and o Lhc sLudio in and aLcr Lhc scv-
cnLccnLh ccnLury, my aim will bc Lo ocr a rcasoncd accounL o somc sLudio
rcaliLics. Tc Lopic is noL Lhc sLudio as such (a Lhcmc LhaL gocs back aL lcasL
Lo a subjccL such as SL. Iukc painLing Lhc Virgin), or sLudio moLis or mod-
cls dirccLly rcprcscnLcd (Lhough moLis and modcls boLh play a parL), buL
raLhcr Lhc siLuaLion in which Lhc Lwo ovcrlap: LhaL is, whcn Lhc rclaLion o
Lhc arLisL Lo rcaliLy is sccn or rcprcscnLcd in Lhc ramc o Lhc workplacc. IL
is a largc Lopic and any accounL is bound Lo bc sclccLivc and comprcsscd, buL
Lhc grip o sLudio pracLicc and iLs inLcrnalizaLion inLo Lhc pracLicc o painL-
ing arc powcrul. Picasso oLcn Look Lhc arLisL in Lhc sLudio wiLh Lhc modcl
as Lhc subjccL or his arL-making, Lhough Lhc cvidcncc is LhaL, unlikc MaLissc,
iL was noL his pracLicc Lo work aLcr lic. As Franoisc CiloL jokingly poinLcd
ouL, hc carricd a rcd chair or a modcl around wiLh him rom placc Lo placc
buL no onc cvcr acLually saL in iL Lo bc painLcd. Shc illusLraLcd Lhc poinL wiLh
Lhc Large Nude in Red Armchair.
BuL Lhc sLudio appcars Lo havc losL iLs appcal. Tc gurc o Lhc painLcr in
Lhc sLudio sccms o Lhc pasL, cvcn a liLLlc suspccL. ArL produccd or or in pub-
lic vcnucsrom carLhworks and public sculpLurc or asscmblagcs Lo pho-
Lography, vidcos, graLi, and work produccd on gallcry wallsis in. PainL-
ing madc by somconc alonc in Lhc sLudio (or arL LhaL supporLs Lhc cLion o
bcing madc alonc in Lhc sLudio) is ouL. Hcrc, or cxamplc, is Carolinc 1oncs
cxplaining whaL Andy Warhols acLory was an alLcrnaLivc Lo: Tc dominanL
Lopos o Lhc Amcrican arLisL was LhaL o a soliLary (malc) gcnius, alonc in
his sLudio, solc wiLncss Lo Lhc miraculous crcaLion o arL. And iL ccrLainly
wasnL jusL an Amcrican Lhing. SLudio painLing is aL Lhc hcarL o Lhc picLorial
projccL as iL camc Lo bc dcploycd in Furopc or Lhc our hundrcd ycars rom
16uu Lo 2uuu. Onc way Lo rcspond Lo prcscnL anLagonism is Lo show LhaL
painLing in Lhc sLudio had aL oncc a narrowcr and a morc humanc basis.
Tc connoLaLions o Lhc words uscd or Lhc siLc o Lhc arLisLs work
sLudio, bottega, atelierarc rich: placc o rcLrcaL/wiLhdrawal (Lhc Fnglish
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sLudio/sLudy), buL also shop, sLorc (Lhc ILalian bottega), and Lhc combinaLion
o workplacc wiLh cxhibiLion placc and salcs ouLlcL has had a long lic. Tc
Frcnch atelier dcrivcs rom Lhc Old Frcnch astelle (modcrn Frcnch attelle),
Lhc piccc o wood uscd Lo bind horscs, hcncc a harncss or morc propcrly a
yokcdicrcnL again. RaLhcr Lhan simply making claims abouL or for Lhc
sLudio, I am inLcrcsLcd in Lhc consLrainLs iL ocrs, ocrcd, bccausc Lhc chal-
lcngc Lo Lhc sLudio in rcccnL Limcs is noL Warhols acLory modcl buL Lhc
grcaLcr world ouLsidc iL. AL prcscnL, ciLhcr Lhc sLudio is clL Lo bc Loo con-
sLraincd, or consLrainL iLscl is suspccL.
Tc Expcrimcntal Modcl
HisLorians and sociologisLs o scicncc havc bccn considcring Lhc rolc LhaL Lhc
workplacc or cxpcrimcnLal scicncc plays in Lhc naLurc o scicnLic knowl-
cdgc. Tis is parL o a changc in cmphasis rom Lhcory Lo pracLicc, or rom
scicncc considcrcd primarily as Lhc ormaLion o naLural laws Lo scicncc as
Lhc making o cxpcrimcnLs. Whcn I bcgan Lo Lhink abouL Lhc rcaliLics o Lhc
sLudio, I was cncouragcd or scvcral rcasons by Lhc cxamplc o sLudics o lab-
oraLory work and lic. IL scrvcs as a corrccLivc. In Lhc sLudy o arL, as in Lhc
sLudy o scicncc, Lhc prcccpLs o an asscmblagc callcd Lhcory (as in Lhc usagc
arL Lhcory) arc oLcn privilcgcd aL Lhc cxpcnsc o arLisLic pracLicc iLscl.
Tc rclaLionship bcLwccn Lhc pracLicc o arL and Lhc pracLicc o scicncc
was parLicularly sLriking in Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccnLury, whcn Lhc arLisLs sLu-
dio, in Lhc scnsc in which I am considcring iL, camc inLo iLs own. Fnglish
(Baconian) cxpcrimcnLaLion and DuLch dcscripLivc painLing sharc a pcrccp-
Lual or visual mcLaphor o knowlcdgc o Lhc world. Tough Lhcy boLh rcprc-
scnL Lhc world, nciLhcr is LransparcnL Lo iL. In onc casc iL is rcprcscnLcd by
a Lcchnology such as LhaL o Lhc lcns, in Lhc oLhcr by painLing iLscl. Fxpcri-
mcnLing and painLing arc comparablc craLs. Tc comparison works in Lwo
dirccLions: iL granLs a scriousncss Lo painLcrs LhaL is appropriaLcly visual in
naLurc (LrcaLing Lhcm as skillul obscrvcrs raLhcr Lhan as moral prcachcrs),
whilc iL brings cxpcrimcnLcrs in naLural knowlcdgc ouL o Lhcir isolaLion.
Tc illusLraLion or a chapLcr on discascs o Lhc cyc in a scvcnLccnLh-
ccnLury DuLch mcdical handbook shows a camcra obscuraa holc LLcd
wiLh a lcns LhaL by Lhc acLion o lighL makcs an imagc o Lhc worldwhich
is Lhc way Lhc mcchanism o Lhc cyc was undcrsLood aL Lhc Limc. Two gcnLlc-
mcn in a dark room hold ouL a suracc on which is casL Lhc imagc o Lhc land-
scapc ouLsidc. Tis cyclikc bringing o Lhc ouLsidc world insidc in Lhc orm
o an imagc is a modcl o painLing as pracLiccd by DuLch painLcrs. Vcrmccrs
View of Delft (MauriLshuis, Tc Haguc) is Lhc suprcmc cxamplc.
I bcgan Lhis cnquiry abouL Lhc sLudio inLcnding Lo pursuc Lhc social
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consLrucLion o Lhc arLisLs workplacc. Tc qucsLions wcrc Lo ollow on sLud-
ics o Lhc scvcnLccnLh-ccnLury laboraLory or housc o cxpcrimcnL. Was Lhc
siLc whcrc cxpcrimcnLs wcrc conducLcd a privaLc spacc or a public onc` Was
Lhc work donc by individuals working alonc, wiLh assisLanLs, or in a group`
Who wcrc wiLncsscs Lo Lhc ndings` BuL Lhcsc laboraLory qucsLions, whilc
pcrhaps o inLcrcsL abouL Lhc acLual workspacc, wcrc noL so producLivc whcn
dirccLcd Lo painLings. Tc problcm is LhaL painLcrs rcprcscnL Lhc sLudio cx-
pcricncc as sccn and cxpcricnccd by an individual.
Wc know, o coursc, LhaL painLcrs oLcn wcrc noL alonc whcn aL work.
Tcrc arc DuLch painLings LhaL show a painLcr sharing his spacc wiLh sLu-
dcnLs, assisLanLs, or a scrving maid. BuL whaLcvcr Lhc condiLions bchind iLs
producLion, Lhc phcnomcna wc shall bc conccrncd wiLh rcsisL Lhc implica-
Lions o Lhis kind o social consLrucLion: comparc Lhc drawing o RcmbrandL
drawing aLcr a nudc modcl among his sLudcnLs/assisLanLs Lo Hcndrickjc
posing or him as Bathsheba, or Poussins drawing o an idcal sLudio Lo his
Self-Portrait, or Micriss sLudio wiLh maid coming in Lhc door Lo Vcrmccrs
Art of Painting. Tc sLudio may, on occasion, havc bccn Lccming wiLh pcoplc.
BuL whaL is rcprcscnLcd as Lhc sLudio cxpcricncc is a soliLarys vicw.
Tcrc is somcLhing obvious abouL Lhc poinLhow clsc but as an individ-
ual docs onc scc and cxpcricncc oncs ambicncc` Tis is noL, o coursc, ncc-
cssarily Lhc conccrn o imagc-making. BuL Lhc cLion susLaincd by sLudio
painLing is LhaL a painLcr works alonc. Tis docs noL mcan LhaL arL is cuL o
rom Lhc world, buL LhaL Lhc condiLion undcr which Lhc connccLion is orgcd
is imagincd Lo bc soliLary.
From iLs bcginning in Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccnLury, Lhc cxpcricncc o Lhc
painLcr/obscrvcr was parL o Lhc cxpcrimcnL or cxpcricncc (in Lhc scvcn-
LccnLh-ccnLury scnsc o Lhc word) rcprcscnLcd picLorially. Tc rcaliLics o
Lhc sLudio arc noL only whaL is obscrvcd Lhcrc (how Lhc world is puL Lo-
gcLhcr), buL Lhc arLisLs visual and, oLcn, bodily or phcnomcnological cx-
pcricncc o iL (how iL is cxpcricnccd). WhaL Lhc painLcr in his/hcr painLing
makcs o Lhc world so cxpcricnccd is ccnLral Lo Lhc sLudio as an cxpcrimcn-
Lal siLc. WhaL I am invoking is noL a pcrsonal maLLcr. IL has Lo do wiLh how
cvcry individual csLablishcs a rclaLionship wiLh Lhc world. Onc o Lhc vcxa-
Lions o arL is man. In Lhc laboraLory, by conLrasL, Lhc impacL o Lhc inLcr-
crcncc o Lhc human obscrvcr in an accounL o naLural phcnomcna was noL
rcgisLcrcd unLil modcrn Limcs, and Lhcn wiLh a dicrcnL cccL. IL is possiblc
Lo arguc LhaL Lhc pracLicc o painLing was ahcad o Lhc pracLicc o scicncc in
rcgard Lo Lhc obscrvcr. Tc LruLh o Lhis mighL, in parL, cxplain Lhc sLudios
cnduring lic.
In sum: Lhc link sLudio-laboraLory lcLs onc look on painLing as an invcsLi-
gaLion. I shall rsL considcr whaL sorL o rcaliLics Lhc painLcr can addrcss in
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Lhc sLudio. WhaL is Lhc rclaLion o Lhc painLcr Lo rcaliLy as sccn in Lhc ramc
o Lhc workplacc` Tcn, why mighL painLcrs havc Lakcn Lhis Lurn and, mosL
imporLanLly, bccausc iL rcccLs back on Lhc sLudio iLscl, whaL docs noL nd
a placc in Lhc sLudio, or whaL docs Lhc sLudio cxcludc and whaL havc painL-
crs donc abouL iL` Finally, a bric considcraLion o Lhc dcpicLion o landscapc,
ouLsidc and insidc, lcads Lo Lhc noLion LhaL a basic rcaliLy addrcsscd in Lhc
sLudio is Lhc naLurc o Lhc sLudio iLscl as an insLrumcnL o arL. Tc rccr-
cncc Lo an insLrumcnL rcLurns us, in an unanLicipaLcd scnsc, Lo Lhc analogy
ocrcd by laboraLory pracLicc.
In thc Iight-Box
IcL us bcgin wiLh Lhc basclinc casc. A pcrson is alonc in an cmpLy room or
lighL-box. IL is somcwhaL darkcr in Lhc room Lhan in Lhc world ouLsidc. IighL
is lcL in Lhrough scvcral holcs in Lhc walls. Curious Lhough iL sccms, Lhc pcr-
son has wiLhdrawn rom Lhc world or Lhc purposc o aLLcnding bcLLcr Lo iL.
In Lhis casc, sincc Lhc inLcrior is cmpLy, hc wiLhdraws Lo aLLcnd Lo Lhc cccL
o Lhc play o lighL. An illusLraLion rom ALhanasius Kirchcr, Ars magna lucis
et umbrae (1646), dcpicLs a camcra obscura cnlargcd Lo Lhc sizc o a room and
scL in a landscapc. Tc lighL convcys somc Lrccs as imagcs on Lhc wall.
Tc painLcr aL work in a picLurc by Lhc scvcnLccnLh-ccnLury painLcr PicLcr
Fllinga 1ansscns had dcpicLcd himscl in such a spacc. Tc arLisL, hcad sil-
houcLLcd bcorc a window, sLands aL an cascl in Lhc arLhcr room. Tc DuLch
painLcr usually uscd a room in a housc as a sLudio. Tc inLcrior is dark. IighL
coming Lhrough largc windows rcccLs o Lhc oor, ooding Lhc ar wall
and a chair. In Lhc orcground room iL puLs on a wild show. SunlighL anglcs
Lhrough Lhc brighL uppcr parL o largc windows, casLs shadows o Lhc lcad-
ing on Lhc lowcr ramc, sLrikcs Lhc wall and (rom Lhcrc`) Lhc oor, and casLs
Lhc shadow o a chair and Lablc back onLo Lhc window wall, whcrc rcccLcd
lighL glisLcns o Lhc glass o Lhc shuLLcrcd lowcr window. A numbcr o pic-
Lurcs (nonrcccLors) and a mirror wiLh gilL ramc (lighL rcccLors boLh) arc
on Lhc walls. A woman rcads by Lhc sccondary lighL and a maid swccps. Trcc-
Lops makc a ainL paLLcrn on Lhc lcadcd glass. Tcsc arc maLLcrs o opLical
prcscncc, cvcn Lhough 1ansscns pcrhaps saw L Lo cnhancc Lhcm wiLh his
own impossiblc imaginings.
WhaL is iL likc Lo bc in a parLicular lighL`
PicLcr dc Hooch is lcss amboyanL abouL Lhis sorL o maLLcr Lhan 1ans-
scns. Tough hc ncvcr dcpicLs himscl, Dc Hoochs bcsL painLings arc in largc
parL lingcring invcsLigaLions o lighL sccn by him as i whilc aL work. IighL
cnLcrs Lhough windows and, oLcn, a disLanL door, illuminaLing and rcccL-
ing dicrcnLly o carLhcn Lilcs and mcLal, ur, and gilL. ILs inLcrrupLion is
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markcd by shadows casL by window ramc, chair, bcd-warmcr, and handlc,
and Lhc dusky aLmosphcrc o Lhc inLcrior o a housc. Onc undcrsLands Lhc
rccommcndaLion, alrcady madc by Iconardo, LhaL lighL in Lhc sLudio bc rom
Lhc norLh. NorLhcrn lighL, Iconardo says, docs noL vary. IL is ncvcr, as hcrc
in Dc Hoochs inLcrior, dirccL sunlighL. Tc unobLrusivc gurcs in his inLcri-
ors appcar Lo bc sLillcd by iLs acLiviLy. A woman, back-vicwcd, poscd againsL
Lhc lighL in a shadowcd hallway lcading ouL suggcsLs an cscapc Lo Lhc world
bcyond. BuL Dc Hooch rcqucnLly dcpicLs a child poiscd Lo rcccivc Lhc lighL
LhaL oods in Lhrough an opcn doorway, associaLing Lhc painLcrs cxpcricncc
wiLh LhaL o a child. WiLhdrawing rom Lhc world inLo Lhc sLudio bccomcs a
rcgrcssivc acL. IL rchcarscs how wc comc inLo an cxpcricncc o Lhc world. Dc
Hoochs childrcn arc rclaLcd Lo Lhc child Lhc arLisL puL by his sidc in painL-
ings o Lhc sLudio likc Lhosc by Sublcyras and CourbcL.
Tc sLudio scrvcs as a placc Lo conducL cxpcrimcnLs wiLh lighL noL pos-
siblc in Lhc diuscd univcrsal lighL or Lhc dirccL solar lighL o Lhc world ouL-
sidc. SLudio lighL is lighL consLraincd in various ways. And iL is also Lhc lighL
Lhc arLisL is siLuaLcd in. Tis sLaLc o aairs is codicd in Lhc painLings o
Vcrmccr. Tc painLcr, according Lo Vcrmccr in Te Art of Painting, is Lhc man
alonc in Lhc roomwiLh which wc bcgan. BuL his working spacc or ambicncc
(a bcLLcr bccausc lcss limiLcd Lcrm) is rcsLricLcd Lo a corncr. A singlc window,
hcrc hiddcn by a LapcsLry, lcLs lighL in. IL comcs, as is usual, rom Lhc lcL, cn-
suring LhaL Lhc painLcrs righL hand docs noL casL a shadow on his painLing as
hc works. Tc painLcr is in Lhc lighL hc painLs. Whcn, cxccpLionally, as in Te
Lacemaker, Lhc lighL in a painLing by Vcrmccr is rom Lhc righLLhaL is, rom
Lhc lcL o Lhc painLcd gurciL is likcly LhaL Vcrmccr imagincs himscl in
hcr placc. Bcsidc hcr hands is an improbablc (or a laccmakcr) rcd Langlc o
sLus. Sccn aL Lhc closc disLancc LhaL Lhc diminuLivc scalc o Lhis painLing
proposcs or Lhc cyc, Lhc rcd pigmcnL is a dcposiL o his painL as much as iL
is a loop o her Lhrcad. BuL iL is Lhc lighL sLriking Lhc woman rom Lhc righL
(her lcL) LhaL marks Vcrmccrs idcnLicaLion wiLh hcr.
Tcrc is a wildncss abouL lighL in Vcrmccr. IL providcs Lhc drama in his
picLurcs. Vcrmccrs pcoplc cxisL bcLwccn Lhc play o lighL LhaL is Lhc agcnL
o visibiliLy in Lhc world and Lhc crasurc LhaL LhrcaLcns whcn, wiLhouL iL,
Lhcy all inLo shadow. IighL is noL assumcd by Vcrmccr, iL is sLudicd. IL is
noL rcccivcd as in a Dc Hooch by a child in a domcsLic inLcrior (no childrcn
appcar in Vcrmccrs domcsLic inLcriors), buL uncLions as Lhc dcning prcs-
cncc, or cvcn as an assaulL on Lhc world ouLsidc. WiLhouL lighL, individuals
adc. NoLc Lhc losL chcck o Lhc laccmakcr aL Lhc lcL in conLrasL Lo Lhc clcar
cdgc dcncd by Lhc lighL on Lhc chcck Lo Lhc righL.
Tcrc arc oLhcr disLincLivc kinds o sLudio lighL. Caravaggio noLoriously
rcprcscnLs an anglcd, raking lighL in an oLhcrwisc darkcncd spacc. IL was
Johannes Vermeer van Delft, The Art of Painting, 1665/1666.
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aLLackcd aL Lhc Limc or bcing ccllarlikc. IL is inLcrcsLing LhaL Caravaggios
aunLing o indccorum was aLLribuLcd Lo his indccorous, ccllarlikc work-
placc. Tc lighL in his workswhich, o coursc, dcpcnd on many oLhcr as-
pccLs o moLi and handlingsupporLs Lhc accusaLion LhaL whcn hc workcd
hc painLcd in acLual lighL such as Lhis. Picasso, a willing hcir Lo all o Lhis aL-
LcnLion Lo Lhc sLudio and iLs lighL, wiLLily lcavcs a lighL bulb suspcndcd in Lhc
Guernica. IL is a rcmindcr LhaL, or a sLudio painLcr likc Picasso, Lhc sLudio
as wc know iL rom a scrics o prior drawingswas Lhc imagincd siLc cvcn
o a painLing o a public and hisLorical subjccL likc Lhis onc.
IighL is noL ncccssarily rcprcscnLcd as cnLcring Lhc sLudio Lhough a win-
dow. And indccd, wiLh Limc Lhc window, whcn iL docs appcarrom Lhc
drawing o his sLudio by Caspar David Fricdrich (KunsLhisLorischcs Muscum,
Vicnna) Lo painLings by MaLisscis noL scL aL Lhc sidc, as in Vcrmccr, buL
in Lhc back wall. IL uncLions noL as a sourcc o lighL, buL as a rcmindcr LhaL
a world lics ouLsidc iL or, convcrscly, LhaL Lhc sLudio is wiLhdrawn rom Lhc
world LhaL lics ouLsidc. Tcrc is a curiously impacLcd insLancc o Lhis kind o
window in MancLs Luncheon in the Studio (Baycrischc SLaaLsgcmaldcsamm-
lungcn, Munich). Tc window scL aL Lhc lcL in Lhc back wall o Lhc room has
bccn rcndcrcd as opaquc (as i shuLLcrcd), Lhc glass pancs rcccLing somc
inLcrior lighL. WiLhdrawal rom Lhc world is conrmcd. MancLs sLudio, as
his oLhcr painLings conrm, ocrs no way ouL. Tc lack o cxiL scrvcs as a
cauLionary rcmindcr o Lhc limiLaLions o sLudio lighL. An anccdoLc abouL
Michclangclo Lold by Vasari puLs Lhis succincLly. Whcn a sculpLor Lhrcw opcn
Lhc windows o his sLudio Lhc bcLLcr Lo show his work in Lhc lumc dcllc
cncsLrc, Michclangclo is rcporLcd Lo havc rcplicd LhaL only in il lumc dclla
piazzaor in Lhc public lighLis a work propcrly judgcd. His play on words
scrvcs Lo makc Lhc poinL LhaL lighL in Lhc sLudio, any lighL in Lhc sLudio, is a
privaLc cxpcricncc, noL Lhc, Lo him, csscnLial public vicw.
WhaL is iL likc whcn objccLs arc inLroduccd inLo Lhc painLcrs liL room`
Tc csscnLial casc in Lhc picLorial LradiLion is Lhc scLup known as a sLill lic.
Scc, or cxamplc, onc o Willcm Clacsz. Hcdas sparc arrangcmcnLs caLur-
ing a wincglass, a silvcr bowl, an olivc, and a nuL. Wc arc so accusLomcd Lo
painLcd Lablcs wiLh objccLs on Lhcm LhaL Lhc oddiLy o Lhc ormaL is noL o-
Lcn noLcd. ObjccLs, cvcn objccLs on LablcLops, had bccn dcpicLcd bcorc Lhis.
Tcrc arc displays o collccLiblcs on a Lablc in Lhc sLill-lic painLing o ow-
crs and shclls wiLhin Lhc painLing o an cncyclopcdic collccLion by Frans
Franckcn. BuL iL is in DuLch painLing o Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccnLury LhaL Lhc
sLill lic is rsL siLuaLcd in Lhc sLudio. ALLcnLion Lo lighL is an indicaLion o
Lhis LransormaLion. Tc objccLs on Lhc Lablcs, gcncrally domcsLic in naLurc,
arc liL by lighL rom Lhc painLcrs lcL. ObjccLs arc rclaLcd Lo cach oLhcr by
rcccLions o ncighboring Lhings on Lhc Lablca lcmon rcccLcd onLo a
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pcwLcr dish, liL pcwLcr back onLo Lhc lcmon. Tc lcadcd pancs o an unsccn
sLudio window arc oLcn rcccLcd on and somcLimcs cvcn Lhrough Lhc sur-
acc o a goblcL.
SLill lics o owcrs, howcvcr, conLinucd raLhcr likc displays o collccL-
iblcs. In Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccnLury, owcrs arc gcncrally highlighLcd againsL
a darkcncd wall. Pcrhaps Lhcy wcrc noL rcprcscnLcd in sLudio lighL bccausc
Lhc blooms o dicrcnL kinds and scasons rcprcscnLcd LogcLhcr in a vasc
would ncvcr acLually havc bccn sccn LogcLhcr on a singlc sLudio occasion. In
Lhc nincLccnLh ccnLury, rariLy was no longcr an issuc and owcrs o onc sca-
son arc commonly dcpicLcd in a vasc in sLudio lighL. IL is Lhcn disconccrLing
Lo comc upon a bunch o owcrs LhaL arc, insLcad, painLcd as growing in a
sunliL owcr-bcd. Tc diuscd daylighL, buL also Lhc sizc, our implicd posi-
Lion (abovc and noL closc), is disoricnLing because wc havc bccomc uscd Lo
owcrs painLcd in Lhc sLudio.
Tc siLuaLion wiLh pcoplc is dicrcnL. I Lhc sLudio dcclincd looks odd in
Lhc painLing o Lhc owcr-bcd, so sLudio lighLing mainLaincd can look odd
in Lhc painLings o nudcs ouLdoors. A pcrson sLudicd by sLudio lighL can-
noL simply bc movcd ouLsidc inLo Lhc lighL o day. Tc nudc is Lhc mosL ag-
gravaLcd cxamplc o Lhis sLudio consLrainL. An inLcrcsL is LhaL wc can Lracc
iLs hisLory. Ciorgionc, wiLh TiLian ollowing closc aLcr, is Lhc prcsumcd in-
vcnLor o whaL bccamc Lhc gcnrc o Lhc nudc gurc in Lhc landscapc. In Lhc
Drcsdcn Sleeping Venus Lhcrc is no dispariLy bcLwccn Lhc lighL on Lhc csh
and LhaL on Lhc Lcrrain in which Lhc nudc woman lics. IighL is diuscd and
univcrsal. Tis is prior Lo Lhc sLudio in Lhc scnsc in which wc arc spcaking o
iL hcrc. Oncc a nudc body is painLcd (as disLinguishcd rom bcing drawn) in
sLudio lighL and aL sLudio proximiLy, iL is incongrucnL whcn scL ouLsidc. Tc
problcm suraccd in Lhc nincLccnLh ccnLury. Frcdcric Bazillc barcs iL whcn
hc inscrLs a nudc man, sLudio-liL, inLo an ouLdoor scLLing, hc appcars noL Lo
bc sLanding on, buL silhoucLLcd againsL, a sunliL rivcrbank. Somc accommo-
daLion musL bc madc. Dcgas rccommcndcd rcprcscnLing gurcs as i Lhcy
arc ouLsidc aL LwilighL whcn Lhcy appcar as silhoucLLcs. MancL kccps nudcs
insidc. For hcr pcrormancc in Lhc Djeuner sur lherbe, VicLorinc McurcnL
undrcsscd in Lhc sLudio. Tc landscapc bchind hcr is rankly sLudio dccor.
Tc windowcd corncr o Lhc Vcrmccr room and Lhc adjaccnL Lablc wiLh
objccLs is an cxcmplary sLudio siLc. IL is curious, Lhcn, LhaL alLhough lighL rc-
mains an abiding conccrn or sLill-lic painLcrs rom Hcda aL lcasL Lo Chardin,
Lhc window docs noL gurc in Lhc sLill-lic gcnrc iLscl. Oncc iL was assumcd,
Lhc lighL nccdcd no cxplanaLion. BuL individual liL objccLs can scrvc as whaL
onc mighL call sLudio markcrs. Tis is lcss a way o LLing up a room Lhan a
way o showing LhaL Lhc painLcr workcd Lhcrc. Vcrmccr avorcd a parLicular
liL whiLc porcclain jug (Lhough aL lcasL oncc, in addiLion, Lhc lcgs o Lhc ca-
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scl arc rcccLcd in a mirror). Vclazqucz incongruously scL a whiLc jug simi-
lar Lo Vcrmccrsa simplc domcsLic objccL casLing a rcmarkablc shadow
whcrc onc would noL cxpccL Lo scc iL on Lhc manLclpiccc in his Forge of Vulcan
(Prado, Madrid). Tc whiLc vasc dcpicLcd in a parLicular lighL is a rcmindcr,
pcrhaps, LhaL Lhc orgc is a kind o sLudio.
Tc Phcnomcnological Expcricncc
Tc sLill-lic asscmblagc has bccn undcrsLood as a bourgcois phcnomcnon.
Tis is Lo considcr iLs objccLs as subordinaLc Lo man, or our usc, manipula-
Lion, and cnjoymcnL, convcying our scnsc o powcr ovcr Lhings. Paraphras-
ing Mcycr Schapiro, sLill lic in Lhis inLcrprcLaLion is Lhc consLrucLion o a
porLablc posscssion. BuL, Laking Lhc cmpLy room oncc morc as Lhc basclinc,
Lhcrc is a prior scnsc in which Lhc objccLs on Lhc Lablconc can cxpand Lhis
Lo any objccLs or pcoplc in Lhc sLudiopuL prcssurc on or cxacL somcLhing
rom Lhc painLcr who has rcLircd Lhcrc. Tc sLudio cxpcricncc, Lhcn, is Lhc
addrcssing o moLis. Tcy rcgisLcr somcLhing LhaL Lhc painLcr dcals wiLh or,
pcrhaps bcLLcr, plays wiLh in painL. SLill-lic objccLs arc dcpicLcd as i aL arms
lcngLh and approximaLcly lic-sizc. Tc disLancc rom whaL Lhc arLisL painLs
is a rcaliLy o Lhc sLudio. Maybc sLudio-sizc is a morc accuraLc dcscripLion
Lhan lic-sizc. Tc sLudio is a placc whcrc Lhings arc inLroduccd in Lhc inLcr-
csL o bcing cxpcricnccd by Lhc painLcr.
Tc pcculiariLy o Lhc rclaLionship bcLwccn Lhc arLisL and Lhc objccLs/
modcls in Lhc sLudio comcs ouL in 1amcs Iords accounL o siLLing Lo AlbcrLo
CiacomcLLi (a consummaLc sLudio arLisL) or a porLraiL. AL rsL, Iord is as-
Lonishcd Lo bc Lold Lo siL only our ccL rom Lhc arLisL. BuL sLudio proxim-
iLy provcs Lo bc morc Lhan a maLLcr o rcal opLical scalc. IL was also a maLLcr
o bodily prcscncc and idcnLiLy. Iord Lclls o an occasion whcn CiacomcLLi
accidcnLally kickcd Lhc cascl on which Lhc porLraiL rcsLcd and immcdiaLcly
apologizcd Lo Lhc siLLcr. Tc arLisL in Lhc sLudio Lakcs Lhc painLing or Lhc
pcrson or objccL bcing painLcd. A painLing (or hcrc a drawing) undcrsLood in
Lhis way is noL a subsLiLuLc or an abscnL Lhing (Lhc vicw o imagcs whcn lan-
guagc is Lakcn as Lhc modcl o human cxpcricncc), buL consLiLuLcs a ncwly
madc Lhing in iLscl.
BuL whaL kind o a Lhing is iL`
Tc rcprcscnLaLion o Lhc hand o Lhc painLcr in Vcrmccrs Art of Paint-
ing poscs Lhc qucsLion morc sharply. A shadcd blob is whcrc Lhc hand o Lhc
painLcr painLing Lhc bluc and Lawny lcavcs on Lhc modcls wrcaLh should
bc. Why such an ill-dcncd blob` Onc could say LhaL Lhc painLcr has noL ycL
rcalizcd his hand, in Lhc doublc scnsc o noL ycL having ully pcrccivcd Lhc
objccL bcorc his cycs as a hand and noL ycL having painLcd iL as a hand. An
135
cxpcricncc o ambiguiLy is parL o Lhc proccss o pcrcciving. By picLorial am-
biguiLy I rccr Lo Lhc possibiliLy o Lhc painLcr rcprcscnLing Lhc pcrccpLion
o a Lhing, and rcprcscnLing iL or vicwcrs, in such a way as Lo cncouragc Lhc
mind Lo dwcll on pcrcciving as a proccss: Lhc painLcrs cxpcricncc o an ob-
jccL as coming inLo iLs own, disLinguishing iLscl rom oLhcr Lhings, Laking
shapc. PainLing a modclcd blob noL ycL rccognizablc as a hand, hc noLcs Lhc
poLcnLial o iLs bcing sccn as Lhc csh o a painLcd acc. Hc had painLcd a
similarly ambiguous objccL ncar Lhc bowl in Lhc orcground o his carly and,
as iL wcrc, prc-sLudio, Diana and Nymphs (MauriLshuis, Tc Haguc). Is iL a biL
o discardcd cloLh or, pcrhaps, a whiLc dovc having a drink`
Tcrc is a urLhcr LwisL: Lhc shadcd blob-abouL-Lo-bc-a-hand LhaL looks
likc a acc also appcars Lo bc parL o Lhc painLing LhaL Lhc arLisL is painLing.
Hc is working on Lhc bluc and Lawny lcavcs on Lhc modcls wrcaLh. I wc look
aL his hand in combinaLion wiLh Lhc lcavcs hc is puLLing on Lhc canvas, iL has
much Lhc samc rclaLionship Lo lcavcs as Lhc acc o Lhc modcl crowncd by hcr
wrcaLh. Iikc Lhc csh o hcr acc, Lhc csh o Lhc hand is in shadow bclow, liL
abovc, Lhc biL o whiLc aL his wrisL is Lhc whiLc collar aL her ncck, his dark cu
sLanding ouL bclow and Lo Lhc righL is Lhc sLi cloLh bchind her ncck.
Wc havc caughL Lhc painLcr in Lhc sLudio cxpcricncing and playing wiLh
his hand in painL. Tc hand is the objccL LhaL a painLcr always has aL arms
lcngLh immcdiaLcly bcorc him whilc working. Vclazqucz in his sLudio in
Las Meninas and RcmbrandL in Lhc Self-Portrait now aL Kcnwood wcrc also
inLcrcsLcd in Lhis: Vclazquczs hand mimics Lhc color and dirccLionaliLy o
workcd pigmcnLs, RcmbrandLs hand mimics Lhc insLrumcnLs wiLh which hc
painLs. BuL Lhc hand has parLicular prcscncc in Te Art of Painting bccausc
Vcrmccrsccn rom Lhc back, his haL a black holchas disappcarcd inLo or
is losL in Lhc acL o painLing. On Vcrmccrs accounL Lhc rcprcscnLaLional sLa-
Lus o Lhc hand is uid, unrcsolvcd. Tough iL is parL o his body, Lhc hand is
rcprcscnLcd nciLhcr as cnLircly bclonging Lo him, nor cnLircly as an objccL in
Lhc world, nor cnLircly as a painLcd imagc. In his manncr o dcpicLing iL, Vcr-
mccr probcs aL Lhc making o Lhc rclaLionship, pcrccpLual and in LhaL scnsc
psychological, bcLwccn himscl and Lhc world.
Tc painLcd hand scrvcs Vcrmccr as an illusory cxpcricncc LhaL is psy-
chological in anoLhcr scnsc. PicLorial ambiguiLy had, o coursc, bccn cnLcr-
Laincd by painLcrs bcorc Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccnLury. Tc dicrcncc LhaL Lhc
sLudio makcs is LhaL iL ramcs Lhc ambiguiLy as originaLing undcr parLicular
circumsLanccs. In Lhc sLudio, Lhc individuals cxpcricncc o Lhc world can bc
sLagcd as i iL wcrc aL iLs bcginning. Tc hand works raLhcr likc Lhosc mc-
noL-mc objccLs LhaL Lhc psychoanalysL D. W. WinnicoLL callcd LransiLional.
WinnicoLL coincd Lhc Lcrm Lo dcscribc Lhc mcans by which an inanL crcaLcs
iLs rsL links wiLh Lhc world. Undcr sLudio condiLions picLorial ambiguiLy is
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noL only a rcsourcc o Lhc mcdium, iL bccomcs a maLLcr o arLisLic invcsLiga-
Lion. Tis givcs Lo sLudio painLing iLs probing, orward lcan. IL is a maLLcr o
discovcry, noL dcmonsLraLion.
IL is in connccLion Lo guring our carlicsL consciousncss o and rclaLion-
ship Lo Lhc world LhaL a ccrLain linc o sLudio painLings dwclls on objccLs
whosc sLaLus or naLurc rcmains unrcsolvcd and hcncc disLurbing. Bcyond a
hugc, orcgroundcd painL box and palcLLc wiLh proLruding brushcs in Dcgass
Portrait of an Artist and Lay Figure, a Dcgas look-alikc wiLhdraws inLo a cor-
ncr dcjccLcd aLcr his labors, painLings Lo ciLhcr sidc. To onc sidc a painLcd
woman loungcs againsL a Lrcc, Lo Lhc oLhcr a painLcd man is sLrcLchcd ouL on
Lhc ground. A lay gurc, having scrvcd as Lhc modcl rom which Lhc rsL was
Lakcn, buL rcsonanL wiLh Lhc sccond and wiLh Lhc arLisL as wcll, is slumpcd
on Lhc oor againsL a wall, discardcddiscardcd as a child mighL havc donc
wiLh a Loy.
Cczanncs Still Life with Plaster Cast of Amor proposcs anoLhcr vcrLiginous
cxpcricncc o sLudio as world. Tcrc is no painLcr hcrc, only his/hcr cccLs:
Lhc bluc drapcry and Lhc grccn Lops o an onion on a LablcLop rcach upwards
and mcrgc, puzzlingly, inLo a painLing. A plasLcr Amor is backcd againsL or
bursLs ouL rom an cmpLy canvas, iLs anglc and pcdcsLal rcsonaLing wiLh Lhc
LruncaLcd aycd man righL and abovca sLaLuc Lransormcd inLo a painL-
ing. WhaL Vcrmccr lcavcs covcrLa discardcd plasLcr hcad lying on Lhc Lablc
bcsidc Lhc modcl in Te Art of Paintingis opcnly displaycd by Cczannc.
ObjccLs can bc aL risk in painLing: a lay gurc draincd o lic, a plasLcr
hcad casL down, a aycd man who is noL all Lhcrc. Onc scnscs Lhc prcssurc
on Lhings (or modcls) bcnL, againsL Lhcir will, Lo bc parL o Lhc painLcrs cx-
pcricncc, Lo bc his or hcr symbols. A ccrLain madncss is in play. For Winni-
coLLs child, in Lhis scnsc likc Lhc arLisL, crcaLion is Lhc making o illusions.
PuL simply, arL on Lhis accounL is likc a childs insisLcnL crcaLion o inLcrcsL/
connccLions, raLhcr Lhan, as Mclanic Klcin would havc iL, an adulLs corL
aL rcparaLion. In a ooLnoLc Lo a papcr LiLlcd PrimiLivc FmoLional Dcvclop-
mcnL, WinnicoLL puL iL LhaL Lhrough arLisLic cxprcssion wc can hopc Lo
kccp in Louch wiLh our primiLivc sclvcs whcncc Lhc mosL inLcnsc cclings
and cvcn carully acuLc scnsaLions dcrivc, and wc arc poor indccd i wc arc
only sanc. On WinnicoLLs obscrvaLion o childrcn, such rcgrcssivc bchav-
ior could bc aggrcssivc.
WinnicoLL cncouragcd whaL hc callcd squigglcs Lo bc madc collaboraLivcly
and scqucnLially bcLwccn himscl and his vcry young paLicnLs. Tcrc is onc
hc madc himscl LhaL is compclling in Lhis rcgard. IL dcpicLs a sculpLcd objccL
on a pcdcsLal bcaring Lhc inscripLion FrusLraLcd SculpLurc (wanLcd Lo bc
an ordinary Lhing). ILs rclcvancc is picLorialiL happcns Lo look raLhcr likc
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Cczanncs aycd manbuL also psychological. Tis squigglc docs noL wanL
Lo go along wiLh Lhc gamc. IL wanLs Lo bc jusL an ordinary Lhing. IL is as i Lhc
nurscry-room hobby horsc riddcn by Lhc child in Combrichs amous cssay
rcsisLcd bcing uscd as a subsLiLuLc or a rcal Lhing and, in doing so, callcd aL-
LcnLion Lo Lhc ambiguiLy o iLs own naLurc and uncLion.
WinnicoLL is uscul or Lhinking abouL sLudio-making bccausc his ocus is
on a prc-ocdipal and hcncc (likc Lhc sLudio painLcr as I scc him/hcr) a onc-
Lo-onc rclaLionship bcLwccn pcrson-world, and bccausc hc addrcsscs Lhc
childs prclinguisLic and hcncc (likc Lhc painLcrs) nonvcrbal cxpcricncc o
Lhc world. Possiblc objccLions Lo such a vicwLhaL iL lcavcs ouL or cannoL
dcal wiLh Lhings bcyond Limc prcscnL or Lhc immcdiaLc rcach o Lhc hand
or cycarc insLrucLivc abouL how somc painLcrs havc dcpicLcd Lhc sLudio
as Lhc world.
SLudio painLing so undcrsLood is an alLcrnaLivc Lo Lhc world as iL is dcalL
wiLh in languagc. DicrcnLiaLion o Limc whcn is noL cnorccd. Tc sLu-
dio rcsolvcs cxpcricncc inLo Lhc prcscnL. Vcrmccrs View of Delft has bccn
Lakcn as a paradigmaLic insLancc o how mcmory is cccLivcly wipcd ouL in
Lhc prcscncc o a painLing. Tc prcdicamcnL is manicsL in Lhc dovcLailing o
ProusLs cxpcricnccs o Lhc Vcrmccr in his wriLing and in his lic, buL also in
his own pasL and his prcscnL. IL is known LhaL in 1021 hc rosc rom his sick-
bcd Lo scc Vcrmccrs painLing Lhcn on cxhibiL aL Lhc 1cu dc Paumc in Paris.
In Le temps retrouv, ProusL wriLcs o BcrgoLLcs dcaLh immcdiaLcly on hav-
ing sccn iL aL Lhc cxhibiL. In ronL o Lhc picLurc Lhc rcconsLrucLion o Lhc
pasL LhaL consLiLuLcs ProusLs wriLing, unLil LhaL momcnL, is ovcrLakcn by
Lhc prcscnL. Tis is an cxLrcmc casc: Vcrmccrs View of Delftas cxpcricnccd
by BcrgoLLc in ProusLs novcl and as cxpcricnccd by ProusL in his licis noL
only an alLcrnaLivc Lo mcmory and Lo words, buL provcs aLal Lo boLh.
In sum, somcLhing basic in human psychology and iLs rcprcscnLaLion has
bccn conronLcd in Lhc sLudio. Tc qucsLion rcmains, how Lhc sLudio bc-
camc such a siLc and wiLh whaL changing nuanccs havc pcrccpLual LruLhs
bccn pursucd Lhcrc.
Studio as Rctrcat
Tc workplacc had noL prcviously bccn conccivcd o as Lhc rcLrcaL iL was Lo
bccomc. An ILalian mural painLcr likc Picro dclla Franccsca can bc dcscribcd
as scLLing up a Lcmporary workplacc in San Franccsco in Arczzo whilc hc
was painLing his rcsco cyclc Lhcrc in Lhc mid-LccnLh ccnLury. Climbing
up on Lhc scaolding during a rcccnL conscrvaLion campaign, onc camc inLo
Lhc arLisLs spaccLhc choir o Lhc church wiLh iLs window and Lwo acing
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walls csLablishcd Lhc boundary wiLhin which hc workcd. Picro and his Lcam
painLcd Lhc walls purposcully, adding Lo Lhc buon fresco aLcr iL was dry wiLh
Louchcs o Lcmpcra and pigmcnLs in oLhcr mcdia. Tc dcLailcd work on Lhc
suracc has an uncxpccLcd immcdiacy. ProximiLy Lo Lhc work, Lhc arLisLs
proximiLy and oncs own, challcngcs Lhc pcrccpLion o Lhc dominanL mo-
Lis. Tc Battle of Chosroes appcars as Lhc accumulaLion o painLcd dcLails
sLripcs o blood, gripping hands, human hair juxLaposcd wiLh a horscs Lail,
and a blccding LhroaL wiLh a cross. BuL Lhis cxpcricncc was Lhc painLcrs
alonc. Having nishcd, Picro lcL. And Lhc dcposiLcd acLiviLy o Lhc arLisL in
his choir workplacc was visiblc only Lo worshippcrs, aL an anglc and rom
bclow.
In Limc, ILalian mural painLing camc Lo Lakc Lhc vicwcrs morc immcdi-
aLcly inLo accounL. In Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccnLury, arLisLs painLing murals in
ILaly rcachcd or grandcr and morc obvious cccLs, many o Lhcm spaLial
in naLurc. BuL noL unLil C. B. Ticpolo in Lhc cighLccnLh ccnLury was Lhc old
workplacc scnsc o mural painLing rcLurncd Lo and rcncwcd, buL wiLh a di-
crcncc. Tc draLsmanly Ticpolo cxLcndcd his drawing up onLo walls and
ccilings alikc, which scrvcd as a kind o gianL skcLch pad or his rcscocs. In
LhaL scnsc, his working siLc was also his sLudio and his pcrormancc Lhcrc
was or us Lo sharc. Mcanwhilc, in norLhcrn Furopc, Lhc sLudio crysLallizcd
as a rcLrcaL in Lhc amiliar-Lo-us way and iL Look hold wiLh a spccic loss. His-
Lory painLing cannoL bc donc in a domcsLic sLudio whilc sLill lic can. SLill
lic undcrsLood cxpansivclycaLuring a sLaLionary modcl o somc kind
bccamc Lhc bcnchmark gcnrc.
WhaL kind o accounL can bc givcn o Lhc retreat Lo Lhc sLudio in Lhc scv-
cnLccnLh ccnLury` IL was cclcbraLcd aL Lhc Limc by somc rcmarkablc scl-
porLraiLs o arLisLs wiLh Lhc Lools o Lhcir Lradc: RcmbrandLs painLings aL
Kcnwood and in Lhc Iouvrc in Paris, Poussin in Lhc Iouvrc, Lhc so-callcd
Las Meninas o Vclazqucz, and, Lhough noL opcnly a scl-porLraiL, Vcrmccrs
Art of Painting. Tcir circumsLanccs arc divcrsc. Tcy wcrc madc in dicrcnL
placcs, on dicrcnL occasions, or dicrcnL kinds o clicnLs. BuL cach painLcr,
in his own conLcxL, dcalL wiLh Lhc ncwly ambiguous social uncLion o arL or
Lhc rolc o Lhc arLisL. For cach o LhcmwhcLhcr aL courL (Vclazqucz), in Lhc
homc (Vcrmccr), or away rom ciLhcr (RcmbrandL, Poussin)Lhc working
spacc was a way Lo procccd. IL was a way Lo dcnc ground LhaL is Lhc painLcrs
own, a liccnsc Lo bc a scl or a way Lo Lakc on Lhc idcnLiLy o bcing a painLcr.
ALLcnLion Lo sLudio rcaliLics marks Lhc dcmisc o Furopcan hisLory painL-
ing as iL had bccn. PainLcrs wiLhdrcw rom dcpicLing signicanL, LcxL-rclaLcd
acLions (rcligious, myLhological, and hisLorical) Laking placc in a grcaLcr
world. WiLh Lhc sLriking cxccpLion o Rubcns, who mighL bc dcscribcd as an
139
old bclicvcr, Lhc imaginary LhcaLcr o arL LhaL cxisLcd prcvious Lo Lhis was
ovcr. Poussin and Lhosc who ollowcd him in Francc workcd Lo rcconsLiLuLc
hisLory painLing in ncw and disLincLivc Lcrms.
Two paLhs inLo Lhc sLudio can bc disLinguishcd, boLh o which havc had
a long lic. ALcr his Christ in the House of Mary and Martha (NaLional Cal-
lcry o ScoLland, Fdinburgh) and Diana and Nymphs, Vcrmccr Lurncd Lo ob-
jccLs and pcoplc appropriaLc Lo Lhc domcsLic siLuaLion o his workplacc. Tc
imaginary LhcaLcr survivcs only in a cw picLurcs rcimagincd on Lhc walla
painLing o Lhc Finding of Moses displaying a promincnL nakcd back hangs
in Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid in Lhc NaLional Callcry, Dublin, and
Lhc Iouvrc Astronomer. RcmbrandL and Caravaggio insLcad Lry Lo bring Lhc
Lhcmcs o hisLory painLing inLo sLudios LhaL arc noL domcsLic. Tcy dcploy
modcls in Lhc sLudio Lo rcplacc Lhc dramaLic gurcs o hisLory painLing. IaLc
in his carccr, RcmbrandL rcpcaLcdly rcprcscnLcd pcoplc who saL Lo him in
his sLudio in such a way as Lo suggcsL hisLorical pcrsonagcs. A avoriLc modcl
poscs as ArisLoLlc, his common-law wic Hcndrickjc poscs (or is imagincd as
posing) as BaLhshcba. Hc aLLachcs hisLorical Lhcmcs Lo porLraiLurc, an cs-
scnLial sLudio gcnrc.
Caravaggio pcrsisLs in dcpicLing dramaLic cnacLmcnLs, which, howcvcr,
hc sLagcs (or appcars Lo sLagc) wiLh modcls in Lhc sLudio. Tis is signalcd by
a darkcncd inLcrior and by Lhc lighLing, scalc, and proximiLy o gurcs (in
parLicular Lhcir csh and accouLrcmcnLs). Onc mighL dcscribc him as con-
guring hisLorical Lhcmcs as a sorL o sLill lic, Lhc oLhcr csscnLial sLudio
gcnrc. His works wcrc criLicizcd aL Lhc Limc as bcing senza attione or lacking
acLion. And Caravaggio was accuscd o killing o painLing by ollowing na-
Lurc Loo closcly. Bchind Lhc accusaLion was a noLion LhaL arL is donc morc or
lcss ciLhcr aLcr naLurc or ouL o Lhc mind (Lhc rcal or Lhc idcal). BuL sLudio
pracLicc conounds Lhcsc Lcrms. IL is noL naLurc (Lhc rcal) buL painLing in
Lhc sLudionciLhcr Lhc rcal world, nor Lhc imagining o iL, buL a Lhird, ncw
wayLhaL poscd Lhc LhrcaL Lo painLing as iL had bccn.
BuL Lhc sLudio sLricLly conccivcd prcscnLs problcms or Lhc arLisLamong
Lhc vcxaLions o arL. PromincnL among Lhcm is Lhc acL LhaL iL cxcludcs so
much o Lhc world and LhaL iLs condiLion is LhaL o isolaLion. BoLh lcad Lo
Lrying Lo makc connccLions. Poussin, iL has bccn rcccnLly shown, prccrrcd
Lo conccivc o his painLings noL as bcing sold on Lhc markcL, buL as circu-
laLing among ricnds. Hc dcncd Lhc markcL or his picLurcs noL by an cx-
changc o moncy (Lhough LhaL did Lakc placc) buL by an cxchangc o ricnd-
ship, which is rcprcscnLcd by cmbracing arms in Lhc Paris Self-Portrait. Onc
rcsponsc Lo Lhc soliLudc o Lhc sLudio is Lo rcach ouL or company. Poussin
rcad and admircd MonLaignc. IL could bc LhaL, likc MonLaignc alonc in his
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Lowcr library, Poussin valucd ricndship all Lhc morc or Lhc soliLudc o Lhc
sLudio, dcpicLcd hcrc by a sLack o cmpLy ramcs. Tc courL visiLaLion LhaL
Vclazqucz arrangcd Lo his sLudio, likc Lhc busy workplaccs o Lhc spinncrs or
Vulcans hclpcrs, which hc also dcviscd, docs noL disguisc Lhc acL LhaL Lhc
painLcr o Las Meninas is clusivc. IL is surprising LhaL Vclazqucz painLcd his
own porLraiL aL all.
AL onc lcvcl painLcrs havc Lricd Lo dcny sLudio limiLs. An cxcmplary casc
is CourbcLs grcaL painLing o his sLudio. Why is Lhc painLing so largc and
crowdcd wiLh so many pcoplc` CourbcL himscl gavc a long LiLlc Lo iL, dc-
scribcd iL aL lcngLh in a lcLLcr addrcsscd Lo Lhc criLic Champcury, and Lhc
asscmblcd company has bccn Lhc subjccL o much inLcrprcLivc analysis.
WiLhouL going inLo Lhc many parLiculars, onc could say LhaL his is a grandi-
osc aLLcmpL Lo makc Lhc sLudio largc cnough (Lhc painLing mcasurcs 12 ~ 2u
ccL or 3.6 ~ 6 mcLcrs) Lo cncompass Lhc world, aL lcasL, LhaL is, Lhc world
o his ricnds and modcls. BuL iL is sLriking LhaL Lhc arLisL bcorc his canvas,
Lhc nudc modcl, and an aLLcndanL child (sLandard caLurcs o Lhc dcpicLcd
sLudio) arc dcLachcd rom or isolaLcd rom Lhc rcsL. Pcrhaps Lhis is noL Lhc
dcpicLion o a sLudio grown big cnough Lo conLain Lhc world, buL is in acL
no longcr a sLudio: a picLorial dcmonsLraLion o whaL Lhc sLudio as wc havc
bccn considcring iL cannoL do or bc. Unlcss, LhaL is, Lhc sLudio is imagincd
Lo bc a public spacc. CourbcL sccms Lo wanL Lo havc iL boLh ways.
CourbcLs Te Painters Studio: A Real Allegory Determining a Phase of Seven
Years of my Artistic Life (Muscc dOrsay, Paris) dcals wiLh Limc pasL and wiLh
isolaLion, boLh problcmaLic in Lhc sLudio. SLudio cxpcricncc is by iLs naLurc
in and o Lhc prcscnL. Iikc Lhc cmpLy, lighL-llcd room wiLh which wc bc-
gan and Lhc pcrccpLion/cxpcricncc LhaL iL susLains and cxLcnds, iLs lcan is
orward, noL back Lo Lhc pasL. CourbcL counLcrs Lhis orward lcan by inLro-
ducing gurcs and modcls rom hisLory, his own hisLory, and painLings pasL.
(Iikc his prcdcccssors hc includcs a modcl, Lhc child, and a curious gurc o
a nakcd man undcr prcssurc.) Tc asscmbly o pcoplc also savcs Lhc arLisL
rom himscl, rom his isolaLion. BuL abouL Lhis CourbcL is clcarly ambiva-
lcnL. Invoking Lhc world and Lhc pasL, and Lhc nudc modcl and Lhc child, Lhc
arLisL Lurns his back on iL all Lo painL a landscapc insLcad. Is Lhc landscapc
anoLhcr piccc o Lhc rcal world hc is Lrying Lo bring in Lo Lhc sLudio` or is iL
a way Lo cscapc` Dclacroix objccLcd Lo Lhc landscapc bccausc o iLs unccr-
Lain sLaLus. Ia sculc auLc csL quc lc Lablcau quil aiL pcinL aiL amphibolo-
gic [ambivalcncc]: il a lair dun vrai ciel au milicu du Lablcau. In Lhc lcLLcr Lo
Champcury, CourbcL wriLcs LhaL hc will hang Lwo o his own painLings on
Lhc back wall o his Studio. InsLcad hc lcL a sLrcLch o noL quiLc cmpLy wall
an cxLcndcd, puzzling, ainLly markcd scrccn. Fvcn wiLh corL wc can makc
liLLlc ouL cxccpL, pcrhaps, Lhc suggcsLion o somc Lrccs.
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Iandscapc and thc Studio Condition
Tc painLing o landscapc puLs Lhc noLion o Lhc sLudio undcr prcssurc
CourbcL is no cxccpLion in Lhis. Tc hisLorical accounL LhaL has bccn givcn
o iL is complcx. An acccpLcd hisLory o landscapc painLing Lurns on locaLing
Lhc momcnL whcn painLcrs rcc Lhcmsclvcs rom Lhc sLudio and iLs convcn-
Lions and cxiL Lo makc painLings ouLsidc in Lhc rcal world. According Lo Lhis
accounL, onc bascd on Lhc nincLccnLh-ccnLury casc, Lhc rcal world is noL in-
sidc Lhc sLudio buL ouLsidcsLudio and world arc alLcrnaLivcs or opposiLcs.
In Lhc sixLccnLh ccnLury somc arLisLs drcw ouLsidc, in Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccn-
Lury many carricd skcLchbooks abouL and madc landscapc drawings, and
laLcr ConsLablc did oil skcLchcs o clouds. BuL as a rulc, unLil Lhc nincLccnLh
ccnLury arLisLs cxccuLcd Lhcir nishcd landscapc paintings in Lhc sLudio, rc-
movcd rom sccing Lhc Lhing iLscl. PainLcrs wcnL ouL Lo do cmpirical sLudics
and camc in Lo composc. DcspiLc iLs appcarancc o rcaliLy, CourbcL is painL-
ing Lhc landscapc in his Allegory insidc. BuL Lhcn Lhings changcd. A numbcr
o painLcrs camc Lo acccpL Lhc inconvcnicncc, Lhc glarc and changing lighL,
dccomposiLion, and Lhc challcngc Lo Lhc inLcgriLy o Lhc gurc LhaL painLing
in Lhc world ouLsidc Lhc sLudio cnLailcd. Tc sLory is Lold o MoncL digging
a diLch in which Lo lowcr his largc canvas whcn hc wcnL ouL Lo capLurc Lhc
rcal play o lighL and shadow on Lhc drcsscs o womcn in a gardcn. (Tough
wc mighL rcmcmbcr LhaL his Nymphades wcrc painLcd insidc a spccially con-
sLrucLcd sLudio.)
In rcccnL ycars Lhis accounL has bccn cxpandcd Lo includc CoroL and oLhcr
carly nincLccnLh-ccnLury norLhcrn Furopcan arLisLs painLing small painL-
ings ouLdoors in Romc and Lhc campagna. A dicrcnL hisLory o landscapc
painLing cmcrgcs, wiLh lcss cmphasis on MoncL. IL can bc shown LhaL painL-
ing landscapcs ouLdoors was alrcady a proccdurc wiLhin acadcmic painLing.
Tis involvcs making a disLincLion bcLwccn a pracLicc (painLing small sLudics
ouLdoors) and Lhc sysLcm (acadcmic proLocol LhaL nishcd works wcrc donc
in Lhc sLudio) o which Lhis pracLicc was a subsidiary parL. PainLing small
landscapcs rom naLurc in Lhc opcn air was, Lhcn, a brcak wiLh Lhc convcn-
Lions o Lhc sLudio nurLurcd wiLhin Lhc sysLcm o acadcmic painLing iLscl.
BuL Lhcrc was anoLhcr dcparLurc in Laking up landscapc in which Lhc sLu-
dio, in a ncw scnsc, rcmaincd a dcLcrmining acLor. Tomas 1oncs, an Fng-
lishman working in ILaly in Lhc 17Sus, is cclcbraLcd as onc o Lhc rsL Furo-
pcans Lo work wiLh oil painL ouLdoors. Iiving in Naplcs in 17S2, hc Lurncd
rom painLing panoramic vicws o bay and hills complcLc wiLh convcnLional
rcpoussoir Lrccs Lo making, insLcad, marvclous oil skcLchcs on papcr o roo-
Lops closc by sccn in a brillianL sun. BuL arc 1oncss Liny skcLchcs rcally sLu-
dio-rcc` Obviously, Lhcy arc dicrcnL rom his oLhcr landscapcs. Tcy sccm
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morc immcdiaLcly cxpcricnccd. 1oncs vicwcd whaL hc painLcd rom his win-
dow or roo. BuL Lhc dcpicLions hc madc rom his rooLops can and havc bccn
dcscribcd as having Lhc picLorial immcdiacy o somcLhing rcprcscnLcd in Lhc
sLudio. Tc small scalc (5 ~ S Lo 13 inchcs or 14 ~ 21 Lo 35 cm), closc handling,
and Lhc sLcady lighL arc likc Lhosc o a sLill lic. SomcLhing abouL Lhis is vcry
odd indccd. How can onc puL a landscapc on a Lablc` Or Lo puL iL dicrcnLly,
how can onc cxpcricncc somcLhing wiLh Lhc cxpansc and Lhc movcmcnL o
a landscapciLs mounLains, hills, Lrccs, cloudsas i iL had Lhc visual and
bodily prcscncc, Lhc immobiliLy o objccLs prcscnL bcorc onc on a Lablc`
Tc answcr is LhaL onc canL scc landscapc as i iL wcrc a sLill lic on a Lablc
bcorc onc wiLhouL changing Lhc noLion o Lhc rcaliLics addrcsscd in Lhc sLu-
dio. 1oncss juxLaposcd and liL walls arc casily accommodaLcd Lo Lhc LablcLop
condiLion. Hc primarily dcpicLs buildings, noL Lhc land, Lrccs, and sky iLscl.
WhaL would happcn i Lhc painLcr proposcd cxpcricncing somcLhing LhaL
cannoL bc cxpcricnccd in Lhc sLudio as i iL wcrc` LhaL is Lo say, proposcd cx-
pcricncing somcLhing in a sLudio way LhaL lacks Lhc prcscncc bcorc Lhc cycs
o a sLudio moLi` WhaL i Chardin, lcL us say, had painLcd a landscapc rcsL-
ing on a LablcLop insLcad o a bowl o plums`
IL was Cczannc who cxpcrimcnLcd wiLh cxpcricncing a landscapc as i iL
wcrc a sLill-lic moLi. DcspiLc all his cxcursions ouLsidc Lo painL parLicular
moLis such as Lhc MonLagnc SainLc-VicLoirc, Cczanncs landscapcs sharc
wiLh his sLill lics Lhc sLudio Lcrrain. Tcy arc disLinguishcd by Lhc abscncc
o pcoplc, o scasons, o Limc o day. Cczanncs oLcn-rcmarkcd sacricc o
lighL in Lhc sLudio (lighL bcing rcgisLcrcd in Lhc modcling implicd by indi-
vidual brushsLrokcs Lhcmsclvcs) is parL o Lhc movc Lo a ncw kind o painL-
ing. BuL iL is onc Lhing Lo display Lhc buildup o sLill-lic objccLs wiLh pigmcnL
and brush, quiLc somcLhing dicrcnL Lo do LhaL, as Cczannc docs, whcn dc-
picLing a landscapc. Iandscapc is subjccLcd Lo a ncw kind o analysis. Tc
dicrcncc bcLwccn LhingsbcLwccn landscapc as a moLi and sLill lic, or
bcLwccn rocks and Lrccs and clds bcorc mounLains and bowls or a vasc on
LablcLops placcd bcorc Lhc lcavcs wovcn inLo a LapcsLryis minimizcd in
Lhc proccss o painLing. I his landscapcs arc likc sLill lics, so his sLill lics arc
landscapcs. IL was parLly Lo Lhis cnd LhaL Cczannc oLcn Look up LapcsLricd
lcavcssimilar Lo oncs LhaL Vcrmccr had also dcpicLcdas a backdrop. As
hc said Lo 1oachim CasqucL, all during his youLh hc had wanLcd Lo painL a La-
blccloLh o ncw snow, ccLLc nappc dc ncigc rachc as Balzac had dcscribcd
iL. To LrcaL landscapc as a sLudio moLi in Lhis manncr is Lo alLcr Lhc basis o
painLing. SLudio rcprcscnLaLion is consLrucd dicrcnLly or piLchcd aL a di-
crcnL lcvcl Lhan iL had bccn.
BuL whaL cxacLly docs LhaL mcan`
I havc dcscribcd Lhc Lurn Lo Lhc sLudio in Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccnLury as
143
a rcLrcaL. RcmbrandLs hisLoricizcd porLraiLs and Caravaggios sLill-lic his-
Lorics arc sLudio alLcrnaLivcs Lo Lhc painLing o an imaginary world as iL
had bccn donc by Lhc old arL. BuL, alLcrnaLivcly, onc mighL spcak o Lhc sLu-
dio noL as a rcLrcaL buL as a Laking up o a condiLion LhaL is dicrcnLiaLcd
rom anoLhcr modc o painLing. Tc painLcrs choicc bccomcs ciLhcr sLudio
or noL.
Whcn Lhc sLudio condiLion comcs Lo includc morc Lhan is acLually
Lhcrc bcorc Lhc arLisLs cycs and body, iL can bccomc a maLLcr o Lhc mind.
Cczanncs landscapcs arc an cxamplc o Lhis, and so arc his dcpicLions o Lhc
nudc. Prc-sLudio painLing had produccd grcaL invcnLions privilcging groups
o human bodics (oLcn nudc bodics) in acLion. Could Lhis conccrn, a pri-
mary onc o Lhc old arL, bc pursucd in Lhc sLudio` Vcrmccr, or whom Lhc
sLudio was domcsLic spacc and whom wc do noL associaLc wiLh an inLcrcsL
in Lhc body in Lhis scnsc, nds a way Lo do iL by dcpicLing a singularly rc-
painLcd painLing o a Finding of Moses hanging on Lhc ar wall in Lady Writ-
ing a Letter with Her Maid and Te Astronomer. (Why Lhc subjccL o Lhc Find-
ing of Moses should caLurc nudc malc(`) gurcs in addiLion Lo a nakcd baby
rcmains a qucsLion.)
Cczannc, a painLcr o sLudio sLill lics and sLudio landscapcs, invcnLcd a
scparaLc gcnrc in which Lo dcpicL Lhc human body. Tc works in qucsLion arc
rccrrcd Lo LhcmaLically as Lhc baLhcrs. Tcy bcgan as many small picLurcs,
obscssivcly rcpcaLcd, which cxpand aL Lhc cnd Lo a monumcnLal scalc. Tcy
wcrc highly apprcciaLcdonc Loday in Lhc PcLiL Palais was owncd rom carly
on by MaLissc. Tcrc was prcccdcncc in Lhc picLorial LradiLion, myLhological
prcccdcnLs spccically, or dcpicLing nudcs in a landscapc. BuL Lhcrc is good
rcason in Cczanncs casc Lo considcr Lhcm alongsidc his sLudio landscapcs
and sLill lics as sLudio nudcs. Tc gurcs (Lhc Frcnch corps sccms Lhc righL
word) arc oLcn noL disLinguishcd scxually, appcar in rcc-oaLing congu-
raLions (Lhc small painLings arc barcly composcd) and surroundcd by grccn-
cry (Lhcy arc hardly in a landscapc or in naLural lighL). Nudc modcls ncvcr
poscd in Lhc sLudio or Cczannc. NciLhcr rcprcssion nor anLasy (boLh o
which havc bccn suggcsLcd) LoLally convincc as dcscripLions o his baLhcrs.
BuL an cxpcricncc o bodics in a phcnomcnological scnsc is rcgisLcrcd. Iikc
his landscapcs, Cczanncs baLhcrs arc sLudio pcrormanccs LhaL prcscnL Lhc
arLisLs imagincd cxpcricncc in a way characLcrisLic o his oLhcr sLudio painL-
ings. Cczannc manicsLs Lhc condiLion o Lhc sLudio as in or o Lhc mind.
Studio as Instrumcnt
Tc sLudio, in Lhc accounL LhaL has bccn givcn hcrc, bcgins as a lighL-box
such as Lhc cxpcrimcnL wiLh Lhc room-sizcd camcra obscura o Kirchcr and
144
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Lhc domcsLic rooms painLcd by 1ansscns and Dc Hooch. Whcn objccLs on
Lablcs bccomc Lhc ocus, Lhc condiLion o sLill-lic painLing obLains. So Lhc
box comcs Lo bc a siLc in which Lhc arLisL cxpcricnccs objccLs bcorc him or
hcr in Lhc world. Wc havc dcscribcd Cczanncs sLudio as a changc rom Lhc
cxpcricncc o a moLi bcorc Lhc arLisL Lo a moLi cxpcricnccd as i in or o
Lhc arLisLs mind.
AlLhough Lhcrc is agrccmcnL LhaL Cczanncs painLing givcs a ncw look Lo
Lhings, Lhis has provcd diculL Lo jusLiy. Rcmarkably, Lhcrc is a rcporL o
cxpcrimcnLal laboraLory pracLicc LhaL, in iLs orm and in iLs conLcnL, can bc
o hclp. IL conccrns Lhc LransormaLion in Lhc usc and hcncc Lhc ndings o
an cxpcrimcnLal chambcr dcviscd and scL up in Lhc Cavcndish laboraLory in
Cambridgc, Fngland, in Lhc laLc 1S0us. Tc laboraLory cxpcrimcnL brings
us back Lo Lhc analogy bcLwccn cxpcrimcnLal scicncc and cxpcrimcnLal arL
wiLh which, in rccrcncc Lo Francis Bacon, Lhis cnquiry bcgan.
Tc sLory, clcganLly Lold by Lhc hisLorian o scicncc PcLcr Calison, is o
how an insLrumcnL or chambcr dcsigncd in ordcr Lo rcproducc clouds camc
Lo bc uscul insLcad Lo dcLccL subaLomic parLiclcs. PuL Loo simply, Lhc na-
Lurc phoLographcr and physical mcLcorologisL C. T. R. Wilson builL Lhc cloud
chambcr in ordcr Lo rcproducc aLmosphcric phcnomcna o Lhc rcal world
in Lhc laboraLory: his hypoLhcsis was LhaL condcnsaLion nuclci wcrc clcc-
Lrical ions. In iLs condcnsaLion o arLicial clouds, his cxpcrimcnLal appa-
raLus imiLaLcd naLurc. BuL working bcsidc Wilson aL Lhc Cavcndish labora-
Lory wcrc mcn who wcrc noL inLcrcsLcd in sLudying Lhc world LhaL was bcing
imiLaLcd wiLhin Lhc chambcrcloudsbuL raLhcr Lhc rcal Lhings, small and
ncvcr bcorc obscrvcd, whosc Lracks wcrc visiblc in Lhc condcnsaLion pro-
duccd Lhcrcsubatomic particles. Calison dcscribcs Lhc LransormaLion o
Lhc mcLcorologisLs cloud chambcr inLo Lhc physicisLs bubblc chambcr as
a changc rom mimcLic Lo analyLic cxpcrimcnLaLionrom cxpcrimcnLa-
Lion LhaL mimics naLurc Lo onc LhaL Lakcs naLurc aparL. SLaLcd succincLly
(and paradoxically) in Lcrms o whaL was bcing madc and obscrvcd, iL was a
changc rom arLicial clouds Lo rcal parLiclcs. Tough hc pcrsisLcd in his mc-
Lcorological obscrvaLions, Wilson was awardcd a Nobcl Prizc in 1027 or his
work in physics. His work highlighLs, by sLraddling, Lhc dicrcncc bcLwccn
imiLaLion and analysis.
Tc scicnLic Lcrms can bc adapLcd Lo dcscribc Cczanncs picLorial inno-
vaLions: rom aLLcnding Lo an imiLaLivc landscapc Lo aLLcnding Lo rcal parLi-
clcs o Lhings. In convcrsaLions rccordcd by CasqucL, hc spcaks in a manncr
consisLcnL wiLh a dcscripLion drawn rom scicncc or, morc propcrly, rom
naLural knowlcdgc. Cczannc had, or cxamplc, bccn absorbcd in rcading
IucrcLius Lo supporL his own picLorial analysis o Lhc sLrucLurc o naLurc.
145
Pour bien peindre un paysage, je dois dcouvrir dabord les assises gologiques. Songez
que lhistoire du monde date du jour o deux atomes se sont rencontrs, o deux tour-
billons, deux danses chimiques se sont combines . . . je men sature en lisant Lucrce.
To painL a landscapc Lruly, I musL rsL uncovcr Lhc gcological lic o Lhc land.
Imaginc LhaL Lhc hisLory o Lhc world daLcs rom Lhc day whcn Lhcrc was an cn-
counLcr o Lwo aLoms, whcrc Lwo vorLiccs, Lwo chcmical danccs combinc . . . I
havc absorbcd myscl in rcading IucrcLius.
Tc changc rom Lhc mimcLic Lo Lhc analyLic usc o Lhc cloud chambcr is a
sharpcr way o saying LhaL sLudio rcprcscnLaLion is consLrucd dicrcnLly or
piLchcd aL a dicrcnL lcvcl Lhan iL had bccn bcorc. And Lhc paradox in Lhc
scicnLisLs changing usc o Lhc chambcr rom imiLaLing clouds (whaL Calison
rccrs Lo as a camera nebulosa) Lo Lracking parLiclcs mighL also bc said Lo havc
obLaincd in Lhc sLudio o a painLcr. Having bcgun as a lighL-box making im-
ages o Lhings, Lhc sLudio bccomcs, likc Lhc mind, Lracking basic connccLions
in maLLcr. Cczannc, likc Wilson in Lhis, sLraddlcd Lhc Lwo. Many aLLcmpLs
havc bccn madc Lo cxplain whaL is dcpicLcd in Lhc array o marks in a painL-
ing by Cczannc. BuL iL is sac Lo say LhaL whaLcvcr Lhcy dcpicL Lhcy rcgisLcr
Lhc acLiviLy o Lhc mind. Tis is conrmcd in Lhc rcqucncy wiLh which words
cvoking iLmind, brain, spiriL, LhoughLcomc Lo him whcn hc Lalks o his
painLing wiLh CasqucL.
Le paysage se rete, shumanise, se pense en moi. Je lobjective, le projette, le xe
sur ma toile.
Tc landscapc rcccLs on iLscl, is humanizcd, Lhinks iLscl in mc. I objccLiy iL,
projccL iL, x iL on my canvas.
A ncw basis or Lhc sLudy o landscapc in Lhc sLudio had bccn invcnLcd.
Tc Lalc o cxpcrimcnLal Cambridgc has a largcr inLcrcsL. IL cmphasizcs
Lhc rolc o cxpcrimcnLcrs in csLablishing Lhc characLcr o an insLrumcnL (Lhc
chambcr) and Lhc cccLs produccd wiLh iL. Fvcry insLrumcnL produccs ar-
LiacLs or cccLs LhaL arc inLrinsic Lo iLs consLrucLion. BuL Lhc naLurc o an
insLrumcnL and Lhc inLcrprcLaLion o Lhc arLiacLs produccd by iL arc also
subjccL Lo human manipulaLion and inLcrprcLaLion. Tc lcns or glass and
Lhc camcra obscura arc among Lhc mosL amiliar insLrumcnLs LhaL wcrc uscd
by cxpcrimcnLcrs in naLural knowlcdgc and arLisLs alikc. BuL cncouragcd by
Lhc cvocaLion o Lhc chambcr in Cambridgc (and admiLLcdly charmcd by Lhc
mcLaphoric aniLy bcLwccn chambcr and sLudio), wc mighL dcnc Lhc sLu-
dio iLscl as such an cxpcrimcnLal insLrumcnL. Pcrhaps iL is hcrc, in Lhc uscs
o an cxpcrimcnLal insLrumcnL, LhaL Lhcrc is a ruiLul analogy bcLwccn Lhc
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arLisL and Lhc cxpcrimcnLcr, bcLwccn painLing and cxpcrimcnLing. Bacons
vcxaLions arc vcricd.
SLarLing in Lhc scvcnLccnLh ccnLury, so an accounL mighL go, Furopcan
arLisLs bcgan Lo LrcaL Lhc sLudio as a basic insLrumcnL o Lhcir arL. For somc,
iL was noL simply Lhc siLc where Lhcy workcd, buL a condiLion o working.
Tc sLudio as insLrumcnL is an invcnLion LhaL has had a long licrom
PicLcr 1ansscnss sLudio as a lighL-box Lo Lhc sLudio as a sLaLc o mind. Tc
arL hisLorical projccL, noL unlikc LhaL which cngagcs a hisLorian o scicncc,
is Lo Lrack Lhc LransormaLion o Lhc sLudio-as-insLrumcnL whilc rcsisLing
Lhc Lcndcncy Lo considcr iL, and iLs producLs, as ciLhcr simply convcnLional
(which has bccn Lhc dcaulL o arL) or simply LransparcnL Lo Lhc world (which
has bccn Lhc dcaulL o scicncc). Tis cssay is a prolcgomcnon Lo LhaL.
IL uscd Lo bc argucd LhaL Lhc problcm-solving naLurc o Lhc bcsL ILalian
Rcnaissancc arL madc iL Lhc modcl or Lhc progrcss in human knowlcdgc
LhaL laLcr camc Lo bc associaLcd wiLh scicncc. Tis noLion o Lhc link bc-
Lwccn arL and scicncc privilcgcd Lhc noLion o dcvclopmcnL and progrcss.
As Combrich wroLc, Tc arLisL works likc a scicnLisL. His works cxisL noL
only or Lhcir own sakc buL also Lo dcmonsLraLc ccrLain problcm soluLions.
An immcdiaLc rccrcncc was whaL hc and oLhcrs Look Lo bc Lhc scicnLic
and dcmonsLrablc characLcr o pcrspccLivc. Tc link sLudio-laboraLory o-
cuscs insLcad on Lhc consLrainLs undcr which knowlcdgc is achicvcd. IL is Lhc
changing condiLions o picLorial knowlcdgc raLhcr Lhan iLs progrcss LhaL arc
Lrackcd. BuL LhaL picLorial knowlcdgc is a valuc is noL in doubL.
From Tc VcxaLions o ArL: Vclazqucz and OLhcrs (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005),
chap. 1, 945.
Introductory scction
Tc arLisLs sLudio is an unwicldy Lhcmc Laking in dwclling, Lraining, pracLicc, usc o modcls,
collccLing, cxhibiLing, and Lhc markcLing o arL Lhrough Lhc agcs. Tc liLcraLurc is vasL. Tc
subjccL lcnds iLscl Lo illusLraLcd books, scholarly sLudics, and Lhings in bcLwccn.
Fxamplcs o Lhc rsL includc Alicc Bcllony-Rcwald and Michacl PcppiaLL, Imaginations
Chamber: Artists and Teir Studios (BosLon, 10S2), and Alcxandcr Iibcrman, Te Artist in His
Studio (Ncw York, 10SS). NoL surprisingly, Paris gcLs primc aLLcnLion: 1ohn Milncr, Te Stu-
dios of Paris: Te Capital of Art in the Late Nineteenth Century (Ncw Havcn, 10SS), CaLhcrinc
Iawlcss, Artistes et ateliers (Paris, 100u), 1can-Claudc Dclormc and Annc-Maric Dubois,
Ateliers dartistes Paris (Paris, 100S).
Fxamplcs o Lhc sccond includc W. C. ConsLablc, Te Painters Workshop (Iondon, 1054),
Children of Mercury: Te Education of Artists in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, pub-
147
lishcd in conjuncLion wiLh an cxhibiLion by Lhc DcparLmcnL o ArL, Brown UnivcrsiLy (Prov-
idcncc, RI, 10S4), PcLcr M. IukcharL, cd., Te Artists Workshop (SLudics in Lhc HisLory o
ArL, CcnLcr or Advanccd SLudics in Lhc Visual ArLs, Hanovcr, 1003), AnLhony Hughcs, An
Acadcmy or Doing, pLs. 1, Tc Accadcmia dcl Discgno, Lhc Cuilds and Lhc PrincipaLc in
SixLccnLh-CcnLury Florcncc, and 2, Acadcmics, SLaLus and Powcr in Farly Modcrn Furopc,
Oxford Art Journal 0 (10S6): 31u, 5u62. IaLcr on, Hughcs, likc many oLhcrs aL Lhc cnd o
Lhc LwcnLicLh ccnLury, camc Lo qucsLion Lhc primacy givcn Lo individual LalcnL: AnLhony
Hughcs, Tc Cavc and Lhc SmiLh: ArLisLs SLudios and InLcllccLual PropcrLy in Farly Mod-
crn Furopc, Oxford Art Journal 13 (100u): 344S. SLudics o (mosLly modcrn) individual
arLisLs such as Dcgas, Picasso, and CiacomcLLi all somcwhcrc in bcLwccn.
Franoisc CiloLs rcmark abouL Lhc chair was madc in a Lalk in Lhc cvcning lccLurc scrics
o Lhc Ncw York SLudio School, all 2uu2.
For Lhc soliLary malc gcnius, scc Carolinc A. 1oncs, Andy Warhols FacLory: Tc Pro-
ducLion SiLc, ILs ConLcxL, and ILs ImpacL on Lhc Work o ArL, Science in Context 4 (1001): 1u1.
Tc poinL is cxpandcd in hcr Machine in the Studio (Chicago, 1006).
Tc Expcrimcntal Modcl
On Lhc cxpcrimcnLal modcl, scc David Cooding, Trcvor Pinch, and Simon Schacr, cds., Te
Uses of Experiment: Studies in the Natural Sciences (Cambridgc, 10S0), and Brian Pcppards
shrcwd rcvicw o iLs implicaLions in Lhc Times Literary Supplement, ScpLcmbcr 20OcLobcr
5, 10S0, 1u57.
For an accounL o Lhc rclaLionship bcLwccn painLing and cxpcrimcnLing, scc SvcLlana
Alpcrs, Te Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century (Chicago, 10S3). For Lhc
illusLraLion o Lhc working o Lhc cyc, scc pl. 1S, p. 42.
On carly laboraLory spaccs, scc Owcn Hannaway, IaboraLory Dcsign and Lhc Aim o
Scicncc, Isis 77 (10S6): 5S561u, and SLcvcn Shapin, Tc Housc o FxpcrimcnL in Scvcn-
LccnLh-CcnLury Fngland, Isis 70 (10SS): 3734u4.
In thc Iight-Box
Iconardo on sLudio lighL: Te Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, cd. 1can Paul RichLcr, 2 vols.
(Ncw York, 107u), vol. 1, para. 515.
Bclloris rcmark on Caravaggios sLudio lighLing: Chc non accva mai uscirc allapcrLo
dcl Solc alcuna dcllc suc gurc, ma Lrovo una manicra di campirlc cnLro laria bruna duna
camcra rinchiusa, pigliando un lumc alLo, chc sccndcva piombo sopra la parLc principalc
dcl corpo, c lasciando il rimancnLc in ombra nc di rccar orza con vchcmcnza di chiaro, c
di ocscuro. Ciovanni PicLro Bcllori, Michclangclo da Caravaggio, in Le vite de pittori, scul-
tori et architetti moderni (1672, Ccnoa, 106S), 251.
For Lhc noLion LhaL Lhc window rccrs Lo Nadars phoLographic sLudio, scc Iarry I. Iigo,
Tc Luncheon in the Studio: MancLs RcarmaLion o Lhc Inucnccs o Baudclairc and Pho-
Lography upon his Work, Arts Magazine 61 (10S7): 4651.
Michclangclo, on Vasaris accounL, said, No Li aaLicarc, chc limporLanza sara il lumc
148
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A
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r
s
dclla piazza, volcndo incrirc chc, comc lc cosc sono in pubblico a giudizio scllc sono buono
o caLLivc. Ciorgio Vasari, Le Vite de pi eccellenti Pittori Scultori e Architettori, cd. Cacrano
Milancsc (Florcncc, 1SS1), vii, 2Su.
Dcgass journal cnLry o 1S60 on working ouLsidc aL LwilighL is quoLcd by Richard Kcn-
dall, Degas Landscapes (Ncw Havcn, 1003), 11S.
Tc Phcnomcnological Expcricncc
Mcycr Schapiro on sLill lic: Tc Applcs o Cczannc: An Fssay on Lhc Mcaning o SLill-lic,
in his Selected Papers: Modern Art, 19th and 20th Centuries (Ncw York, 107S), 1S10.
1amcs Iord on siLLing or CiacomcLLi in his rsL, shorLcr accounL: A Giacometti Portrait
(Ncw York, 1003), 37.
On Lhc LransiLional objccL, scc TransiLional ObjccLs and TransiLional Phcnomcna
(1051), in D. W. WinnicoLL, Trough Paediatrics to Psycho-Analysis: Collected Papers (Ncw York,
1002), 22042. For Lhc ooLnoLc on arLisLic cxprcssion, PrimiLivc FmoLional DcvclopmcnL
(1045), 15u, in Lhc samc publicaLion.
On Lhc irraLional impulsc in human arL-making, scc Marion Milncr, Tc Rolc o Illu-
sion in Symbol FormaLion, in Te Suppressed Madness of Sane Men (Iondon, 10SS), S7, and
also hcr bric and pungcnL VoLc o Tanks or Procssor Combrichs FrncsL 1oncs IccLurc,
International Journal of Psychoanalysis 35 (1074): 411, which bcgins wiLh rccrcncc Lo Com-
brichs McdiLaLions on a Hobby Horsc or Lhc RooLs o ArLisLic Form (publishcd in Medita-
tions on a Hobby Horse and Other Essays on the Teory of Art [Iondon, 1063], 111). Milncr,
a BriLish psychoanalysL wiLh a parLicular inLcrcsL in arL, spcaks o symbols insLcad o Lran-
siLional objccLs. Iikc WinnicoLL, shc cclcbraLcs Lhc inhcrcnL madncss o mcrging or losing
oncscl in play. Frcud, in wiLhdrawing rom Lhc pracLicc o hypnosis Lo analysis, Lurncd
away rom Lhis. On WinnicoLLs accounL, Frcud also chosc Lo Lurn away rom clinical condi-
Lions in which iL was logical Lo usc hypnosis. His psychoanalysis rcplaccd Lhc immcrsion and
idcnLicaLion o hypnosis wiLh Lhc analysis and Lranscrcncc o Lhc Lalking curc, in which
mcmory and narraLion havc a disLincLivc parL. Tis disLincLion was Lcascd ouL in Lhc rc-
ccnL dispuLc abouL Lrauma and iLs LrcaLmcnL. Scc in parLicular Mikkcl Borch-1acobscn, Te
Emotional Tie: Psychoanalysis, Mimesis, and Aect (SLanord, 1002), and RuLh Icys, Trauma
and a Genealogy (Chicago, 2uuu), signicanL parLs o which appcarcd in a dicrcnL orm in
Icyss prcvious arLiclcs.
A similar poinL abouL ProusL and painLing is arrivcd aL by ChrisLianc HcrLcl in hcr sLudy
o Lhc dicring rcccpLion o Vcrmccr in Ccrmany and Francc: ProusL Lhus dcncs dcaLh
mosL sLrikingly and simply as Lhc idcnLiLy o pasL and prcscnL. Vermeer: Reception and In-
terpretation (Cambridgc, 1006), 125. For Lhc span o ProusL, his LcxL, lic, and dcaLh, scc
1can-Yvcs Tadic, Marcel Proust, Lrans. Fuan Camcron (Ncw York, 2uuu), or Lhc vicwing o
Lhc View of Delft, 74446.
Studio as Rctrcat
Ia qualc hisLoria c aaLLo scnza aLLionc is whaL Bcllori wriLcs abouL Caravaggios Conver-
sion of St. Paul, in Bcllori, Vite de pittori, 254.
149
Tc poinL abouL Poussin and ricndship is madc by FlizabcLh Croppcr and Charlcs
Dcmpscy, Nicholas Poussin: Friendship and the Love of Painting (PrinccLon, N1, 1006),
177215.
On Dclacroixs rcacLion Lo Lhc landscapc on CourbcLs cascl, scc Fugcnc Dclacroix, Jour-
nal 18221863 (Paris, 10S1), 520. For Lhc Frcnch LcxL o CourbcLs lcLLcr on his LAtelier, Hc-
lcnc ToussainL, Le Dossier de LAtelier de Courbet (Paris, n.d.), or an Fnglish LranslaLion,
Te Letters of Gustave Courbet, cd. and Lrans. PcLra Lcn-DocsschaLc Chu (Chicago, 1002),
13134.
Iandscapc and thc Studio Condition
For Lhc apprcciaLion o Tomas 1oncs, scc Iawrcncc Cowing, Te Originality of Tomas Jones
(Iondon, 10S5), and Lhc rcccnL book accompanying Lhc cxhibiLion Tomas Jones (1742
1803): An Artist Rediscovered, cd. Ann Summcr and Crcg SmiLh (Ncw Havcn, 2uu3). IL is now
rccognizcd LhaL 1oncss working ouL o doors was noL an isolaLcd phcnomcnon, scc Corot in
Italy: Open-Air Painting and the Classical Landscape Tradition (Ncw Havcn, 1001).
Cczannc rcad Lo 1oachim CasqucL rom Balzacs Peau de chagrin, Unc nappc blanchc
commc unc couchc dc ncigc rachcmcnL Lombcc cL sur laqucllc sclcvaicnL symcLriqucmcnL
lcs couvcrLs couronncs dc pcLiLs pains blonds, and commcnLcd: TouLc ma jcuncssc, jai
voulu pcindrc a, ccLrc nappc dc ncigc raichc. Conversations avec Czanne, cd. P. M. Doran
(Paris, 107S), 15S.
Studio as Instrumcnt
For Wilson and Lhc cloud chambcr, scc PcLcr Calison and Alcxi Assmus, ArLicial Clouds
Rcal ParLiclcs, in Cooding, Pinch, and Schacr, Uses of Experiment, 22574, which appcars
rccasL in PcLcr Calison, Image and Logic (Chicago, 1007), 7312u.
Cczannc, landscapc painLing, naLural knowlcdgc, and Lhc working o Lhc mind, again as
rccordcd by CasqucL, in Doran, Conversations avec Czanne, 112, 11u.
For arL as problcm-solving, scc F. H. Combrich, Tc Rcnaissancc ConccpLion o ArLisLic
Progrcss, in his Norm and Form (Iondon, 1066), 7
150
Rodney Graham
Studio
For many years I couldnt afford a studio. Not that it mattered: I was doing con-
ceptual work anyway. Not only lack of nances but the very adult rigors of my
work forbade me to indulge in the infantilizing experience of a studio practice.
Now I have changed my tune, pouring over those 1950s coffee-table books
full of rich gravure plates of Picasso in his chateau/studio La Californie in
Cannes, the ultimate artists playpen, and after a sumptuous repast, I too daz-
zle my guests by making a cunning little sculpture out of an old Dover sole.
It was, in fact, the image of this playboy mansion of studios, if not the Play-
boy mansion itself, that inspired the rst photo work I made devoted to the
subject of the artists studio. It represented the 1962 midlife crisis of a male
professional with only a passing interest in art, who is galvanized by a gallery
exhibition of Morris Louis paintings. He turns his quite expansive living room
into a home studio to try his hand at some pour paintings, on the premise
(correct, as it turns out) that anyone can do this. This living room, outtted with
a state-of-the-art sound system modeled on that of the Playboy mansion, was
considerably larger than the workspace of Morris Louis himself, who as every-
body knows, made his very large paintings at home in the dining alcove of a
very small Baltimore bungalow.
I am trying to make a new work on the subject of a nineteenth-century
artists studio in which I play a painters model (posing as a fallen Zouave
bugler). I am modeling my setting on the studio of Alphonse de Neuville, the
ex-soldier and academic painter of military subjects who specialized in scenes
of the Franco-Prussian War. De Neuville followed the fashion, started by Mes-
sonnier, of extreme meticulousness with respect to historical detail, and fa-
mously lled his studio to overowing with guns and armor, helmets, sabers,
spears, saddles, bridles, and other articles of a military nature (no mandolins
on the wall here), partly as a result of his dedication to painterly realism and
partly to impress the fact of his dedication upon his clientele.
151
I started painting recently because I now have a studio and as something
to do to while away the hours, while works are being fabricated and photo-
graphs printed by other people. Of this I could say, like Picasso, that the only
thing that saves me is the fact that I am getting worse, with the difference that
he was very good to start with.
Rodney Graham, The Gifted Amateur, Nov 10th, 1962, 2007.
Donelle Woolford working in her studio, 2006.
153
Joe Scanlan
PostPost Studio
Under the careful hand of the artist, the studio can be a magical place where
materials, images, and even people come to life. Pygmalions statue, Franken-
steins monster, Rrose Selavy, and the many incarnations of Cindy Sherman
are but a few examples of the primordial power of the artists lair.
Donelle Woolford is another entry in this line of avatars, an artist spawned
from an admixture of postcolonialism, narrative license, craftsmanship, and
branding. She was originally employed as my studio assistant. One day she
stumbled onto a wooden collage that had an eerie resemblance to Cubism.
Technically she was making the collage for meit was, in parlance, a work for
hirebut it seemed better suited to her character than mine. One collage led
to another, a point of view and a personal history took shape, and in two short
years she had become a full-edged artist working in a studio of her own.
In the 1990s a generation of artists came to be known as post-studio art-
ists because they did not make art by conventional means. Rather, they made
work only when someone invited them to do so, usually in a faraway city. Their
practice consisted of visiting the location, conceiving of an artwork, then hav-
ing the logistical expenditure of producing the artwork (or some version of it)
assumed by the host institution. In such an environment, the studio came to be
seen as an anachronism, ill-suited for the just-in-time economics of the in-
ternational biennial circuit. The studio was a place where paintings and sculp-
tures got madepejorative terms if ever there were ones.
In this decade a few artists like Pawel Althamer, Tino Sehgal, Artur Zmijew-
ski, and myself are trying to rejuvenate the studio as a site of production by
enlisting others to inhabit it for us, thereby outsourcing the labor of making art
as well as the burden of authenticitythe burden of being studio artists our-
selves. In what might be called a postpost studio practice, the idea of the
studio artist makes a comeback, only now the artist is a paid actor performing
on a set designed to look just like an artists studio. IF the work that the artist-
actor makes (or pretends to make) is just as good, it shouldnt matter whether
the artist is real or not.
154
Carolee Schneemann
Tc Studio, unc 22, 200:
It is emptying, it is lling. It is the constant site of permissionpermission of
uncertainty and the rarity of the circumstance in which I can address only my
materials and the inuences which may or may not bring them into a new form
. . . but the permission is that I can be in a solitary concentration . . . the strands
are pulling at research, at dream, synesthesia, at political outrage. . . . A beam
of light through the western window reminds me to reposition a group of mo-
torized fans. . . . The studio is full of nests. The nests are mechanical or perhaps
organic, as in piles of straw or drawing papers or a provoking pile of printed
images I have layered in the computer printer . . . a digital printout being re-
calibrated by a slice of light shifted through a studio window. . . . There may
be a tree at the window and as usual, the speeding, vibratory variation in the
leaves is a lmic implication. . . . I get up and pace around in the uncertainty of
the necessary implication of a very particular ultramarine streak projected onto
a studio wall on which layering marks imply . . .
When the studio is chaotic with materials to be organized, the very handling
and shifting may lead to a concept for layered projection, a collage, a draw-
ing. When the studio is very organized, there are ways to invite the shelves to
begin spilling, small animal carcasses, paints, thumbtacks, shredded. . . . The
studio permits shifts of scale and gravitational elements plunging across the
paper, the space in which to see.
The domestic surround must be organized . . . make the bed, do the dishes
. . . that stabilizing aesthetic, and then go into the studio and invite the unex-
pected, the accident, conjunctions which are still and always part of my own
spatial unconscious . . . out of which the conscious determination to shape,
form as time in motion. . . . The studio has been specic as a landscape or small
as a kitchen table. It had been a closet become lm editing room . . . it has be-
come as high and wide as a barn, partly lled with the accumulation of what I
make, have made, and am forced to caretake. I am comforted by the story that
every artist of achievement sells very little work and all have a garage, a barn,
a shed lled with works that the studio can no longer contain.
155
Philip Guston was generous to me as a student rst in New York City from
the University of Illinois. He invited me to his studio in the Village. I did not, at
that time, imagine that the marvelous personal history he shared was already
part of his extended mythology. His studio was very bare with an oversized
easel, the big gritty paintings stacked against the wall. Pufng on a fat cigar,
he told me that before he could begin work in his studio, he had a daily exor-
cism to perform. He said, First I have to banish my gallery dealer, then the art
historians, the critics, the other painters I am close to, unknown persons, nally
my family, and then, when I feel the studio is nally empty of these presences,
I can occupy the space and begin to see the brushes, the paints, the canvas.
This studio is static and in motion. Grab onwrestle it back down to
earth.
Carolee Schneeman studio, 2009.
156
Daniel Buren
Tc Function o thc Studio
O all Lhc ramcs, cnvclopcs, and limiLsusually noL pcrccivcd and ccrLainly
ncvcr qucsLioncdwhich cnclosc and consLiLuLc Lhc work o arL (picLurc
ramc, nichc, pcdcsLal, palacc, church, gallcry, muscum, arL hisLory, cconom-
ics, powcr, cLc.), Lhcrc is onc rarcly cvcn mcnLioncd Loday LhaL rcmains o
primary imporLancc: the artists studio. Icss dispcnsablc Lo Lhc arLisL Lhan
ciLhcr Lhc gallcry or Lhc muscum, iL prcccdcs boLh. Morcovcr, as wc shall scc,
Lhc muscum and gallcry on Lhc onc hand and Lhc sLudio on Lhc oLhcr arc
linkcd Lo orm Lhc oundaLion o Lhc samc cdicc and Lhc samc sysLcm. To
qucsLion onc whilc lcaving Lhc oLhcr inLacL accomplishcs noLhing. Analysis
o Lhc arL sysLcm musL incviLably bc carricd on in Lcrms o Lhc sLudio as Lhc
unique space o producLion and Lhc muscum as Lhc unique space o cxposiLion.
BoLh musL bc invcsLigaLcd as cusLoms, Lhc ossiying cusLoms o arL.
WhaL is Lhc uncLion o Lhc sLudio`
1. IL is Lhc placc whcrc Lhc work originaLcs.
2. IL is gcncrally a privaLc placc, an ivory Lowcr pcrhaps.
3. IL is a stationary placc whcrc portable objccLs arc produccd.
Tc imporLancc o Lhc sLudio should by now bc apparcnL, iL is Lhc rsL ramc,
Lhc rsL limiL, upon which all subscqucnL ramcs/limiLs will dcpcnd.
WhaL docs iL look likc, physically, archiLccLurally` Tc sLudio is noL jusL
any hidcaway, any room. Two spccic Lypcs may bc disLinguishcd:
1. Tc Furopcan Lypc, modclcd upon Lhc Parisian sLudio o Lhc Lurn o Lhc ccn-
Lury. Tis Lypc is usually raLhcr largc and is characLcrizcd primarily by iLs high
ccilings (a minimum o 4 mcLcrs). SomcLimcs Lhcrc is a balcony, Lo incrcasc Lhc
disLancc bcLwccn vicwcr and work. Tc door allows largc works Lo cnLcr and Lo
cxiL. SculpLors sLudios arc on Lhc ground oor, painLcrs on Lhc Lop oor. In Lhc
laLLcr, Lhc lighLing is naLural, usually diuscd by windows oricnLcd Loward Lhc
norLh so as Lo rcccivc Lhc mosL cvcn and subducd illuminaLion.
157
2. Tc Amcrican Lypc, o morc rcccnL origin. Tis Lypc is rarcly builL according Lo
spccicaLion, buL, locaLcd as iL is in rcclaimcd loLs, is gcncrally much largcr Lhan
iLs Furopcan counLcrparL, noL ncccssarily highcr, buL longcr and widcr. Wall and
oor spacc arc abundanL. NaLural illuminaLion plays a ncgligiblc rolc, sincc Lhc
sLudio is liL by clccLriciLy boLh nighL and day i ncccssary. Tcrc is Lhus cquiva-
lcncc bcLwccn Lhc producLs o Lhcsc loLs and Lhcir placcmcnL on Lhc walls and
oors o modcrn muscums, which arc also illuminaLcd day and nighL by clcc-
LriciLy.
Tis sccond Lypc o sLudio has inucnccd Lhc Furopcan sLudio o Loday,
whcLhcr iL bc in an old counLry barn or an abandoncd urban warchousc.
In boLh cascs, Lhc archiLccLural rclaLionship o sLudio and muscumonc
inspiring Lhc oLhcr and vicc vcrsais apparcnL. (Wc will noL discuss Lhosc
arLisLs who Lransorm parL o Lhcir sLudios inLo cxhibiLion spaccs, nor Lhosc
curaLors who conccivc o Lhc muscum as a pcrmancnL sLudio.)
Tcsc arc somc o Lhc sLudios archiLccLural characLcrisLics, lcL us movc on
Lo whaL usually happcns Lhcrc. A privaLc placc, Lhc sLudio is prcsidcd ovcr by
Lhc arLisL-rcsidcnL, sincc only LhaL work which hc dcsircs and allows Lo lcavc
his sLudio will do so. NcvcrLhclcss, oLhcr opcraLions, indispcnsablc Lo Lhc
uncLioning o gallcrics and muscums, occur in Lhis privaLc placc. For cxam-
plc, iL is hcrc LhaL Lhc arL criLic, Lhc cxhibiLion organizcr, or Lhc muscum di-
rccLor or curaLor may calmly choosc among Lhc works prcscnLcd by Lhc arLisL
Lhosc Lo bc includcd in Lhis or LhaL cxhibiLion, Lhis or LhaL collccLion, Lhis or
LhaL gallcry. Tc sLudio is Lhus a convcnicncc or Lhc organizcr: hc may com-
posc his cxhibiLion according Lo his own dcsirc (and noL LhaL o Lhc arLisL, al-
Lhough Lhc arLisL is usually pcrccLly conLcnL Lo lcavc wcll cnough alonc, saL-
iscd wiLh Lhc prospccL o an cxhibiLion). Tus chancc is minimizcd, sincc
Lhc organizcr has noL only sclccLcd Lhc arLisL in advancc, buL also sclccLs Lhc
works hc dcsircs in Lhc sLudio iLscl. Tc sLudio is Lhus also a bouLiquc whcrc
wc nd rcady-Lo-wcar arL.
Bcorc a work o arL is publicly cxhibiLcd in a muscum or gallcry, Lhc sLu-
dio is also Lhc placc Lo which criLics and oLhcr spccialisLs may bc inviLcd in
Lhc hopc LhaL Lhcir visiLs will rclcasc ccrLain works rom Lhis, Lhcir purga-
Lory, so LhaL Lhcy may acccdc Lo a sLaLc o gracc on public (muscum/gallcry)
or privaLc (collccLion) walls. Tus Lhc sLudio is a placc o mulLiplc acLiviLics:
producLion, sLoragc, and nally, i all gocs wcll, disLribuLion. IL is a kind o
commcrcial dcpoL.
Tus Lhc rsL ramc, Lhc sLudio, provcs Lo bc a lLcr which allows Lhc arLisL
Lo sclccL his work scrccncd rom public vicw, and curaLors and dcalcrs Lo sc-
lccL in Lurn LhaL work Lo bc sccn by oLhcrs. Work produccd in Lhis way makcs
158
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niLs passagc, in ordcr Lo cxisL, rom onc rcugc Lo anoLhcr. IL should Lhcrcorc
bc porLablc, manipulablc i possiblc, by whocvcr (cxccpL Lhc arLisL himscl)
assumcs Lhc rcsponsibiliLy o rcmoving iL rom iLs placc o origin Lo iLs placc
o promoLion. A work produccd in Lhc sLudio musL bc sccn, Lhcrcorc, as an
objccL subjccL Lo inniLc manipulaLion. In ordcr or Lhis Lo occur, rom Lhc
momcnL o iLs producLion Lhc work musL bc isolaLcd rom Lhc rcal world. All
Lhc samc, iL is in Lhc sLudio, and only in Lhc sLudio, LhaL iL is closcsL Lo iLs own
rcaliLy, a rcaliLy rom which iL will conLinuc Lo disLancc iLscl. IL may bccomc
whaL cvcn iLs crcaLor had noL anLicipaLcd, scrving insLcad, as is usually Lhc
casc, Lhc grcaLcr proL o nancial inLcrcsLs and Lhc dominanL idcology. IL is
Lhcrcorc only in Lhc sLudio LhaL Lhc work may bc said Lo bclong.
Tc work Lhus alls vicLim Lo a morLal paradox rom which iL cannoL
cscapc, sincc iLs purposc implics a progrcssivc rcmoval rom iLs own rcaliLy,
rom iLs origin. I Lhc work o arL rcmains in Lhc sLudio, howcvcr, iL is Lhc
arLisL LhaL risks dcaLh . . . rom sLarvaLion.
Tc work is Lhus LoLally orcign Lo Lhc world inLo which iL is wclcomcd
(muscum, gallcry, collccLion). Tis givcs risc Lo Lhc cvcr-widcning gap bc-
Lwccn Lhc work and iLs placc (and noL iLs placement), an abyss which, wcrc iL
Lo bccomc apparcnL, as sooncr or laLcr iL musL, would hurl Lhc cnLirc paradc
o arL (arL as wc know iL Loday and, 00 pcrccnL o Lhc Limc, as iL is madc) inLo
hisLorical oblivion. Tis gap is LcnLaLivcly bridgcd, howcvcr, by Lhc sysLcm
which makcs acccpLablc Lo oursclvcs as public, arLisL, hisLorian, and criLic,
Lhc convcnLion LhaL csLablishcs Lhc muscum and Lhc gallcry as incviLablc
ncuLral ramcs, Lhc uniquc and dcniLivc localcs o arL. FLcrnal rcalms or
cLcrnal arL!
Tc work is madc in a spccic placc which iL cannoL Lakc inLo accounL. All
Lhc samc, iL is Lhcrc LhaL iL was ordcrcd, orgcd, and only Lhcrc may iL bc
Lruly said Lo bc in placc. Tc ollowing conLradicLion bccomcs apparcnL: iL is
impossiblc by dcniLion or a work Lo bc sccn in placc, sLill, Lhc placc whcrc
wc scc iL inucnccs Lhc work cvcn morc Lhan Lhc placc in which iL was madc
and rom which iL has bccn casL ouL. Tus whcn Lhc work is in placc, iL docs
noL Lakc placc (or Lhc public), whilc iL Lakcs placc (or Lhc public) only whcn
noL in placc, LhaL is, in Lhc muscum.
Fxpcllcd rom Lhc ivory Lowcr o iLs producLion, Lhc work cnds up in an-
oLhcr, which, whilc orcign, only rcinorccs Lhc scnsc o comorL Lhc work
acquircs by Laking shclLcr in a ciLadcl which insurcs LhaL iL will survivc iLs
passagc. Tc work Lhus passcsand iL can only cxisL in Lhis way, prcdcs-
Lincd as iL is by Lhc imprinL o iLs placc o originrom onc cncloscd placc/
ramc, Lhc world o Lhc arLisL, Lo anoLhcr, cvcn morc closcly conncd: Lhc
world o arL. Tc alignmcnL o works on muscum walls givcs Lhc imprcssion
o a ccmcLcry: whaLcvcr Lhcy say, whcrcvcr Lhcy comc rom, whaLcvcr Lhcir
159
mcanings may bc, Lhis is whcrc Lhcy all arrivc in Lhc cnd, whcrc Lhcy arc losL.
Tis loss is rclaLivc, howcvcr, comparcd Lo Lhc LoLal oblivion o Lhc work LhaL
ncvcr cmcrgcs rom Lhc sLudio.
Tus, Lhc unspcakablc compromisc o Lhc porLablc work.
Tc sLaLus o Lhc work LhaL rcachcs Lhc muscum is unclcar: iL is aL Lhc
samc Limc in placc and in a placc which is ncvcr iLs own. Morcovcr, Lhc placc
or which Lhc work is dcsLincd is noL dcncd by Lhc work, nor is Lhc work
spccically inLcndcd or a placc which prccxisLs iL and is, or all pracLical pur-
poscs, unknown.
For Lhc work Lo bc in placc wiLhouL bcing spccially placcd, iL musL ciLhcr
bc idcnLical Lo all oLhcr cxisLing works, and Lhosc works in Lurn idcnLical
among Lhcmsclvcs, in which casc Lhc work (and all oLhcr idcnLical works)
may Lravcl and bc placcd aL will, or Lhc ramc (muscum/gallcry) LhaL rcccivcs
Lhc original work and all oLhcr originalLhaL is, undamcnLally hcLcrogc-
nousworks musL bc adjusLablc, adapLing iLscl Lo cach work pcrccLly, Lo
Lhc millimcLcr.
From Lhcsc Lwo cxLrcmcs, wc can only dcducc such cxLrcmc, idcalizing,
ycL inLcrcsLing ormulaLions as:
1. all works o arL arc absoluLcly Lhc samc, whcrcvcr and whcncvcr produccd, by
whaLcvcr arLisL. Tis would cxplain Lhcir idcnLical arrangcmcnL in Lhousands o
muscums around Lhc world, subjccL Lo Lhc vagarics o curaLorial ashion,
2. all works o arL arc absoluLcly dicrcnL, and i Lhcir dicrcnccs arc rcspccLcd
and hcncc boLh impliciLly and cxpliciLly lcgiblc, cvcry muscum, cvcry room in
cvcry muscum, cvcry wall and cvcry squarc mcLcr o cvcry wall, is pcrccLly
adapLcd Lo cvcry work.
Tc symmcLry o Lhcsc proposiLions is only apparcnL. I wc cannoL concludc
logically LhaL all works o arL arc Lhc samc, wc musL acknowlcdgc aL lcasL LhaL
Lhcy arc all insLallcd in Lhc samc manncr, according Lo Lhc prcvailing LasLc o
a parLicular Limc. I on Lhc oLhcr hand wc acccpL Lhc uniqucncss o cach work
o arL, wc musL also admiL LhaL no muscum cvcr LoLally adapLs iLscl Lo Lhc
work, prcLcnding Lo dccnd Lhc uniqucncss o Lhc work, Lhc muscum para-
doxically acLs as i Lhis did noL cxisL and handlcs Lhc work as iL plcascs.
To cdiy oursclvcs wiLh Lwo cxamplcs among many, Lhc adminisLraLion o
Lhc 1cu dc Paumc in Paris has scL imprcssionisL painLings inLo Lhc muscums
painLcd walls, which Lhcrcby dirccLly ramc Lhc painLings. FighL Lhousand
kilomcLcrs away aL Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc o Chicago painLings rom Lhc samc pc-
riod and by Lhc samc arLisLs arc cxhibiLcd in claboraLc carvcd ramcs, likc
onions in a row.
Docs Lhis mcan LhaL Lhc works in qucsLion arc absoluLcly idcnLical, and
LhaL Lhcy acquirc Lhcir spccic mcanings only rom Lhc inLclligcncc o Lhosc
160
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nwho prcscnL Lhcm` TaL Lhc ramc cxisLs prcciscly Lo vary Lhc absoluLc
ncuLraliLy o all works o arL` Or docs iL mcan LhaL Lhc muscum adapLs iL-
scl Lo Lhc spccic mcaning o cach work` Wc may ask how iL is LhaL, scvcnLy
ycars aLcr bcing painLcd, ccrLain canvascs by MoncL, or cxamplc, should
bc rcccsscd inLo a salmon-colorcd wall in a building in Paris, whilc oLhcrs in
Chicago arc cncascd in cnormous ramcs and juxLaposcd wiLh oLhcr imprcs-
sionisL works.
I wc rcjccL proposiLions 1 and 2 abovc, wc arc sLill accd wiLh a Lhird,
morc common alLcrnaLivc LhaL prcsupposcs a ncccssary rclaLionship bc-
Lwccn Lhc sLudio and Lhc muscum such as wc know iL Loday. Sincc Lhc work
which rcmains in Lhc sLudio is a noncnLiLy, i Lhc work is Lo bc madc, noL Lo
mcnLion sccn in anoLhcr placc, in any placc whaLsocvcr, onc o Lwo condi-
Lions musL apply, ciLhcr
1. Lhc dcniLivc placc o Lhc work musL bc Lhc work iLscl. Tis bclic or philoso-
phy is widcly hcld in arLisLic circlcs, cvcn Lhough iL dispcnscs wiLh all analysis o
Lhc physical spacc in which Lhc work is vicwcd, and conscqucnLly o Lhc sysLcm,
Lhc dominanL idcology, LhaL conLrols iL as much as Lhc spccic idcology o arL. A
rcacLionary Lhcory i cvcr Lhcrc was onc: whilc cigning indicrcncc Lo Lhc sys-
Lcm, iL rcinorccs iL, wiLhouL cvcn having Lo jusLiy iLscl, sincc by dcniLion (Lhc
dcniLion advanccd by Lhis Lhcorys proponcnLs) Lhc spacc o Lhc muscum has
no rclaLion Lo Lhc spacc o Lhc work, or
2. Lhc arLisL, imagining Lhc placc whcrc his work will comc Lo gric, is lcd Lo con-
ccivc all possiblc siLuaLions o cvcry work (which is quiLc impossiblc), or a Lypi-
cal spacc (Lhis hc docs). Tc rcsulL is Lhc prcdicLablc cubic spacc, uniormly liL,
ncuLralizcd Lo Lhc cxLrcmc, which characLcrizcs Lhc muscum/gallcry o Loday.
Tis sLaLc o aairs consciously or unconsciously compcls Lhc arLisL Lo banalizc
his own work in ordcr Lo makc iL conorm Lo Lhc banaliLy o Lhc spacc LhaL rc-
ccivcs iL.
By producing or a sLcrcoLypc, onc cnds up o coursc abricaLing a sLcrcoLypc,
which cxplains Lhc rampanL acadcmicism o conLcmporary work, dissimu-
laLcd as iL is bchind apparcnL ormal divcrsiLy.
In conclusion, I would likc Lo subsLanLiaLc my disLrusL o Lhc sLudio and
iLs simulLancously idcalizing and ossiying uncLion wiLh Lwo cxamplcs LhaL
havc inucnccd mc. Tc rsL is pcrsonal, Lhc sccond, hisLorical.
1. Whilc sLill vcry youngI was scvcnLccn aL Lhc LimcI undcrLook a sLudy o
Provcnal painLing rom Cczannc Lo Picasso wiLh parLicular aLLcnLion givcn Lo
Lhc inucncc o gcography on works o arL. To accomplish my sLudy, I noL only
Lravclcd LhroughouL souLhcasLcrn Francc buL also visiLcd a largc numbcr o arL-
isLs, rom Lhc youngcsL Lo Lhc oldcsL, rom Lhc obscurc Lo Lhc amous. My visiLs
161
aordcd mc Lhc opporLuniLy Lo vicw Lhcir work in Lhc conLcxL o Lhcir sLudios.
WhaL sLruck mc abouL all Lhcir work was rsL iLs divcrsiLy, Lhcn iLs qualiLy and
richncss, cspccially Lhc scnsc o rcaliLy, LhaL is, Lhc LruLh, LhaL iL posscsscd,
whocvcr Lhc arLisL and whaLcvcr his rcpuLaLion. Tis rcaliLy/LruLh cxisLcd noL
only in Lcrms o Lhc arLisL and his workspacc buL also in rclaLion Lo Lhc cnviron-
mcnL, Lhc landscapc.
IL was whcn I laLcr visiLcd, onc aLcr Lhc oLhcr, Lhc cxhibiLions o Lhcsc arL-
isLs LhaL my cnLhusiasm bcgan Lo adc, and in somc cascs disappcar, as i Lhc
works I had sccn wcrc noL Lhcsc, nor cvcn produccd by Lhc samc hands. Torn
rom Lhcir conLcxL, Lhcir cnvironmcnL, Lhcy had losL Lhcir mcaning and dicd,
Lo bc rcborn as orgcrics. I did noL immcdiaLcly undcrsLand whaL had happcncd,
nor why I clL so disillusioncd. Onc Lhing was clcar, howcvcr: dcccpLion. Morc
Lhan oncc I rcvisiLcd ccrLain arLisLs, and cach Limc Lhc gap bcLwccn sLudio and
gallcry widcncd, nally making iL impossiblc or mc Lo conLinuc my visiLs Lo ci-
Lhcr. AlLhough Lhc rcasons wcrc unclcar, somcLhing had irrcvocably comc Lo an
cnd or mc.
I laLcr cxpcricnccd Lhc samc disillusion wiLh ricnds o my own gcncraLion,
whosc work posscsscd a rcaliLy/LruLh LhaL was clcarly much closcr Lo mc. Tc
loss o Lhc objccL, Lhc idca LhaL Lhc conLcxL o Lhc work corrupLs Lhc inLcrcsL
LhaL Lhc work provokcs, as i somc cncrgy csscnLial Lo iLs cxisLcncc cscapcs as
iL passcs Lhrough Lhc sLudio door, occupicd all my LhoughLs. Tis scnsc LhaL Lhc
main poinL o Lhc work is losL somcwhcrc bcLwccn iLs placc o producLion and
placc o consumpLion orccd mc Lo considcr Lhc problcm and Lhc signicancc o
Lhc works placc. WhaL I laLcr camc Lo rcalizc was LhaL iL was Lhc rcaliLy o Lhc
work, iLs LruLh, iLs rclaLionship Lo iLs crcaLor and placc o crcaLion, LhaL was
irrcLricvably losL in Lhis Lranscr. In Lhc sLudio wc gcncrally nd nishcd work,
work in progrcss, abandoncd work, skcLchcsa collccLion o visiblc cvidcncc
vicwcd simulLancously LhaL allows an undcrsLanding o proccss, iL is Lhis aspccL
o Lhc work LhaL is cxLinguishcd by Lhc muscums dcsirc Lo insLall. HasnL Lhc
Lcrm insLallaLion comc Lo rcplacc cxhibiLion` In acL, isnL whaL is insLallcd closc
Lo bcing csLablishcd`
2. Tc only arLisL who has always sccmcd Lo mc Lo cxhibiL rcal inLclligcncc in
his dcalings wiLh Lhc muscum sysLcm and iLs conscqucnccs, and who morcovcr
soughL Lo opposc iL by noL pcrmiLLing his works Lo bc xcd or cvcn arrangcd ac-
cording Lo Lhc whim o somc dcparLmcnLal curaLor, is ConsLanLin Brancusi. By
disposing o a largc parL o his work wiLh Lhc sLipulaLion LhaL iL bc prcscrvcd in
Lhc sLudio whcrc iL was produccd, Brancusi LhwarLcd any aLLcmpL Lo dispcrsc
his work, rusLraLcd spcculaLivc vcnLurcs, and aordcd cvcry visiLor Lhc samc
pcrspccLivc as himscl aL Lhc momcnL o crcaLion. Hc is Lhc only arLisL who, in
ordcr Lo prcscrvc Lhc rclaLionship bcLwccn Lhc work and iLs placc o producLion,
162
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ndarcd Lo prcscnL his work in Lhc vcry placc whcrc iL rsL saw lighL, Lhcrcby shorL-
circuiLing Lhc muscums dcsirc Lo classiy, Lo cmbcllish, and Lo sclccL. Tc work
is sccn, or bcLLcr or worsc, as iL was conccivcd. Tus, Brancusi is also Lhc only
arLisL Lo prcscrvc whaL Lhc muscum gocs Lo grcaL lcngLhs Lo conccal: Lhc banal-
iLy o Lhc work.
IL mighL also bc saidbuL Lhis rcquircs a lcngLhy sLudy o iLs ownLhaL Lhc
way in which Lhc work is anchorcd in Lhc sLudio has noLhing whaLsocvcr Lo do
wiLh Lhc anchoragc Lo which Lhc muscum submiLs cvcry work iL cxhibiLs. Bran-
cusi also dcmonsLraLcs LhaL Lhc so-callcd puriLy o his works is no lcss bcauLiul
or inLcrcsLing whcn sccn amid Lhc cluLLcr o Lhc sLudiovarious Lools, oLhcr
works, somc o Lhcm incomplcLc, oLhcrs complcLcLhan iL is in Lhc immaculaLc
spacc o Lhc sLcrilizcd muscum.`
Tc arL o ycsLcrday and Loday is noL only markcd by Lhc sLudio as an csscn-
Lial, oLcn uniquc, placc o producLion, iL procccds rom iL. All my work pro-
cccds rom iLs cxLincLion.
Tis essay, written in 1971 and rst published in English (trans. Tomas Repensek) in OcLobcr 10
(Fall 1979): 5158, is one of three texts dealing with the art system. Te others were Function of
the Museum, published rst by the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, and subsequently in ArLo-
rum (September 1973), and Function of an Exhibition, SLudio InLcrnaLional (December 1973).
1 I am wcll awarc LhaL, aL lcasL aL Lhc bcginnings o and somcLimcs LhroughouL Lhcir carccrs,
all arLisLs musL bc conLcnL wiLh squalid hovcls or ridiculously Liny rooms, buL I am dcscrib-
ing Lhc sLudio as an archcLypc. ArLisLs who mainLain ramshacklc workspaccs dcspiLc Lhcir
drawbacks arc obviously arLisLs or whom Lhc idea o posscssing a sLudio is a ncccssiLy. Tus
Lhcy oLcn drcam o posscssing a sLudio vcry similar Lo Lhc archcLypc dcscribcd hcrc.
2 Tus Lhc archiLccL musL pay morc aLLcnLion Lo Lhc lighLing, oricnLaLion, cLc., o Lhc sLudio
Lhan mosL arLisLs cvcr pay Lo Lhc cxhibiLion o Lhcir works oncc Lhcy lcavc Lhc sLudio!
3 Wc arc spcaking o Ncw York, sincc Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs, in iLs dcsirc Lo rival and Lo sup-
planL Lhc long lamcnLcd School o Paris, acLually rcproduccd all iLs dcccLs, including Lhc
insanc ccnLralizaLion which, whilc ridiculous on Lhc scalc o Francc or cvcn Furopc, is ab-
soluLcly groLcsquc on Lhc scalc o Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs, and ccrLainly anLiLhcLical Lo Lhc dcvcl-
opmcnL o arL.
4 Tc Amcrican muscum wiLh iLs clccLric illuminaLion may bc conLrasLcd wiLh iLs Furopcan
counLcrparL, usually illuminaLcd by naLural lighL Lhanks Lo a prousion o skylighLs. Somc
scc Lhcsc as opposiLcs, whcn in acL Lhcy mcrcly rcprcscnL a sLylisLic dicrcncc bcLwccn Fu-
ropcan and Amcrican producLion.
5 Had Brancusis sLudio rcmaincd in Lhc Impassc Ronsin, or cvcn in Lhc arLisLs housc (cvcn
i rcmovcd Lo anoLhcr locaLion). Brancusis argumcnL would only havc bccn sLrcngLhcncd.
(Tis LcxL was wriLLcn in 1071 and rccrs Lo Lhc rcconsLrucLion o Brancusis sLudio in Lhc
Muscum o Modcrn ArL. Paris. Sincc Lhcn, Lhc main buildings havc bccn rcconsLrucLcd in
ronL o Lhc CcnLrc Baubourg, which rcndcrs Lhc abovc obscrvaLion obsolcLcauLhors
noLc.)
163
Daniel Buren
Tc Function o thc Studio
Rcvisitcd: Lanicl Burcn in
Convcrsation
Tirty-ve years ago Daniel Buren wrote a text entitled Te Function of the
Studio, which remains key in the artists career-long treatise on the desertion
of the studio and its implications for artworks. In this early text Buren declared
his rejection of the studio and a commitment to working in situ and allowing the
physical context of the exhibition site to inuence the artistic outcome, a modus
operandi he has maintained throughout his career. In advance of the exhibition
Te Studio at the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, in which he was a participating
artist, Daniel Buren was invited to revisit this text.
Tc uncLion o Lhc sLudio is absoluLcly, basically, Lhc samc as iL always was.
Tc sLudio as I dcncd iL in 1071 has noL changcd, alLhough pcrhaps morc
arLisLs arc cscaping Lhcir sLudios Loday Lhan whcn I wroLc Tc FuncLion
o Lhc SLudio. ArLisLs havc a much looscr idca o whaL consLiLuLcs a sLudio
Lhan Lhcy did in Lhc carly 107us. Howcvcr, I Lhink iL is sLill Lhc main placc o
work or Lhc majoriLy o arLisLs.
Tc uncLion o Lhc sLudio is Lhc making o a work o arL or an idcal placc,
a work which may bc cndlcssly manipulaLcd. I you work mosL o Lhc Limc
in a sLudio you producc works LhaL arc dcsLincd Lo bc insLallcd somcwhcrc
clsc. TaL was Lhc kcy poinL o my LcxLin a sLudio you producc work Lo bc
shown anywhcrcwhcLhcr in a gallcry, muscum, or privaLc collccLionand
you musL work wiLh a prcconccivcd idca o whaL Lhcsc rooms mighL bc likc,
as Lhc nal dcsLinaLion o Lhc work is LoLally unknown.
IL is a dicrcnL casc whcn Lhc arLwork calls on Lhc spccics o iLs locaLion
or iLs idcnLiLy and complcLion and cannoL bc insLallcd or sccn in anoLhcr
placc. Tis rcLurns us Lo Lhc idca o Lhc siLc as an inLcgral componcnL o Lhc
work whcrcby iL can only bc undcrsLood aL LhaL siLc, which is in Lurn Lrans-
ormcd by Lhc arLwork, orcvcr or or Lhc Limc LhaL Lhcy arc LogcLhcr. I Lhc
work is crcaLcd Lhus Lhcrc is a brcak rom Lhc idca and Lhc idcalism o Lhc
sLudio.
Whcn Lhc sLudio bccomcs a placc Lo work on somcLhing LhaL will bc
164
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n visiblc only aL a parLicular siLc, Lhcn Lhc spiriL o producLion is cnLircly di-
crcnL. BuL Lhc uncLion o Lhc sLudio as I dcncd iL a long Limc ago is cxacLly
Lhc samc cvcn i Lhc work sccms Lo bc dicrcnL. A sLudio obligcs a ccrLain
Lypc o work cvcn i you arc jusL using iL Lo prcparc a plan. Today, o coursc,
you havc many morc variaLions o Lhc sLudio, ycL LhaL which I dcncd in Lhc
LcxL is sLill complcLcly valid in Lhc majoriLy o cascs. Tc sysLcm sLill prc-
scribcs Lhc rcsulL undcr Lhc samc rcsLricLions.
Tc sLudio proccss crcaLcs objccLs LhaL complcmcnL our socicLy o cx-
changc and markcL valuc. Tc markcL valuc o an arLwork LhaL is produccd
in Lhc sLudio is dirccLly inucnccd by cxchangcabiliLy and criLically rclics on
an cLcrnal nomadism, noL o Lhc produccr buL o Lhc arLwork. Nccdlcss Lo
say, I rcvcrscd LhaL habiL. Tc arL markcL barcly cxisLcd in 1071. IL is a hun-
drcd Limcs morc prcvalcnL now Lhan whcn I wroLc Lhc LcxL. Tcn iL cxisLcd
or hisLorical arL raLhcr Lhan or any young working arLisL, and iL would havc
bccn a drcam Lo cvcn survivc by sclling work. Today, i you sLarL ouL as an
arLisL aL LwcnLy ycars o agc you cannoL imaginc LhaL you arc noL going Lo
makc an adcquaLc living rom your work. I you cannoL, you simply do noL
do iL. In Lhc 10Sus, alLhough iL was a liLLlc provocaLivc, Lhcrc wcrc arLisLs
who would say, I Im noL commcrcially succcssul in Lwo or Lhrcc ycars Ill
go back Lo Lhc sLock cxchangc and sLop whaL Im doing. Tc mosL surprising
Lhing is LhaL somc o Lhc pcoplc who said LhaL succccdcd wiLh Lhcir arL, such
as 1c Koons. NoL LhaL hc rcprcscnLs Lhc majoriLy, as obviously iL was and
sLill is vcry hard Lo survivc on arLisLic producLion. Today arLisLs arc much
morc awarc o Lhc markcL Lhan was Lhc casc LhirLy-vc ycars ago, rcinorcing
cvcn morc Lhc idca o objccLs LhaL arc absoluLcly born o Lhc sLudio.
In Lhc conLcxL o Lhc Francis Bacon sLudio on pcrmancnL display aL Lhc
Hugh Ianc Lhcrc is much o inLcrcsL Lo many pcoplc, parLicularly i Lhcy do
noL alrcady know much abouL Bacon. IL is inormaLivc Lo Lhc curious buL an-
ccdoLal, going bcyond Lhc banal buL noL conLribuLing Lo Lhc analysis o Lhc
sLudio and cvcn lcss Lo iLs criLicism. Nor docs iL makc us apprcciaLc Lo any
grcaLcr or lcsscr cxLcnL Lhc works LhaL such a placc pcrmiLs Lo bc crcaLcd.
On Lhc conLrary iL shows Lhc parLiculariLy o a sLudio LhaL has bccn uscd by
a amous arLisL, a parLiculariLy LhaL always cxisLs and cach Limc is uniquc,
whocvcr Lhc arLisL. Tis grcaL arLisL, cvcn aL Lhc cnd o his lic, alrcady cx-
Lrcmcly rich, living and working in such garbagc . . . maybc hc was a liLLlc
nuLs! AL lcasL somcbody would darc Lo say so aLcr sccing Lhc sLudio. So such
a sLudio givcs us an idca o Lhc pcrsonaliLy o Lhc arLisL and surpriscs us wiLh
Lhc sLaLc o his sLudio, buL LhaL is all. For mc, iL has noLhing Lo do wiLh Lhc
qucsLion o Lhc sLudio. Tc uncLion o Lhc sLudio is Lhc samc. RcconsLruc-
Lions o arLisLs sLudios such as Lhosc o Pollock or Mondrian madc you ccl
a liLLlc closcr Lo Lhc arLisL, as a lm mighL do, iLs scnLimcnLal, iLs curious,
165
iLs charming, iLs ncgaLivc, or iLs posiLivc. BuL Lhc uncLion o Lhc sLudio is
as iL always was and sLill rcmains or Lhc majoriLy.
In 1071 my sLandpoinL was unusual bccausc, Lo Lhc bcsL o my knowlcdgc,
Brancusi was Lhc only onc who saw Lhc conLradicLion bcLwccn Lhc work and
Lhc way LhaL Lhc work was shown. In lcaving his sLudio Lo Lhc Frcnch sLaLc
hc dccidcd Lo kccp Lhc vcry livcly aspccL o Lhc arLisL in Lhc sLudio whcrc Lhc
work was mosL comprchcnsiblc. Hc wanLcd Lo show LhaL iL is Lhis siLc whcrc
Lhc work is mosL rcadily undcrsLood. IL is whcrc you spcak wiLh Lhc arLisL
and scc Lhc cnvironmcnL whcrc hc crcaLcs. In Lhc casc o Lhc Brancusi sLudio,
in iLs rsL incarnaLion, you had a conccpLual LoLaliLy as dcsignaLcd by Lhc
arLisL raLhcr Lhan a rcconsLrucLion LhaL was ncvcr rcqucsLcd by him, as hap-
pcncd laLcr whcn Lhc sLudio was rcconsLrucLcd ouLsidc Lhc Pompidou CcnLrc
in 1077 and again and cvcn worsc in 1007. From Lhis hisLory Lwo pcrspcc-
Livcs arc prcscnLcd LhaL dcnc conLrasLing aLLiLudcs: criLicism or analysis.
For mc, analysis lcads Lo criLicism and criLicism lcads Lo acLion. In 106S,
whcn I dccidcd Lo quiL Lhc sLudio, I hadnL rcalizcd all o Lhc implicaLions.
Many amiliar doors wcrc immcdiaLcly closcd Lo mc, alLhough luckily oLh-
crs opcncd LhaL I hadnL cvcn bccn awarc o. To noL havc a sLudio, as wcll as
Lo havc a sLudio, auLomaLically implics Lhc producLion o a ccrLain Lypc o
work. I can scc LhaL Lhc day whcn I cannoL movc or Lravcl anymorc, as I havc
donc ovcr Lhc pasL orLy ycars, I will ciLhcr sLop working or my work will bc
dicrcnL. Tc only Lhing LhaL I can imaginc hclping Lo kccp iL going in iLs
prcscnL orm mighL bc my long cxpcricncc o moving and looking aL dicr-
cnL placcs. Pcrhaps wiLh documcnLaLion I could sLill work, buL I would miss
Lhosc liLLlc dcLails LhaL you can only scc whcn you arc Lhcrc, whcn you mccL
pcoplc. My work would bc complcLcly dicrcnL and ccrLainly, as ar as I Lcll
rom my vicwpoinL Loday, would rcvcrL Lo morc LradiLional aspccLs. I prccr
noL Lo Lhink abouL iL!
From Tc SLudio (Dublin City Gallery, 2007), 1046. Abridged from a conversation between
Daniel Buren, Jens Homann, Christina Kennedy, and Georgina Jackson, Dublin, September
26, 2006.
166
Carrie Moyer
Color is what separates one shape from another.
I start by offering this cheeky, inscrutable one-liner often quoted by painters of
a certain age. In other words: Dont look for any explanations here. For some
of us, one of the seductions of painting is how slippery it is, how spoken or writ-
ten descriptions can never quite pin it down. We may talk endlessly and elo-
quently about and around the work. In the end, though, painting always seems
to trump language. It needs to be seen in person to be really understood.
When I started on this body of work several years ago, the iconic imagery
of seventies feminist art hovered around the edges of my studio. I was look-
ing for forms that were nearly recognizable and that generated the preliterate
force of the Venus of Willendorf. I trolled the Web, used bookstores, and mu-
seums looking for ritual vessels, sculptural prosthetics (headdresses, masks,
armor, and weapons), and ethnographic oddities that could be morphed into
fearsome and/or sexualized silhouettes. More recently I nd myself transxed
by Oceanic, Inuit, and pre-Columbian objects similar to those collected by
Andr Breton and the Surrealists. Is the world really such a nite place, lled
with a xed (and paltry) number of things to look at? Or am I susceptible to
the same aesthetic charms that so radicalized the early modernists nearly a
century ago? This thought both horries and delights with its insinuations of
cultural myopia and art historical patrimony.
These days I enter the studio with less language than ever and start by
picturing shapes already preloaded from a long-accumulated image bank.
Through the interplay of abstract shapes, glitter, and transparent veils of acrylic,
I gradually transform these suggestive yet blank forms into personal ava-
tars. In the process, long-held politics of representation are sublimated and
eclipsed by a strong urge to bring design and craft to a kind of arresting, picto-
rial stasis. Inventive, meticulous facture becomes the evidence of painterly ex-
pression, rather than the usual signiers of gesture and brushy mark. However,
unlike Max Ernst, whose technical innovations were generally tied to specic
167
pictorial content (for example, decalcomania was used to suggest plant or ma-
rine matter), I am interested in cross-wiring the sign values of how paint is put
down and what is depicted.
Ironically, in my paintings color rarely does the job of separating shapes
from one another. Instead the application of color is the signal event that drives
each painting. Shiny, plastic slicks of paint and glitter dissolve hard edges,
while stippled, iridescent glazes dene the nooks and crannies of individual
forms. Flat-colored grounds serve to both restrain and heighten the luminosity
and the action of the pour. Exposed areas of raw canvas, seemingly cut out of
the picture plane, allow the viewer to look in and see the back of the paint-
ing. Through the complex, interlaced layering of shape and color, the narrative
of how the painting was made becomes obfuscated, imbuing the nal image
with a kind of timelessness and mysterious presence.
Carrie Moyer
studio, 2009.
Marjorie Welish, studio installation with works from the series Indecidability of the Sign: Frame, 2008.
169
Marjorie Welish
A thought experiment: Let us consider theories of the studio drawn from po-
etics. Theory of the studio drawn from poetics has the advantage of regard-
ing practice through principled models and so lends our practice a theoretical
perspective. What is the knowledge that the studio embodies then?
The Mimetic Studio imitates no actual studio, yet attains to the Idea of the
studio, compared with which actual studios and practices are merely appear-
ances.
The Pragmatic Studio delights as it instructs. Here, out of the encyclopedic
artisanal techniques and disciplines performed through an experienced hand,
the demonstrated knowledge of an art manifests itself in the object. As they
render the art-in-progress palpable, the habitats constituting the studio leave
traces of the progress that fascinate the visitor.
The Expressive Studio issues from the artist and her genius, and in this
sense her originality becomes the measure of the art created and the test of
intentions professed by the artist to a visitor on behalf of the art.
The Objectivist Studio constructs an artifact from the store of materials and
techniques, and also the social forces that put pressure on realizing artworks,
the workings of art. This studio-as-such, articulated through display, may sug-
gest a rhetoric for exhibition practices, audience, and reception.
Recent developments further the postanalytic position. The Discursive Stu-
dio researches cultural presuppositions assimilated through praxis; it assumes
the studio to be a knowledge inscribed in language, and so addresses the stu-
dio as a rhetorical situation rather than as a logic, a problem rather than a place.
The Reading Studio meanwhile gives warrant to postanalytic evaluations
wherein differential descriptions are welcome. In this realm of interpretive in-
determinacy, translation tends to enhance differentials and incommensurables
from within plausible responses; comparing several interpretations of artwork
also tests the difference between what is plausible and all that is possible to say.
Let the studio as knowledge be viewed through speculative lenses such
as these.
170
Marjorie Welish
Tc Studio Visit
AlLhough many o us havc rcjccLcd Lhc RomanLic noLion o arLisL as crcaLivc
gcnius, wc criLics sLill cling Lo Lhc rclaLcd noLion LhaL Lhc sLudio is an arcna
whcrc an arLisL grapplcs wiLh crcaLivc proccss. An arLisLs inviLaLion Lo visiL
Lhc sLudio, Lhcn, would sccm likc a gcsLurc o uncommon inLimacy. Aord-
ing Lhc criLic Lhc privilcgc and rcsponsibiliLy o hclping Lhc arLisL Lo arLic-
ulaLc Lhc issucs giving risc Lo his or hcr arL, Lhc sLudio visiL urLhcr allows
judgmcnL o whaL has bccn going on in Lhis crcaLivc sancLuary.
ConLrasL Lhis pracLicc wiLh an cighLccnLh-ccnLury insLancc o opcning
Lhc sLudio Lo Lhc public. IL was a big sLcp in Lhc prchisLory o alLcrnaLivc
spaccs whcn in 17S5 1acqucs Iouis David, in opposiLion Lo Lhc ocial sa-
lon, opcncd Lhc doors Lo his Roman sLudio Lo allow Lhc public Lo vicw Te
Oath of the Horatii. An immcdiaLc clamor rcgisLcrcd as rcvicws in orcign
ncws papcrs, in rcsponsc Lo Lhis subvcrsivc poliLical imagc. Tc privacy o
Lhc sLudio had allowcd Lhc arLisL Lo uLilizc impcccablc ncoclassicism or cx-
prcssing a rcvoluLionary scnLimcnL so powcrul LhaL, dcspiLc iLs anLigovcrn-
mcnL mcssagc, Davids painLing was rcccivcd inLo Lhc annual Salon back in
Parisa pracLically insLanL convcrsion rom privaLc crcaLivc Lo sharcd pub-
lic cxpcricncc.
By conLrasL, opcning a sLudio Lo an inormcd audicncc o onc docs noL
risk public noLoricLy. Clorious or abysmal, a criLics visiL docs noL cvcn counL
as a public cvcnL. Comparcd wiLh Lhc publicaLion o Davids canvas, Lhc Lypi-
cal sLudio visiL Loday suggcsLs an augmcnLcd privacy, as conLrollcd an opcn-
ing as can bc imagincd. FxLcnding an inviLaLion Lo a criLic risks only such
inLcrprcLaLion and cvaluaLion as Lhc arLisL is bound Lo hcar, wiLh no rcpcr-
cussion o widcsprcad rccordcd judgmcnL.
Howcvcr clsc iL may bc dcncd, a sLudio visiL is an occasion or dialoguc
wiLhin Lhc assumcd conLcxL o approval. Bcorc inviLing a criLic Lo visiL, Lhc
arLisL has alrcady induccd Lhrough casual convcrsaLion or aL lcasL Lhrough
publishcd wriLing LhaL Lhc criLic mighL likc Lhc work. Tc implicaLion is
LhaL an claboraLcd orm o Lhc samc sorL o rapporL will ollow oncc Lhc
171
criLic and arLisL arc alonc LogcLhcr. TwcnLy ycars o making and rccciving
sLudio visiLs Lcll mc LhaL, caring dcnunciaLion, mosL arLisLs will LolcraLc
somc probing qucsLions i plcnLy o cncouragcmcnL cushions Lhc Lough cn-
gagcmcnL. Somc arLisLs cxLracL a dicrcnL arrangcmcnL, howcvcr, and scck
Lo graLiy a nccd or dialoguc or approval. BoLh cxLrcmcs, conLcnLion and
admiraLion, arc populaLcd. O Lhc Lwo, Lhc morc common siLuaLion is o
coursc Lhc onc in which Lhc criLic is inviLcd only Lo admirc, and onc way or
anoLhcr Lhc arLisL will manipulaLc Lhc criLic inLo LhaL sLancc. Rarc, buL rc-
qucnL cnough Lo noLc, is Lhc siLuaLion in which broad-bascd inLcllccLual rap-
porL bcLwccn arLisL and criLic succs Lo csLablish LrusL, Lhcn Lhc arLisL will
inviLc dialoguc and a air dcgrcc o conLcnLion bccausc hc has aiLh LhaL a
common acsLhcLics or idcology will aL lasL harmonizc all dicrcnccs o bclic.
A vicw rom boLh Lhcsc margins is insLrucLivc. Whcrc Lhc arLisL managcs Lo
cxLracL criLical approval aL all cosLs, grooming is noL mcrcly Lhc prccrrcd
conLacL, iL is mandaLcd. Undcr Lhcsc circumsLanccs, Lhc criLic has no choicc
buL Lo Lhink LhaL Lhc arLisL sLanding bcorc him may noL bc rcconcilcd Lo
Lha acL LhaL Lhc work o gcnius is rarc. Harboring Lhc drcam hc is Lhis rarc
bird, hc asks: whaL do you Lhink o my painLings` To rcvcrcncc Lhc orgivablc
dclusion, buL also Lo csLablish iniLial courLcous conLacL, my answcr Lo Lhis
qucsLion will Lakc Lhc orm o ciLhcr a bric dcscripLion or a onc-scnLcncc
analysis o whaL I Lakc Lo bc Lhc arLs ccnLral conccrn. I I pcrsisL in my dc-
scripLion o Lhc painLing, iL is by way o signaling LhaL maLching hospiLaliLy
wiLh hospiLaliLy is all I dccm hc rcally wanLs rom mc.
AL Lhc momcnL I havc in mind onc pcrson who, including mc among
wcckcnd gucsLs, was proud, insccurc, and scnsiLivc Lo all manncr o laLcnL
conLcnL cxprcsscd visually and vcrbally, so Lhcrc was no qucsLion hc pickcd
up on my inLcnLion Lo sLay wiLhin Lhc dccorum raming our cncounLcr. BuL
as iL happcncd, hc prcsscd urLhcr, Ycs, buL whaL do you Lhink` Tc arL-
isL was cvidcnLly prcssing or posiLivc cvaluaLion, buL dcspiLc my bcing his
gucsL, I dcccLcd his qucsLion, signaling LhaL i hc prcsscd urLhcr hc would
indccd gcL a scrious cvaluaLion o his work, buL onc probably noL cnLircly
Lo his liking. Tis pcrsoncodc namc Manscld ParkLcnds Lo indulgc in
ccrLain kinds o ouLanking mancuvcrs. I know, you haLc my work, hc
cricd ouL. Such a dcclaraLion cocrccs Lhc criLic inLo a posiLion o concilia-
Lion, i noL rcLrcaL (No, I do noL haLc your work). Hc claimcd Lo bc doing
painLings o passion, buL aL no poinL during Lhis or subscqucnL visiLs could
I adcquaLcly sidcsLcp his psychological manipulaLion. I was Lhus unablc Lo
rcspond candidly and say LhaL his considcrablc manual aciliLy and compli-
caLcd mcnLal conLrivancc prcscnLcd obsLrucLions Lo his hopcd-or passion
buL could bc Lurncd Lo advanLagc i hc wcrc willing Lo orgc a sLylc rom a
gcsLural chinoiscric LanLalizcd by AbsLracL Fxprcssionisms passion. AnoLhcr
172
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hsLudio visiL inspircd Lhc ouLcry, BuL an arLisL docsnL wanL Lo hcar Lhc LruLh,
hc wanLs lics!a sLaLcmcnL which I Lakc Lo mcan boLh LhaL an arLisL livcs
by dclusion and LhaL an arLisL may himscl arLiculaLc his aulLs alLhough a
criLic may noL.
A lcsson lcarncd hcrc conccrns Lhc pcrils o hospiLaliLy. Many arLisLs
carcully rcrain rom imprcssing Lhc criLic or aL lcasL rom wcaring down
his rcsisLancc Lo Lhcir arL Lhrough cxLra-arLisLic mcans: Lhc cxploiLaLion
o hospiLaliLy, including Lhc ubiquiLous scducLion-by-cuisinc, and appcals
Lhrough namc-dropping, i noL Lhc acLual prcscncc o cclcbriLics, Lo sway
Lhc criLics imparLialiLy. Indccd criLics arc imprcsscd by social milicu. Onc
New York Times criLic has givcn spccial dispcnsaLion Lo arLisLic scions o Lhc
wcll- connccLcd amous, cvcn arguing in onc lcad arLiclc LhaL wc can scarccly
doubL 1uan Criss arLisLic abiliLy: why, look whom hc kncw . . . Tis criLic is
noL alonc in assuming LhaL social circlc valorizcs arL. Tc orms an arLisLs
manipulaLion Lakcs may cvcn cnLail adjusLing Lhc pcrsonaliLy or cnhancing
Lhc paLhos o his lic sLory Lo appcal Lo Lhc human sidc o Lhc criLic and
soLcn Lhc criLic Loward Lhc arL.
CriLical manipulaLion oLcn cnLails an arLisLs prcscnLing his arL as cxcm-
plary o his bclovcd idcas. Tis campaign may sLarL wiLh an cxplanaLion o
whaL my work is doing, Lhcn procccd as a noL-so-harmlcss oricnLaLion LhaL
prcsupposcs acsLhcLic inLcnLion Lo bc sucicnL and, o coursc, sucicnLly
ulllcd by Lhc arL. BuL morc oLcn Lhan noL, Lhc in-housc conscicncc a criLic
rcprcscnLs uncovcrs a discrcpancy bcLwccn inLcnLion and rcalizaLion. I Lhc
criLic says so, whaL ollows is a momcnL o Lcnsion, pcrhaps cvcn o dccn-
sivcncss. MaLurc arLisLs and criLics, scnsiLizcd Lo Lhc vulncrabiliLy o Lhc siL-
uaLion, can convcrL Lhis impassc Lo consLrucLivc dialoguc. BuL whcncvcr Lhc
arLisL insisLs LhaL his inLcllccLual agcnda is pcrccLly rcalizcd, or is so dccn-
sivc LhaL his idcology rcmains impcrvious Lo all qucsLioning, hc is in cccL
dcmanding worship by orcclosing all oLhcr discussion.
Ms. Prision, as I will call hcr, is a conccpLual arLisL working in mixcd mcdi-
ums, whosc Lopic in Lhc pasL has bccn gcndcr poliLics. BuL shc bcLrays morc
apLiLudc or craLincss Lhan or Lroping idcas. Hcr mosL promising baLch o
work succccdcd whcrc mosL arLisLs ail, cvincing a masLcrly sLrucLurc. Crc-
aLing a rcsh mcLaphor or roLc cmalc iconography, howcvcr, did noL lcad
hcr ar cnough, and subscqucnL work brandishcd a shrill visual punch Lo
compcnsaLc or an aLLcnuaLcd and conuscd conLcnL. ALcr lisLcning Lo hcr
rap during a sLudio visiL, I cxprcsscd skcpLicism as Lo whcLhcr hcr arL in
acL cmbodicd Lhc conLcnL shc procsscd iL did, I darcd noL say morc. Highly
arLiculaLc, Lhc arLisL was also alarmingly crcc in prcscnLaLion o inLcnLion,
and hosLilc whcn I madc a vcrbal missLcp. I darcd noL say LhaL Lhc discrcp-
ancy bcLwccn hcr dcconsLrucLivc rap and hcr arL provcd raLhcr hcr inaLu-
173
aLion wiLh Lhc inLcllccL and, in Lhis casc aL lcasL, an unconcsscd carccrism.
Nor did I say LhaL Lhc arL iLscl bcLraycd, dcspiLc hcr allcgcd inLcllccLual au-
LhoriLy, a limiLcd capaciLy or scl-criLiquc. Civcn hcr rcccnL arLisLic dircc-
Lion, shc sccmcd surprisingly oblivious Lo hcr collaboraLion wiLh Lhc culLurc
indusLryhcr arL rcmaining ashionablc bccausc supcrcial or sporadic in
assimilaLion o major idcas. InLcllccLual accLion, noL Lhoroughgoing sLylc,
was hcr accomplishmcnL. Prcvious gallcry prcss rclcascs Lold mc whaL I saw
conrmcd in Lhc sLudio: Lhc arLisLs inLcrprcLaLion o Lhc work had bcgun
Lo shiL scasonally Lo accommodaLc Lhc laLcsL inLcllccLual Lrcnd. Whcn I cx-
prcsscd doubL LhaL Lhc work can so corLlcssly shiL conLcnL aL a momcnLs
noLicc, shc rcplicd LhaL, as I wroLc in my piccc on Yvcs Klcin, cvcry ncw shiL
in culLural conLcxL alLcrs Lhc rcading o arL, and so changcs iLs mcaning. NoL
provcn by hcr appcal Lo rcccpLion Lhcory was whcLhcr hcr arLiacLs cnacL
any onc culLural shiL adcquaLcly, lcL alonc managc Lhc inniLc rcgrcss o
hisLoricism shc dcsircs.
Tc mosL Laxing cncounLcr in Lhc sLudio occurs wiLh Lhc idcologuc prc-
ciscly bccausc, i hc has masLcry ovcr Lhc conccpLs and argumcnLs supporL-
ing his bclic sysLcm, hc can cccLivcly conLrol Lhc board. Also, his arL may
ulll Lhc obligaLions o his Lhcory Lo pcrccLion. BuL i LhaL pcrccLion is ac-
adcmic or laborcd, Lhc arLisL will bc rclucLanL Lo scc iL, or hc has bccomc so
cxpcrL in visualizing Lhc Lhcory LhaL criLical pcrspccLivc is indccd diculL.
Morcovcr, a licLimc o dcvoLion Lo Lhc Lransccndcncc convcycd by Lhc scn-
siLivc acLurc o Symbolism, or Lo Lhc maLcrialisL implicaLions o modcrnism,
or Lo Lhc idca o uncLionalism as dcmocraLic, is noL apL Lo bc susccpLiblc Lo
Lhc wcll-inLcnLioncd cxcgcsis o a nonbclicvcr or a rclaLivisL. Tc criLic who
cxpccLs Lo bc ablc Lo ovcrLurn Lhc vcry validiLy o Lhc idcology iLscl is un-
rcalisLic. To bc cccLivc as a criLic in Lhis siLuaLion, onc musL dcmonsLraLc
rcspccL or Lhc inLcllccLual paradigm and work wiLh Lhc arLisLs assumpLion
LhaL arL is normaLivc i Lhc arLisL is Lo scc how hc can Lransccnd his obliga-
Lions whilc ullling Lhcm. Tcn Lhc arLisL mighL conccdc LhaL somcLhing
likc a picLorial analoguc o docLrinc would indccd bc unworLhy o him. All
criLics musL havc cncounLcrcd highly inLclligcnL, LoLally rigid arLisLs o Lhis
Lypc. IL is so obvious Lo such an arLisL LhaL Lhcrc is only onc way o crcaLing
arLhis. YcL his anaLicism may also bc Lhc sorL LhaL apprcciaLcs gcnuincly
radical arL, knowlcdgc prooundly and rigorously addrcsscd. Tcsc arc po-
LcnLially Lhc grcaL arLisLs, or aL lcasL Lhc grcaL hisLorians. Tcir inLcllccLual
passion is so highly dcvclopcd LhaL Lhcy would raLhcr sacricc Lhcir arL Lhan
Lhc sLylc Lhcy arc dccnding Lo Lhc dcaLh.
FxplanaLions or Lhis dccnsivc bchavior convcnLionally invokc Lhc psy-
chology o Lhc arLisL. I onc acccpLs Lhc psychoanalyLic paradigm whcrcin
lovc and dcaLh arc axiomaLic, Lhcn iL ollows LhaL arL may cmcrgc rom Lhc
174
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hacLiviLics o plcasurc as Lhcy assumc a kind o paradisc o scl-cxprcssion.
Tc arLisL idcnLiying wiLh such plcasurc is a narcissisL, aL lcasL Lo Lhc cx-
LcnL LhaL hc is dcvoLcd Lo making a world LhaL lovcs him as hc lovcs iL. Tc
palpablc suspicion radiaLing rom an arLisL LhroughouL a sLudio visiL may
originaLc in apprchcnsion o Lhc criLic, who aLcr all symbolizcs Lhc possiblc
agcnL o wounding and harm. Indccd, whcn LhrcaLcncd by Lhc qucsLions a
criLic poscs, all Lhc arLisLs scl-proLccLivc alarms go o. Tc SLrangcr Is Lhc
Fncmy mighL wcll bc Lhc moLLo o Lhc mosL dccnsivc arLisLs, dcspiLc Lhc
acL LhaL Lhc procssional arL criLic Lraincd in arL hisLory and convcrsanL
wiLh modcrn arL and iLs idcological implicaLions, including posLmodcrnism,
should bc much morc likcly Lhan a dcalcr or collccLor Lo givc rclcvanL rc-
sponscs, complcx pcrLincnL analyscs, and gcncrally Lo work aL ull inLcllcc-
Lual cxLcnsion in cvaluaLing Lhc arL.
Tc narcissisLic Lypc may rcadily aliaLc wiLh an arL LhaL is paLcnLly libidi-
nous in orm and conLcnL, and whcrc, compounding Lhc siLuaLion, Lhc arL-
isL poscs noL so much a dccnsc o docLrinc as a dccnsc o scnsibiliLy. IcLs
call Lhis pcrson Iouis XV. An absLracL cxprcssionisL whosc sLylisLic omnivo-
rousncss oragcs among rococo and surrcal idioms, all puL in Lhc scrvicc o
a brillianL scnsc o dccorLhis painLcr (and a parLicular onc docs comc Lo
mind) is giLcd in Lhc cxLrcmc, capablc o gcnuincly imaginaLivc applicaLions
o his inhcriLcd visual languagcs. AL his bcsL, hc provcs LhaL dccoraLion is a
proound mind-scL.
Familiar wiLh Lhis arLisLs work and dccidcdly prcdisposcd Lo iL, I was un-
prcparcd or Lhc disasLrous coursc o cvcnLs LhaL occurrcd in Lhc sLudio. No
doubL abouL iL, Lhis arLisLs scnsc o cnLiLlcmcnL was monsLrous cnough Lo
cxLcnd cvcn Lo dicLaLing Lhc Lcrms o my praisc. Tc vocabularyLhc vcry
wordscharacLcrizing and csLccming Lhc arL wcrc adjusLcd i Lhcy dcviaLcd
rom Lhc arLisLs prccrrcd imagc o himscl. NoL surprising Lhcn, Lhough
I was unprcparcd or iL, was his massivc dcnial o criLicalLhaL is Lo say,
analyLical and discriminaLingcommcnL, and, whcn rcscrvaLions wcrc cx-
prcsscd, his convcrsion o ncgaLivc Lo posiLivc valuc. To Lhc suggcsLion LhaL
a work o his was brcczy, or insLancc, camc Lhc corrccLion LhaL iL was a
work o virLuosiLy. SubscqucnLly, whcncvcr a sLudio visiL camc abouL, hc
madc surc Lo Lcll mc how long hc had workcd on his painLings, having lcd
away in his mind LhaL I csLccmcd arL LhaL Look Limc Lo haLchor raLhcr, Lhis
was Lhc inLcrprcLaLion hc gavc Lo my rcmarks. Soon aLcr, whcn I concsscd
my shock Lo a wriLcr whosc highly dcvclopcd visual aculLy surpasscs LhaL
o many procssional criLics, shc Lold mc, I always Lcll him, Wondcrul, jusL
wondcrul!, bccausc hc Lhrows a LanLrum i you Lcll him anyLhing clsc.
FdiLors, biographcrs, and hisLorians havc bccn known Lo cxprcss Lhcm-
sclvcs narcissisLically. ArLisLs havc no cxclusivc righLs Lo Lhis. PosiLivcly
175
spcaking, narcissism as Lhcory o crcaLiviLy cxLcnds wcll bcyond arL and
pcrmcaLcs culLural arLiacLs ccasclcssly. In arriving aL original soluLions Lhc
minds o gcnius maLhcmaLicians and physicisLs arc imprcgnaLcd by imagi-
naLion, as, or insLancc, Lhc achicvcmcnL o Lhc laLc Richard Fcynman would
aLLcsL.
FurLhcrmorc, narcissism consLiLuLcs a RomanLic Lhcory o crcaLiviLy LhaL,
as ruiLul as iL is, docs noL cxhausLivcly comprchcnd Lhc acsLhcLic impulsc.
Tc normal vulncrabiliLy o Lhc arLisL Lo criLicism o an arLiacL builL o his
ovcrowing libido may, in an arLisL who valucs idcas or issucs morc Lhan his
plcasurc, drivc Lhc crcaLivc proccss wcll bcyond scl-commcmoraLion. Hc
may clccL an acsLhcLic LhaL hc dccms Lhc mosL culLurally progrcssivc noL bc-
causc hc likcs iL, cvcn lcss bccausc iL likcs him. To paraphrasc Lhc composcr
Arnold Schocnbcrg: I didnL wanL Lo bc Arnold Schocnbcrg, buL no onc clsc
volunLccrcd. An acsLhcLic commiLmcnL oLcn originaLcs dcspiLc Lhc arLisLs
dcsircs, dcspiLc Lhc wish or dilcLLanLism which glidcs pasL unwanLcd, Lrou-
bling LhoughLs.
I Lhc sLudio visiL ocrs an opporLuniLy or dialoguc prcdicaLcd on ap-
proval, Lhc siLuaLion is by no mcans always a maLLcr o adoraLion. An invi-
LaLion Lo visiL oLcn comcs abouL dcspiLc no promisc o aLLcry, no dcmon-
sLrablc liking o Lhc arLisLs work. A prcludc Lo Lhc visiL, Lhcn, is LrusL posiLcd
on common philosophical ground. ArLisLs o Lhis kind, who rcquirc only in-
LcllccLual rapporL, noL psychological obcisancc, arc cagcr Lo cngagc in a dia-
loguc wiLh Lhc criLic.
I rcmcmbcr wriLing a mixcd rcvicw o surrcalizing picLurcs o dccr por-
Lraying omniscicnL animal inLclligcncc, awarc o Lhc likclihood LhaL, as so o-
Lcn happcns, my acquainLancc wiLh Lhc arLisL would sour oncc Lhc rcvicw ap-
pcarcd. MonLhs laLcr, hc approachcd mc Lo say LhaL minc was an inLcrcsLing
rcvicwlcLs Lalk abouL iL. For oncc, a ncgaLivc rcvicw inspircd noL boycoLL
buL an inviLaLion Lo urLhcr discussion. Nor was Lhis arLisL coy in his inLcn-
Lion, or in Lhc sLudio, siLLing on kiLchcn chairs and sipping Lca, hc askcd mc
Lo cxplain whaL I had mcanL whcn I wroLc LhaL his visual sophisLicaLion was
ar in advancc o his liLcrary abiliLy. Rcmarkablc Lo mc, as I lcarncd whilc
visiLing him, was Lhis arLisLs dccp apprcciaLion o LhaL which is problcmaLic.
Icss conccrncd wiLh gossip Lhan many arLisLs, hc was much morc conccrncd
wiLh Lracking inLcllccLual nuancc Lhan in psychological backbiLing. Morc-
ovcr, during subscqucnL sLudio visiLs hc ollowcd Lhrough Lhc implicaLions
o our liLcrary dialoguc. How Lo gcL pasL liLcral and naivc porLrayal o my-
LhopocLic conLcnL bccamc Lhc springboard o many discussions lcading ar
bcyond his own immcdiaLc inLcrcsLs. Allcgory vcrsus myLh, a Lopic o ccn-
Lral conccrn Lo Lhis arLisL, bccamc a much morc inclusivc issuc as Limc wcnL
on. Tc problcmaLic naLurc o manncrism, so LhrcaLcning Lo Ms. Prision,
176
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hwas cndlcssly ascinaLing Lo Sky WaLchcr, as wcrc such maLLcrs o LasLc as
whcLhcr ccrLain painLcrly approachcs Lo subjccL maLLcr arc Loo ingraLiaL-
ing. Timc and Limc again, Lhis painLcr, noL Lhc visiLing criLic, raiscd criLical
issucs LhaL wcrc Lroubling him, LcsLing his arLiculaLion o Lhc problcm by rc-
sLaLing iL, as i holding iL up Lo Lhc lighL or cxaminaLion. Howcvcr involvcd
in his own arL, Sky WaLchcr consisLcnLly dcmonsLraLcd grcaLcr commiLmcnL
Lo Lhc connoisscrship o acsLhcLic issucs Lhan Lo any parLicular caLhccLcd
objccL. Tc philosophical maLLcr LhaL broughL us LogcLhcr iniLially, namcly,
Lhc naLurc o mcLamorphosis in arL, was insLrumcnLal in Lransorming Lhc
sLudio visiL iLscl rom a simplc-mindcd rcccLion o Lhc arLisLs worldvicw
Lo a siLuaLion animaLcd by muLual rcspccL or Lhc indcpcndcncc o LhoughL
on a varicLy o Lopics.
PosiLivc aLLracLion Lo Lhc OLhcr, Lo Lhc vicwpoinL LhaL complcmcnLs oncs
own, providcs Lhc sLimulus or inviLing dialoguc. To gaugc whcLhcr a con-
vcrsaLion is a gcnuinc dialoguc (or only parallcl monologucs, or cvcn a sin-
glc monologuc by virLuc o Lhc spcakcrs vcLoing Lhc words o his compan-
ion) onc nccd only lisLcn or Lhc crcaLivc proccss in vcrbal cxchangc. In
Lhis rcgard, arLisLs arc oLcn noL cngagcd in a crcaLivc proccss aL all, all Lhc
morc noLcworLhy, Lhcn, whcn in Lhc sLudio Lhcy cncouragc a givc-and-Lakc
o idcas.
Rarc Lhough iL may bc, Lhis nccd by Lhc arLisL or inLcllccLual cngagc-
mcnL and growLh has bccn undcrcsLimaLcd. WiLh onc young arLisL, inLcl-
lccLual rapporL grcw casually and sporadically scvcral ycars bcorc a sLudio
visiL Lranspircd. Our rapporL dcvclopcd undiminishcd cvcn as iL bccamc
obvious LhaL our acsLhcLic posiLions oLcn markcdly divcrgcnL. NoLably,
a mismaLch climaxcd in his disavowal o Dc SLijl: ILs noL naLural Lo lovc
Mondrian, hc said. Whcrcupon I concsscd Lo a sLrong bias cvcr sincc scc-
ing his arL in rcproducLion as a child, Mondrian was indccd Lhc rsL arL I
lovcd. Mcanwhilc, his unky sculpLural rclics hanging in a loL hc sharcd
had cliciLcd no rcsponsc rom mc, Lo his rcccnL LalcnLcd, i bclaLcd, Symbol-
isL painLing, I had rcmaincd noncommiLLal unLil hc iniLiaLcd a sLudio visiL.
Tcn, Lhis arLisL, whosc namc should bc Lhc Fmcrging CiLy or always cxcr-
cising his scnsc o inquiry, his sLrong analyLical bcnL, and his conLcmpL or
bullshiL in himscl as wcll as in oLhcrs, prcscnLcd his cargo o scvcral ycars
canvascs. As our sLudio visiL wound down, hc concsscd his impaLicncc and
disappoinLmcnL wiLh Lhc mcrc praisc givcn him by oLhcr visiLing criLics
and arLisLs, or, lacking concrcLcncss, iL gavc mc noLhing Lo go by.
Hcrc, Lhcn, was an arLisL who was rusLraLcd by Lhc LruLh o praisc. Hc
complimcnLcd mc or giving a uscul, spccically, discriminaLing, analysis
and cvaluaLion o scvcral painLings. I in Lurn was dclighLcd hc had rcspondcd
Lo a LacLic I had hopcd would bc hclpul. Civcn his analyLic mind, I lcL him
177
in on my inLcrior monologuc whilc scanning Lhc painLings: I LhoughL aloud.
Considcring such-and-such Lo bc his arLs aim, Lhcn iL mighL by sLrcngLh-
cncd by so-and-so, my rcsponsc wcnL, prcscnLing him wiLh a scrics o con-
Lingcncics. FxLrcmcly unusual was Lhis arLisLs insaLiablc appcLiLc or morc
and morc spccically dirccLcd challcngcs rom Lhc criLic.
Whcn dialoguc, noL praisc, bccomcs privilcgcd, Lhc succcss o a sLudio
visiL would appcar Lo rcsL lcss on agrccmcnL Lhan on cvidcncc LhaL Lhc in-
LcgriLy o Lhc criLics rcsponsc maLchcs Lhc inLcgriLy o Lhc arLisLs own: wcak
work musL bc unmaskcd, sLrong work musL bc disccrncd or whaL iL gcnu-
incly achicvcs. Tc arLisL will rcquirc cxplanaLions in supporL o acsLhcLic
judgmcnLs, and will bc on Lhc lookouL or rcasons LhaL click wiLh him. NoL
LhaL arLisLs cagcr or discoursc acccpL challcngc on all ronLs. An arLisL scck-
ing dialoguc may bc inarLiculaLc or clsc Louchy abouL bcing comparcd Lo his
or hcr pccrs ycL may noncLhclcss bc conLcnL i only Lhc sLudio visiL bccomcs
LhcrapcuLic. Iikc Lhc sLudcnL LcsLing a subsLiLuLc Lcachcr, Lhis arLisL will dis-
LrusL, i noL disrcspccL, Lhc pushovcr who cannoL Lrack his siLuaLion accu-
raLcly. CcLLing away wiLh murdcr is noL Lhc goal, bcing ound ouL is.
HisLorically, an cxcmplar is Fugcnc Dclacroix. Wc know rom his jour-
nals LhaL Dclacroixs scl-csLccm dcpcndcd on his own highly dcvclopcd scl-
criLical acumcn. So whcn Alcxandrc Dumas visiLcd his sLudio, avidly Laking
noLcs, Lhc arLisL condcd his disLasLc and cmbarrassmcnL aL such vulgar
worship o gcnius LhaL would makc o him a hcro in a novcl. Dclacroix cvi-
dcnLly ound Lhis orm o worship rcpugnanL. Hcrc is an cxamplc o a gcn-
uinc RomanLic gcnius who did noL subscribc Lo an uncriLical applicaLion o
Lhc RomanLic noLion o gcnius, who was unwilling Lo Lurn gcnius inLo a rank
sLcrcoLypc.
Dclacroixs journal also rcccLs his cool aLLiLudc Loward Baudclairc, who
adorcd his arL. Tough hc ound Baudclairc modcrn and Progrcssivc, Lhc
painLcr rcmaincd uncasy abouL bcing aLLachcd Lo an acsLhcLic o obscu-
riLy and conusion LhaL linkcd him wiLh Pocs vcrscs. Onc may add LhaL
Baudclaircs subjccLivc idcnLicaLion wiLh Dclacroix cxposcd Lhc limiLs o
his cccLivcncss as a criLic. Calling MancL Lhc bcsL o a bad loL, hc ailcd
Lo grasp MancLs mcaning, much lcss apprcciaLc iL, prcciscly bccausc LhaL
painLcrs cxccllcncc was posiLcd on acsLhcLic principlcs radically aL odds wiLh
his. NcvcrLhclcss, Lhanks Lo his own honcd criLical aculLy, Dclacroix could
noLc in his journal LhaL Lhc pocL/criLic had givcn him somcLhing Lo Lhink
abouL.
A psychological cxplanaLion or arLisLs abiliLy Lo Lakc risks in dialoguc is
LhaL Lhcy havc assimilaLcd Lhc criLical principlc and madc iL Lhcir own, cm-
bracing iL as a sourcc o Lhc cnrichmcnL o plcasurc, noL a LhrcaL o plca-
surcs cxLincLion. Pcrhaps a suprcmc condcncc in Lhcir abiliLy Lo rcalizc
178
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hanyLhing Lhcy scL ouL Lo do inspircs in somc arLisLs Lhis scnsc o advcn-
Lurc. YcL onc conLinually wiLncsscs lcss giLcd arLisLs who, cvcn so, havc rc-
maincd ricndly wiLh Lhc supcrcgo, posing qucsLions during a sLudio visiL
LhaL Lhc criLic has ncglccLcd Lo posc, inviLing inLcnsc criLical cngagcmcnL
cvcn Lhough Lhis may undcrminc Lhcir own conLrol o Lhc siLuaLion. And
Lhough, paradoxically, as Lhc cxisLcnLial wriLcr ArLuro Fallico says, Lhc arL
work docs noL comc inLo bcing Lo bc criLicizcd, criLicism is noL cxLrinsic Lo
arL. IL is as inLcgral Lo arL as iL is Lo cxisLcncc.
Whcrc arLisLs iniLiaLc or susLain dialoguc, wc musL crcdiL Lhcm wiLh
somcLhing morc Lhan narcissism, or aL lcasL wiLh a graLicaLion LhaL is so
culLurally ambiLious iL sccks conccpLual horizons ar bcyond plcasurc. ArL
as cnacLmcnL, according Lo Richard Kuhnss psychoanalyLical criLiquc o
Frcud, rccs Lhc arLisL rom Lhc sLigma o sLunLcd maLuriLy and cnablcs him
or hcr Lo join Lhc morc comprchcnsivc crcaLivc proccss o culLurc aL largc.
CiLing Anna Frcud, Kuhns rcdcncs crcaLivc proccss Lo includc conccpLual
growLh by which insLincLual proccsscs connccLcd by idcas can bc broughL
inLo consciousncss. 1usL Lhis proccss o inLcllccLualizaLion, Kuhns says, wc
scc cxprcsscd in sLylc. ArL as cnacLmcnL is also Kuhnss rcconciliaLion o psy-
choanalyLic wiLh cxisLcnLial valucs, o LradiLion individually consLiLuLcd, o
LradiLion in which cach human is answcrablc or his asscrLions.
In LhaL casc, dialoguc in Lhc sLudio can bc an inviLaLion cxLcndcd Lo Lhc
criLic Lo movc bcyond dcscripLion Lo inLcrprcLaLion LhaL cxposcs Lhc phil-
osophical undcrpinnings o Lhc arL on vicw. During Lhc lasL cw dccadcs
wc havc sccn Lhc crcaLivc criLic on Lhc risc, Lhough hc is oLcn unlikcly Lo
bc wclcomcd by Lhc arLisL unlcss his inLcrprcLaLion accLionaLcly conrms
Lhc arLisLs propaganda. DcconsLrucLion ocrs Lhc mosL rccwhccling sorL
o spcculaLion moving indcpcndcnLly o Lhc arL, buL iL is only Lhc mosL cx-
Lrcmc insLancc o criLiquc LhaL invcsLigaLcs acc-valuc dcscripLion. Rcalign-
ing criLicism rom objccLiviLy Lo subjccLiviLy and rom producLion Lo rcccp-
Lion allows Lhc criLic inLimacy wiLh Lhc crcaLivc proccss ormcrly guardcd so
sccurcly by Lhc arLisL. Curiously, Lhc risc o crcaLivc criLicism and Lhc Lhco-
rics o rcccpLion havc coincidcd wiLh Lhc lcsscning powcr o Lhc arL criLic Lo
sLcm Lhc Lcndcncy o ashion Lo supplanL arL hisLory.
Tc myLh is LhaL Lhc arLisL is Lhc onc vicLimizcd by Lhc criLic. BuL Lhc criLic
can bc rcndcrcd hclplcss Loo. AcsLhcLic cocrcion by Lhc arLisL is noL conncd
Lo an occasional bully. Morc prcvalcnL Lhan bclicvcd, Lhc arLisLs manipula-
Lion o Lhc criLic in Lhc guisc o inorming him is a sourcc o prcssurc LhaL Lhc
criLic can always bracc himscl Lo cxpccL. For Lhis rcason, Lhc noLion o Lhc
sLudio as siLc o crcaLivc sLrugglc is so oLcn compromiscd. Tis myLh should
aL lcasL bc qucsLioncd. In Te Trial, K discovcrs LhaL Lhc painLcrs garrcL,
Lhough iL may bc cnLcrcd only by way o a LorLurous rouLc, acLually adjoins
179
Lhc corridors o Lhc courLs o law whcrc hc is bcing prosccuLcd, indccd, Lhc
painLcr is in lcaguc wiLh Lhc sysLcm. Kaka kncw LhaL undcr ccrLain cir-
cumsLanccs Lhc arLisL is pcrccLly capablc o bcing an inLcllccLual Lhug.
Tc LcmpLaLion is Lo draw somc causal rclaLion bcLwccn Lhc diminishing
rolc o Lhc arL criLic Loday and Lhc arLisLs incrcasingly vigorous manipula-
Lion o Lhc criLic. IL is LcmpLing Lo spcculaLc LhaL cvcn as Lhc rolc o liLcr-
ary Lhcory incrcascs, Lhc Lolc o arL criLicism is all buL anachronisLic in our
Limc, his rolc vcsLigial now LhaL Lhc dcalcr and collccLor csLablish Lhc valid-
iLy o arL, cnabling Lhc arLisL Lo bypass Lhc criLic or Lhc advocaLcLodays
cuphcmism or publicisLLo wriLc abouL his arL. I Lhc criLic nds Lhc arL
problcmaLic, wishing Lo cxcrcisc his righL Lo LcsL Lhc arL againsL Lhc arLisLs
inLcnLions, hc can bc dumpcd or somconc morc coopcraLivc in promoLing
Lhc arLisLs rcpuLaLion. An arL wriLcr who wriLcs imprcssionisLically, in a way
LhaL docsnL rub, can bc ound Lo ll Lhc bill.
Now LhaL cclcbriLy dcLcrmincs who can wriLc himscl inLo hisLory, Lhc
criLic is all Loo oLcn sccn as uscul Lo Lhc arLisL only insoar as hc conLribuLcs
Lo Lhc arLisLs cndorscmcnLs. An inviLaLion Lo criLiquc Lhc arL o a supcrsLar
insulLcd by amc and canonical sLaLus is improbablc cxccpL or Lhc longLimc
crony who can lcvcl wiLh Lhc arLisL in condcncc. CcrLainly wiLh an csLab-
lishcd arLisL whosc gallcry bio wcighs hcavily wiLh pagcs o bibliography, Lhc
disscnLing criLic has no sway. Chanccs arc, undcr such pccr prcssurc Lo rc-
inorcc Lhc arLisLs classic sLaLurc, a criLic will aL bcsL pull his punchcs
pcrhaps spcaking avorably o sclccLcd works whilc implying only by indi-
rccLion LhaL Lhosc lcL unaddrcsscd arc incccLivc, or pcrhaps by addrcssing
problcmaLic painLings Lhrough absLracL discoursc. Today, morcovcr, Lhc vcL-
cran criLic cannoL compcLc cvcn wiLh youngcr, rcccnL amc. Onc supcrsLar
whosc cynicism is wcll-dcvclopcd sLands nowadays aL parLics wcaring a dc-
libcraLcly ambiguous cxprcssiona slighLly opcn mouLh inLcrprcLablc as
ciLhcr a smilc, acknowlcdging a criLics prcscncc, or noL a smilc, signaling
non-acknowlcdgmcnLlcsL hc sccm Lo bc ricndly Lo Lhc wrong pcrson.
SympLomaLic, Loo, o Lhc powcr play indicaLing a shiLing auLhoriLy is an oc-
casion whcn, noL so long ago, I was inLroduccd by namc Lo a currcnL hoL
arLisL, and sccing him draw a blank, I addcd Lhc idcnLiying Lag o arL criLic.
Hc rcLorLcd quickly, Whcn yourc imporLanL, well know who you arc. SLun-
ning hcrc is Lhc prcsumpLion LhaL Lhc world and anyLhing valuablc in iL bc-
gins and cnds wiLh whaL Lhc arLisL happcns Lo know. HisLory prior Lo his
birLhdaLc docsnL cxisL.
BuL i cngagcmcnL, noL adulaLion, is whaL Lhc arLisL sccks in his sLudio, hc
is likcly Lo vicw criLicism as an cxciLing and ncccssary cnrichmcnL o Lhc crc-
aLivc proccss. His goals arc noL so maLcrialisLic as Lhc arLisL mandaLing wor-
ship, or Lhough hc Loo may bc ambiLious, hc vicws Lhc criLic as morc Lhan an
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hagcnL or supplying avorablc rcvicws and clcgiac caLalog cssays Lo advancc
his carccr. Hc sccks in Lhc sLudio visiL an occasion or work. Whcrcas public
cxhibiLion is grccLcd, by and largc, by silcncc, wiLh scaLLcrshoL commcnLs by
way o Lhc grapcvinc, privaLc convcrsaLion wiLh a criLic in Lhc sLudio ocrs
an opporLuniLy Lo prcscnL his arL Lo an inormcd public o onc. AL bcsL, iL
may inspirc susLaincd inLcrprcLaLion o Lhc arL inLcrrogaLion o iLs acsLhcLic
prcmiscs, and also a chancc, Lhcrcby, or Lhc arLisL Lo rcalizc Lhc arLs poLcn-
Lial by lisLcning Lo a poinL o vicw oLhcr Lhan his own.
InviLcd Lo Lhc sLudio, Lhc criLic is obligcd Lo do morc Lhan dcscribc Lhc
arL hc nds Lhcrc, buL any discussion LhaL cnsucs can Lakc placc only in a
conLcxL o muLual LrusL. On Lhc onc hand, somc pcrsonal dccnsivcncss is
inLcgral Lo Lhc proccss o bcing rcvicwcd in sLudio, and wiLhin limiLs iL musL
bc rcspccLcd. On Lhc oLhcr, Lhc criLic is noL doing his job unlcss hc or shc
works Lo gcL bcyond LasLc or markcL valuc or Lhc raLionalizaLion o Lrcnds
and visual illiLcracyLhc public sociocconomics pracLically swamping Lhc
arL. Tcrc is no nccd Lo supply LhaL public pcrspccLivc, and Lhc criLic who
docs noL disLancc Lhc discoursc in Lhc sLudio rom LhaL is misrcprcscnLing
himscl procssionally.
ArL CriLicism 5, no. 1 (1988): 110.
181
Marjorie Welish
Tc Studio Rcvisitcd
Tc daylighL was in minL condiLion. Tc sun cnLcring Lhc window o Lhc arL-
isLs Brooklyn aparLmcnL and scLLling on sparc urnishings and arL was o
Lhc sorL wc call LransparcnL.
Tc arLisL and I had alrcady passcd somc Limc discussing hcr arL whcn
Lhc Lclcphonc rang. Unlikc mosL o Lhc calls LhaL inrcqucnLly ycL Lypically
sLall such visiLs, Lhis onc was noL bcnign, or iL convcycd Lhc mcssagc LhaL
hcr aLhcr had undcrgonc Lriplc bypass surgcry. In shock, shc rcpcaLcd Lhc
signal phrasc Lriplc bypass scvcral Limcs, hcr own morLicaLion mounLing
during Lhc quarLcr-hour or so shc rcmaincd on Lhc phonc.
Amazingly, Lhc arLisL apologizcd or Lhc dclay. Tough disLraughL, shc
managcd Lo conLain hcr cclings and procccd courLcously wiLh our busincss.
YcL hcr ncws only addcd Lo my own small disLrcss, which had bccn grow-
ing mcanwhilc, or whaL Lhc cmcrgcncy call had inLcrrupLcd was LhaL I was
abouL Lo dcclinc wriLing a caLalog cssay on hcr arL or a orLhcoming mu-
scum show. Hcr immcdiaLc amily crisis rcndcrcd whaL I was abouL Lo say
piLilcss, and I musL say LhaL or Lhc sakc o human kindncss I was LcmpLcd
Lo go againsL my pcrsonal codc and wriLc Lhc cssay anyway. I posLponcd com-
ing Lo a dccision.
ALcr a cw minuLcs, whcn Lhc arLisL puL Lhc qucsLion dirccLly, I answcrcd
as LcmpcraLcly as I kncw how, I bclicvc LhaL you would bc unhappy wiLh
whaL I would wriLc or your caLalog. My words clcarly disLurbcd hcr. BuL I
LhoughL LhaL whcn you agrccd Lo comc Lo my sLudio you had known my work
and wcrc conscnLing Lo wriLc on iL, shc said.
Among Lhc lcssons hcrc is LhaL Lhc mcrc acL o sLcpping ovcr Lhc Lhrcshold
o Lhc sLudio rcprcscnLs in somc arLisLs cycs a kind o criLical guaranLcc. A
comcly and accuraLc sLylisLic dcscripLion or an ardcnL arL-hisLorical discus-
sion is assumcd Lo imply a supporLivc sLancc, an approval LhaL can bc cn-
lisLcd or posiLivc rcvicws in Lhc uLurc. Tc misundcrsLanding may bc jus-
Licd. To Lhc cxLcnL LhaL Lhc sLudio visiL rcscmblcs Lhc social call, Lhc arLisL
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hmay clidc Lhc disLincLion bcLwccn socially mandaLcd poliLcncss and criLical
supporL. Tc morc hospiLaliLy ramcs Lhc cncounLcr, Lhc morc Lhc dccorum
in Lhc sLudio suggcsLs urLhcr promiscs. Which is noL Lo say LhaL honorablc
conducL is rcmiss. To hcr complcLc crcdiL, iL was Lhc arLisL in Lhc abovc sLory,
noL Lhc criLic, who Lhcn savcd boLh rom cmbarrassing silcncc. IL was shc
who scgucd wiLh gracc and digniLy Lo addrcss anoLhcr Lopic: Havc you cvcr
rcad ShaLLucks Te Banquet Years` shc askcd. Im rcading iL now, and whaL
is so inLcrcsLing abouL iL is . . .
Tis arLisL is noL ncccssarily Lhc only onc or whom a sLudio visiL is Lan-
LamounL Lo a kind o cndorscmcnL. MisundcrsLandings arisc all Lhc Limc,
as qucsLions o cnds and mcans during sLudio visiLs may also raLLlc criLics
Lhcmsclvcs. NoL a survcy o Lhc arL world, and wiLh no prcLcnsc Lo sociologi-
cal cxhausLivcncss, whaL ollows docs considcr Lhc phcnomcnon o Lhc criL-
ics sLudio visiL (Lhough rom a vicwpoinL broadcncd by somc cxpcricncc on
Lhc rccciving cnd, as arLisL). Tc collccLivc cxpcricncc o baLLlc-worLhy (and
baLLlc-scarrcd) hisLorian/criLics and arLisL/criLics Lclls us LhaL whilc Lhc sLu-
dio visiL is a phcnomcnon Lhc valuc o which is Lakcn or granLcd, iLs naLurc
and mcaning rcmain in dispuLc.
A working dcniLion o Lhc sLudio visiL mighL bc LhaL iL prcscnLs an occasion
or Lhc arLisL Lo show his or hcr arL Lo a criLic and Lo cngagc in a dialoguc
wiLh Lhis inormcd audicncc o onc. Onc bcncL o Lhis aLLcnLion, i Lhc arL-
isL chooscs Lo Lakc advanLagc o iL, is an indcpcndcnL, susLaincd, and pos-
sibly dccp rcsponsc Lo arL rom which Lo lcarnlcss Lo Lakc suggcsLions
Lhan Lo absorb Lhc criLics LhoughL inLo Lhc arLisLs own crcaLivc proccsscs.
AnoLhcr bcncL is LhaL, unlikc Lhc rcsponsc Lo an advcrLiscd cxhibiLion, Lhc
rcndczvous in Lhc sLudio Lakcs placc wiLhouL public rcpcrcussion. Tc sLudio
visiL, Lhcn, providcs an opporLuniLy or an augmcnLcd privacy.
BuL whaL acLually happcns in a sLudio may bc hard Lo pin down. UnsLaLcd,
uncodicd, and subjccL Lo on-siLc improvisaLion, Lhc cxacL naLurc and pur-
posc o Lhc sLudio visiL may always rcmain clusivc.
1crcmy CilbcrL-Rolc, painLcr and criLic, says, Tc arLisL Mary Boochcvcr
bclicvcs LhaL Lhc sLudio visiL should lasL aL lcasL orLy minuLcs bccausc noLh-
ing much happcns in Lhc rsL LwcnLy minuLcs, and I prcLLy much go along
wiLh LhaL. In oLhcr words, cvcn i a criLic is convcrsanL wiLh Lhc arL in ad-
vancc, casing inLo Lhc siLuaLion may rcquirc a cw plcasanLrics Lo rcplcnish
Lhc LrusL and rapporL LhaL broughL Lhc arLisL and criLic LogcLhcr in Lhc rsL
placc.
CilbcrL-Rolc comparcs sLudio visiLs cxchangcd bcLwccn arLisLs wiLh
Lhosc paid by criLics. IL dcpcnds on who visiLs whom. Whcn an oldcr arL-
183
isL visiLs youngcr, Lhc youngcr wanLs boLh approval and criLiquc. SLay long
cnough or Lhis Lo happcn. Whcn youngcr arLisL visiLs oldcr, Lhc cxpccLaLion
is noL so much criLiquc as qucsLions, alLhough Lhc cxaminaLion is noL so spc-
cic as aL an archiLccLural criLiquc. Whcn o Lhc samc agc, Lhc sLudio visiL is
bascd on rapporL o idcas in some sense. IL may also ocr idcas Lo rip o rom
onc anoLhcra siLuaLion in which boLh arc dccnsivc and compcLiLivc.
Tc pcoplc who gcL Lhc mosL ouL o sLudio visiLs rom mc as a criLic donL
cxpccL any onc Lhing ouL o a sLudio visiL. Also Lhcy arc so sccurc in Lhcir arL
Lhcy can discuss iL almosL as i iL wcrc donc by somconc clsc. VisiLing criLics
cxpccL a linc rom arLisLs, a linc on Lhcir work, ycL Lhc worsL visiLs arc Lhosc
in which Lhc arLisLs havc somc sorL o linc Lhcy dicLaLc Lo pcoplc. Tc morc
clcarly workcd ouL Lhc linc, Lhc dumbcr Lhc arL is. Tis is an arL rulc. Or Lhcy
will proLcsL LhaL arL cannoL bc puL inLo languagc. Tis is pcrccLly Lruc buL
irrclcvanL sincc wc arc in sLudio Lo puL whaLcvcr can bc puL inLo languagc.
RapporL in some sense is Lhc opcraLivc phrasc. AlLhough CilbcrL-Rolc
docs noL say so, rapporL is, as wiLh arLisLs, also a prcrcquisiLc or criLics,
Lhough pcrhaps noL Lhc samc dcgrcc or kind. Iiking Lhc arLisL is noL an issuc,
and cvcn liking Lhc arL is consLrucd Lo mcan somcLhing oLhcr Lhan a lovc
maLch. AL lcasL in Lhcory his procssion dcmands LhaL a criLics culLural Lol-
crancc bc widcwidcr, aL any raLc, Lhan his pcrsonal LasLcwhilc an arLisL
is noL hcld accounLablc in Lhis way.
Tcrc is an amusing poignancy in whaL arL hisLorian and criLic 1oscph
Mashcck says: AnLicipaLing a sLudio visiL is likc going on a blind daLc. A
criLic hopcs LhaL hc and Lhc arL will Lakc Lo cach oLhcr. MosLly, Lhough, sLu-
dio visiLs comc abouL aLcr Ivc sccn work, maybc in slidcs, and likcd iL. Oc-
casionally, Lhcy occur on bcing inLroduccd Lo Lhc arLisL and, in Lhc prcs-
cncc o Lhc arLisL, Im urgcd Lo makc a visiL. BuL I dislikc bcing prcssurcd in
Lhis way.
Oncc in Lhc sLudio, I likc Lo look aL Lhc arL wiLhouL bcing cocrccd inLo
Lhinking onc Lhing or anoLhcr. Annoyancc scLs in whcn I hcar LhaL prc-
rccordcd spicl somc arLisLs givc and ccl LrcaLcd as i ignoranL, as i I cannoL
scc painLing or myscl. I haLc Lo bc brain-uckcd. I haLc Lhc siLuaLion whcrc
onc is cxpccLcd Lo kccp saying, Ycs, ycs, ycs.
Tc criLic, who by dcniLion is arriving wiLh somcLhing Lo lcarn, is dis-
Lrcsscd Lo cncounLcr an arLisL who has no inLcrcsL in lcarning. Tc givc-and-
Lakc o lcarning wiLhin Lhc sLudio is crucial Lo mc. Bcyond Lhis, iL makcs so
much dicrcncc Lo Lhc cccLivcncss o Lhc sLudio visiL i Lhc arLisL happcns
Lo bc wcll-rcad, bccausc Lhcn you know, in 6us parlancc, whaL Lhc hcad is
likchow Lhc pcrson Lhinks.
Somc arLisLs scnd ouL an all-poinLs alcrL or criLical rcsponsc. WiLhouL
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hLaking rcsponsibiliLy ciLhcr or schooling (CilbcrL-Rolc: ArLisLs broughL up
in Lhc 106us lack idcas, in Lhc 107us Lhcy lack skill) or or Lhc spccic idcas
and valucs propoundcd by Lhc inviLcd criLic, arLisLs ncvcrLhclcss cxpccL Lhc
criLics rcsponsc Lo Lhcir own arL Lo bc crror-rcc. Tis is cspccially irriLaL-
ing whcn, as somcLimcs happcns, acLing ouL a kind o dcspcraLc cnLiLlcmcnL,
Lhcy bccomc prcsumpLivc abouL a criLics mind.
ILs nicc i Lhc arLisL has acLually rcad somcLhing by Lhc criLic and knows
whcrc hcs coming rom, Mashcck cxplains. Occasionally Lhis happcns, buL
morc oLcn Lhan noL, whcn Lhc arLisL docs procss Lo know somcLhing abouL
your idcas, hc gcLs Lhcm ass-backwards. By ailing Lo disLinguish Suprcma-
Lism and ConsLrucLivism, or insLancc. Or [having Lhc idca] LhaL, having
wriLLcn my iconiciLy cssays Lcn ycars ago, Ill likc anyLhing spiriLual. BuL
my inLcrcsL wiLh Lhc ikon was as an anLcLypc or Lhc absLracL painLing, and
was aL lcasL as sLrucLural as iL was rcligious.
Dorc AshLon, hisLorian o Lhc Ncw York School and arL criLic, spoLs an-
oLhcr sourcc o irrcsponsibiliLy. Somconcs making big moncy LuLoring kids
in how Lo soliciL sLudio visiLs rom criLics, shc rcporLs. Tc lcLLcrs Ivc rc-
ccivcd go likc Lhis: Dcar Ms. AshLon: I havc long admircd your wriLing. Im
surc you would lovc my work. ALcr you look aL slidcs, would you comc Lo
my sLudio or a visiL` Yours Lruly, . . . ILs cmbarrassing. SuggcsLcd hcrc is
Lhc vicw LhaL Lodays arL cducaLion may bc rcsponsiblc or brccding noL arL-
isLs buL pcLLy scl-promoLcrs. CcLLing iL all LogcLhcr no longcr ncccssar-
ily mcans commiLmcnL Lo arL and Lo Lhinking Lhings Lhrough. Now iL can
mcan indulging in such ploys as dirccL mail, Lhrough which a young arLisL
blankcLs cvcry wriLcr indiscriminaLcly, so LhaL i onc pcrccnL rcspond hcs
had a good rcsulL.
I Lhc commcnLs o Lhcsc criLics arc any indicaLion o conscnsus, bona
dc criLicsLhosc cducaLcd in Lhc disciplinc o arL hisLoryrcscnL bcing
LrcaLcd likc arL LourisLs Lo bc hcrdcd Lhrough sLudios. By procssion Lhcy
comc armcd wiLh knowlcdgc o culLural paradigms and sLylcs cxprcsscd or
rccrcnccd by arL. UnLil soliciLcd, Lhc arLisLs linc on Lhc arL rcgisLcrs as
mcrc sLaLic. Or, morc imporLanLly, sincc Lhc arLisLs cxplanaLion o his arL
scldom cxplains Lhc arL buL only somc impcrccL L o inLcnLion and rcaliza-
Lion, Lhc criLic may wanL Lo copc wiLh Lhis oLhcr, wroughL, vcrbal icon scpa-
raLcly, in duc coursc.
ComplicaLing Lhc issuc, howcvcr, is Lhc inux o sLudio visiLs by wriLcrs
Lraincd in disciplincs oLhcr Lhan arL. Tcy may makc Lhcir prcscncc known
ciLhcr by addrcssing Lhc arL world and iLs sociology, or by making navc com-
mcnLs abouL Lhc arLs subjccL maLLcr, or by ring on Lhc arL wiLh crcaLivc,
rcc-orm rcmarks, scducLivc buL bcsidc Lhc poinL. FsscnLially nonvisual and
ouL o Lhcir dcpLh, Lhcsc arL wriLcrs, howcvcr quick-wiLLcd in oLhcr rcspccLs,
185
do rcquirc shoring up. Pcrhaps LhaL is why arLisLs arc so quick Lo jump inLo
Lhc ray wiLh Lhcir oricnLaLion spccch o Lhc aLcrnoon.
Unlikc Mashcck and CilbcrL-Rolc, who arc inclincd Lo agiLaLc or livcly
vcrbal cxchangc, boLh AshLon and arLisL/criLic RobcrL SLorr characLcrizc
Lhcir sLudio visiLs as givcn Lo silcncc. AshLon avors silcncc bccausc on rsL
acquainLancc wiLh an arLisLs work, or cvcn aL sccond sighL, shc may havc
noLhing Lo say. Shc rmly bclicvcs discussion is appropriaLc only aLcr dili-
gcnLly Lracking Lhc arLisLs work or somc Limc.
For his parL, as critic, SLorr Lcnds Lo bc ouLwardly passivc in Lhc sLudio
proccssing whaL hc sccs ycL kccping his own counscl. As artist, hc is rcsisLanL
Lo Lhc siLuaLion in which visiLors cxpccL Lo scc Lhc mind Lhcy havc wiLncsscd
pcrorming in criLical cssays pcrorm similarly in Lhc sLudio, hc rcscnLs bc-
ing puL in Lhc posiLion o having Lo cxplicaLc his painLing or hand Lhc visiLor
cxhausLivc idcological or sLylisLic analyscs.
Somcbody camc ovcr and wanLcd a producLion, wanLcd mc Lo comc on
likc gangbusLcrs. And I didnL, SLorr rccalls. Hc rcally wanLcd mc Lo do Lhc
work or him. TaL pisscd mc o, bccausc yourc Lhcn bcing askcd Lo bc your
own sLudio visiLor, so Lo spcak.
I Lcnd Lo pay sLudio visiLs only Lo Lhosc whosc work Im curious abouL
and in LhaL scnsc, iL is mc who is gcLLing Lhc bcncL o Lhc visiL. Or I do iL
or work I supporL or or pcoplc I supporL cvcn Lhough Lhc work gocs up and
down, buL or whom I Lhink LhaL aLLcnLion is duc.
I look around Lhc spacc and scc Lhc painLings as parL o a siLuaLion, SLorr
says. I am curious. And my inLcrcsLs arc noL jusL in painLing, buL in arLisLs
as pcoplc. OLcn I jusL look aL Lhc painLing, wiLh noLhing Lo say. Tcn I say,
ILs noL my way Lo Lalk abouL painLings, so i I donL say anyLhing, donL Lakc
iL LhaL I disapprovc. SomcLimcs, having said LhaL, I do Lalk a loL. BuL I always
Lry Lo makc iL clcar Lo pcoplc LhaL silcncc is noL ncccssarily awkwardncss.
SilcnL rcsponsc raiscs a qucsLion abouL my iniLial working dcniLion o
Lhc sLudio visiL. PrcdicaLcd on dialoguc, iL assumcs Lwo-way communicaLion,
ycL Lhc bchavior o somc criLics would suggcsL oLhcrwisc. Tc basic siLuaLion
would Lhcn sccm Lo bc LhaL a sLudio visiL is Lhc occasion or sharing Lhc arL
wiLh a criLic. Rcsponsc may bc orLhcoming or noL, vcrbal or noL.
FxccpLional, ycL parL o Lhc pracLicc, is Lhc sorL o sLudio visiL LhaL hap-
pcns as a by-producL o sharcd poliLical or liLcrary inLcrcsLs, rapporL, in oLhcr
words, inspircd Lhrough conccrn or maLLcrs oLhcr Lhan arL. Dorc AshLon
says abouL hcrscl, I was an arL sLudcnL bcorc wriLing on arL, and whcn
young, I marricd a painLcr and livcd in a sLudio. So a sLudio visiL or mc is
likc going homc.
Tc naLurc o such visiLs always dcpcnds on whom yourc visiLing. WhaL
Lhcir morcs arc, whcrc Lhcy grcw up, Lhc politesse. Tc rcason I wcnL Lo visiL
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han arLisL in his sLudio was bascd on an aniLy or whaL hc did. And somc
arLisLsimporLanL arLisLswiLh whom I clL no rapporL wcrc Lhosc whosc
sLudios I ncvcr visiLcd.
Pcrhaps Lhc mosL pcculiar arLisL I uscd Lo visiL was 1oscph Corncll. 1o-
scph and I uscd Lo Lalk abouL liLcraLurc. SomcLimcs hc would Lclcphonc mc
and in his uncrcal voicc ask mc i Id rcad somcLhing or oLhcr, and somc-
Limcs I would suggcsL LhaL hc rcad somcLhing. So wc had scvcral visiLs abouL
Colcridgc, Samucl Taylor Colcridgc was a grcaL avoriLc o minc, and o his.
Hc was also inLcrcsLcd in Mallarmc, whom I was also inLcrcsLcd in. Wc ncvcr
Lalkcd abouL Lhc arL world or his works o arL. BuL anyLimc I visiLcd him, hc
would show mc his work and vcry oLcn iL would havc somc rclaLionship Lo
whaL wc had bccn discussing. Now Lhosc wcrc my pcculiar inLcrcsLs, and I
am surc oLhcr pcoplc who saw him Lalkcd abouL oLhcr Lhings.
In Lhc casc o Philip CusLon, I was so much youngcr Lhan hc, and as I look
back on LhaL cxpcricncc iL is amazing how casily hc acccpLcd mc as a pccr, in-
LcllccLually. Wc Lalkcd abouL anyLhing LhaL had Lo do wiLh our ormaLion in
WcsLcrn culLurc. Wcd Lalk abouL Isaac Babcl. Or wcd Lalk abouL how mysLc-
rious painLing isLhaL convcrsaLion wcnL on or ycars.
To hcar hcr Lcll iL, iL would sccm LhaL AshLon ncvcr paid Lhcsc cclcbraLcd
arLisLs ormal sLudio visiLs, buL only social calls conducLcd wiLh a dccidcd
inLcllccLual urgcncy. Hcr conducL was Lhc conducL o Lhc cxisLcnLial 105us,
whcn iL was carcd LhaL i Lhc culLural ucl was allowcd Lo dic, Lhc arLisLic
scl would pcrish also. AL LhaL Limc, Lhc ground rulcs or Lhis sorL o sLudio
convcrsaLion cnLailcd valucs cxprcsscd wiLh inLcnsiLy, ycL, curiously cnough,
valucs noL spccically dirccLcd Lo Lhc arL aL hand. InviLcd by arLisLs Lo bc a
pccr in a rcalm oLhcr Lhan arL, AshLon was askcd lcss Lo moniLor Lhcir arL
Lhan Lo parLicipaLc in Lhc acLivc cnhanccmcnL o Lhcir imaginaLions. To visiL
Lhc sLudio o oldcr or csLablishcd arLisLs, Lhcn, as boLh CilbcrL-Rolc and
AshLon imply, is noL likcly Lo disLurb Lhc sLaLus quo o Lhc arLisLs cclcbraLcd
scl-imagccxccpL maybc by inLcllccLual inlLraLion.
WhaL do wc mcan by criLiquc, and is criLicism appropriaLc during a sLudio
visiL` InviLcd Lo shamblc around Lhc sLudio, Lo pick Lhrough works in Lhc
racks, or, morc likcly, Lo bccomc Lhc xcd poinL around whom arLiacLs arc
placcd or commcnL, Lhc criLic bcgins Lo orm his rcsponsc Lo Lhc arL. IL soon
grows complicaLcd. CulLural rapporL drcw criLic and arLisL LogcLhcr, now,
howcvcr, Lhc rcgard a criLic ccls or Lhc culLural idcas Lo which Lhc arL pays
homagc may rcgisLcr as prcssurc Lo scc Lhc arLisLs inLcnLions cnLircly rcal-
izcd. AlLhough Lhc criLic likcs Lo rcsisL LhaL dcsign on him, hc is noL always
willing Lo risk hosLiliLy broughL on by disscnL. Will Lhc criLic risk dicring
inLcrprcLaLion and cvaluaLion` NoL all criLics look upon Lhc pracLicc o criLi-
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cism as inLrinsic Lo a visiL, and Lhcrc arc Lhosc who nd my assumpLion o
Lhc appropriaLcncss o criLicism appalling.
Civcn LhaL rcacLion, I could noL hclp wondcring whcLhcr wc criLics agrcc
on Lhc vcry mcaning o criLicism. On Lhis poinL I discovcrcd LhaL, howcvcr
Lhcy may disavow iL, morc criLics pracLicc criLicism on Lhc arLisLs prcm-
iscsor aL lcasL somc vcrsion o iLLhan own up Lo doing so. For somc
criLics, criLicism is LhaL which addrcsscs problcmaLic works o arL. For somc,
criLicism spcaks Lo Lhosc issucs in arL idcnLicd as crucial. For oLhcrs, criLi-
cism is a dcscripLivc, inLcrprcLaLivc, and cvaluaLivc bundlc applicd Lo arL.
SLill oLhcrs bclicvc LhaL criLicism shows iLscl in an acLivc dccnsc o arL ar-
gucd according Lo givcn idcological guidclincs. And I misLakcnly LhoughL
LhaL only laypcoplc conusc criLicism wiLh scvcrc disapproval, ycL Lhis is
noL Lhc casc.
Civing LhoughL Lo Lhc qucsLion, CilbcrL-Rolc says, I iLs Lhc rsL sLu-
dio visiL Lo somconc, yourc likcly Lo bc Laking in a loL o inormaLion
Lhc naLurc o Lhc arL, Lhc sLudio cnvironmcnLand so noL bc prcparcd Lo
criLiquc Lhc arL, morc cncrgy is cxpcndcd in looking Lhan in building an ar-
gumcnL. IniLially, gcL somc sorL o scnsc o whaL boLh pcoplc in Lhc room arc
Lalking abouL, dcning and nding common ground. So rsL is discussion,
noL criLiquca discussion o arL and how iL rclaLcs Lo idcas and Lo arL hisLory.
I discussion is dirccLcd Lo Lhc work iLscl aL Lhc lcvcl o Lhc arL objccL, Lhcn iL
is Lo lcarn how Lhc arLisL Lhcorizcs abouL Lhc arL. OLhcrwisc, Lhis rsL sLudio
visiL is LcnLaLivc. WhaL Lhc work rcally is abouL Lakcs placc silcnLly. Alonc.
YcL as his carlicr comparison o visiLs by arLisLs and by criLics rcvcals,
CilbcrL-Rolc prcsupposcs somc mcasurc o criLicism wcaving Lhrough Lhc
proccss. Hc cspccially valucs Lhosc sLudio visiLs in which arLisLs arc objccLivc
cnough Lo givc scl-criLicism. Tc bcsL arLisLs arc Lhosc in Lhcir laLc Lwcn-
Lics who work producLivcly, inLcnscly, and who havcnL sorLcd cvcryLhing
ouL ycL. Tcsc arc Lhc arLisLs rom whom a criLic is likcly Lo lcarn somcLhing
as wcll as givc somcLhing. I havc a problcm wiLh oldcr arLisLs who arc noL
human cnough bccausc Lhcy arc noL Lough cnough on Lhcmsclvcs. I rcscnL
Lhc implicaLion by Lhcm LhaL Lhcy oughL Lo bc rcwardcd or Lhcir shccr sLub-
bornncss and pcrsisLcncc. NoLhing in Lhc world Lakcs placc wiLhouL LhaL
sLubbornncss and pcrsisLcncc. Tc qucsLion is: whaL clsc is Lhcrc`
In conLrasL wiLh CilbcrL-Rolcs assumpLion o acsLhcLic rigor cxprcsscd
Lhrough dcbaLc, Mashccks approach Lo sLudio criLicism allows or gcnLly
probing inquiry, skcpLicism voiccd wiLh pcrmission. Tc rsL sLcp or Lhc
criLic is gcLLing Lo know Lhc mcLaphoric sysLcms pcoplc havc or Lalking
abouL arL. And whcn yours mcshcs wiLh Lhcirs, Lhcn Lhc subscqucnL givc-
and-Lakc is Lhc mosL inLcrcsLing parL o Lhc sLudio visiL. Includcd hcrc is dis-
cussion o Lhc Lcchnical, buL by Lhis I havc in mind whaL Hcidcggcr mcans by
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hwhaL ArisLoLlc rcally mcans by techn. IL ncvcr mcans Lhc mcrcly maLcrial or
Lhc mcrcly manual, iL always implics knowlcdgc, in Lhc scnsc o mcnLal pcn-
cLraLion. 1usL knowing how Lo do scumbling is noL knowlcdgc.
As soon as I havc somc cluc LhaL Lhc arLisL wanLs mc Lo bc ncgaLivc as wcll,
Lhcn I ccl rcc Lo poinL ouL in a simplc, unchargcd way Lhings LhaL arc prob-
lcmaLic. How do you Lalk abouL a body o arL you donL likc` Find somcLhing
good in iL, and, rcsLricLing yourscl Lo LhaL, iL should bc clcar Lo Lhc arLisL
LhaL Lhc arL is limiLcd. How Lo cndurc Lhc rcsL o Lhc hour is Lhc problcm.
Mashcck and CilbcrL-Rolc arc iniLially vcry dicrcnL in Lhcir approachcs.
Mashcck conccdcs a loL Lo arL by assuming LhaL Lhc phcnomcnal richncss
o Lhc givcn acLurc (or insLancc) is inLcnLionally Lracking a ccrLain cir-
cuiLous arL-hisLorical paLh. In conLrasL, CilbcrL-Rolc, whom arLisLs havc
callcd inLimidaLing, is pcrccLly capablc o inLcrrogaLing an arLisL Lo LcsL
Lhc inLcnLionaliLy o kcy issucs o which Lhc arL boasLsLhc mcaning o
rcprcscnLaLion or Lhc bogus disLincLion bcLwccn Amcrican and Furopcan
arL, or insLancc. BuL lcnicnL or scvcrc, Lhcir criLicism has Lo do wiLh arLicu-
laLing Lhc mcaning Lhc arL haulcd ouL or Lhcm Lo scc. FvaluaLion is impliciL,
Lcnding Lo rcmain sccrcLcd wiLhin Lhcir rcspccLivc inLcrprcLivc sLraLcgics.
AshLon rcsisLs Lhc noLion o criLiquc alLogcLhcr. I rcalizc criLiquc has a
long dignicd hisLory, shc says, as in Te Critique of Pure Reason, buL in con-
Lcmporary arL iL has no placc. I havc Lold acquainLanccs who arc arLisLs LhaL
bccausc I am a wriLcr I donL rcally likc Lo walk inLo a sLudio and Lalk rom
Lhc Lop o my hcad. I rsL rcspond cmoLionallyand LhaL is noL a rcasoncd
rcsponsc or a LhoughLul rcsponsc. So Lhcrcs a loL o silcncc whcn Im in
Lhc sLudio. SLill, Lhc arLisL mighL say, Okay, Lcll mc rcally whaL did you ccl
whcn you rsL lookcd aL Lhis painLing` I mighL say, Wcll, iL disLurbs mc. I
Lhc arLisL prcsscs and asks why, I mighL say, I donL undcrsLand why you
did LhaL impasLo on Lhc lcL, which jumps ouL. So i prcsscd Lo cxplain my
rcsponsc, Ill cngagc in Lcchnical sLudio Lalk, Lhc kind o vcrbal shorLhand
LhaL arL sLudcnLs and procssionals cngagc in. I ncvcr say, IL docsnL work,
bccausc LhaLs vulgar. And who am I Lo say iL docsnL work, I do say, I donL
undcrsLand why you do Lhis. Tcn Lhc arLisL mighL say, I hopc Lo do XYZ.
BuL mcanwhilc Ivc bccn ollowing Lhc work and know Lhc arLisLs ocuvrc.
So aL Lhis poinL in Lhc convcrsaLion I can say, Wcll, rcmcmbcr your show o
vc ycars ago . . . rcmcmbcr LhaL painLing o such-and-such, wcll, I scc now
yourc picking up so-and-so.
For Mashcck, Lhc idca o criLicism is linkcd boLh Lo ramicd inLcrprcLa-
Lion o arLworks and Lo Lhc diagnosis o problcmaLic picLurcs. CilbcrL-Rolc
and AshLon boLh cquaLc criLicism wiLh rcasoncd rcsponsc, an argumcnL in
which inLcllccLual posiLions arc givcn Lo cxplanaLion and dccnsc. YcL or
AshLon Lhc rcasoncd rcsponsc o criLicism is dccrrcd unLil shc is sccurc LhaL
189
whaL shc will say accords wiLh Lhc long-Lcrm inLcnLion o Lhc arLisL. Fvcn
Lhough Lhc inLcnLional ramc o rccrcncc may rcquirc ycars Lo cmcrgc, pos-
scssing Lhis hisLorical dossicr on Lhc arLisL is rcassuring whcn iL comcs Limc
Lo grapplc wiLh Lhc worLh o painLings immcdiaLcly aL hand.
Whcn I askcd SLorr, Is criLicism appropriaLc in Lhc sLudio` hc rcvcalcd
LhaL, likc AshLon, his modc is Lo sLay closc Lo parLiculars. O all Lhcsc criLics,
hc is Lhc mosL rclucLanL Lo givc voicc Lo his rcsponsc, whaLcvcr hc may rc-
ally Lhink. I myscl donL givc criLicism LhaL much, buL ycs, iL is appropriaLc.
IL has a loL Lo do wiLh whcLhcr Lhcrcs an inviLaLion. For my parL, I ccl ill aL
casc marching in and Lclling Lhc arLisL whaL I Lhink cvcn Lhough Lhc arLisL
has inviLcd mc inLo Lhc spacc Lo do jusL LhaL. I am noL always inclincd Lo givc
a rcacLioniLs work! Also, in somc cascs, iL mcans giving away inorma-
Liongood inormaLionLo pcoplc who arc only mildly inLcrcsLcd in iL.
Im noL inLcrcsLcd in saying, TaLs Lhc righL rcd, Lhc wrong bluc. I am in-
LcrcsLcd in why pcoplc do whaL Lhcy do. Im inLcrcsLcd in Lhcir moLivaLion, o
which onc would hopc Lhcir idcological sLu is an cxLcnsion. BuL Im noL jusL
inLcrcsLcd in Lalking Lo pcoplc abouL sLylc or Lhc ncxL movcmcnL in painLing,
bccausc who knows LhaL anyway, and who carcs . . . My bias is Lo considcr Lhc
look o painLings and work Lo Lhc Lhcory rom Lhcrc.
Fvcn i vicwing poliLical arL, SLorr will noL iniLiaLc qucsLions abouL iLs
naLurc or how Lhc arLisL sccs iL in a poliLical conLcxL. Bccausc LhaL assumcs
LhaL Lhcrcs an objccLivc agcnda or somcLhing going on in Lhc world LhaL
Lhcy oughL Lo bc Lhinking abouL. Tcyrc adulLs, Lhcy arc on Lhcir own rccog-
nizancc. I mighL say, I donL gcL iL, Lhis is vaguc Lo mc. BuL I ncvcr look aL arL
in Lcrms o issucs oLhcr Lhan Lhosc addrcsscd dirccLly by Lhc work, aL lcasL,
I Lry noL Lo. I acccpL LhaL arLisLs havc clccLcd Lo work in a parLicular way, bc-
yond LhaL, Lhc qucsLion LhaL comcs Lo mind is: Is iL challcnging, convincing,
and complicaLcd cnough`
To Lakc Lhcir LcsLimony aL acc valuc, Lhcsc criLics arguc againsL ouLrighL
cvaluaLion in Lhc sLudio, buL, alLhough rclucLanL Lo pass judgmcnL on Lhc arL
Lhcy havc bccn inviLcd Lo visiL, Lhcy do cxcrcisc Lhcir criLical opLions in oLhcr
ways. How Lhcy do iL, by scruLinizing orm or by dispuLing idcas and issucs,
sccms Lo dcpcnd on cach oncs pcrsonal bias as a criLic in Lhc world.
My own assumpLion is LhaL, unlikc a social call, Lhc privaLc procssional
consulLaLion known as Lhc sLudio visiL, by virLuc o cngaging Lhc arL and
lcaving Lhc arLisL wiLh maLLcrs Lo Lhink abouL, nudgcs Lhc arLisL urLhcr
along in Lhc crcaLivc proccss. So or an arLisL Lo cxLracL mcrc praisc rom a
criLic is a orm o scl-congraLulaLion LhaL docs worsc Lhan ncgaLc Lhc criLics
prcscncc: iL orccloscs on proccss alLogcLhcr.
I disagrcc wiLh SLorr in LhaL I bclicvc LhaL oncc a criLic acccpLs an inviLa-
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hLion Lo sLop by Lhc sLudio, hc acccpLs rcsponsibiliLy Lo do work. ILs Lruc
LhaL a Lhoroughgoing analysis o sLylc and conLcxL is cxhausLing. And work
donc or rcc docsnL wash in any oLhcr walk o lic (pcrhaps ccs Licd Lo dcn-
Lal scrviccs arc appropriaLc: $75 or clcaning, $125 or dccp clcaning, and
up. RooL canal`). Howcvcr sLicky Lhc siLuaLion, somc cxprcsscd rcsponsc
LhaL gocs bcyond praisc and ncuLral dcscripLion is, I bclicvc, parL o Lhc pro-
cssional conLracL Lo which a criLic commiLs himscl upon cnLcring a sLudio,
criLicism is boLh appropriaLc and mandaLcd by Lhc siLuaLion. YcL, howcvcr
criLiquc is warranLcd, iL docs noL mcan banging a shoc on Lhc Lablc in dis-
plcasurc. CriLicism is somcLhing a liLLlc morc dialccLical Lhan LhaL.
Somc rcjccL Lhc pracLicc o criLicism in Lhc sLudio alLogcLhcr. All arLisLs
rclaLc horror sLorics o sLudio visiLs conducLcd or shccr abusc. SLalking
Lhc land is a criLic who, on cnLcring Lhc sLudio o an arLisL Lo whom hc had
bccn ricndly, said Lo him, You jusL donL havc iL. UndcrsLandably, arLisLs
cars LhaL Lhc sLudio visiL will rcsulL in Lhis sorL o cxLcrminaLion also lcad
Lo Lhc bclic LhaL criLicism means abusc. Tc sadisLic criLic may havc jusL
causc in Lrying Lo dcal wiLh arL LhaL is misconccivcd, or in coping wiLh boLh
would-bc and cclcbraLcd arLisLs wiLh no giL, addrcssing Lhcsc vcry rcal con-
ccrns is indccd a criLics rcsponsibiliLy. YcL I would prccr Lo say LhaL a judg-
mcnL orgcd o shccr powcr is noL arL criLicism buL culLural Lcrrorism, and
LhaL Lhc pcrson uLLcring Lhis cursc is noL a criLic buL a LcrrorisL.
Whcrcvcr iL Lravcls, on Lhc pagc or in convcrsaLion, criLicism is propcrly
an analyLic, inLcrprcLivc, and cvaluaLivc insLrumcnL. YcL Lhc choicc o Lhc
parLicular maLLcr Lo bc scruLinizcd also dcpcnds on Lhc criLics scnsc o Lhc
arLisLs mosL prcssing nccd. Pcrhaps amid a wclLcr o hiLs and misscs, onc
minimalisL arLiacL sLands ouL, iLs up Lo Lhc criLic Lo hclp Lhc arLisL arLicu-
laLc why Lhis is so. I inLcllccLual opporLunism lcsscns Lhc supposcd ncrvc
o, say, a baLch o cminisL phoLographs, onc way or anoLhcr Lhc criLic should
lcad Lo a discussion o LhaL dcccL. How Lhc criLic and arLisL arrivc Lhcrc, and
whaL arLisLic cpisodcs suracc mcanwhilc, may wcll bc improviscd cn rouLc,
wiLh Lhcsc maLLcrs alling as Lhcy may, somc aLLcndcd Lo wiLh vigilancc, oLh-
crs droppcd. Unavoidablc, howcvcr, is Lhc rcsponsibiliLy Lo dcal wiLh aL lcasL
onc crucial sLylisLic, culLural, or inLcllccLual issuc Lhc arL suggcsLs wiLh a
complcx criLicaliLy. I Lhc sLudio visiL docs ocr Lhc occasion or providing
Lhc arLisL wiLh a kind o augmcnLcd privacy, iL should providc an cnhanccd
consciousncss as wcll.
Tc purposc o Lhc sLudio visiL is Lo acquainL Lhc criLic wiLh Lhc arLisLs
work, says Mashcck, ciLing Lhc mosL basic rcason or cnLcring an arLisLs
quarLcrs. FirsL orays cspccially, as all our criLics aLLcsL, will bc rcscarch-
inLcnsivc. How a givcn criLic will go abouL acquainLing him- or hcrscl wiLh
Lhc arL rcvcals a loL abouL his or hcr parLicular sLylc o knowing. Mashcck
191
mighL sni ouL an arLisLs background. (I am inLcrcsLcd in Lhc arLisLs aca-
dcmic gcncology, whcrc Lhcy wcnL Lo school, whcrc Lhcir background phascs
in Lo Lhcir inLcllccLual ormaLion. I an arLisL wcnL Lo Rccd or Bowdoin, An-
Lioch or Yalc, I likc Lo scc how Lhc aLLiLudc pcculiar Lo Lhc school applics.)
YcL cmphasizing morc Lhan oLhcr criLics LhaL iL is Lhc arL, noL Lhc arLisL, hc
is visiLing, Mashcck will cxpcnd much crcaLivc, nonconronLaLional cncrgy
in his givc-and-Lakc approach Lo inLcrprcLing canvascs. Hc will acLually do-
naLc mcaning Lo arL i LhaL is whaL iL cvokcs in his mind, Lhc aim bcing Lo
clcvaLc Lhc discoursc cvcn i Lhis ulLimaLcly causcs Lhc arL Lo sccm morc in-
LcrcsLing Lhan iL is. Tc unsLaLcd hcrmcncuLical aim: Lo cxLrapolaLc Lhc arLs
poLcnLial.
AL lcasL in somc insLanccs, AshLons purposc or visiLing sLudios is Lo con-
Linuc an ongoing dialoguc wiLh arLisLs shc supporLs. I youvc alrcady csLab-
lishcd a ricndship, as I had wiLh onc or Lwo arLisLs ovcr many, many ycars,
Lo comc and scc Lhcm in Lhcir sLudio was Lo cngagc in Lhc conLinual con-
vcrsaLion LhaL gocs on or ycars. WhcLhcr Lhcy wcrc visiLing mc or I Lhcm,
wc would pursuc ccrLain idcas LhaL impassioncd us muLually. Paradoxically,
Lhc social calls shc dcscribcs, including dinncrs ovcr which ricnds slog ouL
issucs, sccm morc inLcllccLually dcmanding o Lhc arLisL Lhan oLhcr criLics
sLudio visiLs. Oncc in Lhc sLudio, howcvcr, AshLon orgivcs Lhc arLisL all, or,
aL lcasL, puLs hcrscl in Lhc scl-abncgaLing scrvicc o Lhc arLisL. Tc uncLion
o Lhc criLic in Lhc sLudio, as AshLon sccs iL, is LhaL o sympaLhcLic wiLncss,
nurLuring Lhc arLisL Lo whom shc is prcdisposcd.
Bcyond Lhc occasion Lo scc Lhc arL and pass on iL, CilbcrL-Rolcs purposc
in paying a sLudio visiL sccms Lo involvc LcsLing Lhc limiLs o Lhc arLisLs un-
dcrsLanding o issucs crucial Lo Lhc arL on vicw. Unlikc SLorr, CilbcrL-Rolc
procccds rom idcas and idcology Lo Lhc propcrLics o Lhc arLwork, wiLh Lhc
sorL o dismanLling inLcllccL inspircd by posLsLrucLuralism bcing a criLcrion
or valuc. AdmiLLcdly compcLiLivc wiLhin his own gcncraLion (Im a middlc-
agcd absLracL painLcr, and so havc mosL diculLy wiLh middlc-agcd absLracL
painLcrs), CilbcrL-Rolc mcans, Lhrough such sparring, Lo gcL an arLisL Lo
dccnd his arLhis assumpLion bcing LhaL Lhc criLic is propcrly abrasivc
i Lhc arLisL is noL Lough cnough on himscl Lo providc Lhis orm o scl-
puriying ncgaLiviLy.
To saLisy curiosiLy abouL Lhc arL is only a parL o SLorrs anLhropological
inLcrcsL in visiLing Lhc sLudio. Sccing howcvcr Lhc arLisL chooscs Lo prcscnL
himscl in his habiLaL inLcrcsLs him as wcll. Bccausc sLudying Lhc arLisLs
moLivaLion Lo do arL is SLorrs spccial conccrn, any cxplanaLion Lhc arLisL
dclivcrs is uscul, or iL rcvcals Lhc unconcsscd and involunLary agcndas
hc susLains. SLorrs Lhcory o no LhcoryLhc vicwpoinL o comprchcnsivc
cmpiricismscLs his aparL rom Lhc oLhcr criLics approachcs.
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hBcyond acquainLing Lhcmsclvcs wiLh Lhc arL, giving somc orm o criLical
rcsponsc, susLaining a culLural dialoguc ovcr Limc, or disciplining an undis-
ciplincd mind, Lhc purposc in Lhc criLics crossing Lhc Lhrcshold o Lhc sLudio
may also bc Lo givc pracLical advicc or connccLions Lo urLhcr Lhc arLisLs ca-
rccr. Tc arLisL, says SLorr, wanLs inormaLion and advicc, which Lhc criLic
has Lhc opLion o giving or wiLhholding, and I Lhink LhaL LhaLs a lcgiLimaLc
uncLion. ILs air cnough Lo ask criLics or connccLions, as iL is air or Lhcsc
criLics Lo say no. Tc criLic can bc orLhrighL: I do or do noL know somcbody,
I do or do noL wanL Lo givc my namc as a rccrcncc, I do or do noL wanL Lo
hclp you, I do wanL Lo hclp somcbody, buL you donL happcn Lo bc LhaL onc.
Tc morc visiblc criLics bccomc, Lhc morc arLisLs wanL Lhcm Lo comc Lo Lhcir
sLudios Lo validaLc Lhcm in ccrLain ways: Lo do Lhcm a avor, Lo givc Lhcm ca-
rccr advicc, Lo schmoozc.
Tc inLcnLionaliLy o Lhc criLic is iLscl worLh sLudying in LhaL iL rcvcals
ccrLain pcrsonal sLylcs o Lhcsc wandcring inLcrlocuLors. In his book Te
Interpretation of Cubism, Mark Roskill spcculaLcs bricy on arLisLs sLraLcgics
o rcsponsc, ycL wc mighL noLc Lhc sLraLcgics o criLics as wcll. Tc laconic
RobcrL SLorr, Lhc combaLivc 1crcmy CilbcrL-Rolc, Lhc rcspccLul 1oscph
Mashcck, and Lhc apologcLic Dorc AshLoncach adapLivc LraiL cnsurcs a
dcgrcc o scl-proLccLion as Lhc criLic cnLcring Lhc sLudio makcs an corL Lo
mainLain inLcllccLual auLonomy.
To mccL Lhc inLcnLionaliLy o Lhc arLisL wiLh oncs own is jusL onc morc
laycr complicaLing Lhc LransacLion known as Lhc sLudio visiL. Howcvcr Lhc
arLisLs inLcnLion may bc sidcsLcppcd or dismisscd as a allacy in wriLLcn arL
criLicism, in pcrson Lhc criLic musL mccL iL hcad-on. OuL o CocLhcs Lhrcc-
old ormula or arL criLicism, What is the artist trying to do? is noL Lhc only
ingrcdicnL LhaL criLics nd Lhcmsclvcs cngaging arcsh in Lhc arLisLs prcs-
cncc: Did he succeed in doing it? Was it worth doing? arc also qucsLions o somc
urgcncy whcn Lhc arLisL is sLanding righL Lhcrc.
ArLs Magazinc 64 (September 1989): 5560.
Te
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Mary Bergstein
Tc Artist in His Studio:
Photography, Art, and thc
Masculinc Mystiquc
Tc Artist in His Studio/Tc Artists of My Iifc
CriLics havc long obscrvcd LhaL as Lhc LwcnLicLh ccnLury unoldcd Lhc idca
o arL-making as a malc prcrogaLivc was cxpoundcd in rcprcscnLaLion. Tc
morc LhaL masculiniLy camc Lo bc idcnLicd as a gcncraLivc orcc in arLis-
Lic crcaLion, Lhc morc ncccssary iL sccmcd or womcn Lo assumc Lhc oil o
alLcriLyLo bc casL as naLural, passivc bcings whosc rolc was opposiLc and
complcmcnLary Lo Lhc arLisLic pursuiL. Tis cssay addrcsscs rcprcscnLaLions
o arLisLs by Alcxandcr Iibcrman and Brassa. Tc phoLographs undcr dis-
cussion wcrc produccd rom abouL 103u Lhrough Lhc 106us and havc circu-
laLcd in publicaLion Lo vasL audicnccs rom Lhc Limc o Lhcir making Lo Lhc
prcscnL. I will arguc LhaL in Lhc phoLographic imagcs and accompanying
LcxLs, Iibcrman and Brassa advanccd spccic idcas abouL Lhc mysLiquc o
Lhc arLisLs sLudio, abouL womcn and arL, and abouL masculiniLy as Lhc primo
mobile o arLisLic Lransccndcncc.
Around midccnLury Lhcrc wcrc scvcral culLic phoLography books whosc
producLion and salc ourishcd in Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs. Alcxandcr Iibcrmans
Te Artist in His Studio (106u) sccms Lo havc bccn ubiquiLous, cspccially in iLs
incxpcnsivc papcrback cdiLion o 106S. Te Artist in His Studio can bc clas-
sicd as high modcrnisL rcporLagc. Iibcrmans raLionalc or Lhc book was
paLcnLly modcrnisL: I Lricd Lo rcvcal [Lhc] corc o Lhc crcaLivc acL, Lo show
Lhc crcaLivc proccss iLscl, and Lhcrcby Lo rclaLc painLing and sculpLurc wiLh
Lhc mainsLrcam o mans scarch or LruLh. In a orcword Lo Lhc book, 1amcs
Trall Soby asscrLcd LhaL Iibcrman had broughL Lo Lhc work . . . a rarc capac-
iLy or psychological insighL. UnLil rcccnLly Lhc cdiLorial dirccLor o Condc
NasL, Iibcrman workcd or many ycars as a Vogue phoLographcr and arL
dirccLor, his collccLcd phoLographs o arLisLs aL work rcprcscnL a projccL o
scvcral dccadcs in which his sLaLcd aim was documcnLary accuracy.
Tc mysLiquc o Lhc arLisLs aLclicr was disscminaLcd in mainsLrcam
Amcrican magazincs such as Life, Vogue, and Harpers Bazaar, whcrc Alcxan-
dcr Iibcrman and Brassa, among oLhcrs, rcprcscnLcd arLisLs livcs or public
consumpLion. Onc o Iibcrmans carly missions had bccn Lo bring modcrn-
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nisL arL Lo Lhc pagcs o Vogue, his picLurcs, inLcrspcrscd among caLurcs and
advcrLiscmcnLs convcying nc poinLs o cLiqucLLc and ashion, scL Lhc lcg-
cnd o Lhc modcrnisL arLisL Lo womcn wiLhin Lhc rcalm o ashion- magazinc
anLasy. In Lhis conLcxL, iL sccmcd naLural or NorLh Amcrican womcn Lo
sLudy a phoLograph o a modcl wcaring a Dior drcss wiLhin scconds o hav-
ing conLcmplaLcd a phoLo cssay o Picasso in his sLudio. Fashion and arL
wcrc glamorous consumcr producLsouL o rcach or mosL rcadcrs, buL prc-
scnLcd as cmincnLly dcsirablc. Iibcrman is said Lo havc sLaLcd LhaL haute
couture, wiLh iLs basis in cmininc scducLion, had a placc wiLhin Lhc Lradi-
Lion o WcsLcrn arL rom TiLian and Vclazqucz Lo MaLissc.` Iikcwisc Lhc
LradiLion o masculinc dominaLion and cmininc objccLicaLion in WcsLcrn
avanL-gardc arL was granLcd a privilcgcd placc in ashion. A pcrsisLcnL inLcr-
lcaving o malc arLisLs wiLh womcns ashions in magazincs likc Vogue scrvcd
Lo rcinorcc Lhc hisLorical associaLion o masculiniLy wiLh producLion and
cmininiLy wiLh passiviLy and consumpLion.
Iibcrmans phoLo cssays o arLisLs sccmcd morc inLimaLc and acccssiblc
Lhan somc o Lhc idcas cxprcsscd in acLual works o painLing or sculpLurc.
IllusLraLcd publicaLions wcrc ar morc widcly rcplicaLcd and circulaLcd, and
Lhus bcLLcr known, Lhan Lhc arL objccLs Lhcmsclvcs. Tc cxpcricncc o por-
ing ovcr books likc Te Artist in His Studio providcd pcoplc (including pho-
Lographcrs, sLudcnLs, and arL hisLorians) wiLh a common culLural sysLcm. In
Iibcrmans book Lhc arLisLs biographical skcLchcs consisLcd o phoLographic
vigncLLcs accompanicd by vcrbal anccdoLcs. Hc consLrucLcd an avanL-gardc
modcrnism o pcrsonal lcgcnd, inviLing Lhc vicwcr Lo inspccL cach imagc or
clucs rcgarding Lhc acLualiLy o Lhc arLisLs crcaLivc cxpcricncc. Tis maLc-
rial was packagcd in Lhc languagc o documcnLary phoLography.
Many poinLs o connccLion link Lhc ocuvrc o Alcxandcr Iibcrman wiLh
LhaL o Lhc morc cclcbraLcd phoLographcr Brassa. Brassa phoLographcd Lhc
arLisLs o his lic in a LhirLy-ycar projccL. Somc o his phoLographs rsL ap-
pcarcd in liLcrary magazincs such as Verve and Minotaure, and much o Lhc
work was donc undcr Lhc auspiccs o Life and Lhc Amcrican ashion monLhly
Harpers Bazaar. His Conversations avec Picasso (1064) was LranslaLcd rom
Lhc Frcnch by Francis Pricc as Picasso and Company, wiLh a prcacc by Hcnry
Millcr and an inLroducLion by Roland Pcnrosc (1066). Finally, an arL book cn-
LiLlcd Brassa: Te Artists of My Life (10S2) rcproduccd many o Lhcsc imagcs
o arLisLs, wiLh a mcmoir wriLLcn by Brassa Lo accompany Lhc csscnLially
phoLographic LcxL. Brassas work, likc Iibcrmans, promulgaLcd Lhc lcgcnd
o masculinc dominaLion Lhrough rcprcscnLaLions o sLudio lic.
Tc arLisLs sLudio was an csLablishcd Lhcmc in carly LwcnLicLh-ccnLury
painLing and would bccomc a primc subjccL or Lhc documcnLary phoLogra-
phcr. Tc aLclicr was pcrccivcd as a placc o cnchanLmcnL whcrc Lhc arLisLs
197
lic (rcal and imaginary) unoldcd, as wcll as bcing a workshop or Lhc pro-
ducLion o arL objccLs. As Lhcsc aspccLs o Lhc sLudio mcrgcd in rcprcscnLa-
Lion, Lhc proccss o crcaLiviLy bccamc uscd wiLh Lhc arLisLs pcrsonal wishcs
and graLicaLions. Picasso is pcrhaps Lhc arLisL bcsL known or his claim Lo
makc arL Lhrough Lhc impcrious, insLanLancous gcsLurc o his own wishcs:
I dcal wiLh painLing as I dcal wiLh Lhings, I painL a window jusL as I look ouL
o a window. I an opcn window looks wrong in a picLurc, I draw Lhc curLain
and shuL iL, jusL as I would in my own room.' Brassa rcmcmbcrcd Picasso
cxisLing in Lhc privaLc rcugc o his sLudio:
Tcrc wcrc our or vc roomscach wiLh a marblc rcplacc surmounLcd by a
mirrorcnLircly cmpLicd o any cusLomary urniLurc and liLLcrcd wiLh sLacks o
painLings, carLons, wrappcd packagcs, pails o all sizcs . . . pilcs o books, rcams
o papcr, odds and cnds o cvcryLhing, placcd whcrcvcr Lhcrc was an inch o
spacc. . . . Tc doors bcLwccn all Lhc rooms wcrc opcnLhcy mighL cvcn havc
bccn Lakcn o . . . oors wcrc dull and lusLcrlcss, long sincc dcprivcd o any pol-
ish, coaLcd hcrc and Lhcrc wiLh sploLchcs o painL, and sLrcwn wiLh a carpcL o
cigarcLLc buLLs. . . . Madamc Picasso ncvcr camc Lo Lhis aparLmcnL. . . . WiLh Lhc
cxccpLion o a cw ricnds, Picasso admiLLcd no onc Lo iL. So Lhc dusL could all
whcrc iL would and rcmain Lhcrc undisLurbcd, wiLh no car o Lhc caLhcr dusL-
crs o clcaning womcn.'
Hcrc as clscwhcrc Lhc sLudio was ramcd as Lhc arLisLs inncr sancLum, a Lwi-
lighL zonc bcLwccn lic and arL, whcrc domcsLic norms wcrc suspcndcd or
rcvcrscd in avor o indcpcndcncc and scl-cxprcssion.
Iibcrman and Brassa cvidcnLly Look plcasurc in sLccping Lhcmsclvcs in
Lhc cnvironmcnL o arLisLs sLudios. And Lhc maLcrial o lcgcnd was con-
sLrucLcd Lhrough an cxchangc bcLwccn arLisL and arL phoLographcr. In a doc-
umcnLary modc Brassa rcmcmbcrcd a convcrsaLion o a winLcr aLcrnoon
wiLh Lhc cldcrly ArisLidc Maillol in his sLudio. Tc phoLographcrs wriLLcn
mcmoir o Maillol aL work is almosL cnLircly dcvoLcd Lo Lhc sculpLors dcsirc
or his cmalc modcls:
ALcr my arrival, Lhc sclccLion proccss conLinucs, puncLuaLcd by rcmarks. Fach
drawing rcminds him [Maillol] o a momcnL ouL o his lic, Lhc living body o
somc scrvanL, somc girl, somc woman. And Iucicn, sLanding bchind his aLhcr,
conLribuLcs his own mcmorics:
TaL onc was a solid crcaLurc! TaL onc had splcndid Lhighs! Ycs, LhaLs Mar-
goL, hcr brcasLs drovc mc crazy . . .
Do you rcmcmbcr Lhis rcd-hcadcd onc` Iucicn asks. Shc was vcry bcauLiul.
I was Lhc onc who ound hcr, who broughL hcr along Lo you . . .
Ycs, and yourc Lhc onc who wcnL Lo bcd wiLh hcr, Loo . . .
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nBrassa rccordcd Lhcsc delizie wiLh apparcnL saLisacLion, as wcll as supposcd
vcrbaLim accuracy. (ALcr all, his own mcLicrphoLographywas amous
or capLuring momcnLs o LruLh.) TroughouL his wriLings Brassa opcnly
subscribcd Lo Lhc noLion LhaL a passivc, objccLicd cmininc prcscncc in Lhc
painLcrs homc or sLudio could sLimulaLc arLisLic producLion. Tc Maillol
cpisodc is conspicuously ramcd in Lhc amiliar Lcrms o having bccn Lhcrc,
and Brassas scl-documcnLcd inclusion in Lhc sLudio scssion scrvcs Lo cn-
dorsc his own posiLion as an arLisL among arLisLs. For jusL as Maillol was in
Lhc sLudio wiLh his brushcs and chiscls, Brassa was prcscnL wiLh his visual
imaginaLion, his camcra, and his (prodigiously phoLographic) mcmory.
Rcading thc Photographic Matcrial
Iawrcncc Durrcll has suggcsLcd LhaL Brassas work, whcLhcr iL dcals wiLh
rclaLivcly inanimaLc aspccLs o Lhc ciLy or wiLh scnLicnL human bcings, has
an animaLcd, biographical characLcr. Brassas graLi phoLographs (un-
daLcd works shown LogcLhcr aL Lhc Muscum o Modcrn ArL in Ncw York
in 1056) communicaLcas do many o his cac, broLhcl, and sLrccL sccncs
a high cmoLional LcmpcraLurc. His languagc o walls is mcanL Lo rcvcal
psychological insighLs discovcrcd in urban palimpscsLs in Lhc bas-fonds o
Paris. In a rcLrospccLivc caLalog cnLiLlcd Brassa, produccd by MoMA undcr
Lhc auspiccs o 1ohn Szarkowski in 106S, porLrayals o human bcings, such
as a girl aL a cac (1033), 1can CcncL (1055), Salvador Dali (1033), Hcnry
Millcr (1032), AlbcrLo CiacomcLLi (1034), and o coursc Pablo Picasso (1032),
arc paircd wiLh discrcLcly ramcd ragmcnLs o walls similarly cxccrpLcd
rom Lhc abric o Lhc ciLy.
Andrc Malraux (whom Brassa kncw in Paris) had obscrvcd LhaL sLraLcgic
arrangcmcnLs o ragmcnLs and dcLails o arL in phoLographic publicaLions
could suggcsL univcrsal, cross-culLural LruLhs abouL Lhc crcaLivc proccss.
Tc physical proximiLy, or impingcmcnL, o dissonanL or complcmcnLary
imagcs was a Lypically modcrnisL LacLic in Lhc dcsign o arL books, provok-
ing whaL Malraux considcrcd a mcLamorphosis o vision. Tc sLraLcgy ad-
opLcd in MoMAs Brassa corrcsponds Lo Malrauxs sysLcm o visual algcbra.
Hcrc, porLraiL likcncsscs arc paircd wiLh suggcsLivcly aggravaLcd ragmcnLs
o wall suraccs prcsumcd Lo cxposc Lhc psychological sLaLc o Lhc phoLo-
graphcd subjccL (painLcr, pocL, prosLiLuLc, or clochard) and Lo cxhibiL an in-
Lcnsc dcgrcc o psychological inquiry and insighL on Lhc parL o Lhc phoLog-
raphcr. Tc wholc scLup, in which Brassa appcars Lo rcad inLo Lhc minds cyc
o Lhc porLraiL subjccL, validaLcs Lhc modcrnisL prcmiums placcd upon Lhc
unconscious mind, cxprcssion, and absLracL orms. Brassa Lhcrcorc arLicu-
laLcs Lhc ovcrarching program o modcrnism LhaL was parLicularly cndorscd
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by MoMA. AL Lhc samc Limc iL lcgiLimizcs Lhc phoLographcrs sLaLus as an
arLisL in Lhc Malrauvian muscum wiLhouL walls.
Considcr Brassas porLraiL o his ricnd Hcnry Millcr (1032), whcrc Millcr
is sccn pausing in Lhc doorway o Brassas room aL Lhc HoLcl dcs Tcrrasscs
in ruc dc la Clacicrc. Tc picLurc was madc during Lhc Limc Brassa was work-
ing on Lhc Paris dc nuiL projccL. Millcr occasionally accompanicd him on
his nocLurnal wandcrings, naming Lhc phoLographcr Iil dc Paris. In
Lhis phoLograph Millcrs gazc is obscurcd by Lhc shadow o his cdora, and
his acc bcLrays liLLlc cmoLional accL. An anonymous woman is boLh prcs-
cnL and abscnL, hcr car and ncck mis en abyme in a phoLograph wiLhin a pho-
Lograph aL Lhc uppcr righL.` WhaL is on Millcrs mind` Tc scmiabsLracL
sgrato, aL oncc primiLivc, LacLilc, and symbolic, LhaL is Millcrs acing-
pagc counLcrparL in Brassa, suggcsLs rcscrvoirs o hcLcroscxual libido. Bras-
sas undaLcd sgrato dcpicLs a phallic LrajccLory aL Lhc ccnLcr o a doublc-
valcnLinc orm, a composiLion prcsumably Lakcn rom an anonymous wall
somcwhcrc in Paris. Tis parLicular pairing o phoLographs has an cxpliciL
hisLorical rccrcncc, bccausc in Lhc coursc o his associaLion wiLh Brassa,
Millcr had undcrLakcn a sLudy o Lhc graLi o Paris and iLs suburbs. Millcr
wroLc in Tropic of Cancer, Insidc Lhc LoilcL you could Lakc an invcnLory o
Lhcir [Frcnchmcns] idlc LhoughLs. Tc walls wcrc crowdcd wiLh skcLchcs
and cpiLhcLs, all o Lhcm jocoscly obsccnc, casy Lo undcrsLand, and on Lhc
wholc raLhcr jolly and sympaLhcLic. Brassas juxLaposiLion scrvcs as a doc-
umcnL o his rclaLion wiLh Millcr and a manicsLo o Lhcir sharcd mission.
BuL in morc gcncral Lcrms Lhc MoMA layouL implics LhaL such primordial
scraLchings wcrc analogous Lo Millcrs own arL, in conLcnL and orm. Indccd,
Lhc acing-pagc phoLo conorms Lo Lhc way Millcr dcscribcd Lhc awakcning
o arLisLic inspiraLion in Te World of Sex: ILs whcn Im alonc, walking Lhc
sLrccLs [o Paris] LhaL I gcL Lhc ccl o Lhings: pasL, prcscnL, uLurc, birLh, rc-
birLh, cvoluLion, rcvoluLion, dissoluLion. And scx in all iLs paLhological pa-
Lhos. . . . In somc placcs iL pcrmcaLcs Lhc air likc Lhin vaporous spcrm, in
oLhcrs iL is cakcd inLo Lhc walls o dwcllings, cvcn houscs o worship.' Pho-
Lographic cnscmblcs likc Lhis onc uncLioncd as modcrnisL rhcLoric. Tc syn-
LacLical ormaLion in Brassa prcdicLcd Lhc words o criLics such as Norman
Mailcr, who laLcr wroLc o Millcr in Genius and Lust, Ncvcr has liLcraLurc
and scx livcd in such a symbioLic rclaLionship bcorciL is as Lhough cvcry
sLrokc o his phallus is laying a uLurc paragraph o phrascs on his brain. . . .
Hc may bc Lhc only arLisL in cxisLcncc abouL whom wc mighL as wcll sup-
posc LhaL wiLhouL his prodigics o scx, hc mighL havc bccn ablc Lo producc
no prodigics o liLcraLurc. And wiLhouL Lhc succcssul pracLicc o his liLcra-
Lurc wc can wondcr i his scxual viLaliLy would havc rcmaincd so long un-
diminishcd.' In Lhc Hcnry Millcr rcprcscnLcd by Brassa and publishcd by
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nMoMA, iL is sLaLcd wiLh an cloqucnL cconomy LhaL masculinc scxualiLy was
a vchiclc Lo arLisLic (liLcrary) cxprcssion.
Tc Lhcmc o Lhc 106S MoMA caLalog is Lhc rcccLion o Lhc dcpicLcd
arLisLs LhoughLs in Lhc cyc o Lhc phoLographcr. Brassas aLLiLudc Loward
his own phoLographic work is cxprcsscd Lhrough Lhc ormaL o Lhis book,
which prcscnLs visual maLcrial as Lhough Lhc camcra wcrc an aid Lo hypcr-
pcrccpLion, an insLrumcnL or sccing bcyond Lhc physical suracc o Lhings.
InLuiLivc pcrccpLion abouL Lhc individuals porLraycd is rcqucnLly indcxcd
(capLioncd) Lhrough Lhc rcprcscnLaLion o ragmcnLs o Lhc urban undcr-
bclly. As wc havc sccn in Lhc pagcs dcdicaLcd Lo Hcnry Millcr, porLraiL and
wall languagc arc involvcd in a rclay o signals, Lhrough which, or cxam-
plc, Brassa suggcsLs LhaL hc and Millcr sharcd a ascinaLion or Lhc sLrccLs,
which conLaincd a univcrsc o ragmcnLs, sordidc, morbidc, hallucinanL.
BoLh Millcr and Brassa mainLaincd LhaL Lhcy lovcd Lhc sLrccLs and localcs
o Paris commcs dcs maLrcsscs, and LhroughouL Brassas ocuvrc Lhc Pa-
risian landscapc is rcqucnLly rcprcscnLcd as cmalc, whcLhcr in macrocos-
mic vicws o Lhc sLrccLs, broLhcls, and LhcaLcrs or in Lhc microcosmic rcalm
o graLi. In Brassa Lhcrc arc many insLanccs (including Bal Tabarin, Pre
la Flute in the Metro, and Salvador Dali) in which Lhc characLcr o Lhc urban
cnvironmcnL is codcd as cmininc, Lhrough a varicLy o obvious visual signs.
Tcsc signs consisL o phoLographic rcprcscnLaLions o graLi, phoLographs,
posLcrs, and oLhcr ragmcnLcd imagcs o womcns bodics LhaL arc pcrccivcd
as cmbcddcd in Lhc abric o Lhc ciLy.
In Brassa cach siLLcr appcars Lo bc sccond-gucsscd by Lhc phoLographcr
and publishcr raLhcr Lhan bcing compliciL, or cvcn awarc, o Lhc mcssagc LhaL
will bc communicaLcd Lo Lhc rcadcr. Tc cccL is onc o LransparcnL windows
Lo an absoluLcly candid psychological LruLh. NcvcrLhclcss, Lhc acing-pagc
arrangcmcnL prcsupposcs an undcrlying culLural collusion among porLraiL
subjccLs, phoLographcr, and curaLors. Clcarly iL was Brassa in his rolc as
graphic dcsigncrLogcLhcr wiLh 1ohn Szarkowski and Lhc MoMA csLablish-
mcnLwho consLrucLcd Lhis osLcnsibly documcnLary rccord o Lhc cnviron-
mcnL as an inLuiLcd manicsLaLion o Lhc porLraiL subjccLs dccpcsL insighLs.
FurLhcrmorc, Lhc usc o Lhis mirror sLraLcgy rciLcraLcs Lhc long-sLanding
culLural cxpccLaLion o phoLography as speculum mundi.
AnoLhcr o Lhc dramaLic juxLaposiLions in Brassa is dcvoLcd Lo AlbcrLo
CiacomcLLi (1034). CiacomcLLi, vicwcd againsL a cluLLcrcd maLLrcss and Lhc
hcavily workcd wall suracc o his sLudio, holds up a sculpLurc o a rcaching
arm. Tc hand o Lhis arm poinLs as i by chancc Lo Lhc acing pagc, on which
appcars an accidcnLal or unconsciously abricaLcd gurc o CiacomcL Lian
ncrvous cncrgy . . . poinLing back. (Docs Lhis sccond imagc dcpicL a Ico-
nardcsquc palimpscsL workcd up rom accidcnLal cracks and sLains in Lhc
201
wall by an arLisLs unconscious scraLching or is iL a crudc sgrato madc by Ci-
acomcLLi himscl in Lhc sLudio` Arc wc looking aL Lhc phoLography o arL or
arL phoLography` As Lhcsc caLcgorics dissolvc, Lhc rcadcr is dclibcraLcly con-
oundcd, and inviLcd Lo spcculaLc and scarch.) Again, Lhc acing-pagc synLax
allows or an inLcracLion o signs in which Lhc phoLographcr is sccn noL only
Lo illusLraLc buL impliciLly Lo parallcl and divinc Lhc crcaLivc impulscs o Lhc
sculpLor. PhoLographic imagcs and publicaLion sLraLcgics (parLicularly Lhosc
wiLh Lhc MoMA imprimaLur) involvcd a LaciL alliancc bcLwccn arLisL and
phoLographcr.
Tc collccLion cnLiLlcd Brassa: Te Artists of My Life (10S2) rcproduccs
sclccLcd phoLographs o arLisLs madc LhroughouL Lhc phoLographcrs carccr,
LogcLhcr wiLh a wriLLcn LcxL. In Lhis asscmblcd scrics o phoLographs, cach
arLisLs lic-work and individual crcaLivc sLancc is dcncd by his rclaLion Lo
his pcrsonal cnvironmcnL. Bonnard, Dali, Maillol, Kokoschka, CiacomcLLi,
MaLissc, and Picasso arc among Lhc pcrsonaliLics rcprcscnLcd. In Brassas
sysLcm o rcprcscnLaLion, Lhc arLisLs sLudio (prcscnLcd as his naLural cn-
vironmcnL) has a onc-Lo-onc rclaLionship wiLh his arL. And Lo a ar grcaLcr
cxLcnL Lhan in CourbcLs dcpicLcd aLclicr o 1S55, womcn (bc Lhcy bc madc
o clay, painL, or living csh) arc pcrccivcd as bclonging Lo Lhis cxLraordinary
cvcryday cnvironmcnL. Brassa rcprcscnLs Lhc arLisLs sLudio (which is somc-
Limcs conLiguous wiLh his homc) as a sorL o inLcrior arcna LhaL compriscs
simulLancous acLiviLics o looking, crcaLivc work, and ulllmcnL o dcsircs.
Womcn arc rcprcscnLcdabscnL or prcscnL in bodyon almosL cvcry pagc.
And womcn, as Lhcy occur, arc objccLicd as bclonging Lo Lhc arLisLs orbiL
o pcrsonal crcaLions and posscssions.
Brassas vcrbal musings corroboraLc his phoLographic maLcrial on Lhc
subjccL o Lhc arLisLs auLonomy and Lhc placc o womcn in an arLisLs lic.
For insLancc, Bonnards modcl, MarLhc, who was also his wic o orLy-ninc
ycars, is dcscribcd in Brassas mcmoir in Lcrms o scxual comorL and avail-
abiliLy:
WiLh hcr slcndcr, graccul body, hcr luxurianL mass o hair, hcr pcriwinklc-bluc
cycs, hcr high rm brcasLs, and hcr long lcgs, shc had bccn his avoriLc modcl
all his lic. Tis cbrilc woman, wiLh hcr dclicaLc hcalLh, who spcnL hcr Limc in-
doors, who was ond o waLcr and Lhc warmLh o Lhc baLhroom and bcd shccLs,
was Lhc cmbodimcnL o Lhc scnsual womcn in Bonnards painLings who drcam,
do Lhcir hair, drcss, or gazc aL Lhcmsclvcs in Lhcir mirrors, who lic back on Lhcir
unmadc bcds, scw by lamplighL, and lay or clcar Lhc Lablc.
Brassas LcxL is a composiLc o raLhcr disLanL rccollccLions and wishcs. Tis
clcgiac Lcnor corrcsponds Lo Lhc acL LhaL Lhc phoLo cssay was madc in 1046,
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naLcr MarLhcs dcaLh, whcn Bonnard had sLoppcd painLing nudcs. DcspiLc
Lhc acL LhaL Bonnard himscl madc a wholc corpus o painLings and a con-
sidcrablc numbcr o cxpcrimcnLal nudc phoLographs o his wic, shc appcars
nciLhcr dirccLly nor en abyme in any o Brassas imagcs. InsLcad, MarLhc
Bonnard is pcrccivcd in Lhc lambcnL lighL o mcmory, an abscnL prcscncc.
IL is Lhc rcadcr, prompLcd by Brassas dcscripLion and Lhc mcmory o Bon-
nards painLings, who is callcd upon Lo cnvisagc Lhc gurc o MarLhc, who
sLands or all o Bonnards rcprcscnLaLions o womcn. Brassa asks us Lo
rcmcmbcr LhaL all Lhosc nudcs in Lhcir goldcn nakcdncss likc moLhcr-o-
pcarl, wiLh pink Lhighs, blond arms, and backs rcccLing Lhc play o cvcry
shadc o rosc, mauvc, and orangc, had MarLhcs body.` Tc vcrbalizcd col-
ors o MarLhcs nakcd body arc all Lhc morc sLriking in conLrasL Lo Brassas
black-and-whiLc phoLographs o Bonnards dining room, sLudio, and laLcsL
painLings (sLill livcs and landscapcs), in which Lhc cmalc nudc is conspicu-
ous in hcr abscncc.
In Brassas biographical schcmc, cach woman is cusLom-suiLcd Lo Lhc
physical, psychological, and inLcllccLual nccds o Lhc arLisL. Cala Dali (who
according Lo Brassa curcd hcr husbands impoLcncc) is cxalLcd by Brassa
as Lhc SurrcalisLs Muschaving bccn wiLh Max FrnsL and Paul Fluard
bcorc Dali. AL oncc Dalis inspiraLion and mcnLor, wc arc Lold, Cala dis-
ciplincd him, sooLhcd him, proLccLcd him, shc managcd Lo rclicvc his anxi-
cLics and cars. Brassas Gala in the Studio in the Villa Seurat (ca. 103233)
porLrays hcr lcaning back inLo Lhc cushions o a day bcd, parLly en deshabille,
parLly covcrcd by a blankcL, wiLh lighL dappling hcr acc rom Lhc uppcr lcL,
hcr pcrson ramcd as scducLivc and passivc.
In Te Artists of My Life AlbcrLo CiacomcLLi is again prcscnLcd as a major
proLagonisL. And Lhc rolc o Lhc phoLographcd arLisL as auLhor looms largc:
PhoLograph mc likc Lhis, Brassa. . . , says CiacomcLLi a cw monLhs bcorc
his dcaLh in 1066.' CiacomcLLis pcrsona and his works in Lhc sLudio had
providcd phoLogcnic maLcrial sincc Lhc 103us. Timc and again, CiacomcLLi
noL only poscd buL acLually pcrormcd or various phoLographcrs: Lhc rc-
sulLing imagcs convcy an undcrcurrcnL o anxious, anLagonisLic masculiniLy.
CiacomcLLis sLancc is arLiculaLcd in Brassas composiLions, cvcn Lhosc such
as Lobjet invisible (1047) whcrc Lhc arLisLs physical prcscncc is omiLLcd. Hcrc
CiacomcLLis sLudio is prcscnLcd as a work o arL unLo iLscl. Tc scribblcd
walls, inanimaLc cmalc nudc, woodsLovc, and crumplcd ncwspapcrs arc all
o a piccc, Louchcd by Lhc arLisLs hand wiLh Lhc indiscriminaLc spaLLcring
o plasLcr, and unicd Lhrough Lhc camcras lcns, givcn cqual valuc as pic-
Lorial componcnLs. Tc mcdium o black-and-whiLc phoLography scrvcs Lo
drain away local color and supprcss incidcnLal cxLranca. Brassa comprcsscs
CiacomcLLis sLudio inLo a purc CiacomcLLi. Tc sLudio is ramcd as an cn-
Brassa, Lobjet
invisible, splashed
plaster in Giacomettis
studio, 1947.
204
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B
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nchanLcd placc, physically inscparablc rom CiacomcLLis work proccss and
his cgo.'
Tc scnsc o rcnzicd angsL LhaL pcrvadcd CiacomcLLis sLudio is rcplaccd
in MaLisscs homc by air, owcrs, and lighL. NcvcrLhclcss, Lhc Lwo arLisLs
phoLo-biographics display ccrLain common Lhcmcs in Brassas Artists. Bc-
orc dcscribing Lhc lighL- and owcr-llcd ambicncc o MaLisscs homc,
Brassa inLroduccs Lhc womcn who arc propcr Lo Lhc arLisLs physical cnvi-
ronmcnL, noL only Lhc painLcrs scl-sacricing wic Amclic, buL AnLoincLLc,
his vcry prcLLy modcl and his avoriLc. In 1unc 1030 Brassa was visiLcd by
a young woman carrying a mcssagc rom MaLissc. Tc painLcr apparcnLly
wanLcd Brassa Lo phoLograph him wiLh Lhis parLicular woman, who was
Lhcn his modcl. IL is rom Lhis projccLLo all cccLs MaLisscs own idca
LhaL Lhc scrics o Brassa phoLographs rom summcr o 1030 arosc. Tcrc is
no qucsLion LhaL or MaLissc himscl Lhcsc imagcs, in which hc is rcprcscnLcd
sLudying Lhc nudc modcl, uncLioncd as a valuablc orm o scl- prcscnLaLion.
IL sccms LhaL Lwo days aLcr Lhc drawing/phoLo scssion, MaLissc Lclcphoncd
Brassa Lo ask, How do I look in Lhcm`
Brassas phoLographs o MaLissc (1030) arc quinLcsscnLial cxamplcs o
modcrnisL arLisLs biography. MaLisscs scl-proclaimcd aLLiLudc Loward Lhc
modcl as onc o scnsual plcasurc is duly cxprcsscd in Brassas phoLographs.
Tc gazc o Lhc painLcr is obscrvcd and rcplicaLcd by LhaL o Lhc phoLogra-
phcr, rcinorcing Lhc dominanL posiLion o Lhc malc vicwcr in Lhc sLudio scL-
Ling. Tis is jusL as iL had bccn, or cxamplc, in SLcichcns 10u0 phoLograph
Matisse with Serpentine, whcrc Lhc inanimaLc cmalc orm is broughL Lo lic
by MaLisscs hands and Lhc proccss o arLisLic mcLamorphosis is vicwcd
Lhrough Lhc phoLographcrs lcns. Trough possibiliLics LhaL arc pcculiar
Lo Lhc phoLographic mcdium, SLcichcn crcaLcd an imagc o Pygmalion en
abyme. Iooking aL MaLissc looking, Lhc aLLcnLion o SLcichcn and Lhc hypo-
LhcLical spccLaLor o Lhc phoLograph aL oncc obscrvcs and rcplicaLcs LhaL o
MaLissc. A BarLhcsian scnsaLion o Lhc camcra opcraLors acLually having
bccn Lhcrc aL Lhc privaLc momcnL o arLisLic LransormaLion is communi-
caLcd Lo a largc audicncc Lhrough publicaLion.
Fach o Brassas picLurcs o MaLissc in his sLudio csLablishcs a complcx
circuiL o looking. Tc cmalc body is hcld in Lhc painLcrs gazc, and is aL Lhc
samc Limc Lakcn by Lhc (unsccn) phoLographcr. All o Lhis in iLs Lurn is ap-
prchcndcd, ex post facto, by Lhc (unsccn) gazc o Lhc spccLaLor o Lhc phoLo-
graph. Tis visual imagc o Lhc acL o looking (which is Lhcn, o coursc, rc-
produccd gcomcLrically in publicaLion) is hcighLcncd by Brassas pcrsisLcnL
aLLcnLion Lo Lhc abyme. BuL bcyond hcr obvious rolc as Lhc dcmurc objccL
o Lhc sLudious gazc, Lhc nudc modcl is also casL as a naLural aLLribuLc o
Lhc painLcr. I Lhc sLudio is a naLural placc or a crcaLivc man Lo bc, Lhcn Lhc
205
woman, silcnL and submissivc, is ully inLcgraLcd inLo Lhc physical cnviron-
mcnL o LhaL habiLaL.
By Lhc 103us, painLcrs and phoLographcrs no longcr nccdcd myLhological
prcLcxLs, classical allusions, or Lhc Lrappings o cxoLic sccncry Lo raLional-
izc Lhc display o a nakcd womans body. Tc croLicizcd prcscnLaLion o Lhc
modcls body in Brassas Matisse was jusLicd purcly by Lhc clcvaLcd sLaLus
o Lhc arLisLs sLudio. (Brassas prcscnLaLion o Lhc LradiLional surrcndcr o
Lhc womans body Lo Lhc malc gazc wiLhouL classical props was hisLorically
prcaccd by Lhc work o nincLccnLh-ccnLury Frcnch arL phoLographcrs
such as Nadar, Duricu, Villcncuvc, and oLhcrs who phoLographcd nudcs.)
Tc cLion o Brassas phoLography is LhaL Lhc bcholdcr is pcrmiLLcd a
voycur-phoLographcrs vicw o MaLisscs crcaLivc proccss. Tc modcls gazc
is casL down, dcmurcly avoiding LhaL o Lhc painLcr, Lhc phoLographcr, and
Lhc spccLaLor. MaLissc is, as usual, posiLioncd much closcr Lo Lhc modcl Lhan
LradiLional acadcmic lic-drawing rcquircs. Rolcs arc dcncd by a sharp con-
LrasL o nudiLy and cosLumc LhaL could bc naLuralisLic only in Lhc scLLing o
an arLisLs sLudio (or, as wc know rom Brassas own conLcmporary phoLo-
graphs, in Lhc scLLing o a broLhcl). Whcrcas Lhc modcl is nakcd cxccpL or
slippcrs and bracclcL, MaLissc is drcsscd in procssionalalmosL clinical
aLLirc, wcaring a lab coaL, ncckLic, gillet, and spccLaclcs. Wc may ncvcr know
Lhc cxLcnL Lo which MaLisscs conccnLraLcd aLLcnLion Lo drawing Lhc modcl
was sLagcd or Lhc phoLographcr. IL hardly maLLcrs, bccausc Brassas chic
goal sccms Lo havc bccn Lo phoLograph MaLissc in his cnvironmcnL as i Lo
rcvcal Lhc painLcrs arLisLic condiLion and agcnda in nuce, as a singlc momcnL
cxccrpLcd rom Lhc ux o Limc.
In a subscqucnL phoLograph o MaLissc wiLh his modcl (1030), morc Lhan
a Lhird o Lhc phoLograph is Lakcn up wiLh an almosL sLraighL-on, aL vicw
o Lhc rsL vcrsion o Lhc painLing Liseuse au Fond Noir on Lhc cascl. Bras-
sas vicw o Lhc sLudio is corrcspondingly composcd (and Lhcn croppcd or
publicaLion) in Lhc manncr o painLings o Lhc sLudio madc by MaLissc. Tc
phoLographcd painLing iLscl conLains a rcprcscnLaLion o passivc woman-
hood in Lhc cnvironmcnL o Lhc arLisLs sLudio. Tcn, anoLhcr, ncarly idcnLi-
cal composiLion was scL up and rcplicaLcd by Brassa in phoLography, wiLh
Lhc samc modcl who poscd nakcd in Lhc carlicr drawing scssion. BuL in Bras-
sas phoLographic rcmakc o Lhc Liseuse, Lhc painLcr himscl is prcscnL
Lwicc: MaLissc is sccn rom Lhc back, looking inLcnLly aL Lhc modclLhc
painLcrs gazc is almosL parallcl Lo LhaL o Lhc phoLographcrand his acc
is sccn rcccLcd in a mirror, rom which hc appcars Lo look ouL (in Lhc di-
rccLion o Lhc vicwcr) Lo sLudy Lhc modcl. Brassas picLurcs wiLhin picLurcs
prompL a scrics o cquaLions: Tc nudc sLudy pinncd Lo Lhc wall is prcsum-
ably o Lhc samc modcl who cnacLs Lhc parL o Liseusecvcn Lhc crook o
206
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nhcr supporLing clbow crcaLcs a visual ccho. Tc painLcr, who dominaLcs Lhc
sccnc, is ramcd as in a LradiLional porLraiL, looking ouL aL Lhc modcl rom
Lhc mirror. Tc phoLographcrs impliciL prcscncc rccapiLulaLcs Lhc privilcgcd
gazc o Lhc arLisL and cxprcsscs an ovcrwhclming scnsc o having bccn
Lhcrc. Oncc morc, Brassas phoLographic abyme allows or Lhc complcx ar-
LiculaLion o a phoLographic spacc in which Lhc rclaLionship o Lhc vicwcr Lo
Lhc painLcr, Lhc phoLographcr, and Lhc modcl unolds. Again, Lhis sysLcm
o phoLographic pracLicc is a Lwo-way proccss, which cclcbraLcs Lhc crcaLivc
poLcnLial o masculiniLy in modcrn painLing cvcn as iL validaLcs Lhc rolc o
Lhc phoLographcr as arLisL. Tc arLisLs sLudio as a placc o cnchanLmcnL
a MaLissian privaLc gardcn sancLioncd or voycurismis Lhus arLiculaLcd
by Lhc phoLographcr. Brassas phoLographs o MaLissc rom Lhc summcr o
1030 ormulaLc Lhcsc prcccpLs wiLh an apparcnLly corLlcss ncssc.
IcL us Lurn Lo somc o Iibcrmans work. Iibcrmans sLraLcgy in Te Artist
in His Studio (106u) also packagcs Lhc arLisLs crcaLivc cxpcricncc in an os-
Lcnsibly documcnLary sLylc. As in MoMAs Brassa o 106S, discrcLc imagcs
arc rcqucnLly paircd on acing pagcs. Imagc givcs Lo imagc in Lhc conLrivcd
phoLographic cquaLion o biographical abyme, whcLhcr Lhc arLisL was sLill
living or Iibcrman was working wiLh Lhc conscrvcd maLcrial o arL objccL
and rcminisccncc in a rcconsLrucLcd siLc sLylcd or phoLography.
In aL high-conLrasL color, or cxamplc, a phoLographcd dcLail o somc
brushsLrokcs in MoncLs Nymphas scrics (102us) blccds inLo a scparaLc
phoLograph o Lhc waLcr-lily pond aL Civcrny (1054). Tc pagc cnscmblc
suggcsLs Limclcssncss and spacclcssncss, conaLing imagcs madc ovcr Lhc
dccadcs as i Lhc wholc wcrc conccivcd in a simulLancous, insLanLancous
pcrccL ncgaLivc siLuaLion. All horizon is obliLcraLcd inLo graphic aLncss
in Lhis layouL: Iibcrman dcmonsLraLcs MoncLs modcrnisL (visually phoLo-
graphic) oricnLaLion jusL as hc mimics MoncLs projccL in his own phoLog-
raphy, so LhaL Lhc scnsc o a gcnius Laking rom Lhc cnvironmcnL o naLurc
is rcdoublcd in documcnLaLion.
Tcrc arc scvcral oLhcr such cxamplcs o posLhumous biographical inLcr-
prcLaLion. An inLimaLc phoLographic vicw o Picrrc Bonnards baLhroom ad-
joining Lhc sLudio aL Ic CanncL (1055), which documcnLs Lhc baLh Lowcl still
casually, cxquisiLcly drapcd cighL ycars aLcr Lhc masLcrs dcaLh, accs (lcL
Lo righL) a phoLograph o Bonnards Nude with Lamp o 1012. Tc placcmcnL
o a color rcproducLion o a painLcd nudc acing a black-and-whiLc docu-
mcnLary-sLylc phoLograph, allows Iibcrmans phoLographic rcconsLrucLion
o Bonnards vision Lo rcsonaLc wiLh Lhc suggcsLion o Lhc abscnL cmalc
body. Consciously or noL, Iibcrmans mcLhod o rcprcscnLaLion parallcls
Brassas rccollccLions o Bonnards sLudio: Lhc sLark pocLry o documcnLary
phoLographys black and whiLc is rcdolcnL wiLh Lhc mcmorics o cbrilc
207
and scnsuous womcn in colorcd painL. Iibcrman sLaLcs LhaL in Bonnards
world, Drcary cvcryday rcaliLy was Lransormcd by his arL inLo an objccL o
admiraLion and bcauLyan obvious allusion Lo Lhc LransormaLivc quali-
Lics o Iibcrmans own craL in publishcd phoLography.
In Lhc samc LcxL, Iibcrman crcaLcs a Vasarian liLcrary conaLion o arL
and Lhc arLisLs pcrsonaliLy: [Bonnards] arL is a magnicaLion o Lhc mod-
csL. Iikcwisc Bonnards lic was characLcrizcd by an csscnLial LimidiLy and
bourgcois prudcncc, saving laundry rcccipLs and lisLs o pcLLy cxpcnscs,
working slowly in a Liny, crampcd sLudio. AnoLhcr imporLanL aspccL o Lhis
bourgcois-bohcmian pcrsonaliLy aL homc and in Lhc arLisLic cnvironmcnL
was Lhc way Bonnard lookcd aL cmalc bodics. Iibcrman rhapsodizcs on Lhc
subjccL o Bonnards voycurism: His womcn wash, baLhc and movc as i un-
obscrvcd in LhaL suprcmc, dccnsclcss momcnL whcn all shamc disappcars
bccausc, Lhrough lovc, condcncc and LrusL arc born. His womcn know LhaL
Lhcy arc lovcd and LhaL Lhc painLcr, likc a lovcr, will adorn Lhcm in whaLcvcr
insLanL hc sccs Lhcm wiLh Lhc all-cmbcllishing magic o his crysLallizaLion.`
Bonnards arL, Lhcn (likc Iibcrmans phoLography), was prcdicaLcd upon a
lcgiLimaLion o Lhc voycurisLic gazc.
Iibcrmans invcsLigaLion o Lhc arLisLs inLcrior mind was rcprcscnLcd by
phoLographic juxLaposiLions in Te Artist in His Studio. In Lhc casc o 1can
DubucL, or cxamplc, Lwo porLraiLs sLand conronLcd: DubucLs Head
with a Lilac Nose (1051) accs Iibcrmans Portrait of Jean Dubuet (1052).
Tc similariLy o Lhc Lwo hcads, prcscnLcd as Lhough Lhcy wcrc accLs o a
singlc pcrsonaliLy, crcaLcs a LcndcnLious visual cquaLion, proo posiLivc o
Lhc man-as-his-work. Tc grainy, spccdy shoL o DubucL is consLrucLcd in
a phoLographic art brut sLylc LhaL appcars Lo posscss a rccxivc and causal
rclaLionship wiLh DubucLs own idiosyncraLic languagc. Iibcrmans doublc-
porLraiL LacLic has an obvious counLcrparL in Brassas sysLcm o psychologi-
cal rcvclaLion Lhrough Lhc languagc o walls, a noLion LhaL springs Lo mind
hcrc bccausc o DubucLs own ascinaLion wiLh wall suraccs and graLi.
Alcxandcr Iibcrman lcads Lhc rcadcr Lo bclicvc LhaL hc has simply discov-
crcd Lhc phcnomcnon LhaL Lhc painLcr lookcd likc his arL, and documcnLcd
Lhc acL LhaL DubucLs arL rcccLcd his pcrsona.
Iucrczia dcl Fcdc and Iucic Vallorc
Iibcrmans modcrnisL lcgcnds o Lhc arLisLs wcrc consLrucLcd Lo bc rcccivcd
as candid, involunLarily rcvcalcd LruLhs. Closc rcadings o Lhc phoLographs
and LcxLs, howcvcr, disclosc LhaL LradiLional narraLivc codcs supporLcd Lhc
modcrnisL inLcrprcLaLions. In Lhc casc o Mauricc ULrillo, or cxamplc, Iibcr-
man rcprcscnLs an arLisL whosc viriliLy is apparcnLly in qucsLion. ULrillo
208
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nsccms unablc Lo mccL Lhc camcras gazc as his wic (smiling sLiy, and in-
advcrLcnLly poinLing Lo hcrscl) props him up.' ULrillo is rcprcscnLcd as
haunLcd by his nagging wic, Iucic Vallorc, a loving LyranL who drovc him
Lo wiLhdraw inLo a sLaLc o pcrpcLual sadncss Lhrough hcr inLcrminablc
chaLLcr. According Lo Iibcrman, Vallorc spokc inccssanLly and, whaL was
worse, Shc spokc mosLly abouL hcrscl, Iucic Vallorc, Lhc painLcr. IiLLlc
surprisc LhaL ULrillo himscl was ravagcd by alcoholism and cmoLional su-
cring: Tis man gavc Lhc imprcssion LhaL hc did noL cnjoy lic and wanLcd
no parL o iL, LhaL hc had rclinquishcd any conLrol. Onc did noL cvcn ccl
his prcscncc in his own homc. Madamc dominaLcd Lhc houschold.' Iibcr-
mans rcprcscnLaLion o ULrillo as a Lragic gurc rcsLs on Lhc idca LhaL Lhc
masculinc dominancc hc nccdcd Lo producc arL had bccn rclinquishcd Lo a
woman.
Iucic Vallorc had an inamous prcdcccssor in Lhc pcrsonaliLy o Iucrc-
zia dcl Fcdc, Lhc supposcdly dcmanding, impcrious wic o Lhc sixLccnLh-
ccnLury ILalian painLcr Andrca dcl SarLo. Indccd, Lhc undcrmining cccL
LhaL an asscrLivc wic can havc on a painLcrs lic and work is a Lhcmc aL
lcasL as old as Vasaris rsL cdiLion o Lhc Lives (155u). Iikc Vasaris An-
drca dcl SarLo, whosc dominccring wic, Iucrczia, prcsumably causcd a lack
o erezza in his painLing, Iibcrmans ULrillo is rcprcscnLcd as a humblc
painLcr and a humiliaLcd man.
Tc Lhcmc o SarLos dominccring wic as rcporLcd by Vasari was Lakcn
up by FrncsL 1oncs in a psychobiographical cssay rsL publishcd in Imago in
1013. 1oncss cssay was rcprinLcd in 1023 and again in 1051Lhc samc ycar
Iibcrmans phoLographs o ULrillo appcarcd on Lhc pagcs o Vogue. 1oncss
analysis o Iucrczia was claboraLcd in LwcnLicLh-ccnLury, spccically mod-
crnisL Lcrms: Lhc muLually complcmcnLary acLors LhaL prcvcnLcd SarLo
rom achicving grcaLncss, according Lo 1oncs, wcrc Lhc inborn lack o LhaL
incablc qualiLy callcd gcnius couplcd wiLh Lhc unorLunaLc inucncc o
Lhc painLcrs wic. Tc problcm wiLh SarLo, 1oncs surmiscd, was LhaL hc
had an csscnLially passivc, rcccpLivc (cmininc) LcmpcramcnL: Onc cannoL
hclp ccling Lhc dicrcncc bcLwccn a masculinc, crcaLivc LcmpcramcnL and
a cmininc, rcccpLivc onc. Tc drcad o a LhrcaLcning (dangcrous) cmalc
prcscncc in Lhc arLisLs domcsLic-workplacc siLuaLion was suocaLing: How
could Andrca sink himscl inLo his arL (ighL inLo work) whcn Lhcrc was Iu-
crczia in Lhc body, wiLh him aL cvcry momcnL` Iibcrmans Iucic Vallorc
and 1oncss Iucrczia dcl Fcdc arc, mutatis mutandis, producLs o Lhc samc
assumpLions. Tc arLisL, in ordcr Lo puL gcnius inLo acLion, musL bc scxually
unbound, uncLLcrcd, and rcc Lo cxprcss his primordially masculinc crcaLiv-
iLy. Tc arLisLs womcn, on Lhc oLhcr hand, as idcalizcd rom 155u Lo 105u,
rom Vasari Lo Vogue, arc rcquircd Lo coopcraLc in silcncc.
209
In Giacomcttis Studio
AlbcrLo CiacomcLLi was an imporLanL subjccL or Alcxandcr Iibcrman, much
as hc had bccn or Brassa. Tc CiacomcLLi sprcad in Te Artist in His Studio
was again dcsigncd Lo dcmonsLraLc a spccial sLylc o psychological insighL
as cxprcsscd by Lwo auLhors: Lhc modcrnisL sculpLor and Lhc documcnLary
phoLographcr. Iibcrmans sLraLcgy was Lo validaLc modcrnisL assumpLions
by mcans o phoLographic documcnLaLion. Hc wishcd Lo cxposc Lhc maLcrial
and cmoLional acLors LhaL wcrc inLrinsic Lo Lhc arLisLs biography.
Facing pagcs wiLh a dozcn small phoLographs (labcllcd AI) suggcsL a sc-
qucnLial documcnLaLion o a day in Lhc lic o CiacomcLLi, rom Lhc Lhrocs
o LormcnLcd crcaLiviLy Lo cxhausLcd rcsoluLion. In Lhis phoLographic charL,
works o arL mcrgc wiLh Lhc domcsLic abric o Lhc sLudio, and likcwisc Lhc
pcrsonal lic and maLcrial cccLs o Lhc arLisL arc incxLricablc rom Lhc sLu-
dio cnvironmcnL. Tc sLraLcgy o phoLographic prcscnLaLion consisLs o a
gridlikc mosaic o cqual-sizc, mixcd-scqucncc ragmcnLs LhaL appcar Lo bc
cxccrpLcd rom Lhc conLinuum o livcd rcaliLy in Lhc arLisLs sLudio. Scanning
rom A Lo I, Lhc rcadcr is mcanL Lo cxpcricncc a candid vicw o Lhc sculpLors
kincsLhcLic Lhinking as hc orms a clay gurc. Similarly, wc arc pcrmiLLcd
Lo glimpsc CiacomcLLi in an apparcnLly privaLc momcnL o anguishcd con-
ccnLraLion. AnncLLc CiacomcLLi is rcprcscnLcd in a disLanL vigncLLc, rcad-
ing on a dishcvcllcd couch among hcr husbands scaLLcrcd works o arL and
skcLchcs, shc Lurns away rom Lhc vicwcr inLo hcr own privaLc world, and
hcr acc and mind arc rcprcscnLcd as abscnL Lo Lhc dcgrcc LhaL Lhosc o Lhc
arLisL arc cmphaLically prcscnL. Iibcrmans capLions accompany Lhc phoLo-
graphic sLory as ollows:
A. Tc allcy LhaL scparaLcs CiacomcLLis sLudio, righL rom his casLing sLudio, lcL,
whcrc his broLhcr Dicgo hclps him.
B. Tc walls o CiacomcLLis small sLudio arc covcrcd wiLh his drawings. On a
shcl arc many works in progrcss.
C. CiacomcLLi working on a busL o his broLhcr Dicgo.
D. ConccnLraLion.
F. Finishcd and unnishcd sculpLurcs, mysLcrious hicraLic orms shroudcd in
his sLudio.
F. In his Liny onc-room kiLchcn-bcdroom-living room, on a chair by his bcd,
books o pocms by Rimbaud, Apollinairc.
C. CiacomcLLi sculpLs sLanding, hc movcs around his sculpLurc.
H. AnncLLc rcading in Lhc sLudio, surroundcd by works in progrcss.
I. In Lhc bcdroom, owcrs and drawings on Lhc walls.
1. Whilc hc works, a cigarcLLc is ncvcr ouL o his hand.
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nK. Whcn hc painLs hc holds his Lhin brushcs aL Lhc vcry Lip, so LhaL his smallcsL
movcmcnL is amplicd.
I. Tc arLisLs amily, his wic AnncLLc, broLhcr Dicgo.
In addiLion Lo Lhc capLions, cxLravaganL prosc rciLcraLcs Lhc drama cx-
prcsscd in Lhis visual biography. As a kind o modcrn-day Vasari, Iibcrman
Lhrivcd on Lhc anLasizcd dcLails o Lhc arLisLs pcrsonal lic, conaLing Lhcm
wiLh his work, as i Lo quanLiy LhaL incablc qualiLy o gcnius. Iibcrman dc-
scribcs Lhc sLudio wiLh Lhc apparcnLly imparLial buL slighLly amazcd voicc o
an anLhropologisL cncounLcring Lhc cusLoms o a disLanL culLurc. Hc Lhcn
gocs on Lo dcscribc Lhc arLisLs wic:
CiacomcLLis wic, AnncLLc, is abouL vc ccL our, likc a slcndcr girl o ourLccn.
Shc is noL ourLccn, shc is much oldcr, buL hcr youLh, hcr bcauLy, a pocLic qualiLy
o mood arc a conLrasL Lo CiacomcLLis sombcr brooding. Shc has Lhc naivc and
innoccnL cxprcssion o a child, and laughs oLcn wiLh a girls laughLcr. Tis girl-
wic sccms madc Lo bc Lhc companion who docs noL disLracL Lhc arLisL rom his
work. Tcy mcL in 1040. Shc always says Lhc ormal vous Lo CiacomcLLi.
And abouL Lhc Michclangclcsquc gcnius aL homc: Hc is a man posscsscd.
Timc has no mcaning or his daily lic, hc caLs and slccps as hc nccds Lo.
Tcrc is no spccic hour or any acLiviLy, only Lhc Limc Lo spcak, Lo crcaLc.
AlbcrLo CiacomcLLi is rcprcscnLcd as a pcrson o almosL unbcarablc inLcllccL
and terribilit, whcrcas his cmalc counLcrparL is sccn as small, graccul, in-
noccnL, childlikc, submissivc, nondisLracLing, and inLcllccLually abscnL.
WhaL is capLurcd in Iibcrmans journalisLic imagcs o CiacomcLLi is Lhc
hypcrpcrsonal aLmosphcrc o Lhc sLudio, Lhc Sturm o acLivaLcd inLcllccL in
Lhc arLisLs counLcnancc and physical prcscncc, and Lhc conLrasLing bcnign
coopcraLion o his wic as passivc inhabiLanL o Lhc sLudio cnvironmcnL.
Modcrnist Artists in Ycstcrdays Ncws
Fashion magazincs in Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs and clscwhcrc conLinuc Lo promoLc
Lhc idca o masculinc crcaLiviLy and corrcsponding cmininc passiviLy. In
honor o Lhc 100203 MaLissc rcLrospccLivc aL MoMA, Vogue publishcd an
arLiclc by Kcnncdy Frascr, cnLiLlcd MaLissc and His Womcn. Tc cssay is
inLroduccd wiLh a Brassa phoLograph (1030) o MaLissc skcLching a nudc
modcl, and iLs Lhcmc is announccd by Frascr in Lhc hcadlinc: MaLisscs
womcn and Lhcir world arc noL as cozy as Lhcy sccm aL rsL glancc, buL Lhcy
arc undamcnLally bcncvolcnL. Vogue rcadcrs wcrc apparcnLly mcanL Lo bc
rcassurcd by Frascrs opcning asscrLion LhaL Bccausc o his imporLancc,
mosL o Lhc scholars and cxpcrLs on MaLissc havc bccn mcn. And Lhcrc arc
211
virLually no accounLs o womcn sLcpping ouL o Lhc picLurcs MaLissc madc
o Lhcm Lo gcL jcalous o cach oLhcr or mad aL Lhc CrcaL Man.
Madamc Amclic MaLissc was Lhc wic o Lhc CrcaL ArLisL par cxccllcncc
in Lhc days o carly sLrugglc . . . Shc gavc hcr all Lo him whilc hc gavc his all
Lo his arL. BuL somcLimc around 1011 MaLisscs marriagc cll inLo crisis, pos-
sibly bccausc o his lovc aair wiLh his pupil, a young Russian blond namcd
Olga. AL Lhis Limc, Frascr dcclarcs, Hc asscrLcd Lhc righL Lo rcsidc aL will
in Lhc sunny luxurianL pockcL junglcLhc carLhly paradiscwhilc his wic
chccrcd his orays and wclcomcd his rcLurn. As ar as Lhc arLisLs cnviron-
mcnL was conccrncd, hc would arrangc Lo livc morc and morc in Lhc con-
LcmplaLivc placc whcrc hc was unLroublcd by Lhc dcmands o oLhcrs: Lhc
privaLc gardcn whcrc I am alonc. Amclic had apparcnLly modclcd sclcssly
in MaLisscs carly carccr. BuL aLcr posing or a hundrcd hours or Portrait of
Madame Matisse (1013), shc sank inLo dcprcssion and a mysLcrious invalid-
ism LhaL would grip hcr complcLcly or Lhc ncxL LwcnLy ycars. Mcanwhilc,
MaLisscs sLudio conLinucd Lo bc ovcrpopulaLcd wiLh girls and womcn: Rcal
cmininc prcscnccs wcrc josLlcd by rcprcscnLaLions o cmalcs in his sculp-
Lurcs on Lablcs and his canvascs all ovcr Lhc room. Amcrican Vogue in 1002
simply prcsscs on wiLh a scripL LhaL is hal a ccnLury old. Tc usual arrangc-
mcnL o vicwpoinLs and applicaLions survivcs. In 1002 Alcxandcr Iibcrman
was sLill aL Lhc hclm o Condc NasL, Brassas phoLographs wcrc sLill invokcd
as documcnLaLion, and Kcnncdy Frascrs LcxL clcarly inLcrnalizcs Lhosc o
Iibcrman and Brassa. Tc piccc in Vogue is mcanL Lo bc rcad prcparaLory Lo
aLLcnding Lhc MoMA cxhibiLion, or, whaL is probably morc likcly or many
Amcrican womcn, iL is mcanL Lo bc rcad insLcad o aLLcnding Lhc MoMA cx-
hibiLion.
CcrLain mainsLrcam arL journals urLhcr ampliy and claboraLc on mod-
crnisL lcgcnds o masculiniLy in Lhc crcaLivc proccss. Tc noLoriously glossy
Amcrican arL magazinc Sculpture rcccnLly (April 1004) publishcd an inLcr-
vicw wiLh Alcxandcr Iibcrman.` Hcrc, in convcrsaLion wiLh Sculptures cdi-
Lor, Suzannc Ramljak, Iibcrman rcarLiculaLcs his sLancc Loward Lhc imagc
o Lhc arLisL. My book, Te Artist in His Studio, hc sLaLcs, was an aLLcmpL
Lo nd answcrs Lo qucsLions o how Lhc grcaL painLcrs o a ccrLain pcriod
workcd. . . . So my picLurcs wcrc noL a phoLographcrs picLurcs, Lhcy wcrc
journalisLic documcnLs. . . . I phoLographcd whaL I was scarching or, whaL
was noblc in cxisLcncc. IL is always a scarch or Lhc csscncc o Lhc bcsL in Lhc
world, o mans poLcnLial or human achicvcmcnL.
WiLh rcgard Lo his magazinc work or Vogue, Iibcrman asscrLs LhaL his
main conLribuLion was Lo bring Lhc good and noblc Lo Amcrican lic and
Amcrican womcn. Hc Lhcn posiLs LhaL whcrcas phoLography ccds on rcal-
iLy, arL ccds on Lhc subconscious. Hc spcaks o Lhc producLion o arL in
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nLcrms o Lhc malc croLic cxpcricncc, dcclaring LhaL iL [arL] also has Lo do wiLh
somc sorL o pcncLraLion. PcncLraLion is onc o Lhc kcy orccs in Lhc cxpcri-
cncc o arL, along wiLh croLicism. To somc pcoplc iL may sound pornographic
or ridiculous, buL pcncLraLion and croLicism is onc way human bcings havc
o lcaving Lhis lic and going Lo somc supcrior rcalm. And on his own works
o largc-scalc sculpLurc: I do bclicvc in Lhc vcrLical, Lhc crccLion.
Whcn Ramljak lcads back inLo Lhc qucsLion o croLicism and Te Artist in
His Studio, Iibcrman sLaLcs LhaL Lhc making o (modcrnisL) arL rcquircs cx-
Lcnsivc cmalc sucring: TaLs why I didnL LoLally plungc inLo arL. I was
araid o making my wic and Lhc womcn Ivc lovcd unhappy. All Lhc livcs o
womcn parLncrs o mcn arLisLs LhaL I havc obscrvcd havc bccn raLhcr miscr-
ablc. Tc rcal arLisL is pracLically a madman, an obscsscd man.
Tc Sculpture inLcrvicw rccapiLulaLcs Lhc modcrnisL valucs LhaL wc havc
sccn advanccd in Lhc work o Iibcrman and Brassa. Namcly LhaL phoLo-
graphic imagcs o Lhc arLisL in his sLudio scrvc Lo dcmonsLraLc Lhc oLhcr-
wisc invisiblc csscncc o masculiniLy in arL. Tc mysLiquc o arLisLic pro-
ducLion is cquaLcd wiLh viriliLy, as in Lhc topoi csLablishcd by Vasari in Lhc
sixLccnLh ccnLury and rcshapcd in modcrniLy by Lhc Frcudian psychologisL
FrncsL 1oncs. TcxLs by Brassa and Iibcrman conLinuc Lo cncouragc a par-
Licular rcsponsc rom spccLaLors, who havc bccn culLurally primcd: LhaL is
Lo scruLinizc documcnLary phoLographic imagcs or Lraccs o Lhc crcaLivc
proccss. Tcsc rcprcscnLaLions, which wcrc publishcd in Lhc guisc o candid
vicws o Lhc making o arL, conLinuc Lo shapc and rcinorcc abiding culLural
impcraLivcs.
Oxord ArL 1ournal 18, no. 2 (1995): 4558. Some of the ideas in this essay were presented at the
Colloque du Comit International dHistoire de lArt. Images de lartiste, Universit de Lausanne,
June 1994. I am grateful to Baruch Kirschenbaum, Gary Metz, and Maureen C. OBrien at the
Rhode Island School of Design for having encouraged my interest in photographic images, and to
the Editorial Group of the Oxord ArL 1ournal.
1 Tis phcnomcnon corrcsponds Lo Lhc assumpLion LhaL whcrcas Lhc propcr idcnLiLy and
habiLaL o womcn is ound in naLurc, culLurc is produccd by mcn, scc Shcrry OrLncr, Is Fc-
malc Lo Malc as NaLurc Is Lo CulLurc`, in Michcllc A. Rosaldo and Iouisc Iamphcrc, cds.,
Women, Culture, and Society (SLanord, 1074), 67S7. Suzi Cablik, in Te Reenchantment of
Art (Ncw York, 1002), 127, arLiculaLcs Lhc conscnsus LhaL in a gcncral way, modcrn acs-
LhcLics [havc] bccn colorcd, sLrucLurcd, and conLrollcd by a kind o compulsivc masculiniLy.
Tc pionccring cssay on Lhis subjccL, wriLLcn by Carol Duncan in 1073, rcprcscnLs a poinL
o dcparLurc or my inquiry: ViriliLy and DominaLion in Farly TwcnLicLh-CcnLury Van-
guard PainLing, Artforum, Dcccmbcr 1073, 3u30 (rcprinLcd in Norma Broudc and Mary D.
Carrard, cds., Feminism and Art History: Questioning the Litany [Ncw York, 10S2], 203313).
213
For posLwar arLisLs scc Amclia 1oncs, Dis-playing Lhc Phallus: Malc ArLisLs Pcrorm Lhcir
MasculiniLics, Art History 17, no. 4 (Dcccmbcr 1004): 546S4.
2 Tcsc imagcs havc bccn dispaLchcd inLo socicLy so widcly and rcqucnLly LhaL iL would bc
uLilc Lo Lry Lo dcLcrminc Lhc numbcr o Limcs cach imagc has bccn publishcd, or Lo idcn-
Liy spccic insLanccs o sLylisLic inucncc among Lhc clusLcrs o imagcs. Major publishcd
compilaLions o Lhc phoLographs undcr discussion hcrc arc Alcxandcr Iibcrman, Te Art-
ist in His Studio: Text and Photographs by Alexander Liberman (Ncw York, 106u), orcword by
1amcs Trall Soby, Brassa (Muscum o Modcrn ArL, Ncw York, 106S), inLroducLory cssay
by Iawrcncc Durrcll, Brassa, Te Artists of My Life (Ncw York, 10S2) (also publishcd as Les
Artistes de ma vie [Paris: Dcnocl, 10S2]). Tc original phoLographs wcrc madc aL various car-
licr daLcs (as indicaLcd in parcnLhcscs in Lhc LcxL).
3 Iibcrman, Te Artist in His Studio (Ncw York, 106S). Tis papcrback rcprinL was priccd
aL $3.5u. An inormal survcy o arLisLs, phoLographcrs, and arL hisLorians who camc o agc
around 106S conrmcd my imprcssion o Lhc populariLy cnjoycd by Lhc book aL LhaL Limc.
PorLions o Lhc book had alrcady appcarcd in Vogue bcorc 106u.
4 Scc Dodic Kazanjian and Calvin Tompkins, In Lhc RighL Circlcs, Vogue, AugusL 1003,
27u311.
5 Ibid., 31u.
6 Brassa, Artists of My Life. Ccrmainc Richicr, whosc mosL masculinc qualiLics arc visu-
ally cxploiLcd hcrc, is Lhc only woman includcd.
7 1ohn Bcrgcr, Success and Failure of Picasso (HarmondsworLh, 1065), 0S00 and passim.
8 Brassa, Picasso and Company, Lrans. Francis Pricc, wiLh a prcacc by Hcnry Millcr and an
inLroducLion by Roland Pcnrosc (Ncw York: Doublcday, 1066), 45.
9 Brassa, Artists of My Life, 1u223, mcmorics o 1anuary 22, 1037.
10 Brassa, Picasso and Company, 1u23 and passim.
11 Brassa (MoMA), inLroducLory cssay by Iawrcncc Durrcll, 015, 0.
12 Andrc Malraux, Te Voices of Silence, Lrans. S. CilbcrL (Ncw York, 1053). For Malrauxs
sysLcm o phoLographic rcprcscnLaLion and Lhc modcrnisL inLcllccLualizaLion o arL, scc
Mary BcrgsLcin, Ioncly AphrodiLcs: On Lhc DocumcnLary PhoLography o SculpLurc, Art
Bulletin 74, ScpLcmbcr 1002, 475Su.
13 Tc ormaL o Brassa was dcLcrmincd by Brassa LogcLhcr wiLh 1ohn Szarkowski (dircc-
Lor o Lhc DcparLmcnL o PhoLography aL MoMA) and his sLa. No caLalog cxisLs or Lhc
1056 Brassa cxhibiLion aL MoMA. For Lhc gcncral inLcllccLual dirccLion o phoLography aL
MoMA, scc ChrisLophcr Phillips, Tc 1udgmcnL ScaL o PhoLography, in Contests of Mean-
ing: Critical Histories of Photography, cd. Richard BolLon (Cambridgc, MA, 1003), 1446.
14 Brassa, Henry Miller Grandeur Nature (Paris, 1075), 33, 3S.
15 For Lhc abyss in Brassas ocuvrc, scc Craig Owcns, PhoLography en abyme, October,
no. S (Spring 1070), 73SS. Tc phoLo hisLorical conccpL o mis en abyme is discusscd by
Abigail Solomon Codcau, RcconsLrucLing DocumcnLary: Connic HaLchs RcprcscnLaLional
RcsisLancc, in Photography at the Dock: Essays on Photographic History, Institutions, and Prac-
tices (Minncapolis, 1001), 1S4217, 1S6.
16 FxccrpLcd rom Te Tropic of Cancer (1034) in Te Henry Miller Reader, cd. Iawrcncc Du-
rrcll (Ncw York, 1050), 32.
214
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n17 Hcnry Millcr, Te World of Sex (Paris, 1050), p. 2u. In Black Spring (1036) Millcr spokc
o arL in Lcrms o bruLal graLi: I wanL a world whcrc Lhc vagina is rcprcscnLcd by a crudc,
honcsL sliL, a world LhaL has ccling or bonc and conLour, or raw primary colors, a world
LhaL has car and rcspccL or iLs animal origins. Henry Miller Reader, 26.
18 Norman Mailcr, Genius and Lust: A Journey through the Major Writings of Henry Miller
(Ncw York, 1076), 0u.
19 Brassa, Henry Miller, 3S.
20 Brassa (MoMA), 41, 5u, 53, 5S, 72, 73.
21 Rogcr Crcnicr, Brassa (Paris, 10S7), g. 20, CraLi, daLcs Lhis imagc Lo 105u.
22 Among Lhc phoLographs arc, or insLancc, vicws o Bonnards gardcn and o his dining
room Lablc (1046), Salvador Dali and Cala poscd in Lhcir living room (ca. 103233), a con-
solc wiLh a Maillol sculpLurc and owcrs in Duys aparLmcnL in Pcrpignan (1040), Ciacom-
cLLi in his sLudio (104S), Kokoschka and a woman having Lca bcorc a mirror in his sLudio (ca.
103132), Lhc gardcn cnLrancc Lo Maillols sLudio aL Marly-lc-Roi (ca. 1032), MaLissc in his
sLudio wiLh a nudc modcl (1030), Picasso wiLh his wic, Olga, in Lhc ChLcau dc Boisgcloup
(1032), Kazbcck, Picassos Aghan hound, in Lhc ruc dcs Crands AugusLins aparLmcnL, wiLh
vicw rom Lhc window o Lhc rooLops o Paris (1044), and so orLh.
23 Brassa, Artists of My Life, S.
24 For Bonnards nudc phoLographic sLudics o MarLhc, scc Francoisc Hcilbrun and
Philippc Ncagu, Pierre Bonnard, Photographe, prcacc by AnLoinc Tcrrassc (Paris, 10S7).
25 Brassa, Artists of My Life, S.
26 Ibid., 2S45. For Cala Dal scc Fiona Bradlcy, Doubling and DcdoublcmcnL: Cala in
Dal, Art History 17, no. 4 (Dcccmbcr 1004): 6123u.
27 Brassa, Artists of My Life, 54.
28 Ibid., 5467.
29 Ibid., 12441.
30 Roland BarLhcs, Image/Music/Text (Ncw York, 1077), 44.
31 Scc Duncan, ViriliLy and DominaLion, 33.
32 For background on Lhc nudc in Frcnch phoLography, scc Abigail Solomon-Codcau, Rc-
considcring FroLic PhoLography: NoLcs or a ProjccL o HisLorical Salvagc, in Photography
at the Dock, 22u37.
33 For Brassa, Lhc singlc imagc was inLcndcd Lo uncLion likc a blood samplc, rom which
an undcrsLanding o an arLisLs LoLal crcaLivc condiLion could bc dcrivcda kind o scicn-
Lic documcnLaLion. Tc blood samplc similc is uscd by Roland Pcnrosc Lo cxLol Brassas
phoLographs o Picassos sLudio in his inLroducLion Lo Brassa, Picasso and Company, xvii.
34 Iibcrman, Artist in His Studio, 1024, illus. 1u15.
35 Ibid., 253u, illus. 162u, as arL dirccLor o Vogue Iibcrman is said Lo havc wanLcd Lo
apply Bonnards acsLhcLic Lo ashion phoLographyLo show womcn undrcssing in Lhc in-
Limacy o Lhc baLh or Lhc bcdroom, buL such suggcsLivc phoLography was apparcnLly con-
sidcrcd disLasLcul by his collcagucs o Lhc 105us and 106us, Kazanjian and Tompkins,
p. 31u
36 Iibcrman, Artist in His Studio, 2S1, illus. 13436.
37 Ibid., illus. 1u5.
38 Ibid., 23u34.
215
39 For commcnLary on Vasaris characLcrizaLion o Iucrczia dcl Fcdc scc 1ohn Shcarman,
Andrea del Sarto, 2 vols. (Oxord, 1065), vol. 1, chapLcr 1, Biography and CharacLcr, and
Paul Barolsky, Giottos Father and the Family of Vasaris Lives (UnivcrsiLy Park, PA, 1002),
SuSS.
40 FrncsL 1oncs, Tc Inucncc o Andrca dcl SarLos Wic on his ArL, rsL publishcd in
Imago, II, 1013, rcprinLcd in Essays in Applied Psycho-Analysis (Iondon, 1023), pp. 227
44, quoLcd hcrc rom Essays in Applied Psycho-Analysis, 2 vols. (Iondon, 1051), vol. 1, pp.
223S.
41 IL is irrcsisLiblc Lo spcculaLc: did 1oncs pcrccivc himscl in rclaLion Lo Frcud as SarLo
had bccn Lo Raphacl`
42 Iibcrman, Artist in His Studio, 276Su, illus. 12731.
43 Ibid., 270. For an inLcrprcLaLion o Lhc modcs o cLion in Vasaris Lives, scc Lhc rcccnL
books by Paul Barolsky: Michel angelos Nose: A Myth and its Maker, Why Mona Lisa Smiles
and other Tales from Vasari, Giottos Father and the Family of Vasaris Lives (UnivcrsiLy Park,
PA, 100u, 1001, 1002 rcspccLivcly).
44 Kcnncdy Frascr, MaLissc and His Womcn, Vogue, ScpLcmbcr 1002, 54453.
45 Suzannc Ramljak, InLcrvicw: Alcxandcr Iibcrman, Sculpture 13 (MarchApril 1004):
1u12.
Rachel Harrison, Untitled (studio view), 2009.
217
Rachel Harrison
The best ways to waste time in the studio are those that are unproductive and
not related in any ostensible way to making art. Ive fallen into a new way of
wasting time, and it doesnt involve the Internet. My new activity is engaging
and completely useless. I cant tell you what it is; its embarrassing to me. I nd
a lot of what I do in the studio pretty embarrassing, but maybe its no more em-
barrassing than what I make. Ive never been able to work with people around.
I dont want to think about myself when Im working. It is very hard to get into
this state of un-self-consciousness, where I can get lost in the work.
So I need to create an environment where the work takes over. It cant look
or be too ofcelike or even too professional. I cant be fooled into thinking that
its a job. I like a bit of a mess aroundsome signs of lifeand there needs to
be unnished work to respond to. I have a hard time throwing things away, as
I never know if they might inspire thought or reection. This is especially true
of failed sculptures. I can put a lot of work into something, get it nearly nished,
only to give up on it. I will never show these abandoned pieces in public, but I
cant throw them away (just yet) as I might actually learn from them. Or maybe
the work that went into the piece leads me into something better.
I could never imagine working in such a way that you are divorced from the
process of creation, including the frustration of things not working. I need to
be present and with the work at every stage of the game, and I need to spend
time with it before I know if it is any good. Failure is often a characteristic of
good artwork, but I dont want to show pieces that actually fail. I am pretty
tough on myself, only sending out my best work into the world, so at times the
studio seems like a graveyard of unsuccessful work. Some days it can be hard
to face, but it keeps me on my toes. Or maybe it keeps me honest, which is
something I want the work to communicate.
Lynn Lester Hershmann, image collage, 2009.
219
Lynn Lester Hershman
Tc Studio Prcscnt
I place relics of other artists within my studio. The placement is strategic, as
these images serve as a continual inspiration of courage, exibility, spirit, brav-
ery, and audacity. For example, on the way to my computer, which has become
a main location for my practice, I pass a personally inscribed epitaph from
Timothy Leary in which he carefully notates the progressive failure of his body,
acknowledging through the trail of entries his quiet acquiescence toward his
inevitable last breath.
Nearby, Yves Klein leaps into the void, ying into space guided only by di-
vine trust. To the left, Ruth Bernhardts nude edges out of boxed constructions
that held her captive for far too long.
Next to my workstation, in the constant periphery of my vision, hangs a
passport photograph of Lee Miller. Her inked ngerprints initiate a journey to
the front lines of a war where photographs shaped the history of her memo-
ries. Later she declared that same passport photo a work of art and, in doing
so, objectied her own subjectivityan act that allowed her imprint to became
indelible.
These are reminders of artists who deed self-censorship and used risk
as a fundamental element in all of their compositions, despite fear, loneliness,
terror, or vulnerability.
Anyone who has been touched by the violence of civil society and survived
realizes that there are few things more afrming than the privilege of creating
ones own relics. These are the by-products of a life and eventually, uniquely,
signify the choices made during the passage of time.
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Brenda Schmahmann
Cast in a Licrcnt Iight: \omcn
and thc Artists Studio Tcmc
in Ccorgc Scgals Sculpturc
In 1063 Ccorgc Scgal (b. 1024) crcaLcd Te Artists Studio, a Lablcau dcpicLing
a cmalc nudc madc rom a body casL, a sLand wiLh a small buckcL o painL-
brushcs and a palcLLc cncrusLcd wiLh congcalcd pigmcnLs, a chimncy o ac-
Lual cindcr blocks, an old woodcn chair, and a painLcd rcprcscnLaLion o a
wall and window. According Lo Scgal biographcr 1an van dcr Marck, Lhc work
is csscnLially auLobiographical and rcconsLrucLs Scgals original aLLic sLudio,
whcrc hc painLcd during Lhc 105us bcorc shiLing his ocus Lo sculpLurc:
SLraighL rom Lhc arLisLs pasL, Te Artists Studio is a Lhrcc-dimcnsional rcn-
dcring o Lhc cnvironmcnL o a Lwo-dimcnsional pursuiL wiLh all iLs ondly
includcd, LradiLional Lrappings. YcL iL could bc argucd LhaL, Lo a ar grcaLcr
cxLcnL, iL is a rcprcscnLaLion o Lhc subjccL maLLcr o Lhc ArLisLs SLudio.
Tc nudc gurc opcraLcs in Lcrms o whaL Scgal has rccrrcd Lo as a parody
o Lhc classic posc o Lhc modcl . . . which is a clichc o a woman [who is] scl-
conscious in hcr awarcncss o hcr aLLracLivcncss. Fvcn Lhc chimncy, whilc
having iLs origins in Scgals sLudio, docs noL so much rcconsLrucL Lhc appcar-
ancc o his working milicu as commcnL on Lhc kinds o xLurcs LhaL havc
caLurcd in carlicr rcprcscnLaLions o Lhc ArLisLs SLudio, whcrc a sLovc was
rcquircd Lo hcaL a room whcrc a nudc modcl was posing. Te Artists Studio
sccms in acL Lo ocr an cngagcmcnL wiLh prcvious dcpicLions o sLudio scL-
Lings and wiLh Lhc idcas LhaL undcrpin Lhcm: Lhc arLisL/owncr, physically
abscnL buL ncvcrLhclcss a prcscncc Lhrough Lhc painLbrushcs and loadcd
palcLLc, appcars Lo bc lcss Scgal himscl Lhan a gcncric arLisL gurconc
consLrucLcd Lhrough and by a hisLory o rcprcscnLaLions.
A scl-conscious rccrcncc Lo Lhc ArLisLs SLudio as a Lhcmc, as a discoursc,
can bc dcLccLcd in subscqucnL works by Scgal. In Lablcaux such as Picassos
Chair (1073) and Rubenss Women (10S4), Lhcrc arc cxpliciL rccrcnccs Lo rcp-
rcscnLaLions o Lhis subjccL maLLcr by oLhcr arLisLs, buL cvcn Self-Portrait
with Head and Body (106S)a work LhaL sccms Lo ocr auLhcnLic insighLs
inLo Scgals own arL-making proccssrclaLcs Lo carlicr dcpicLions o sLudios
and, morc cspccially, rcprcscnLaLions o cmalc modcls in arL rom Lhc pasL.
George Segal, Picassos
Chair, 1973.
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nTc Lhcmc o Lhc ArLisLs SLudio is inLimaLcly bound up wiLh cndcavors
LhaL suggcsL LhaL arL is Lhc producL o crcaLivc masLcry and spccial pcrccp-
Lion, Lhus asscrLing LhaL Lhc arLisL has, or oughL Lo havc, a sLaLus bcyond
LhaL o mcrc arLisan. Tc Lhcmc has long aordcd arLisLs Lhc opporLuniLy
Lo csLablish an imagc o Lhcmsclvcs as visionarics and, indccd, during Lhc
RomanLic pcriod Lo imply LhaL Lhcy wcrc blcsscd wiLh pcrccpLions LhaL scp-
araLcd Lhcm rom socicLy aL largc. According Lo Ronnic Zakon, Lhis vicw
providcd a oundaLion or a conccpLion o Lhc arLisL as Lhc Bohcmian who
oughL all convcnLional aLLiLudcs, cspccially Lhosc osLcrcd by Lhc PhilisLincs
o Lhc middlc class, and, by cxLcnsion, o Lhc sLudio as a privaLc rcalm in
which Lhc arLisL could givc orm Lo his pcrccpLions. Tc nincLccnLh-ccnLury
Frcnch painLcr Mcissonicr sLaLcd LhaL Lhc arLisL should sLay in his sLudio
whcrc hc is king, and Lhcn askcd rhcLorically, WhaL has hc Lo do wiLh soci-
cLy which Lakcs him ovcr, body and soul, whcn hc is amous and scrvcs him
up Lo his gucsLs` IL is Lhc csscncc o Lhcsc scnLimcnLs LhaL would undcrpin
rcprcscnLaLions o Lhc sLudio by LwcnLicLh-ccnLury arLisLs such as Picasso
and MaLisscworks in which Lhc painLcrs (and, somcLimcs, Lhc sculpLors)
working cnvironmcnL is conccpLualizcd as an isolaLcd and mysLcrious rcalm
in which hc cnjoys a suprcmc and sccmingly Cod-givcn auLhoriLy.
Mcissonicrs dcniLion o Lhc arLisL as king is rcvcaling, and my usc o
Lhc pronoun hc Lo dcscribc Lhis crcaLivc gurc is inLcnLional: I Lhc sLudio
Lhcmc is inormcd by a characLcrizaLion o Lhc arLisL as a crcaLivc gcnius,
blcsscd wiLh uniquc powcrs o insighL, so Loo is iL undcrpinncd by a conccp-
Lion o Lhc painLcr or sculpLor as malc. RcprcscnLaLions o arLisLs sLudios
Lcnd Lo includc noL only Lhc maLcrials uscd or acsLhcLic producLioncascls
and canvascs, or cxamplcbuL also cmalc modcls, and Lhc conLrasL csLab-
lishcd bcLwccn a malc arLisL and a cmalc modcl providcs a kcy Lropc in Lhc
ArLisLs SLudio rhcLoric. On onc lcvcl, Lhc dcpicLion o cmalc modcls cn-
ablcs Lhcsc arLisLs Lo rcprcscnL Lhcmsclvcs as virilc bcings unconsLraincd by
Lhc moral rcsLricLions o socicLy aL largcan issuc Carol Duncan cxplorcd
in an cssay rsL publishcd in 1073.` Fvcn morc signicanLly, howcvcr, iL has
providcd a vchiclc or cccLing an anLiLhcsis bcLwccn (cmalc) naLurc and
(malc) culLurc, and or rcprcscnLing Lhc modcl, mosL parLicularly Lhc cmalc
nudc, as whaL Marcia PoinLon Lcrms a ciphcr or malc crcaLiviLy, as raw
maLLcr amcnablc Lo Lhc LransormaLional or crcaLivc powcrs o a malc imag-
inaLion.
Such conccpLualizing o womcn as maLcrial awaiLing shaping by a malc
culLural consciousncss is inormcd by Lhc widcsprcad bclic LhaL womcn arc
inhcrcnLly morc closcly linkcd Lo naLurc Lhan arc mcn. In hcr inucnLial
cssay Is Fcmalc Lo Malc as NaLurc Is Lo CulLurc` Shcrry OrLncr argucs
LhaL cvcry culLurc is cngagcd in Lhc proccss o gcncraLing and susLaining
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sysLcms o mcaningul orms (symbols, arLiacLs, cLc.) by mcans o which
humaniLy Lransccnds iLs purposcs, conLrols Lhcm in iLs inLcrcsL. AlLhough
womcn arc rccognizcd Lo bc acLivc parLicipanLs in Lhc proccss, Lhcy arc si-
mulLancously sccn as bcing morc rooLcd in, or having morc dirccL aniLy
wiLh, naLurc or aL lcasL as bcing lcss LransccndcnLal o naLurc Lhan mcn
arc.' OrLncr accounLs or Lhis pcrccpLion o womcn as lcss complcLcly ac-
culLuraLcd Lhan mcn by ocusing on Lhrcc acLors: conccpLions o Lhc cmalc
body and iLs biological uncLions, womcns LradiLional social rolcs (which
arc Lhc producL o Lhcsc biological uncLions), and, nally, Lhc ways in which
womcns psychic sLrucLurc (which is argucd Lo bc Lhc producL o socializa-
Lion and noL innaLc) cncouragcs cmalcs Lo vicw Lhcmsclvcs as somchow
closcr Lo naLurc Lhan arc mcn. OrLncr noLcs LhaL a woman may in pracLicc
play a rolc in shaping socicLy, in orming culLural norms, buL shc is ncvcr-
Lhclcss simulLancously pcrccivcd as parL o unrcgulaLcd, unrcncd naLurc.
Shc is vicwcd, aL lcasL parLly, as subjccL Lo Lhc conLrolling orccs o culLurc,
as LhaL which is impliciLly acLcd upon raLhcr Lhan cmpowcrcd wiLh Lhc ca-
paciLy Lo iniLiaLc acLion.
Tis vicw o womcn as unLamcd maLLcr in nccd o modicaLion by cul-
Lurc would appcar Lo undcrpin a vasL numbcr o imagcs o Lhc cmalc nudc
in WcsLcrn arL. Iynda Ncad noLcs how WcsLcrn acsLhcLics, parLicularly clas-
sical convcnLions, havc providcd a basis or ordcring Lhc cmalc body inLo
an imagc o uniLy and cohcrcncc, or ncgoLiaLing Lhc LhrcaL poscd by a body
undcrsLood Lo bc dangcrously wayward and inchoaLc. Shc wriLcs: Tc orms,
convcnLions and poscs o arL havc workcd mcLaphorically Lo shorc up Lhc
cmalc bodyLo scal oriccs and Lo prcvcnL marginal maLLcr rom Lrans-
grcssing Lhc boundary dividing Lhc insidc o Lhc body and Lhc ouLsidc, Lhc
scl rom Lhc spacc o Lhc oLhcr. I, as Ncad noLcs, Lhc cmalc body is dc-
ncd as a biological cnLiLy lacking conLainmcnL and issuing maLLcr rom iLs
brokcn suraccs, Lhcn Lhc classical orms o arL pcrorm a kind o magical
rcgulaLion o Lhc cmalc body, conLaining iL and momcnLarily rcpairing Lhc
oriccs and Lcars.' Morcovcr, Ncad noLcs, Lhc cmalc body is undcrsLood
Lo bc in nccd o disciplinc and conLainmcnL i iL is Lo bc prcvcnLcd rom clic-
iLing unLcmpcrcd carnal dcsircs. Shc shows how Lhis conccrn, which has iLs
rooLs in WcsLcrn mcLaphysics, undcrpins KcnncLh Clarks inucnLial sLudy
o Lhc nudc. Clark conLcnds LhaL cmalc bodics ncccssarily arousc dcsirc and
Lhcrcorc risk upscLLing Lhc uniLy o rcsponsc rom which a work o arL dc-
rivcs iLs indcpcndcnL lic. For Clark, as Ncad obscrvcs, Lhc Lriumph o a
succcssul rcprcscnLaLion o Lhc nudc is Lhc conLrol o Lhis poLcnLial risk.
Vicwcd in Lhcsc Lcrms, classicism bccomcs a mcchanism or managing bod-
ics LhaL arc inhcrcnLly dangcrous, or harncssing unbridlcd lusL, and or us-
ing croLic cnjoymcnL wiLh acsLhcLic apprcciaLion.
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nRcprcscnLaLions o sLudios oLcn visualizc Lhis idca LhaL womcn arc in
nccd o malc crcaLivc managcmcnL by csLablishing conLrasLs bcLwccn Lhc
bodics o Lhc arLisLs and Lhcir modcls. Also, Lhcy somcLimcs includc moLis
LhaL aLLcsL Lo a masculinc scicnLic auLhoriLy. In Durcrs woodcuL Draughts-
man Drawing a Nude (1525), or cxamplc, Lhc languid body o Lhc cmalc,
aL lcL, conLrasLs wiLh Lhc uprighL gurc o Lhc arLisL, aL righL, and an inLcr-
vcning grid is suggcsLcd Lo bc a mcchanism or harncssing Lhc incrL masscs
o Lhc modcls body inLo a pcrspccLivally ordcrcd sysLcm. An uprighL mca-
suring dcvicc, placcd immcdiaLcly in ronL o Lhc arLisL, rcinorccs suggcs-
Lions LhaL Lhc cmalc body is raw maLLcr amcnablc Lo malc conLrol. Mickc
Bal obscrvcs LhaL whilc Lhis objccL or sLand is supposcdly hclping him Lo
mcasurc disLanccs, iL has a phallic sLaLus [which] is hard Lo ovcrlook. Cill
Saundcrs summarizcs Lhc gcndcrcd mcssagc arLiculaLcd in Lhc work: Tc
malc arLisL is prcscnLcd as acLivc, analyLical, Lhc cmalc modcl as passivc, Lhc
objccL o his gazc and maLcrial or his crcaLivc inLclligcncc.
Asidc rom including moLis LhaL aLLcsL Lo malc culLural auLhoriLy, Lhc
sLudio cnvironmcnL has bccn rcprcscnLcd in such a way LhaL iL illusLraLcs
or invokcs rccrcncc Lowcll-known narraLivcs LhaL arLiculaLc Lhc idca LhaL
crcaLiviLy is ncccssarily masculinc, and, in Lhc casc o Lhc sLory o Pygmal-
ion, Lhc noLion LhaL Lhc cmalc imagc is a vchiclc or manicsLing LhaL crc-
aLiviLy. PoinLon noLcs LhaL Lhcrc arc hisLorical rcasons or Lhc populariLy o
Lhc Pygmalion myLh among nincLccnLh-ccnLury arLisLs. AlLhough rclaLcd
Lo Lhc impcraLivcs o mimcLic arL orms and dcbaLcs abouL Rcalism in Lhc
capiLalisL WcsL in LhaL pcriod, shc obscrvcs, iL is ncvcrLhclcss signicanL
LhaL Lhc cmalc body is Lhc sign or malc crcaLiviLy, or LhaL which can bring
Lo lic incrL maLcrial by imaginaLivc projccLion. Fvcn whcn Lhis myLh is
noL cxpliciLly rcprcscnLcd, dcpicLions o Lhc ArLisLs SLudio oLcn invokc iL.
PoinLon ciLcs Ccrmcs Te Artists Model rom 1S05, a painLing in which
Lhc imaging o a symbioLic physical rclaLionship bcLwccn modcl and work
mcans LhaL Lhc csh o Lhc cmalc body is valoriscd only by rccrcncc Lo
Lhc carvcd marblc.` Fqually, rcsonanccs o Lhc Pygmalion sLory can bc dc-
LccLcd in a numbcr o LwcnLicLh-ccnLury imagcs o arLisLs aL work. I a mod-
crnisL scnsibiliLy would sccm Lo dcmand LhaL Lhc producLs o culLurc havc
an indcpcndcnL acsLhcLic idcnLiLy, LhaL Lhc disLincLions bcLwccn arL and
lic bc madc cxpliciL, iL ncvcrLhclcss glorics Lhc arLisL as a gurc who can
brcaLhc ncw (culLural) lic inLo Lhc raw maLcrials o naLurc. Tc idcalizcd im-
agc o woman LhaL Pygmalion brings Lo lic can rcadily bccomc an imagc o
woman Lransormcd inLo an objccL o culLurc wiLh an acsLhcLic lic granLcd
Lo hcr Lhrough Lhc arLisLs imaginaLivc and crcaLivc powcrs. In MaLisscs
pcn-and-ink drawing Artist and Model Reected in the Mirror (or Nude with
Mirror) (1037), or cxamplc, Lhc mirror bchind Lhc modcl, which providcs
225
an alLcrnaLivc vicw o hcr body as wcll as showing Lhc arLisL aL work, sccms
as i iL is simulLancously an cascl. Tc arLisLs maLcrials arc obuscaLcd in
such a way LhaL Lhc rcccLcd body appcars Lo bc, quiLc liLcrally, Lhc maLcrial
LhaL MaLissc is orming inLo ArL. Tc rcal and rcccLcd cmalc bodics arc
conjoincd prcscnccs, manicsLaLions o MaLisscs abiliLy Lo inusc Lhc raw
maLLcr o naLurc wiLh culLural lic.'
Scgals Lhrcc-dimcnsional imagcs o sLudios and Lhc cmalc modcls who
inhabiL Lhcm arc ironical in Lhc scnsc LhaL Lhc mcLhod by which Lhcsc works
wcrc madc is anLiLhcLical Lo Lhosc LradiLionally considcrcd suiLablc or pro-
ducing csLccmcd objccLs o culLurc. Body casLing ncccssarily counLcrs, or
challcngcs, a dcniLion o arL-making as a proccdurc LhaL involvcs consLrucL-
ing orm by working rom, raLhcr Lhan o, Lhc human modcl. CasL body
parLs mighL havc a placc in a rcprcscnLaLion o a sLudio (as, or cxamplc, in
CcricaulLs Portrait of an Artist in His Studio, ca. 1S1S'), buL Lhcy would noL
Lhcmsclvcs LradiLionally bc dcncd as ArL. Iikcwisc, Lhc usc o ound objccLs,
howcvcr ubiquiLous Lhc pracLicc may havc bccomc in LwcnLicLh- ccnLury
arL-making, is anLiLhcLical Lo a conccpLion o arL LhaL dcmands crcaLivc con-
sLrucLion raLhcr Lhan rclocaLion o objccLs and clcmcnLs in Lhc rcal world.
Scgals arL-making mcLhods and LrcaLmcnL o maLcrials arc, Lhcn, clcarly aL
odds wiLh Lhosc dcpicLcd in LradiLional rcprcscnLaLions o Lhc sLudio, and
Lhcy impliciLly disrupL idcas abouL arLisLic gcnius and crcaLivc individualiLy
inhcrcnL in Lhc ArLisLs SLudio Lhcmc.
Scgals Lablcaux also conound and disLurb Lhc idca LhaL Lhc arLisL is a crc-
aLor o culLurc whilc Lhc modcl is a producL o naLurc. I, as in MaLisscs Artist
and Model Reected in the Mirror, or cxamplc, Scgal plays wiLh lcvcls o rcal-
iLy, upscLLing disLincLions bcLwccn Lhc acLual modcl and hcr rcprcscnLaLion,
his works do noL in acL crcaLc a scnsc LhaL Lhc womans body is raw maLc-
rial imbucd wiLh culLural lic Lhrough Lhc hand o Lhc arLisL. Tc kcy clcmcnL
hcrc is whaL mighL bc Lcrmcd Lhc anLiclassicism o Scgals cmalc nudcs:
alLhough Lhcy may rccr Lo sculpLurcs rom Lhc ancicnL world or indccd Lo
classical poscs, his casLs rcsisL Lhc principlcs o conLainmcnL and ordcr LhaL
would rcndcr Lhcm such csLccmcd producLs o culLurc.
In Scgals Te Artists Studio, or cxamplc, Lhc cmalc gurc is rcprcscnLcd
in Lcrms o uncvcn laycrs o plasLcr, a acLurcd suracc LhaL is noL only an
indcx o Lhc making proccss buL sccms also Lo crcaLc a scnsc o body LhaL
is pcrmcablc, vulncrablc Lo boLh aLmosphcric cccLs and Lhc pull o grav-
iLy. NoL a clcar boundary bcLwccn inncr and ouLcr body, Lhc inLcgumcnL o
Lhc gurc sccms Lo bc ovcrlaid wiLh a scrics o rupLurcs, crcascs, and nod-
ulcs LhaL rcndcr iL violablc. FurLhcrmorc, whilc Lhc gurc adopLs Lhc scm-
blancc o a classical conLrapposLo sLancc, Lhis posc is divcsLcd o iLs capaciLy
Lo rcndcr Lhc body as a scl-conLaincd, harmonious uniL Lhrough a scrics o
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n balanccd rhyLhms and movcmcnLs. I conLrapposLo is LradiLionally uscd Lo
crcaLc a subLlc balancc bcLwccn an cngagcd and a rclaxcd lcg, cvoking sLill-
ncss buL wiLh Lhc poLcnLial or movcmcnL, hcrc Lhc gurcs wcighL sccms Lo
shiL bcLwccn Lhc cngagcd and Lhc ouLsLrcLchcd lcg, making hcr appcar un-
comorLablc raLhcr Lhan aL casc. Tcrc is noL, morcovcr, Lhc kind o doubling,
or mirroring, o modcl and arLwork sccn in Lhc MaLissc drawinga Lwin-
ning LhaL mighL makc iL clcar LhaL Lhis is a modcl prior Lo hcr LranslaLion
inLo ArL. Tc prcscncc o Lhc arLisL is suggcsLcd only Lhrough his maLcrials,
whilc Lhc producL o his crcaLivc LransormaLionLhc painLingis nowhcrc
visiblc. I rcprcscnLaLions o cmalc modcls in sLudios havc providcd arLisLs
wiLh a mcans o suggcsLing Lhcir own capaciLy Lo LransmuLc impcrccL na-
Lurc inLo ArL, an objccL o culLurc, Lhc gurc in Te Artists Studio sccms Lo
bc ArL only by dcaulL, Lhrough Lhc acL LhaL Lhc plasLcr shcll is a simulaLion
o hcr body.
I Lhc gurc in Te Artists Studio rcsisLs Lhc raw maLLcr mcLaphor, Lhis
may in parL bc duc Lo Scgals usc o body casLing. CasLing rom lic, a proccss
riddlcd wiLh ambivalcnccs and ambiguiLics, unscLLlcs Lhc sorLs o rclaLions
or cnacLmcnLs bcLwccn arLisL and modcl LhaL characLcrizc (or arc LhoughL
Lo characLcrizc) works madc Lhrough morc LradiLional mcans. I lic casLing
has bccn rcgardcd as a purcly mcchanical orm o imagc producLion, prcclud-
ing Lhc arLisL rom assuming Lhc rolc o Lhc crcaLor who Lransorms maL-
Lcr inLo poLcnL and original imagcry, Lhc proccss ncvcrLhclcss invcsLs Lhc
arLisL wiLh a Lypc o liLcral conLrol ovcr Lhc modcl cvcn morc pronounccd
Lhan in LradiLional mcLhods o arL-making. Tc acLiviLy o cncasing a modcl
in plasLcr placcs hcr in a vulncrablc siLuaLion, giving Lhc arLisL conLrol ovcr
hcr wcll-bcing. FurLhcrmorc, Lhc proccss dcmands LhaL Lhc siLLcr bc subjccL
noL only Lo scruLiny buL also Lo Louch, and Lhc malc arLisLs acL o applying
plasLcr, cspccially Lo a nakcd cmalc body, could rcadily bc dcccLcd inLo a
dirccL asscrLion o scxual dominaLion. And ycL, simulLancously, Lhc dimin-
ishing o disLancc bcLwccn Louch and sighL, Lhc acL LhaL Lhc casL is an indcx
o Lhc subjccLs body, mcans LhaL Lhc modcl cannoL hclp buL shapc hcr own
appcarancc Lo a grcaLcr dcgrcc Lhan can a siLLcr or cvcn Lhc mosL mimcLic
sculpLurc madc Lhrough LradiLional mcans. IL is, o coursc, imporLanL Lo
acknowlcdgc LhaL arLisLs modcls always providc somc crcaLivc inpuL, LhaL
Lhc idca LhaL Lhc modcl is awaiLing LransormaLion ovcrlooks Lhc acL LhaL
a rcprcscnLcd gurc is, as FlizabcLh Hollandcr noLcs, a dclibcraLc crcaLion,
noL only o Lhc arLisL who dcpicLs iL buL o Lhc modcl who poscs or iL. In
lic casLing, howcvcr, Lhc modcls acL o imprinLing Lhc work o hcr body
cnsurcs LhaL hcr scl-rcprcscnLaLion is Lo a largc cxLcnL LransmuLcd inLo Lhc
arL objccL iLscl.
ScruLiny o commcnLs by Scgal and Lhc pcoplc who havc poscd or him
227
suggcsLs LhaL Lhcsc sorLs o ambivalcnL powcr and auLhorial rclaLions in-
orm Lhcir ncgoLiaLions and inLcracLions during Lhc casLing scssions. Scgal
has acknowlcdgcd Lhc ways in which hc conLrols Lhc siLLcrs wcll-bcing: I
usc rcal modclsbuL Lhcy had Lo LrusL mc. IL gcLs prcLLy scary Lo bc wrappcd
in plasLcr. 1ill 1ohnson is morc blunL and spccic, albciL lighLhcarLcd, in
hcr accounL o bcing casL or Te Girlfriends, a 1060 Lablcau:
Whcn yourc siLLing Lhcrc wiLh say your wholc back chcsL arms insidc yourscl,
insidc your whiLc plasLcr casL yourscl, and yourc dying rom singing Lo sLay
alivc bccausc yourc all Lrappcd rsL wcL soL Lhcn dry hard in Lhis living gravc
o a Ccorgc Scgal immorLal picLurc collccLion, whcn yourc likc Lhis iLs rcally
csscnLial LhaL Lhc Lcchnician Lhc arLisL whos doing iL Lo you bccomcs a good
plumbcr and makcs surc Lhc cxccss goocy wcL plasLcr docsnL drip down righL
down Lhrough Lhc plasLic shccL hcs riggcd up around your waisL or proLccLing
you, and inLo your croLch your cunL.
YcL, dcspiLc Lhc modcls vulncrabiliLy, shc is cmpowcrcd Lhrough hcr abiliLy
Lo play an acLivc rolc in consLrucLing hcr rcprcscnLaLion. Scgal acknowlcdgcs
Lhc dcgrcc Lo which his modcls play a viLal rolc in crcaLing mcaning. In an
inLcrvicw wiLh Hcnry Ccldzahlcr in 1064, hc rcmarkcd:
I usually know gcncrally whaL cmoLional sLancc Id likc Lo havc in Lhc nishcd
gurc and I ask Lhc modcl Lo sLand or siL in a ccrLain way. TaL modcl Lhough is
a human bcing wiLh a grcaL dcal o mysLcry and LoLaliLy lockcd up in Lhc gurc.
In spiLc o my Lcchniquc ccrLain LruLhs o bonc sLrucLurc arc rcvcalcd and so arc
long Limc basic aLLiLudcs o rcsponsc on Lhc parL o Lhc modcl.
AlmosL LwcnLy ycars laLcr Scgal again indicaLcd Lhc cxLcnL o his dcpcndcncc
on his modcls. Whcn Malcolm CarLcr askcd him whcLhcr hc has a clcar vi-
sion o Lhc appcarancc o a work bcorc hc bcgins, hc rcplicd:
NoL all LhaL clcar. I havc Lo sLarL wiLh an imagc in my hcad, ycs. And I havc Lo
sLarL wiLh an impulsc. BuL Lhcn I Lry Lo wipc ouL my own cgo, comparc iL Lo a
modcl, Lo allow Lhc modcl Lo bc himscl or hcrscl in Lhc siLuaLion. Maybc I can
bc lucky cnough Lo gcL a gcsLurc or a Lurn or a collccLion o movcmcnLs LhaL will
rcvcal somcLhing dccp abouL Lhcir aLLiLudc Loward: whaL` Toward caLing an icc
crcam conc or Loward having an orgasm in bcd. I I can wipc ouL my opinion and
givc my modcl Lhc lcad or somchow Lhoroughly rcspccL Lhc modclLhcrc has
Lo bc a ccrLain compassion or cvcn approval: Hcrcs a cllow human bcing jusL as
crackcd as I ammaybc iLs likc LhaL.
AlLhough iL is incorrccL Lo assumc LhaL Scgal Lakcs no rolc in sclccLing a gcs-
Lurc or sLancc, his commcnL suggcsLs LhaL hc givcs his siLLcrs a good dcal
o lccway in Lhcir poscs, or aL lcasL Lo modiy and inLcrprcL his suggcsLions
228
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nraLhcr Lhan vicwing Lhcm as narrowly circumscribcd insLrucLions. Also,
Lhcsc rcmarks suggcsL his acknowlcdgmcnL o Lhc acL LhaL a siLLcrs physi-
ognomy and habiLual gcsLurcs inorm Lhc appcarancc o a work, rcgardlcss
o Lhc dcgrcc and naLurc o his own inLcrvcnLion. AlLhough siLLcrs arc vul-
ncrablc during Lhc applicaLion o plasLcr Lo Lhcir bodics, Lhcy arc cmpowcrcd
in Lhc scnsc LhaL Scgals rcprcscnLaLions arc Lo a largc cxLcnL ramcd in rc-
sponsc Lo Lhc ways in which Lhcy prcscnL, or rcprcscnL, Lhcmsclvcs.
Also signicanL is Scgals dcparLurc rom a conccpLion LhaL uniLy is somc-
Lhing imposcd on a body Lhrough Lhc dcviccs o ArL in avor o an inLcrcsL in
ways in which bodics arc Lhcmsclvcs inLcgral uniLs. In oLhcr words, raLhcr
Lhan opcraLing rom an assumpLion LhaL cmalc bodics arc inhcrcnLly orm-
lcss, LhaL Lhcy nccd Lo bc ordcrcd Lhrough Lhc uniying convcnLions o an
acsLhcLic sysLcm, Scgal cvokcs a scnsc o Lhc physiological consisLcncy LhaL
hc cvidcnLly bclicvcs is inLcgral Lo all his modcls, whcLhcr malc or cmalc.
As hc rcmarkcd in 1071, I you Lakc a wholc gurc and puL somcbody clscs
ngcr on iL, iL sLicks ouL, liLcrally, likc a sorc Lhumb. Tcrc is an incrcdi-
blc consisLcncy in cach o us miscrablc hunks o human csh. Our ngcrs
havc somcLhing Lo do wiLh Lhc way our cars arc shapcd.` ConccpLualizcd
in Lhcsc Lcrms, Lhc modcl or a work such as Te Artists Studio is undcrsLood
Lo havc a physiological inLcgriLy LhaL rcsisLs raLhcr Lhan inviLcs modica-
Lion by Lhc convcnLions o arL, and Lhis inorms hcr rcprcscnLaLion. Tc or-
dcring sysLcm imposcd on Lhc gurcLhc conLrapposLo sLanccis in acL
dccd by a body LhaL rcsponds Lo iLs own rhyLhms and sysLcms o organiza-
Lion (rhyLhms and sysLcms LhaL arc noL only Lhc producL o biology buL also
lcarncd or culLurally inscribcd habiLs). Tis dcancc is o coursc cspccially
ironic in Lhc conLcxL o a work LhaL dcpicLs Lhc ArLisLs SLudioa subjccL
LhaL has LradiLionally providcd a primc vchiclc or suggcsLing Lhc capaciLy
o a (malc) arLisL Lo manicsL his culLural conLrol ovcr plianL (cmalc) naLurc.
Whilc Lhc cmalc in Te Artists Studio rcprcscnLs a human modcl, osLcn-
sibly or a painLing, Lhc parLial gurc in Self-Portrait with Head and Body dc-
picLs a body casL o a woman in Lhc proccss o bcing asscmblcd. YcL, dcspiLc
Lhc apparcnL ocus on Scgals arL-making proccss, Self-Portrait with Head and
Body is ulLimaLcly no morc auLobiographical Lhan Lhc carlicr Lablcau, a rcad-
ing o iLs conLcnL as, quiLc simply, a dcpicLion o a Lcchniquc uscd by Scgal is
undcrmincd by Lhc acL LhaL Lhc work cvokcs a rccrcncc Lo a hisLory o rcp-
rcscnLaLions and convcys idcas abouL Lhc acL o rcprcscnLaLion.
Self-Portrait with Head and Body is conounding in Lhc scnsc LhaL, aparL
rom missing lowcr lcgs and hcad, Lhc parLial gurc sccms on iniLial vicwing
no morc or lcss liclikc Lhan Lhc gurc o Lhc arLisL. As ChrisLian Ccclhaar
noLcs, Tc ragmcnL o a sculpLurc on a chair and Lhc Scl-PorLraiL arc boLh
madc o plasLcr. So wiLh rcgard Lo Lhc maLcrial boLh bclong Lo Lhc samc caL-
229
cgory o absLracLion. Tis disrupLion o Lhc vicwcrs capaciLy Lo rcadily
disLinguish bcLwccn Lhc rcprcscnLaLion o an arL objccL and Lhc rcprcscn-
LaLion o a pcrson is unscLLling in Lhc cxLrcmc, or iL cncouragcs Lhc spcc-
LaLor Lo pcrccivc Lhc parLial gurc as a dccapiLaLcd and dismcmbcrcd body
raLhcr Lhan as a sculpLurc in Lhc sLagcs o producLion. AlLhough Scgal claims
LhaL hc had no such inLcnLion, hc acknowlcdgcs LhaL Lhc work is liablc Lo bc
vicwcd in Lcrms o Lhc wholc masochisLic hisLory o marLyrdom.' And ycL,
simulLancously, Lhc vicwcr is madc awarc o Lhc acL LhaL Lhc gurc is a rcp-
rcscnLaLion o an objccL in LhaL Lhc croppcd lcgs arc clcarly plasLcr inLcgu-
mcnLs and Lhc hollowncss o Lhc casL is visiblc Lhrough Lhc opcning o Lhc
ncck. Self-Portrait with Head and Body sccms, in acL, Lo providc a curious
subvcrsion o Lhc Pygmalion myLh: Tc arLisL is unablc Lo invcsL Lhc objccL
o his dcsircs wiLh lic buL appcars, insLcad, Lo mcdiLaLc on whaL musL ncc-
cssarily rcmain only Lraccs o an abscnL cmalc subjccL.
FurLhcrmorc, whilc Lhc Pygmalion sLory opcraLcs around an arLisLs dc-
sirc Lo brcak down boundarics bcLwccn Lhc rcal and Lhc idcal, Lo bring pcr-
ccLion inLo a ramcwork in which iL bccomcs immcdiaLcly acccssiblc, Self-
Portrait with Head and Body bcars Lraccs o Scgals disrcgard or whaL, in
1070, hc Lcrmcd a Crcck idca o pcrccLion and Hollywood sLandards o
bcauLy.' Morc rcccnLly, hc rciLcraLcd:
Ivc always rcjccLcd Lhc idca o Lhc mosL bcauLiul girl in Lhc world, Lhc mosL
handsomc boy in Lhc world, which is a Hollywood sLandard, which is a modcrn
ccho o Crcck idcals: iL gocs back Lo PlaLoLhc idca o a pcrccL lca, Lhc idca o
pcrccL pccLorals, sound mind and hcalLhy body.
AlLhough Scgal has rcmarkcd LhaL his imagc holding a hcad in Self-Portrait
with Head and Body was a way Lo rccr Lo his admiraLion o classical Crcccc
and Romc and LhaL Lhc ragmcnL o a gurc rcmindcd him o Classical
cquilibrium, Lhc dcpicLcd cmalc body is ar morc parLicular Lo Lhc modcl
who poscd or Lhc work Lhan arc ancicnL proLoLypcs. Tc wcighL o Lhis g-
urcs brcasLs and Lhc sprcad o Lhc csh o hips and Lhighs bclic any Crcck
or Roman idcals. FurLhcrmorc, Lhosc arcas whcrc onc piccc o plasLcr-in-
uscd cloLh has ovcrlappcd anoLhcr arc highly visiblc, noL only uncLioning
as signs o Lhc arL-making proccss buL alluding Lo csh LhaL is iLscl scarrcd
and vulncrablc. AlLhough Lhc cmalc in Self-Portrait with Head and Body may
rccall anLiquc proLoLypcs in Lcrms o hcr symmcLry, Lhc idcalizaLions and
principlcs or conLaining Lhc body LhaL arc Lypical in ancicnL arL arc sub-
vcrLcd raLhcr Lhan imiLaLcd.
Whilc Te Artists Studio and Self-Portrait with Head and Body alludc Lo Lhc
ArLisLs SLudio Lhcmc in a gcncric scnsc, Scgals Lablcaux also rccr Lo spc-
cic works LhaL dcpicL cmalc modcls in sLudio scLLings. Picassos Chair, or
230
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ncxamplc, is a Lhrcc-dimcnsional rcprcscnLaLion o Picassos coppcr cLching
Model and Surrealistic Sculpture (1033) rom Lhc Vollard SuiLc. In Lhis onc
o a scqucncc o prinLs LhaL shows a cmalc modcl wiLh a sculpLurc, as AniLa
CosLcllo has noLcd, Lhc dicrcnccs bcLwccn Lhc Lwo gurcs [Lhc modcl and
Lhc sculpLurc] illusLraLc Picassos noLion LhaL Lhrough arL wc cxprcss our
conccpLion o whaL naLurc is noL. YcL Lhc work docs noL simply rcprcscnL
Lhc modcl in hcr naLural and Lransormcd sLaLcs, buL raLhcr Lwo alLcrna-
Livc rcndiLions rcprcscnLing dicrcnL acsLhcLic codcs: Lhc livc modcl, who
is garlandcd, is associaLcd wiLh anLiquc imagcry, whilc Lhc sculpLurc, which
osLcnsibly rcprcscnLs hcr, is sLrucLurcd in Lcrms o convcnLions associaLcd
wiLh Surrcalism, mosL cspccially, as CosLcllo obscrvcs, wiLh Picassos own
drawing An Anatomy (1033). Tc sculpLurc wiLhin Picassos prinL is boLh
a chair and a pcrson, iLs componcnLs anLhropomorphizcd in such a way LhaL
Lhcy rcLain allusions Lo Lhcir liLcral uncLions whilc simulLancously bcing
chargcd wiLh scxual symbolism. CosLcllo cxplains:
Tc pillow . . . rcLains iLs uncLion as an objccL which would normally bc placcd
upon Lhc scaL o a chair. IL also scrvcs as Lhc lowcr Lorso o Lhc anLhropomor-
phizcd gurc, a uncLion indicaLcd noL only by iLs posiLion and by Lhc placcmcnL
o Lhc scxually suggcsLivc shapcs upon iL, buL also by Lhc doublc curvc o iLs up-
pcr ouLlinc. Tc conLours suggcsL Lhc curvaccous hips o a woman. Two balls arc
suspcndcd in ronL o a paLLcrncd cuL ouL rcscmbling a womans drcss, Lhus
assuming Lhc rolc o brcasLs. Tc drcss iLscl docs noL covcr Lhc uppcr Lorso in-
dicaLcd by Lhc chair back buL bccomcs conoundcd wiLh Lhc upholsLcrcd chair
scaL. ILs owcrcd paLLcrn, raLhcr likc a cur-dc-lis prinL, and iLs dccoraLivc Lrim,
corrcspond cxacLly Lo Lhc paLLcrn and cdging o Lhc scaL visiblc Lo Lhc righL o
Lhc pillow. Tc lowcr porLion o Lhc abric Lhus uncLions joinLly as boLh drcss
and chair scaL.
In a scnsc, Picasso has rcprcscnLcd a cmalc modcl whosc body has bccn con-
Laincd and moldcd in accordancc wiLh inhcriLcd sLandards o bcauLy, con-
LcmplaLing an imagc o hcrscl LhaL osLcnsibly rcvcals Lhc dark, normally
hiddcn aspccLs o hcr naLurc. In oLhcr words, Lhc SurrcalisL sculpLurc in
Lhc work is lcss rcprcscnLaLivc o Lhc arLisLs abiliLy Lo givc orm and cohcr-
cncc Lo an unconsLraincd cmalc body Lhan o his skill aL cxposing Lhc un-
Lcmpcrcd and dangcrous dcsircs LhaL lurk bcncaLh a modcls apparcnLly civi-
lizcd dcmcanor.
In Picassos Chair, Scgal LranslaLcs Lhc garlandcd nudc inLo a casL gurc.
Tc liLcral classicism o Lhc wrcaLhs is droppcd, as is Lhc raLhcr classical pro-
lc, buL associaLions wiLh ancicnL imagcry arc cccLcd Lhrough Lhc usc o
Lhc conLrapposLo posc and Lhc whiLc plasLcrs allusions Lo marblc. YcL, un-
likc Lhosc o classicizcd gurcs, Lhc inLcgumcnL o Lhc nudc docs noL jusL
231
dcnc and dicrcnLiaLc Lhc body and surrounding cnvironmcnL buL sccms
in a scnsc rupLurcd. SpaLLcrings o plasLcr and crcascs ovcrlay Scgals casL
gurc, and whilc Lhcsc Lcnd Lo alludc Lo scarring, Lhcy also suggcsL bodily
cmissions and Lhus inLimaLc LhaL Lhc rcprcscnLcd csh has bccomc pcrmc-
ablc and violablc. FurLhcrmorc, Lhc gurcs pubis (noL visiblc in Lhc Picasso
prinL, whcrc Lhc gurc is sccn in a Lhrcc-quarLcr back vicw) is impoliLcly
sLrcsscd. Tc body is, in shorL, dcrcgulaLcd in such a way LhaL Lhc idcaliza-
Lions undcr pinning a classicisL impcLus arc conLradicLcd and, indccd, chal-
lcngcd.
To rcprcscnL a LhrcaLcning and sLrangc Lhrcc-dimcnsional objccL, Pica-
sso uscd a mcdiumcLchingLhaL docs noL considcr sculpLural issucs. Tc
orms and componcnLs o his sculpLurc nccd noL bc physically joincd, wiLh
Lhc masscs and volumcs sLrucLurcd in such a way as Lo bc balanccd and sLa-
blc, and Lhc acLual mcdium o cach componcnL nccd noL bc spccicd. Much
o Lhc Picassos capaciLy Lo disLurb rcsLs on iLs ambiguiLy, on Lhc acL LhaL,
whilc appcaring Lo bc an incrL arL objccL, iL could also bc a monsLrous doublc
o Lhc modcl, wiLh animaLion and lic. Scgals LranslaLion o Lhc objccL inLo
Lhrcc dimcnsions rcmovcs Lhis ambiguiLy, rcndcring Lhc sculpLurc a com-
posiLc o idcnLiablc maLcrials and objccLs. RaLhcr Lhan rcmain poLcnLially
LhrcaLcning, Lhc sLrucLurc acquircs a qualiLy o liLcralncss, and moLis LhaL
in Lhc Picasso arc suggcsLivc o rampanL and dangcrous scxual dcsircs opcr-
aLc, in Lhc Scgal work, in Lcrms o a Lypc o visual burlcsquc. Tc Lwo balls on
Lhc pillow, or cxamplc, simulLancously alludc Lo malc and cmalc gcniLals,
whcrcas in Lhc cLching, Lhcy sccm Lo uncLion as signs o aggrcssivc dcsircs
(or, according Lo Scgal, as clcmcnLs LhaL makc Lhc cool CubisL sLrucLurc a
biLchy mcLaphor o a woman wiLh balls in hcr vagina`). In Lhc Scgal Lablcau,
by conLrasL, Lhcir rcdncss is so arLicial, so ludicrously cxccssivc in iLs con-
noLaLion o hoL scxualiLy, LhaL Lhcir capaciLy Lo providc a convincing sLaLc-
mcnL o rampanL dcsirc is undcrmincd. Iikcwisc, Lhc sLrands o hair, which
in Lhc Picasso havc no parLicular origin in any kind o objccL, arc LranslaLcd
in Lhc Scgal inLo a houschold mopa workaday vcrsion o a broomsLick
LhaL sccms Lo dcny Lhc capaciLy o a woman Lo bcwiLch. Whcrcas Lhc Pica-
sso prinL ocrs a sLaLcmcnL abouL Lhc arLisLs capaciLy Lo cxposc a dark, hid-
dcn sidc o womcn LhaL is normally maskcd, Scgals Lablcau sccms Lo divcsL
Lhc codcs, Lhc mcchanisms, uscd in LhaL cnLcrprisc o Lhcir ccacy. Picassos
Chair is, ulLimaLcly, a work abouL Lhc languagc o arL, mosL cspccially iLs dc-
viccs or rcprcscnLing womcn, raLhcr LhaL abouL womcn and Lhcir dcsircs.
A ocus on arL as an inhcriLcd discoursc also undcrpins Rubenss Women,
alLhough in Lhis insLancc Lhc works o anoLhcr arLisL arc rccrrcd Lo and
cvokcd raLhcr Lhan rclocaLcd. Also, noL only Lhc arL objccL (a ragmcnL o
a painLing) buL Lhc Lhrcc-dimcnsional gurc rccr Lo cxisLcnL works. Tc
232
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narL objccL appcars Lo bc a gcncralizcd rccrcncc Lo painLings o womcn by
Rubcns raLhcr Lhan an allusion Lo any singlc idcnLiablc work (iLs sLaLus as
an cxLracL is suggcsLcd by Lhc ramc along Lwo o iLs sidcs, which implics
LhaL Lhc rcmaining Lwo arc croppcd). Tc sLanding gurc, howcvcr, cnLails
alLogcLhcr morc complcx allusions. In iL, Scgal is rcsponding noL only Lo a
parLicular sourcc buL Lo Lhc proLoLypc adapLcd in LhaL sourcc: Lhc plasLcr g-
urc in Rubenss Women is a parody o Rubcnss oil painLing Hlne Fourment
in a Fur Wrap (163us), a Baroquc work LhaL is iLscl indcbLcd Lo HcllcnisLic
imagcs o AphrodiLc o Lhc Vcnus Pudica Lypc. (Tc Mcdici Vcnus, a Roman
copy o a work rom Lhc Lhird ccnLury BC, in Lhc Uzi Callcry in Florcncc,
is onc o Lhc bcsL known o Lhcsc sculpLurcs.)
Rubcns has changcd Lhc posiLion o Lhc lcL hand o Lhc Vcnus Pudica: In-
sLcad o looscly vciling buL also drawing aLLcnLion Lo Lhc pubis, iL has bccn
liLcd Lo hip lcvcl, whcrc iL supporLs Lhc ur wrap drapcd around Lhc body.
Hc has also adjusLcd Lhc gcsLurc o Lhc righL arm, allowing iL Lo bccomc a
mcchanism or LhrusLing Lhc brcasLs upward and ouLward raLhcr Lhan, in
an ambivalcnLly modcsL ashion, parLly covcring Lhcm. Morc signicanLly,
howcvcr, Rubcns has manipulaLcd Lhc conLrapposLo sLancc in such a way
LhaL iL invcsLs his gurc wiLh a dcgrcc o dynamism aL odds wiLh Hcllcnis-
Lic proLoLypcs. Whcn uscd in HcllcnisLic imagcs o AphrodiLc, Lhc conLrap-
posLo sLancc scrvcs Lo organizc Lhc wcighLs and masscs o Lhc body in an
S-likc curvc, suggcsLing Lhc gurcs poLcnLial or movcmcnL whilc simulLa-
ncously rcLaining iLs uniLy and inLcrnal cohcrcncc. In Rubcnss dcpicLion o
his wic, howcvcr, Lhc scnsc o conLaincd movcmcnL cvokcd by Lhc conLrap-
posLo sLancc has bccn disrupLcd Lhrough a misalignmcnL o Lhc gurcs up-
pcr body and lcgs. 1ohn Bcrgcr obscrvcs LhaL Lhis misalignmcnL
pcrmiLs Lhc uppcr and lowcr halvcs o Lhc body Lo roLaLc scparaLcly, and in op-
posiLc dirccLions, round Lhc scxual ccnLrc which is hiddcn: Lhc Lorso Lurning
Lo Lhc righL, Lhc lcgs Lo Lhc lcL. AL Lhc samc Limc Lhis hiddcn scxual ccnLrc is
connccLcd by mcans o Lhc dark ur coaL Lo all Lhc surrounding darkncss in Lhc
picLurc, so LhaL shc is Lurning boLh around and wiLhin Lhc dark which has bccn
madc a mcLaphor or hcr scx.'
Scgals rccsLanding casL would havc bccn unbalanccd i hc had imiLaLcd Lhis
misalignmcnL, buL hc Loo invcsLs his gurc wiLh a dcgrcc o dynamism LhaL
is ouL o kccping wiLh Lhc HcllcnisLic proLoLypc. RaLhcr Lhan scdaLcly dcpos-
iLing hcr wcighL on hcr lcL sidc and bcnding hcr righL lcg, Scgal sLraighLcns
Lhc righL lcg, which sccms abouL Lo bc drawn orward, as i Lo supporL Lhc
shiLing mass o a body in moLion. Whcrcas Rubcns disrupLcd Lhc scnsc o
conLaincd ordcr and uniLy associaLcd wiLh Lhc conLrapposLo posc Lhrough a
233
manipulaLion o clcmcnLs such as composiLion and spacc, Scgal allowcd Lhc
modcl hcrscl Lo cccL Lhcsc disLurbanccs. Hc noLcd:
I cxplaincd Lo hcr conLrapposLoLhc scrpcnLinc S, wiLh onc orm going Lhis
way and onc orm going LhaL way. My modcl bursL ouL laughing and said Lo mc:
Nobody sLands likc LhaL anymorc! So I grinncd rom car Lo car and said, SLand
Lhc way you Lhink you should. So LhaL is cxacLly how I did iL. I Lcnd Lo havc Lhcsc
grandiosc associaLions in my hcad, and I kccp gcLLing jarrcd back Lo rcaliLy!'
Tc rcsulLing work noL only disrupLs Lhc scnsc o conLainmcnL and uniLy
LhaL Lhc conLrapposLo posc normally convcys, iL also cxposcs Lhc ways LhaL
sLancc disguiscs iLs own arLicialiLy wiLh a supposcd naLuralism. Unlikc, or
cxamplc, Lhc convcnLions uscd Lo ordcr Lhc body in Archaic Crcck arL, Lhc
conLrapposLo posc masks iLs own consLrucLcdncss by implying LhaL a sub-
jccL mighL naLurally rclax inLo an S-likc ormaLion, LhaL a graccul disLribu-
Lion o masscs o Lhc body along a curvcd axis can bc achicvcd wiLhouL corL.
Whilc Lhc gurc in Rubenss Women docs noL subsLiLuLc a naLural posc or
a conLrivcd onc (as no sLancc is cvcr unmcdiaLcd), Lhc conLrapposLo sLancc
ordcrs Lhc body in a manncr LhaL prcvcnLs iL rom bcing rcadily mimickcd
by a living modcl.
Tc LradiLion o rcgulaLing cmalc bodics in arL dcmands Lhc usc o a
youLhul modcl, an agcd body is noL simply ouL o kccping wiLh long- sLanding
dcniLions o cmalc bcauLy, buL iL is also liablc Lo bccomc pcrmcablc and
accid, Lo rcsisL bcing subjccL Lo a sysLcm o ordcr and conLainmcnL. Scgals
ironical subvcrsion o Lhc mcssagcs and mcanings inhcrcnL in his sourcc is
duc parLly Lo Lhc acL LhaL his modcl or Lhc plasLcr gurc in Rubenss Women
sccms as much as LhirLy ycars oldcr Lhan FourmcnL was whcn shc poscd, and
LhaL hcr physiquc docs noL lcnd iLscl Lo Lhc sorL o idcalizing acsLhcLic sys-
Lcm LhaL Lhc Flcmish arLisL adapLcd Lo suggcsL Lhc scxual appcal o his young
wic. AlLhough Scgals modcl had a widLh and mass LhaL rclaLc Lo Rubcnss
FourmcnL, Lhc nodulcs and crcviccs on Lhc casL arc o a quiLc dicrcnL or-
dcr rom Lhc dimplcs and olds o csh rcprcscnLcd in Lhc Rubcns work.
Whcrcas Rubcns has subsLiLuLcd or Lhc smooLhncss o marblc a painLcrly
acLurc LhaL noL only suggcsLs Lhc LacLiliLy o csh buL could simulLancously
bc inLcrprcLcd as a mcchanism or buLLrcssing and supporLing Lhc gurcs
body, Lhc grainy and uncvcn suracc o Scgals gurc alludcs Lo csh LhaL
has bccn progrcssivcly crodcd Lhrough Limc.
In Rubenss Women, as in Lhc oLhcr works discusscd hcrc, Scgal appcars
Lo dcparL rom, raLhcr Lhan adhcrc Lo, Lhc norms and convcnLions LhaL havc
undcrpinncd pasL rcprcscnLaLions o modcls in sLudio scLLings. O parLicu-
lar signicancc arc Lhc ways in which Lhcsc works rcvcal a disrupLion o Lhc
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nnoLion o Lhc cmalc modcl as raw maLLcr awaiLing shaping by a (malc) cul-
Lural consciousncss. Tc acLual acL o lic casLingand Lhc parLicular way
in which LhaL proccss is uscd by Scgalconounds an undcrsLanding o Lhc
malc arLisL as a crcaLivc gcnius and Lhc cmalc modcl as a passivc bcing who
plays no rolc in Lhc LranslaLion o hcr body inLo ArL. Morc signicanLly, Lhc
cmalc gurcs in Scgals rcprcscnLaLions o Lhc ArLisLs SLudio rcsisL bcing
conLrollcd and managcd by inhcriLcd acsLhcLic convcnLions, Lhcy sccm in-
sLcad Lo subjccL Lhosc convcnLionsand Lhc idcas LhaL undcrpin LhcmLo
a criLiquc or inLcrrogaLion.
Womans ArL 1ournal 20, no. 2 (Autumn 1999Winter 2000): 2941.
1 1an van dcr Marck, George Segal (Ncw York: Abrams, 1070), S2.
2 Brcnda Schmahmann, An InLcrvicw wiLh Ccorgc Scgal (OcLobcr 13, 1003), in Rcprc-
scnLaLions o Womcn in Lhc Works o Ccorgc Scgal (PhD diss., UnivcrsiLy o WiLwaLcr-
sLrand, 1ohanncsburg, 1006), 344.
3 Ronnic I. Zakon, Te Artist and the Studio in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
(Clcvcland: Clcvcland Muscum o ArL, 107S), 15.
4 Ibid.
5 Carol Duncan, ViriliLy and DominaLion in Farly TwcnLicLh-CcnLury Vanguard PainLing,
in Feminism and Art History: Questioning the Litany, cd. Norma Broudc and Mary Carrard
(Ncw York: Harpcr & Row, 10S2), 203314.
6 Marcia PoinLon, Naked Authority: Te Body in Western Painting, 18301908 (Cambridgc:
Cambridgc UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 100u), 23.
7 Shcrry OrLncr, Is Fcmalc Lo Malc as NaLurc Is Lo CulLurc` in Women, Culture and Sociely,
cd. Iouisc Iamphcrc and Michcllc ZimbalisL Rosaldo (Palo AlLo, CA: SLanord UnivcrsiLy
Prcss, 1074), 72, 73.
8 Iynda Ncad, Te Female Nude: Art, Obscenity and Sexuality (Iondon: RouLlcdgc, 1002), 6, 7.
9 KcnncLh Clark, Te Nude (HammondsworLh, UK: Pcnguin, 1076), 6.
10 Ncad, Female Nude, 13.
11 For rcproducLion, scc Franccs Borcl, Te Seduction of Venus: Artists and Models (Ncw
York: Rizzoli, 100u), 4.
12 Mickc Bal, Reading Rembrandt: Beyond the Word-Image Opposition (Cambridgc: Cam-
bridgc UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 1001), 173.
13 Cill Saundcrs, Te Nude: A New Perspective (Iondon: HcrbcrL Prcss, 10S0), 22.
14 PoinLon, Naked Authority, 2324.
15 Ibid., 25.
16 For rcproducLion, scc Borcl, Seduction of Venus, 5.
17 Bccausc Lhcrc is an impliciL assumpLion LhaL Lhc arLisL is malc, vicwcrs Lcnd Lo bc con-
oundcd whcn prcscnLcd wiLh an imagc o a cmalc arLisL aL work. In hcr inLroducLory cs-
say or Looking On (Iondon: Pandora, 10S7), Roscmary BcLLcrLon rcvcals a misLakc shc
madc whcn shc rsL vicwcd Iaura KnighLs Self-Portrait with Nude (1017)a painLing LhaL
shows Lhc arLisL sLanding in ronL o hcr work, rcprcscnLing a cmalc nudc, whilc Lhc modcl
235
sLands on a dais Lo onc sidc. BcLLcrLon ailcd Lo noLicc Lhc brush in KnighLs righL hand and
LhoughL shc was sccing a woman looking Lhrough Lhc window o a gallcry or shop (4). As
BcLLcrLon obscrvcs, hcr own misLakc rcvcals somcLhing abouL culLural assumpLions abouL
womcn: Whilc Lhc womans narcissisLic glancc in a mirror or a shop window is socially lc-
giLimizcd, hcr criLical and invcsLigaLivc gazc is noL (4). (For KnighLs painLing, scc Lhc covcr
imagc o BcLLcrLons book.) RcccnL womcn arLisLs havc somcLimcs uscd Lhc Lhcmc o Lhc
arLisLs sLudio Lo challcngc cxpliciLly Lhc kinds o culLural assumpLions LhaL cncouragc a
vicwcrcvcn a cminisL vicwcr such as BcLLcrLonLo dcny womcn posscssion o a criLi-
cal and invcsLigaLivc gazc. Sylvia Slcighs oil painLing Philip Golub Reclining (1071) is cspc-
cially noLablc. Whilc Philip Colub is poscd in Lhc manncr o Vclasquczs Rokeby Venus, Lhc
small hand-hcld mirror in Lhc painLing has bccn rcplaccd wiLh a largc wall mirror LhaL rc-
ccLs Colubs acc as wcll as an imagc o Lhc arLisL. Slcigh is scaLcd in ronL o Lhc canvas,
inLcnLly survcying hcr modcls rcclining body and inLcrprcLing hcr pcrccpLions inLo visual
orm. Philip Golub Reclining is provocaLivc noL simply bccausc iL rcvcrscs gcndcr rolcs, buL
bccausc iL cxposcs Lhc Lcnsions in vicwing LhaL such a rcvcrsal crcaLcs. For Slcighs painL-
ing, scc Rozsika Parkcr and Crisclda Pollock, Old Mistresses: Women, Art and Ideology (Ion-
don: Pandora, 10S1), 125.
18 KcnncLh Clark, Te Romantic Rebellion: Romantic versus Classic Art (Iondon: 1ohn Mur-
ray, 1073), 1S7, argucs LhaL Lhis painLing, now aL Lhc Iouvrc, is a porLraiL o a painLcr namcd
1amar who livcd wiLh CcricaulL. I prccr Lhc morc gcncral LiLlc by which Lhis work is usually
ciLcd, Portrait of an Artist in His Studio, bccausc Lhc individualiLy o Lhc siLLcr sccms lcss Lhc
ocus o Lhc porLraiL Lhan is his idcnLicaLion as a RomanLic arLisL.
19 FlizabcLh Hollandcr, Working Modcls, Art in America, May 1001, 154.
20 Tc SilcnL Pcoplc, Newsweek, OcLobcr 25, 1065, 1u7.
21 1ill 1ohnson, CasLing or 60, Village Voice, 1anuary 0, 1060, 35.
22 Hcnry Ccldzahlcr, An InLcrvicw wiLh Ccorgc Scgal, Artforum, Novcmbcr 1064, 27.
23 Malcolm CarLcr, CrcaLors on CrcaLing: Ccorgc Scgal, Saturday Review, May 10S1, 3u.
24 Whilc Lhc idcnLiLy o Lhc siLLcrs or somc o Scgals works is known, Lhc majoriLy arc noL
idcnLicd. AlLhough Scgal docs cmploy modcls on occasion, mosL o his siLLcrs arc ricnds
or amily mcmbcrs, bccausc, hc argucs, iL is csscnLial LhaL a rapporL cxisLs bcLwccn his siL-
Lcrs and himscl. As hc noLcd in CcrriL Hcnry, Tc ArLisL and Lhc Facc: A Modcrn Amcrican
Sampling, Art in America (1anuary-Fcbruary 1075), 36: Tc modcls havc Lo ccl casy wiLh
mc and I havc Lo ccl casy wiLh Lhcm, i yourc going Lo Louch Lhcm physically and puL plas-
Lcr on Lhcm. During my 1003 inLcrvicw wiLh him hc commcnLcd: O ncccssiLy my modcls
havc Lo bc pcoplc who arc ricnds o minc, or who undcrsLand whaL Im Lrying Lo do. I sup-
posc iLs no morc mysLcrious Lhan nding a ricnd. Wc Lcnd Lo makc ricnds wiLh pcoplc
who arc on our samc wavclcngLh, pcoplc who likc Lhc kinds o Lhings wc likc. I Lcnd Lo bc
ricndly wiLh pcoplc who havc a sLrong mcnLal lic, who rcspond Lo arL, and arc rcsponsivc
Lo Langiblc idcas. (33S)
25 QuoLcd in George Segal (Colognc: Onnasch Calcric, 1071), n.p.
26 ChrisLian Ccclhaar, Marriagc bcLwccn MaLLcr and SpiriL: InLcrvicw wiLh Ccorgc Scgal,
Pantheon, 1ulyScpLcmbcr 1076, 235.
27 Ibid.
28 Barbaralcc DiamonsLcin, Inside New Yorks Art World (Ncw York: Rizzoli, 1070), 366.
236
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n29 Schmahmann, InLcrvicw, 341.
30 Ccclhaar, Marriagc BcLwccn MaLLcr and SpiriL, 235.
31 Picasso: Vollard Suite (Madrid: Turcspana, 1003), 13.
32 AniLa Colcs CosLcllo, Picassos Vollard Suite (Ncw York: Carland, 1070), 12u.
33 Ibid., 1171S.
34 Ibid., 110.
35 PosLscripL, in Van dcr Marck, George Segal, 6S.
36 For rcproducLions, scc Borcl, Seduction of Venus, 14.
37 1ohn Bcrgcr, Ways of Seeing (Iondon: Pcnguin, 1072), 61.
38 Schmahmann, InLcrvicw, 347.
39 Hclcnc FourmcnL was sixLccn whcn shc marricd Rubcns in 163u. As Rubcns dicd in
164u, FourmcnL could havc bccn no oldcr Lhan LwcnLy-six whcn hc painLcd Hlne Four-
ment in a Fur Wrap, and shc may wcll sLill havc bccn in hcr Lccns.
40 Ncad, Female Nude, 2u21, noLcs how KcnncLh Clark accommodaLcs Rubcnss works
inLo his argumcnL LhaL a conLainmcnL o Lhc cmalc body Lhrough Lhc dcviccs o arL prc-
vcnLs iL rom cliciLing an inappropriaLc lcvcl o dcsirc. Shc rccrs Lo Clarks commcnL LhaL
Rubcns lcarnL whaL a scvcrc ormal disciplinc Lhc nakcd body musL undcrgo i iL is Lo sur-
vivc as arL. Rubcns nudcs sccm aL rsL sighL Lo havc bccn Lumblcd ouL o a cornucopia o
abundancc, Lhc morc wc sLudy Lhcm Lhc morc wc discovcr Lhcm Lo bc undcr conLrol.
237
Karl Haendel
I am the least agitated then when I am in my studio, and Ive been told Im a
horrible person to vacation with because I never really like being away. Even
when I head to the airport, I park my car at my studio, so I can leave from there
and come back right away. With regard to work, some people call it in at
times and hide out at home. When I was drinking, I occasionally did this, but
now I call my home life in, sending a studio assistant to my house if the plumber
needs access or some weeding must be done. I realize this probably means
I will make a poor husband and an even worse father, and it bothers me at
times. But considering that I work seventy hours a week, the chance of either
of those scenarios being realized seems slim.
I usually have a few studio assistants around who help me. Mieke Marple
and Justin Smith, on the drawing side, and Martin Dicicco, in the ofce, have
been with me a long time, and I couldnt make my art without their assistance.
I care a lot for them and, at least in my head, think of them as a kind of family.
I really wish I could afford to pay them more and give them benets, because
they deserve it. As the economy has worsened over the past year, I have had
to let some people go, and ring people is just horrible. I have a physical reac-
tion to doing it, with rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, and a feeling of dread
pretty much the same feeling I get before I break up with a woman. Im so bad
at both. I think it has something to do with mom dying when I was young. I just
cant face people leaving me, even if I initiate it.
Ive been averaging about 100 to 150 works a year, the thought being that,
while I cant control which ones are going to be successful, the ratio of suc-
cess to failure is fairly constant. This way I can assure I get enough good
ones, although, of course, that judgment changes with context and the pas-
sage of time. The general process by which we make drawings is with the
lights dimmed and the aid of projectors, with everybody concentrating at his
own station. Its generally a meditative and self-controlled feeling that prevails.
We rarely listen to music; its NPR or books on tape. Many, many books on
tape, in fact. Id venture to say that Haendel Studio is the best-read, or more
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accurately, the best-listened studio in LA. I try to pick books that have some
thematic relationship to the drawings we are making, hoping that because the
ears connect to the brain, and the brain controls the hand, something of their
essence will creep into the drawings, so that I can sensibly describe one draw-
ing as Updikey or another as Rothy.
Often, though, much of my studio time is down timereading the paper,
searching the Internet, playing with the cats. But down time in the studio
doesnt feel like wasted time, like it does when I am at home; its a productive
wastefulness. And on the occasions when I take an unintentional nap, even if
Im head down on the keyboard, the sleep is more restful than in my own bed.
I know its totally romantic, but I feel an energy in the studio, like the building
itself could make art even if I were no longer there. I wonder if its possible that
if I work hard enough, I could somehow engender a chain reaction that would
make this come true.
Karl Haendel, composite
image of works by the
artist: Karl-o-gram #1,
2009; Pencil Stubs #1,
2009; Blackhands,
2008.
239
Brian Winkenweder
Tc Kitchcn as Art Studio:
Ccndcr, Pcrormancc, and
Lomcstic Acsthctics
Even the act of peeling a potato can be an artistic act if it is consciously done.
+ os c r n sc u v s
Art when it is art . . . is not separate from life, nor is dishwashing when it is done
in this spirit.
+ onN c tcc
1oscph Bcuys amously dcclarcd LhaL cvcryonc is an arLisL, and wiLh his
Social SculpLurc hc hopcd Lo harncss Lhc powcr o arL Lo libcraLc alicnaLcd
laborcrs. In ordcr Lo accommodaLc Bcuyss dicLum, iL would bc ncccssary
Lo Lransorm Lhc long-hcld myLhos o Lhc arLisL Lo such an cxLcnL LhaL iL in-
cludcs Lhosc acLiviLics LhaL cvcryonc pcrorms. AL rsL glancc, Lhis would
sccm Lo bc a libcraLing Lhcory, Lhrowing opcn Lhc sLudio doors Lo margin-
alizcd individuals oLhcrwisc cxcludcd rom Lhc privilcgcs o Lhc arL world,
buL insLcad, wriLcs MarLha Roslcr, Tc gurc o Lhc arLisL as romanLic hcro
rcappcarcd ull-blown. ILs ccnLral organizing caLurcs wcrc isolaLion and
gcnius. . . . Womcn, by virLuc o Lhcir carLhlincss and closcncss Lo NaLurc,
Lhcir involvcmcnL wiLh naLural birLh, wcrc orccloscd rom Ccnius, or, o
coursc, csh and spiriL do noL mix.` AlLhough Social SculpLurc discardcd
Lhc myLh o gcnius, Bcuys lcL sLand Lhc myLh o gcndcr csscncc. YcL Lo chal-
lcngc Lhis myLh is criLical, Roslcr argucs, i Lhc arL sLudio is Lo bc Lruly opcn
Lo cvcryonc: ParL o Lhc projccL o cminism was a rcdcniLion o subjccLiv-
iLy as socially produccd raLhcr Lhan as naLural. . . . cminisLs madc iL Lhcir
busincss Lo show wcakncss, lack, and cxclusion noL only as imposcd buL
also as rcmcdiablc.
Tis cssay ocuscs on Lhc usc, by Bcuys and oLhcrs, o Lhc mcLaphor o
Lhc kiLchcn. Tc hcrmcLic rcaliLy o Lhis conLcsLcd spacc ossics gcndcr rolcs
and rcsponsibiliLics in a paLriarchal socicLy unlikc no oLhcr domcsLic spacc,
ycL Bcuys largcly ignorcd Lhc LhcorcLical implicaLions o kiLchcn praxis. And
240
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hc was noL alonc in doing so. 1ohn Cagc also ciLcd Lhc kiLchcn, Lhough in
Lhc scrvicc o an inLcgraLcd, BuddhisL-inormcd posiLion o undcrLaking all
aspccLs o lic as consciousncss pracLicc: Lo livc in Lhc prcscnL and bc ully
awarc.
Pcrhaps no conLcmporary arLisL cxploring Lhc kiLchcn as mcLaphor has
cclipscd iLs gcndcrcd implicaLions as Lhoroughly as Ilya Kabakov. His carly
work on Lhis Lhcmc, Lhc Kitchen Series, consisLs o Lcn boards, cach com-
prising Lhrcc clcmcnLs: a monochromaLic color cld, Lo which is ccnLrally
axcd a common kiLchcn implcmcnLa can opcncr, a cocc poL, a cup, a
graLcr, a mcaL Lcndcrizcr wiLh, in Lhc uppcr lcL and uppcr righL corncrs, biLs
o dialoguc, cxchangcs o qucsLions and answcrs quoLcd rom rccordings o
Lhc inhabiLanLs o Kabakovs communal kiLchcn. Tcsc BcckcLLian dialogucs
cmphasizc Lhc banal, as Boris Croys has poinLcd ouL: Tc painLings o Lhc
Kitchen Series [dcpicL] Lhc LcnanLs o a ccrLain SovicL communal kiLchcn . . .
cngagcd in absurd convcrsaLions abouL Lhc owncrship and purposc o Lhc . . .
insignicanL, cvcryday iLcms in iL.' YcL, nciLhcr is Lhc dialoguc absurd nor
arc Lhc objccLs insignicanL. In Lhc conLcxL o Lhc SovicL Union, Lhc owncr-
ship o pcrsonal posscssions ironically undcrscorcd Lhc inabiliLy Lo acquirc
privaLc propcrLy, and iL is clcar LhaL Lhcsc cvcryday iLcms arc noL commu-
nal propcrLy buL bclong Lo spccic individuals. For cxamplc: Zoya Vladi-
mirovna Korcncva: Whosc cup is Lhis` / Ccnnadiy Borisovna Savchcnko:
Anna Prokhorovnas. Nikolai IvanoviLch Kovin: Tc cocc poL is all dirLy. /
Mariya Scrgccvna Yclaginskaya: ILs Anna Fyodorovnas. Kabakov has sug-
gcsLcd LhaL vicwcrs could undcrsLand Lhc Kitchen Series in Lwo ways, Lhc rsL
liLcralas a dirLy, rcpulsivc kiLchcn [implcmcnL] on Lop o a no lcss rcpul-
sivc boardand Lhc sccond mcLaphorical, wiLh Lhc board rcprcscnL[ing]
Lhc Lurbid, dcnsc spacc likc a dusLy corncr, whcrc voicc scnLcnccs arc hcard
rom all sidcs . . . sLuck in iL orcvcr, likc Lhc objccL placcd in Lhc ccnLcrand
in Lhis casc words and objccL csscnLially bccomc onc and Lhc samc Lhing.'
ScmioLics, Lhcn, inorms Kabakovs modc o social criLiquc, wiLh Lhc
kiLchcn as Lhc ccnLcr o inLcracLion, conicLs, and muLual survcillancc.
By displaying signs wiLh Lhcir corrcsponding signicds, Kabakov uscs lan-
guagc as a Lypc o ound objccL. Whilc Lhc ccnLral objccLs draw on Lhc com-
monplacc, Lhc dialogucs imply Lhc Lcnsions o communal lic in Lhc SovicL
Unionand Lhis Lcnsion is Lhc primary ocus o Kabakovs kiLchcn work. To
obLain Lhc quoLaLions, hc hid a Lapc rccordcr in his sharcd kiLchcn and sc-
crcLly Lapcd his cllow LcnanLs: Fvcry LhoughL and word cvcr pronounccd
Lhcrc havc accumulaLcd in Lhc air, and LogcLhcr wiLh a Lhick inusion o di-
crcnL aromas, havc sLcwcd and hang Lhcrc, noL ying away. . . . Whcn hung
in onc or Lwo rows all Lcn boards should orm an cxhibiLion and Lhus voiccs
o ourLccn or Lccn dicrcnL pcoplc will bc hcard simulLancously bcorc
241
Lhc vicwcr. To imaginc Lhis cacophony is Lo acsLhcLically cxpcricncc Lhc
din and disconLcnL o a SovicL communal kiLchcn. Tc spcakcrs, Lhcn, arc
acLors and arLisLs (cvcn auLhors) wiLhin a pcculiar sLaLic LhcaLcr wiLh Kaba-
kov as iLs BarLhcsian curaLor.
Kabakovs insLallaLion Kitchen 2, Voices also uLilizcs Lhc voiccs LhaL ac-
cumulaLcd in his sharcd kiLchcn. FighL sLrings, chcsL high, run Lhc lcngLh
o Lhc gallcry, and rom Lhcsc, aL rcgular inLcrvals, hangs dcbris collccLcd
rom Kabakovs kiLchcnsardinc Lins, packaging maLcrials, small boxcs,
and oLhcr prinLcd maLLcr. Bclow cach cLishizcd dcLriLal spccimcn is a plac-
ard wiLh a quoLc rom onc o Lhc rcsidcnLs. An cdiLcd loop o Kabakovs illiciL
kiLchcn rccordings, consisLing prcdominanLly o argumcnLs, adds an audio
componcnL Lo Lhc insLallaLion. To ully cxpcricncc Lhc piccc, Lhc vicwcr musL
crawl along Lhc oor and look up aL Lhc hanging garbagc, as i an insccL in
Lhc kiLchcns garbagc can. As Lhc Kitchen Series, Lhis Kakacsquc insLallaLion
cxamincs kiLchcn conicLs, buL again gcndcr is noL Lhc ocus, Lhc Lcnsion o
communal living (or boLh scxcs) rcmains Kabakovs conccrn.
So can Lhc daily riLuals o consumpLionood prcparaLion and clcanup
Lruly opcraLc as a spacc or arLisLic bchavior LhaL Lakcs gcndcr inLo accounL`
Many cminisLs arc suspicious abouL Lhc moLivaLions o Lhosc who proclaim,
rom a posiLion o powcr and privilcgc, Lhc dcaLh o Lhc auLhor, [or Fvcry-
onc is an ArLisL], 1aync Wark cauLions. Nancy Millcr, or onc, argucs LhaL
Lhc dcaLh o Lhc auLhor dcnics womcn Lhcir abiliLy Lo csLablish subjccLivc
agcncy in a discoursc rcc o paLriarchal gcndcr consLrucLs: Tc posLmod-
crnisL dccision LhaL Lhc AuLhor is dcad, and subjccLivc agcncy along wiLh him,
docs noL ncccssarily work or womcn and prcmaLurcly orccloscs Lhc qucs-
Lion o idcnLiLy or Lhcm. Bccausc womcn havc noL had Lhc samc hisLorical
rclaLion o idcnLiLy Lo origin, insLiLuLion, producLion, LhaL mcn havc had.
For Roslcr, Lhc dcaLh o an auLhor (whcrcby inLcrLcxLualiLy occludcs sub-
jccLiviLy) ncuLcrs Lhc ccacy o rcsisLancc Lo paLriarchal social sLrucLurcs:
I was conccrncd wiLh somcLhing likc Lhc noLion o languagc spcaking Lhc
subjccL, and wiLh Lhc LransormaLion o Lhc woman hcrscl inLo a sign in
a sysLcm o signs LhaL rcprcscnLs a sysLcm o ood producLion, a sysLcm o
harncsscd subjccLiviLy.
In Lhc work o Roslcr Lhc myLhology o Lhc arLisL collidcs hcad-on wiLh
Lhc myLhology o Lhc houscwic. Such Sisyphisian clichcs as a womans
work is ncvcr donc and Lhc way Lo a mans hcarL is Lhrough his sLomach
suggcsL Lhc opprcssivcncss o Lhis myLh. To Lcll a woman who is socially
rcquircd Lo work in hcr kiLchcn, who is culLurally conscripLcd Lo prcparc
cvcry mcal or hcr amily, and who is cxpccLcd Lo do Lhc dishcs aLcrward
LhaL shc is an arLisL docs noL ncccssarily cmpowcr hcr. Shcrric Inncss wriLcs,
Cooking providcs morc Lhan a mcal. Food culLurc conLains mcssagcs abouL
OV E R L E A F
Ilya Kabakov, Kitchen
2, Voices, 1988.
244
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how womcn and mcn arc supposcd Lo acL in our socicLy and whaL rolcs Lhcy
should play. Fvcn Loday, millions o womcn arc convinccd LhaL Lhcir placc
is in Lhc kiLchcn, millions o mcn arc convinccd LhaL Lhcir placc is anywhcrc
buL Lhc kiLchcn. Whilc mcn may clccL Lo pccl poLaLocs or do Lhc dishcs,
Lhcsc Lasks arc cxpccLcd o womcn.
Rcvicwing mariLal scx manuals, 1cssamyn Ncuhaus ouLlincs Lhc limiLcd
rolcs a wic musL pcrorm, and arLisL has clcarly noL bccn onc on Lhcm: By
Lracing Lhc conLinuiLics o a discourscmariLal scx manuals in Lhc posLwar
crawhcrc cooking and scxualiLy mcrgcd, wc can bcgin Lo scc LhaL ood
prcparaLion was morc Lhan Lhc way Lo a mans hcarL. IL was aL Lhc hcarL o
bcing a marricd woman.` Similarly, Marjoric DcvaulLs sociological work
clarics cmphaLic, i unspokcn, cxpccLaLions rcgarding who scrvcs and who
is scrvcd in marriagc:
In somc cascs, Lhc rccogniLion o a husbands claim Lo scrvicc is quiLc dirccL
(. . . Ill makc iL Lhc way hc likcs, and cvcryLhing hc likcs wiLh iL), in oLhcr rc-
porLs, rccrcnccs Lo rcally dcccnL, man-sizcd mcals poinL Loward a morc di-
usc scnsc LhaL a husband, bccausc hc is a man, dcscrvcs spccial scrvicc. BoLh
kinds o sLaLcmcnLs show how Lhc cvcryday acLiviLics o cooking, scrving, and
caLing bccomc riLuals o dominancc and dccrcncc, communicaLing rclaLions o
powcr Lhrough non-vcrbal bchavior.
ArL hisLorian Crisclda Pollock clarics how Lhcsc obscrvaLions rclaLc Lo Lhc
making o arL: FcmininiLy was cxclusivcly domcsLic and maLcrnal. AL Lhc
samc Limc Lhc bourgcois noLions o Lhc arLisL cvolvcd associaLing Lhc crcaLor
wiLh cvcryLhing LhaL was anLi-domcsLic.'
In conLrasL Lo Kabakov and Bcuys, MarLha Roslcr and Olga Chcrnyshcva
conronL Lhc kiLchcn spccically as a womcns spacc chargcd wiLh socicLal
Lcnsion, dialccLically counLcring romanLicizcd visions o kiLchcns.' Cook-
ing is likc a symphony, Roslcr dcclarcs in A Budding Gourmet, parL onc o
Service: A Trilogy on Colonization. Tis arL projccL, consisLing o Lhrcc nov-
cls scnL Lhrough Lhc mail as a posLcard, onc card abouL cvcry vc Lo scvcn
days, cnablcs Roslcrs audicncc Lo cxpcricncc arL abouL domcsLiciLy whilc
in Lhc comorL o Lhcir homcs. In Lhc rsL insLallmcnL, Roslcr announccs, I
wish Lo bccomc a gourmcL. Tc Lcrm signics spccializaLion and cvcn im-
plics culinary gcniusshc poinLcdly docs noL wish Lo bccomc a cook. Shc
ramcs Lhis goal in arLisLic Lcrms: I do Lhis bccausc I ccl iL will cnhancc mc
as a human bcing. . . . Wc can makc caLing inLo an experience. Roslcr Lhus
vcncraLcs spccializcd human cxpcricncc as arL.
Tc cmalc voicc o A Budding Gourmet ncvcr conLcsLs hcr rolc as Lhc am-
ilys mcal makcr. YcL, a Lcnsion lurks bcncaLh Lhc suracc. Tc wics rcac-
Lion Lo hcr husbands rcqucsL LhaL shc Lry prcparing cxoLic oods rcvcals Lhc
245
dialccLic bcLwccn drudgcry and crcaLiviLy in Lhc kiLchcn: Hc said, whaL i
you could makc somc o Lhis aL homc. . . . I had Lwo rcacLions you know. . . .
I LhoughL, Tc ncrvchow could I do Lhis kind o cookingI donL cvcn
know whaL is in iL and Lhink o Lhc Limc! BuL I was also aLLcrcd and LhoughL
why noL bc crcaLivc` Roslcr, aL Lhis momcnL, cquaLcs arL wiLh lic, buL,
simulLancously, shc rcprcsscs hcr iniLial rcacLionLhc ncrvc . . . Lhink o
Lhc LimcLo accommodaLc Lhc hcgcmony o domcsLiciLy. 1usLiying Lhis
rcprcssivc sysLcm, shc idcnLics a spiriLual rcsponsibiliLy wiLhin hcr socially
dcncd rolc: A cook canL jusL slap Lhings LogcLhcr, you nccd Lo havc princi-
plcs in mind. ILs likc a sccrcL ingrcdicnL, a ccrLain spiriLual qualiLy. . . . Chcs
arc likc orchcsLra conducLors. . . . ArL is noL an accidcnL. Tis pcrspccLivc
cclcbraLcs a womans placc in Lhc kiLchcn, clcvaLcs iL Lo Lhc lcvcl o arL. Tis
changc is prcdicaLcd upon a shiL in Lcrminology, rom cook Lo chca
cook musL bc cauLioncd noL Lo slap Lhings LogcLhcr, whcrcas a chc, acLing
wiLh principlcs in mind, is cxpccLcd Lo usc sccrcLor cvcn spiriLual
Olga Chernysheva, Black and White Culinary Book, 1992.
246
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ingrcdicnLs, Lo bc a macsLro. Roslcr ocuscs on such words Lo sLrcss arLisLry
in Lhc kiLchcnshc is noL a cook buL a budding gourmcL. As an arLisL in
Lhc kiLchcn, shc docs noL mcrcly ccd hcr amily. RaLhcr, Lhc ood shc prc-
parcs Lransccnds physical nourishmcnL and cnLcrs Lhc rcalm o inLcllccLual
sLimulaLion. In A Budding Gourmet, Roslcrs work boLh acquicsccs Lo a paLri-
archal domcsLic ordcr and alludcs Lo a capabiliLy or rclcasc rom opprcssivc
paLriarchy via arLisLic producLion. Hcr subscqucnL work ccascs Lo acquicscc
Lo socicLal cxpccLaLions aL all.
In Roslcrs scminal vidco Semiotics of the Kitchen, Lhc rcprcsscd ragc o
Lhc houscwic wclls up wiLh dcsublimaLcd urgcncy. Tc vidco bcgins as a
parody o 1ulia Childs cooking showLhc scL is conLrivcd not Lo look likc a
suburban kiLchcn: IL had Lo look likc somc kind o sLrangc scLa sign or a
kiLchcn. AL Lhc sLarL, Roslcr puLs on an apron, holds ouL a bowl, rcachcs or
a choppcr, and dcmonsLraLcs iLs usc wiLhouL acLually chopping any ood.
Shc Lhcn holds up a dish and upcnds Lhc bowl (wiLh choppcr) on iL. Vicw-
crs soon rcalizc Lhis is no ordinary cooking show and LhaL Roslcr rclics on
an alphabcLic sLrucLurc Lo guidc hcr scmioLic analysis. Tc violcnL subLcxL o
hcr moLions cscalaLcs wiLh cach ncw Loolshc sLabs Lhc air wiLh a ork, jabs
an icc pick inLo Lhc counLcr, uscs a juiccr wiLh cxaggcraLcd orcc, and LhrusLs
wiLh a knic. Tc proLagonisL, shc cxplains in an inLcrvicw, is sccn as ag-
grcssivc and cxprcssing angcr in a siLuaLion in which LhaL docsnL usually
occur (Lhough womcn mosL oLcn murdcr Lhcir husbands in Lhc kiLchcn).
Trough mcLonymy, Lhc aggrcssivc usc o Lhc kiLchcn Lools bccomcs a mcans
o challcnging Lhc insLiLuLional ordcr LhaL lcgiLimizcs gcndcr rolcs. By Lhc
Limc shc arrivcs aL Lcndcrizcr, hcr audicncc Loo is Lcndcrizcd (or Lcrror-
izcd), shc Lhcn bccomcs languagc by picking up Lhc ork and knic and uscs
hcr body Lo orm Lhc lcLLcrs U, V, W, X, and Y. For Z, shc brazcnly slashcs Lhc
mark o Zorro (and Lhcrcby rcgisLcrs an aniLy wiLh Lhc characLcrs rcjcc-
Lion o colonial auLhoriLy). Hcr nal gcsLurc is Lo shrug, which may sccm Lo
undcrcuL Lhc powcr o hcr pcrormancc, buL uncLions as ycL anoLhcr link in
a chain o slipping signicrs complicaLing Lhc work.
TroughouL, Roslcrs dcadpan dclivcry cliciLs a ncrvous laughLcr: Ivc
sccn Lhis Lapc uncLion in a libcraLing way or audicnccs o womcn. Tcy
laugh, and Lhcy rccognizc Lhc logic o an aggrcssion which is unocuscd and
undirccLcd. . . . Shcs sLill Lhcrc aL Lhc cnd . . . no urLhcr bruLalizcd Lhan aL
Lhc bcginning. Tis work challcngcs Lhc dcaLh o Lhc auLhor aL Lhc samc
Limc as iL acknowlcdgcs Lhc ccnLral rolc languagc plays in shaping our sub-
jccLiviLy. Roslcr cmphasizcs Lhis dialccLic: To suggcsL LhaL Lhcrc is no scl-
dcLcrmining subjccL rcsiding wiLhin all o Lhcsc LcxLs is wrong, bccausc lan-
guagc is a primary siLc o sLrugglc. I ccl LhaL Lhc morc conscious onc is
o opprcssivc namings, Lhc morc likcly onc is Lo bc ablc Lo Lransccnd lan-
247
guagc as insLrumcnLaliLy, siLuaLcd wiLhin Lhc scl buL opcraLing againsL iL.`
DisrupLing Lhc hcgcmonic cncoding o domcsLic scLLings bccomcs a com-
mon sLraLcgy in Roslcrs work. In Bringing the War Back Home: House Beauti-
ful, a scrics o phoLomonLagcs, shc juxLaposcs phoLo cssays on Lhc VicLnam
War rom Life magazinc wiLh dcpicLions o U.S. middlc-class rcsidcnccs in
House Beautiful. Tis cnablcs Roslcr Lo addrcss mcLonymically Lwo wars
Lhc manicsL conicL in VicLnam War scrving as a backdrop or Lhc undc-
clarcd war rcgarding Lhc labor LhaL socicLy cxpccLs womcn Lo pcrorm in
Lhcir homcs. In Red Stripe Kitchen (106672) whaL is missing is as impor-
LanL as whaL is prcscnL. All o Lhc accouLrcmcnLs in Lhis kiLchcn imply LhaL
a houscwic is abouL Lo bcgin work, ycL Lhc woman hcrscl is abscnL. As a
synccdochc, Roslcrs missing houscwic bccomcs an cscapcd prisoncr o war.
Tc soldicrs in Lhis laLcnL war, Lhcn, arc guards o a paLriarchal prison camp,
scarching or houscwivcs who havc cscapcd Lhrough cracks in Lhc houscs
oundaLion. Tis imagc undcrscorcs sociopoliLical rcaliLics many cminisLs
conLinuc Lo combaL. As Fdna Alord and Clairc Harris, cdiLors o Kitchen
Talk, an anLhology o womcns wriLings, ask: Who on carLh dcsignaLcd Lhc
cld o baLLlc as a signicanL siLc and Lhc cld o nurLuring as an insigni-
canL siLc`
Womcn arLisLs, whcn rccrcncing kiLchcns in Lhcir work, conLcsL Lhc un-
cvcn disLribuLion o domcsLic labor along gcndcrcd lincs, whcrcas malc arL-
isLs morc oLcn cxLol Lhc siLc as a zonc o arLisLry and clidc iLs gcndcrcd
Martha Rosler, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975.
248
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implicaLions. Progrcssivc womcn arLisLs, unlikc Lhcir malc counLcrparLs,
poliLicizc an unscLLling dialccLic bcLwccn Lhc kiLchcn as arL sLudio and Lhc
kiLchcn as prison. As Roslcrs work shows, Lhc houscwic is oLcn a prisoncr
on Lhc domcsLic ronL in a rcqucnL war bcLwccn Lhc gcndcrs. Clairc Harris
clarics Lhis Lcnsion: In my pcrsonal cxpcricncc cooking was an arL, a placc
Lo illusLraLc a rcncd scnsibiliLy. Or iL was a job. In any casc iL was a womans
placc and onc cscapcd as quickly as possiblc rom iL Lo Lhc rcal world.'
Tc posL-SovicL arLisL Olga Chcrnyshcva, likc Roslcr and in markcd con-
LrasL Lo Kabakov, uscs Lhc kiLchcn as a sLudio and siLc o conicL. Shc o-
cuscs on Lhc SovicL Unions cxpccLaLions o womcn in Lhc kiLchcn and whaL
womcn wcrc acLually ablc Lo do Lhcrc. Chcrnyshcva appropriaLcs illusLra-
Lions rom Te Book of Healthy and Wholesome Food, a 105us SovicL cquiv-
alcnL Lo Lhc Betty Crocker Cookbook. By ocusing on Lhc culinary cxpccLa-
Lions o SovicL houscwivcs, Chcrnyshcva willully qucsLions assumpLions
hcr culLurc makcs abouL womcns work. Iikc Roslcr, hcr work cxamincs Lhc
kiLchcn rom a dialccLical vicwpoinL. Shc dcmonsLraLcs LhaL, in Lhc kiLchcn,
cooks Lransorm Lhcmsclvcs inLo arLisLs. CriLic 1amcy Cambrcll, dcscrib-
ing Chcrnyshcvas 1002 insLallaLion Te Book of Wholesome Food, rccognizcs
Lhc link bcLwccn kncading brcad dough and crcaLiviLy: Tc arLisL showcd
a slow-moLion black-and-whiLc lm loop o hands manipulaLing dough. . . .
ALcr waLching Lhc Lapc or a cw minuLcs you bcgan Lo ccl LhaL you wcrc
wiLncssing a cosmic acL o crcaLion.' In Lhis insLallaLion, aL Moscows Cal-
lcry 1.u, Chcrnyshcva also displaycd glazcd, whiLc porcclain loavcs o brcad
as wcll as appropriaLcd imagcs o womcns discmbodicd hands aL work. In-
sLcad o prcparing Lhc books rccipcs or hcr amily, shc copics iLs illusLra-
Lions or Lhc arL world. On a morc placc-spccic lcvcl, Chcrnyshcvas in-
sLallaLion lays barc Lhc rcaliLy LhaL Lhc rccipcs o Lhis bcsL-sclling cookbook
could noL bc madc by mosL SovicL womcn, arLiculaLing, as 1o Anna Isaak cx-
plains, rcalizaLions o whaL was always a uLopian arL orm bccausc Lhc in-
grcdicnLs or Lhcsc claboraLc dishcs wcrc ncvcr availablc. In Lhis way, Loo,
Lhc work prcscnLs Lhc dispariLy bcLwccn whaL a woman is cxpccLcd Lo do and
whaL shc is ablc Lo do or wishcs Lo do.
Chcrnyshcva ocuscs on labor. Whcn askcd Lo dcnc hcr arL, shc dcclarcd,
I dcnc iL as work. . . . Cookcry is a disguisc, a prcLcxL. . . . Basically, I would
likc Lo sLop making cookcry works, buL I canL. AlLhough Chcrnyshcvas arL
qucsLions a womans rcsLricLcd rolc as a cook, shc cmbraccs Bcuyss cvcry-
oncs an arLisL Lhcory. Whcn askcd how shc chosc Lo bccomc an arLisL, Chcr-
nyshcva rcspondcd, ArLisL is a word LhaL, or mc, dcnoLcs a sLaLc o mind
raLhcr Lhan an occupaLion. I so, Lhcn cvcry (any, Lo bc prccisc) circumsLancc
is o imporLancc.
In ordcr Lo LauLologically link Lhc Lcrm cvcryonc wiLh arLisL, social
249
criLics musL dcconsLrucL Lhc myLh o Lhc arLisL as a hcroic gcnius capablc
o producing uniquc objccLs. To accomplish Lhis goal, an obvious sLraLcgy is
Lo pinpoinL Lhosc acLiviLics LhaL cvcryonc musL pcrorm and achicvc sLruc-
Lural changc LhaL clcvaLcs Lhcsc pcrormanccs Lo Lhc lcvcl o arL. YcL Lhis
sLraLcgy is paradoxical: Lo cquaLc daily lic wiLh arL may mcrcly rcducc Lhc
rolc and valuc o arL in a socicLy LhaL rcmains unchangcd, rcinorcing Lhc
ouLsidcr sLaLus o arLisLs in rclaLion Lo a conscrvaLivc socicLy. SLrucLural
impcdimcnLs and insLiLuLionally susLaincd gcndcr rolcs do noL allow indi-
vidual agcnLs Lo cnablc socicLy Lo rcsLrucLurc iLscl in a morc cquiLablc man-
ncr, and acccss Lo subjccLivc agcncy or marginalizcd gurcs, such as womcn,
is dcnicd and ncuLcrs any urgcncy or sLrucLural changc. As Chcryl Walkcr
puLs iL: To crasc a woman [arLisL] as Lhc auLhor o hcr [arL] in avor o an
absLracL indcLcrminacy is an acL o opprcssion. MarLha Roslcr and Olga
Chcrnyshcva makc arL LhaL dcmands socicLy Lo rcconsidcr how iL disLribuLcs
domcsLic chorcs bcLwccn Lhc gcndcrs.
1 Willoughby Sharp, An InLcrvicw wiLh 1oscph Bcuys, Artforum 7 (1060): 45.
2 1ohn Cagc, lcLLcr Lo Lhc cdiLor o Musical America, April 1, 1051. RcprinLcd in Conversa-
tions with Cage, cd. Richard KosLclancLz (Ncw York: IimclighL, 10SS), 0204.
3 AlLhough Bcuys asscrLcd Lhis Lhcory LhroughouL his carccr, Lhc primary bibliographic rc-
sourcc in Fnglish is Carolinc Tisdall, Joseph Beuys (Ncw York: Tamcs and Hudson, 1070), 6.
Tis caLalog o Bcuyss rcLrospccLivc aL Lhc Solomon R. Cuggcnhcim Muscum rcprinLs his
arLisLs sLaLcmcnL ouLlining his philosophy o Social SculpLurc: Tc conccpL o sculpLing
can bc cxLcndcd Lo Lhc invisiblc maLcrial uscd by cvcryonc . . . soci ti scuir1urcs how
wc mold and shapc Lhc world in which wc livc.
4 Raymond Williams claimcd wc can Lakc Lhc idca o Lhc arLisL as a spccial kind o pcrson,
and o Lhc wild gcnius as ar back as Lhc SocraLic dcniLion o a pocL in PlaLos Ion. Ray-
mond Williams, Culture and Society: 17801950. Ncw York: Columbia UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 105S,
36. In PlaLos Ion, SocraLcs rccrs Lo arLisLs and pocLs inLcrchangcably as hc dcscribcs Lhc
divinc sLaLc o arLisLic inspiraLion: For all good pocLs, cpic as wcll as lyric, composc Lhcir
bcauLiul pocms noL by arL, buL bccausc Lhcy arc inspircd and posscsscd. . . . so Lhc lyric
pocLs arc noL in Lhcir righL mind whcn Lhcy arc composing Lhcir bcauLiul sLrains. (As rc-
prinLcd in Hazard Adams, cd., Critical Teory since Plato, Rcv. Fd. Ncw York: HarcourL Bracc
1ovanovich, 1002, 14.)
5 MarLha Roslcr, Tc Figurc o Lhc ArLisL, Lhc Figurc o Lhc Woman, in Decoys and Disrup-
tions: Selected Writings, 19752001 (Cambridgc, MA: MIT Prcss, 2uu4), S00u.
6 Ibid., 1u1.
7 Boris Croys, Ilya Kabakov, A-Ya, 2 (10Su): 21. MargariLa TupiLsyn rsL noLcd Lhc Bcck-
cLLian naLurc o Lhis work in Ilya Kabakov, Flash Art, 126 (10S6): 67.
8 Ilya Kabakov, KiLchcn Scrics, A-Ya, 6 (10S4): 2425.
9 MargariLa TupiLsyn, After Perestroika: Kitchenmaids or Stateswomen (Ncw York: Indcpcn-
dcnL CuraLors IncorporaLcd, 1003), 15.
10 Kabakov, KiLchcn Scrics, 2526.
250
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11 1aync Wark, ConccpLual ArL and Fcminism, Womens Art Journal 22, no. 1 (Spring/
Summcr 2uu1): 46. Numcrous cminisL scholars conLcsL BarLhcss Lhcory. Scc, or cxam-
plc, Chcryl Walkcr, FcminisL IiLcrary CriLicism and Lhc AuLhor, Critical Inquiry 16 (Spring
100u): 55171, and Nancy HarLsock, RcLhinking Modcrnism: MinoriLy vs. MajoriLy Tco-
rics, Cultural Critique, Fall 10S7, 1S72u6.
12 Nancy Millcr, Changing Lhc SubjccL: AuLhorship, WriLing, and Lhc Rcadcr, in Femi-
nist Studies/Critical Studies, cd. Tcrcsa dc IaurcLis (BloomingLon: Indiana UnivcrsiLy Prcss,
10S6), 1u22u, 1u6.
13 1anc WcinsLock, InLcrvicw wiLh MarLha Roslcr, October, no. 17 (Summcr 10S1): S5.
14 Shcrric Inncss, InLroducLion: Tinking Food/Tinking Ccndcr, in Kitchen Culture in
America: Popular Representations of Food, Gender, and Race, cd. Shcrric Inncss IPhiladclphia:
UnivcrsiLy o Pcnnsylvania Prcss, 2uu1), 0.
15 1cssamyn Ncuhaus, Tc 1oy o Scx InsLrucLion: Womcn and Cooking in MariLal Scx
Manuals, 102u1063 in Inncss, Kitchen Culture in America, 111.
16 Marjoric DcvaulL, ConicL and Dccrcncc, in Food and Culture: A Reader, cd. Carolc
Counihan and Pcnny Van FsLcrik (Iondon: RouLlcdgc, 1007), 107.
17 Crisclda Pollock, Vision and Dierence: Femininity, Feminism and Histories of Art. Iondon:
RouLlcdgc, 10SS, 4S.
18 Many arLisLs, boLh womcn and mcn, havc invcsLigaLcd Lhc kiLchcn (or ood prcpara-
Lion) and iLs implicaLions o scrvicc and consumpLion, among Lhcm 1udy Chicago, Alison
Knowlcs, Carric Mac Wccms, 1aninc AnLoni, MK CuLh, Paul McCarLhy, Wolgang Iaib, Wil-
liam Popc.I, and RirkriL Tiravanija. In choosing arLisLs Lo discuss, I do noL wish Lo csLab-
lish a narrow canon. Clcarly, Lhis Lopic dcmands morc aLLcnLion Lhan can bc providcd in a
singlc cssay.
19 MarLha Roslcr, Service: A Trilogy on Colonization (Ncw York: PrinLcd MaLLcr, 107S), n.p.
20 Ibid., n.p.
21 Ibid., n.p.
22 Bcnjamin Buchloh, A ConvcrsaLion wiLh MarLha Roslcr, in Martha Rosler: Positions in
the Life World, cd. CaLhcrinc dc Zcghcr (Cambridgc, MA: MIT Prcss, 100S), 47.
23 WcinsLock, InLcrvicw wiLh MarLha Roslcr, S6.
24 Ibid., S6.
25 Ibid., S7.
26 Fdna Alord and Clairc Harris, cds., Kitchen Talk: Contemporary Womens Prose and Poetry
(Rcd Dccr, AlbcrLa: Rcd Dccr Collcgc Prcss, 1002), 12.
27 Ibid., 13.
28 1amcy Cambrcll, RcporL rom Moscow II: Tc BcsL and Lhc WorsL o Timcs, Art in
America S2, no. 11 (Novcmbcr 1002): 57.
29 1o Anna Isaak, RcccLions on RcsisLancc: Womcn ArLisLs on BoLh Sidcs o Lhc Mir
(Fcminism and Womcn ArLisLs in Lhc SovicL Union), Heresies 7, no. 2 (1002): 31.
30 Olga Chcrnyshcva, quoLcd in FcmininiLy and Powcr: ParLicipanLs SLaLcmcnLs, Her-
esies 7, no. 2 (1002): 07.
31 Ibid., 07.
32 Chcryl Walkcr, FcminisL IiLcrary CriLicism and Lhc AuLhor, Critical Inquiry 16 (Spring
100u): 571.
251
Glenn Adamson
Analoguc Practicc
Tc rcplica is, in a way, Lhc rcalm o purc craL. IL is a vchiclc par cxccllcncc or
bravura displays o craLsmanship sincc, or onc Lhing, iLs succcss is mcasurcd by
Lhc closcncss o iLs rcscmblancc. Tc mimcLic objccL has no idcnLiLy o iLs own,
no propcr conLcnL or mcaning bcyond LhaL o whaL iL rcproduccs, and so Lhc
mcans by which iL is madc Lakcs on addcd signicancc. ILs objccLncss, iLs maLc-
rialiLy, iLs orm absorb Lhc orcc LhaL would oLhcrwisc arisc rom iLs conLcnL.
Tcsc words, wriLLcn by Rachcl Wciss conccrning Lhc work o Lhc Cuban
arL group Ios CarpinLcros, arc aL oncc pcrccLly rcasonablc and somcwhaL
Lroubling. Copying is noL only an cxamplc o craLsmanship aL iLs mosL cx-
acLing, as shc says, iL is also Lhc mcans by which skills arc lcarncd, as whcn
an apprcnLicc mimics Lhc works o a masLcr or a hobbyisL works Lo a scL o
publishcd plans. IL is inLrinsic Lo arLisanal culLurc. BuL i craL, as a rcalm o
pracLicc, is dcncd by Lhc rcplica, Lhcn many commonplacc claims madc on
iLs bchal arc unsusLainablc. Tc idcal arLisan would noL bc Lhc CoLhic carvcr
imagincd in 1ohn Ruskins Stones of Venice, nor Lhc arLul modcrnisL poLLcr,
buL insLcad Lhc orgcr o counLcrciL dollar bills. And as LhaL cxamplc implics,
any cLhical noLions aLLachcd Lo craL would havc Lo bc sccn as imposcd upon
iL (or Lhc rcplica surcly has no supcrior moral sLaLus).
AcccpLing Lhc copy as Lhc quinLcsscncc o craL would also havc rcpcrcus-
sions or criLicism. Wc would havc Lo judgc workmanship noL on Lhc basis
o subjccLivc conccrns, such as uLiliLy or visual appcal, buL objccLivcly, wiLh
rccrcncc Lo a prccxisLing sLandard. WiLhin arL pracLicc, Loo, craL would
havc Lo bc sccn noL as an cnginc o crcaLiviLy buL as iLs opposiLc: consLrain-
ing raLhcr Lhan gcncraLivc. In Lhis scnsc Lhc handmadc would nd surpris-
ing common ground wiLh iLs sccming opposiLc, Lhc rcadymadc. MosL impor-
LanLly, wc would nccd Lo conccdc Lhc prcsumpLion o much acsLhcLic Lhcory
LhaL craL is inhcrcnLly LhoughLlcss. Tc copy is Lhc cncmy o Lhc discursivc,
as SLcphcn Bann puLs iL, Lhc qucsL or Lhc pcrccL rcproducLion is simply Lhc
qucsL or an alibi bcyond languagc. A rcplica Lhcory o craL would raLiy
252
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nLhc noLion LhaL Lhc ordcring orccs o arL and dcsign arc ncccssary Lo imbuc
iL wiLh conLcnL.
DcspiLc Lhcsc problcms, Lhcrc is somcLhing surprisingly appcaling in
Wcisss proposal. NoL only docs iL havc Lhc bcncL o clariLy buL iL sidcsLcps
Lhc idcological supcrsLrucLurc o culLural auLhcnLiciLy and virLuc LhaL is builL
aLop craL. YcL a diculLy pcrsisLs. As Vija Cclmins clcganLly dcmonsLraLcd
in To Fix the Image in Memory (1077S2), or which shc rcplicaLcd clcvcn
sLoncs as ncarly as possiblc in painLcd bronzc, Lhcrc is no such Lhing as a
pcrccL copyaL lcasL noL onc madc by hand. Nor, or LhaL maLLcr, is Lhcrc a
pcrccL original. IL may bc impossiblc Lo Lcll whcn cxamining Cclmins handi-
work which arc Lhc rcal rocks and which Lhc akcs, buL LhaL docs noL mcan
LhaL Lhcy arc Lhc samc. Indccd, sccn rom a dicrcnL pcrspccLivc, iL is prc-
ciscly Lhc incxacLiLudc o craL LhaL makcs iL a compclling counLcrpoinL Lo
indusLry. CraL is inhcrcnLly a pracLicc o approximaLion. A bricklaycr mighL
inLcnd Lo abricaLc cach parL o a wall idcnLically, buL Lhc shiLing lay o Lhc
land (and, i Lhc bricks arc handmadc, Lhc minuLc dicrcnccs among Lhcm)
will rusLraLc LhaL ambiLion, ncccssiLaLing a conLinually adapLivc proccss.
Tc rcsulL is whaL Lhc LhcorisL David Pyc callcd divcrsiLyLhc variaLions
LhaL cnlivcn a craLcd producL, and whosc abscncc dcadcns a mass-produccd
onc. Fvcn i craL would bc idcally cmbodicd in an cxacL rcplica, rcal-lic pro-
ccsscs arc always morc or lcss disLanL rom LhaL prcscripLivc modcl. CraLs
grcaL sLrcngLh, as wcll as iLs aLal wcakncss, is LhaL iL cannoL play a Lhcmc
wiLhouL variaLion.
WhaL wc nccd, Lhcn, is a Lhcory LhaL acknowlcdgcs craL as a morc or lcss
imprccisc rcndiLion o a prccxisLing sLandard: as an analogue practice. CraL
approachcs idcal sLaLcs (Lhc cxacL copy, Lhc uninccLcd rcndiLion o a plan,
Lhc pcrccLly smooLh suracc) whilc ncvcr quiLc achicving Lhcm. IL always
prompLs a comparison in Lhc mind bcLwccn an acLual Lhing and Lhc Lhing iL
mighL havc bccn. Tis asympLoLic modcl o producLion has imporLanL rami-
caLions or Lhc considcraLion o Lhc sLudio, which I wanL Lo inLcrprcL hcrc
as dcncd by analoguc (raLhcr Lhan scrial) producLion. Unlikc a bricklaycr, a
pracLiLioncr in a sLudio nccd noL acc ncw ground aL cvcry sLcp. Tc Lcrrain
is consLanL. BuL Lhc sLudio noncLhclcss has iLs limiLs, and a disLincL charac-
Lcr cngcndcrcd by considcraLions o spacc, rcsourccs, inrasLrucLurc, and
Lhc skill LhaL can bc marshalcd wiLhin iLs conncs. AL a momcnL whcn ouL-
sourccd labor and Lhc ricLionlcss cxacLiLudc o Lhc digiLal arc incrcasingly
bccoming Lhc sLu o arL (as in oLhcr sphcrcs o producLion), arLiculaLing
Lhosc spccic caLurcsLhc qualiLics o Lhc sLudio as a producLivc spacc
sccms cvcr morc viLal.
Analoguc pracLicc logically assumcs Lhc vanguard rolc in Lhis corL.
Tough any work will bc uniqucly disLinguishcd by iLs mcans o producLion,
253
LhaL is much morc cxpliciL in Lhc handmadc objccL. Tcrc is a long hisLory
o addrcssing Lhc parLiculariLics o sLudio spacc in oLhcr ways, o coursc
Lhink o 1ackson Pollocks usc o Lhc oor, or Carolcc Schnccmanns pcr-
ormancc Up to and Including Her Limits (in which Lhc arLisL, swinging rom
a Lrcc surgcons harncss, Lraccd arcs wiLh a crayon on a shccL o papcr), or
Brucc Naumans spooky nighL-vision vidco Mapping the Studio (Fat Chance
John Cage). Tcsc cxamplcs show Lhc divcrsiLy o mcans by which Lhc con-
sLrainLs o Lhc sLudio can bc rcndcrcd inLo conLcnL. BuL cmphaLically hand-
madc work sccms Lo bc our own momcnLs prccrrcd mcans o dccnding Lhc
sLudio spacc rom obsolcsccncc.
Fxamplcs o Lhis arc lcgion. Tcrc is, rsL o all, Lhc simplc mulLiplicaLion
o labor, Lhc onc Lhing aLcr anoLhcr manncr o working pcrccLcd by Lhc
Amcrican sculpLor Tara Donovan. In Lhcsc works, Lhc logic o Lhc ncar-copy
opcraLcs on a minuLc scalc, and Lhc work is composcd Lhrough a mulLiLudc
o muLually analogous acLions. Tcn Lhcrc is sloppy craL, an idiom mosL
oLcn sccn in clay buL also cmbracing maLcrials such as prinLcd and wovcn
Vija Celmins, To Fix the Image in Memory, 19771982.
254
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n abrics, scquins, painL, and ound dcLriLus, as in Lhc work o 1osh FaughL.`
Tcsc Lwo sLraLcgics arc oLcn groupcd LogcLhcr undcr Lhc gcncralizcd hcad-
ing o craL-bascd arL-making, buL iL is obvious LhaL Lhcy arc anLiLhcLical, noL
only sLylisLically buL also criLically. An arLisL likc Donovan subscribcs Lo a
vcry LradiLional Lhcory o valuc. Hcr work rclics on an unspokcn cxpccLaLion:
I carc abouL Lhis, so you should Loo. Hcr skill is puL Lo Lhc scrvicc o making
charismaLic and spccLacular objccLs, in a way LhaL connoLcs luxury (Lhc cm-
bcllishmcnL o a Fabcrgc cgg, or cxamplc) buL also Lhumbs iLs nosc aL Lhc
supcrhuman producLions o indusLry. Tcrc is an clcmcnL o wry comcdy Lo
Donovans sculpLurc, as wcll. Hcr brcakLhrough work, LwcnLy-scvcn cubic
ccL o LooLhpicks hcld LogcLhcr by noLhing buL ricLion and graviLy, is noL
only an asLounding objccL buL a hilarious scnd-up o Minimalism. Tis is Lyp-
ical o onc Lhing aLcr anoLhcr arL. Variously saLirical or cvocaLivc qualiLics
can bc ound in many oLhcr arLisLs who work in Lhis modcLhc mordanL wiL
o Tom Fricdman, or cxamplc, or Lhc inLimaLc miniaLurizaLions o Charlcs
IcDray, Lhc sLrccL smarLs o Chakaia Bookcrs sculpLurcs madc o rubbcr Lirc
scraps, or Lhc implicd global criLiquc o Subodh CupLas cookwarc smash-ups.
So iL would noL bc righL Lo say LhaL such arLisLs simply rcarm capiLalisms
LransormaLion o labor inLo commodiLy. BuL cvcn whcn such arLisLs criLiquc
Lhc normaLivc rclaLions bcLwccn sLudio-bascd craL and mass producLion,
Lhcy do noLhing Lo displacc Lhosc rclaLions.
I cvcry onc o Donovans LooLhpicks is idcnLical, Lhcn cvcry dccision in
1osh FaughLs insLallaLion Endless Night (2uuS) is disLinguishcd by a willul
disrcgard or consisLcncy. Fvcn crochcLing, a scrial craL proccdurc par cx-
ccllcncc, is cxccuLcd in a agranLly haphazard way, wiLh mcandcring lincs
o crraLically sizcd loops and yarn cnds sprouLing Lhis way and LhaL, likc un-
ruly hairs. Tc work clcarly occupics a radical spacc wiLhin Lhc ovcrall climaLc
o sLudio-bascd arLisanal acLiviLyFaughLs aniLy Lo cminisL and quccr
scnsibiliLics is cvidcnL, and is sharcd by many oLhcr sloppy craLcrs. YcL dc-
spiLc Lhc avanL-gardc crcdibiliLy o his work, FaughL is Lhc inhcriLor o Lhc
cxprcssionisL craL o pasL dccadcsmosL obviously, bcr arL by Lhc likcs
o Icnorc Tawncy or Clairc Zcislcr. Tough FaughLs way o craLing is any-
Lhing buL modcrnisL, his work noncLhclcss sLands rmly wiLhin a lincagc o
makcrs who Lransgrcss Lhc conLcsLcd boundary o gcnrc LhaL scparaLcs Lhc
domcsLic craLs rom nc arL. Tc rcjccLion o Lhc copy as an idcal lics aL Lhc
hcarL o LhaL LradiLion. Broadly spcaking, Lhcn, wc havc in onc Lhing aLcr
anoLhcr arL and sloppy craL, Lwo ronLicrs o sLudio-bascd pracLicc: on
Lhc onc hand, a mulLiplicaLion ad inniLum o Lhc analogous, on Lhc oLhcr, a
dcnial o iLs logic in avor o an insisLcncc on Lhc cxprcssivc viabiliLy o cvcry
craLcd mark. Whilc Lcrric arL is madc aL boLh o Lhcsc cxLrcmcs (Dono-
vans and FaughLs includcd), nciLhcr rcally involvcs rcLhinking Lhc sLudio.
255
On Lhc conLrary, Lhcy play on Lhcmcs o obscssion and cxprcssion rcspcc-
Livcly, which arc Lhc mosL convcnLional o sLudio narraLivcs.
To nd a craL-bascd rcinvcnLion o Lhc sLudio, wc nccd Lo rcLurn Lo Lhc
Lroubling cxamplc o Lhc rcplica. Takc, as an cxamplc, Lhc osLcnsibly idcn-
Lical Lablcs LhaL LogcLhcr makc up Lhc work 100, by Lhc ToronLo-bascd arL-
isL Cord PcLcran. Tc parLs o Lhc Lablcs arc inLcrchangcablc, madc using
Lools LhaL bclongcd Lo a ricndly machinisL. (Idcally, PcLcran has said, Lhc
owncr o 100 will cxpcricncc boLh Lhc sLrucLural sysLcm as iL rclaLcs Lo clc-
gancc, and Lhc LrusL LhaL Lhc pcrccL can providc wiLh uniLs millcd Lo onc-
LhousandLhs o an inch.)' Tc LiLlc o Lhc work rccrs Lo a bcnchmark in
Josh Faught, Endless Night, 2008.
256
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n PcLcrans carccriL was Lhc hundrcdLh work hc madc as an arLisLbuL also
hinLs aL Lhc subjccL o mass producLion. 100 siLs rmly in Lhc undcncd
spacc LhaL lics bcLwccn Lhc uniquc, hand-wroughL objccL and Lhc cndlcss sc-
rics. As a conscqucncc, iL prcscnLs us wiLh a conccpLion o valuc LhaL dcparLs
rom LhaL sccn in Donovans or FaughLs work. Tc producLivc sysLcm o 100
is indirccL, and drasLically ouL o scalc wiLh iLs rcquircmcnLs. IL is almosL as i,
by dcvoLing Lhc Looling rcquircd Lo makc a hundrcd or a million uncLional
objccLs Lo only a pair o Lhcm, PcLcran has rcndcrcd a non-arL orm inLo an
arLisLic cxpcricncc o unusual inLcnsiLy.
How should wc characLcrizc Lhc producLivc spacc in which PcLcran madc
100` Whilc produccd on an arLisanal scalc, iL was noL madc in his sLudio buL
raLhcr in a ncarby shop (a Lclling dicrcncc o Lcrminology). Iikc Lhc work
iLscl, Lhis shiL in Lhc siLc o producLion connoLcs a dialccLical rclaLion Lo sc-
rialiLy. To opcn up Lhc conccpLual spacc o Lhc work, PcLcran (likc Cclmins)
ocrs us a doublcd objccL. BuL a similar cccL can also bc achicvcd Lhrough
anoLhcr arLisanal proccss wiLh a long arLisLic pcdigrcc: casLing. Many sculp-
Lural maLcrials, such as bronzc, plasLcr, and plasLic, arc almosL cxclusivcly
workcd using molds, and many oLhcrs (clay, soL mcLals such as silvcr, and
glass) can bc casL as wcll. CasLs also occupy a kcy placc wiLhin modcrn arL
hisLory and Lhcory. Rosalind Krauss amously argucs LhaL Lhc casL mulLiplcs
o AugusLc Rodin markcd a criLical Lurn in Lhc hisLory o sculpLurc.' By scri-
ally rcplicaLing his gcsLural marks, Rodin boLh undcrcuL LradiLional noLions
o arLisLic cxprcssion (Lhc indcxical rclaLion bcLwccn inLcnLion and orm)
and prcgurcd posL-1045 scrial pracLiccs, ranging rom Minimalism Lo Pop.
Wc mighL lcavc Lhis argumcnL Lo onc sidc, Lhough, and ocus on Lhc quasi-
arL sLaLus o Lhc casL. Hcrc Lhc imporLanL prcccdcnL is noL Rodin buL Lhc
nincLccnLh-ccnLury pracLicc o crcaLing ull-scalc plasLcr rcplicas o canoni-
cal sculpLurc and archiLccLurc. Such objccLs havc had a mixcd hisLory in Lhc
ycars sincc Lhcy wcrc madc. Many muscums dcsLroycd Lhcir casL collccLions
in Lhc 102us and 3us, whilc oLhcrs (including my own insLiLuLion, Lhc VicLo-
ria and AlbcrL Muscum) rcLaincd Lhcirs, long cnough Lo scc Lhcm bccomc a
principal visiLor aLLracLion. And sincc Lhc 107us, Lhcsc plasLcrs havc sccmcd
Lo gcL wcirdcr and bcLLcr all Lhc Limc. Tcir cmbodimcnL o arL hisLory aL
onc rcmovc has comc Lo sccm likc posLmodcrnism avanL la lcLLrc. Indccd,
posLmodcrn arLisLs rclicd hcavily on Lhc plasLcr casL as a way o marking
Lhcir allcn sLaLc wiLh rcgard Lo Lhc pasL (onc Lhinks parLicularly o 1annis
Kouncllis and Ciulio Paolini, buL onc mighL also considcr Manucl Ncri, Cy
Twombly, Iouisc Bourgcois, and Ccorgc Scgal in Lhis conLcxL).
In morc rcccnL ycars, Lhc hisLorical dimcnsion o Lhc casL has sccmcd
lcss imporLanL Lhan iLs capaciLy Lo mcdiaLc bcLwccn dicrcnL condiLions
o producLion. Onc way o undcrsLanding Lhc sLudio spacc is as a LhcaLcr
257
o opcraLions in which acLiviLics arc sLagcd in conccrL or opposiLion Lo onc
anoLhcr. Similarly, Lhc sLudio can bc sccn as onc possiblc siLc o arL produc-
Lion among oLhcrs, iL can bc siLuaLcd in rclaLion Lo public, acLory, rcligious,
and muscum spacc. Tc casL, an arLisanally madc copy, has always migraLcd
bcLwccn Lhcsc dicrcnL cnvironmcnLs and can also condcnsc Lhcm inLo a
singlc objccL. Such is Lhc casc, or cxamplc, in Sam DuranLs rcccnL scrics
o slipcasL ccramic chairs, madc in 1ingdczhcn, China. Simulacra o simula-
cra, Lhcsc arc bascd on Lhc orms o injccLion-moldcd plasLic chairs, madc
in Asia buL globally omniprcscnL. Tc chairs monochromc glazcs and soLly
moldcd cdgcs succcssully cvokc Lhc qualiLy o casL plasLic, on onc cxamplc,
cvcn Lhc aux baskcL-wcavc upholsLcry on Lhc back is rcproduccd aiLhully
in a dclicaLc laLLicc o clay. Whcrc is Lhc rcal Lhing hcrc` Pcrhaps, DuranL sug-
gcsLs, only in Lhc spccic circumsLanccs o iLs producLion. Such is implicd
by his LiLlcs or Lhc chairs, which includc Lhc namc o cvcry pcrson who con-
LribuLcd Lo Lhcir manuacLurc. Tc rcaliLy o making is madc possiblc by Lhc
analoguc naLurc o Lhc work, which puLs somcLhing bcorc our cycs wiLhouL
acLually maLcrially consLiLuLing iL.
Many arLisLsRobcrL Cobcr, 1aninc AnLoni, MaLLhcw Barncyusc Lhc
indirccLion o Lhc handcraLcd casL as a way Lo navigaLc Lhc conusing waLcrs
o conLcmporary arL pracLicc. SLill oLhcrs, such as Ricky Swallow, Yoshihiro
Suda, and Susan Collis, achicvc a similar cccL by dcploying craLs such as
woodcarving and cmbroidcry Lo crcaLc prcLcrnaLurally accuraLc rcplicas o
mundanc objccLs. And wiLh Lhc rcccnL availabiliLy o compuLcr numcrical
conLrollcd (CNC) machining, onc can imaginc a ncar uLurc in which Lhc
ncar-copy scrvcs as a mcans Lo LriangulaLc arL pracLicc wiLh Lhc rcalms o
Lhc analoguc and Lhc digiLal Lhcmsclvcs.
In Lhis shorL cssay, I havc aLLcmpLcd Lo indicaLc Lhc usculncss o such
LacLics as mcans Lo rcviviy Lhc sLudio, inLcrrogaLing iLs mcans whilc call-
ing iLs cnds inLo qucsLion. As 1ohn RobcrLs puL iL rcccnLly, Lhcrc is a broad
rcalizaLion amongsL a ncw gcncraLion o arLisLs conronLcd wiLh Lhc rcali-
Lics o Lhc sLudio [raLhcr] Lhan Lhc comorLs o Lhc scminar room LhaL Lhc
Lasks o rcprcscnLaLion and arLisLic orm donL cnd simply bccausc Lhcy arc
assumcd, LhcorcLically, Lo havc cndcd. CraL is a way o acing up Lo Lhosc
rcaliLics. Sincc I havc bccn survcying pracLiccs LhaL involvc analogy, pcrhaps
I mighL closc wiLh onc o my own. Making a pcrccL handmadc copy, i LhaL
could cvcr bc achicvcd, would bc somcLhing likc making an arLworkonly
morc so.
1 Rachcl Wciss, BcLwccn Lhc MaLcrial World and Lhc ChosLs o Drcams: An Argu-
mcnL abouL CraL in los CarpinLcros, Journal of Modern Craft 1/2 (Summcr 2uuS):
2557u, 25S.
258
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n2 SLcvcn Bann, Te True Vine: On Visual Representation and the Western Tradition (Cam-
bridgc: Cambridgc UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 10S0), 102u.
3 David Pyc, Te Nature and Art of Workmanship (Cambridgc: Cambridgc UnivcrsiLy
Prcss, 106S).
4 IL is sLriking Lo rcad a rcccnL inLcrvicw wiLh Lwo o Lhc chic cxponcnLs o ouL-
sourccd indusLrial sculpLurc, Richard Scrra and Anish Kapoor. BoLh insisL, againsL con-
sidcrablc cvidcncc Lo Lhc conLrary, LhaL Lhcir pracLicc is csscnLially ccnLcrcd in small-
scalc craL. Im a liLLlc coLLagc modclmakcr, says Scrra. I usc a hammcr and nails!
Kapoor concurs. Im vcry much sLudio-bascd. I cmploy a cw pcoplc, bccausc you canL
do iL all yourscl, buL Lhc sLudio is all, cvcry problcm, cvcry issuc is hcrc. I canL solvc
Lhcm in a planc or in my hcad and I donL bclicvc LhaL inLcllccLual pracLicc is cnough.
MaqucLLcs arc an csscnLial Lool, bccausc drawings alonc jusL donL cxplain iL. Ossian
Ward, Sizc MaLLcrs, TimeOut London, OcLobcr 1622, 2uuS, 5354.
5 For a considcraLion o Lhc sloppy acsLhcLic in ccramics, scc my cssay Sloppy Scc-
onds: Tc SLrangc RcLurn o Clay, in Dirt on Delight: Impulses Tat Form Clay, cd, Ingrid
Schancr and 1cncllc PorLcr (Philadclphia: InsLiLuLc o ConLcmporary ArL, 2uu0).
6 NoLably, Lhc Lwo modcs wcrc prcscnLcd sidc by sidc in Second Lives: Remixing the
Ordinary, Lhc Muscum o ArL and Dcsigns inaugural cxhibiLion in iLs ncw building.
7 Clcnn Adamson, cL al., Gord Peteran: Furniture Meets Its Maker (Milwaukcc: Chip-
sLonc FoundaLion/Milwaukcc ArL Muscum, 2uu6).
8 Rosalind Krauss, Passages in Modern Sculpture (Cambridgc, MA: MIT Prcss, 1077).
9 For an ovcrvicw, scc Barbara MaLilsky, Te Expressionist Surface: Contemporary Art in
Plaster (Ncw York: Quccns Muscum o ArL, 100u).
10 1ohn RobcrLs, Te Intangibilities of Form: Skill and Deskilling in Art After the Ready-
made (Iondon: Vcrso, 2uuS), 1u.
259
Amy Granat
1107
Making 16-millimeter lm and photos and music and performance, I have had
a strange relationship to the idea of an artists studio. At rst, when people
asked to visit my studio, I would get uncomfortable with the idea that by com-
ing to this particular place, they would get some idea of me, that maybe the
place should be lled with things and stuff I dont even know. This idea that
people I didnt really know would ask if they could come over for a studio visit,
maybe as a way to get to know meit was totally foreign.
But with time (I guess), it became a bit more normal (I guess), and some-
how over the past few years the idea that I am going to show you something
or that there will be any answers has (thankfully) gone out the window. What
the studio has developed into, in my case, is a meeting place. A looking place.
An extra room in my apartment that is actually not in my apartment at all but two
miles down the road. It is where I have friends come by, where Oli and I will
run into each other. A place where we can go, where there is freedom. There
is emptiness and history, acting together. That is what makes it the pleasant
place it is.
Its a place where I store things. Its a place where I can play music really
loud and watch 16-millimeter movies. I remember going there almost every
day when I rst moved to New York. At that time I was visiting Steven there.
I would spend hours hanging out with him and Chuck, and Olivier would be
there on his way to and from Europe.
The rst time I made something there, it was a movie Steven asked me to
make with him. I made a lm called Cyclotron and he made a painting, which
we intended to be shown together. I think Stevens estate may have thrown
my movie away and shown the painting alone at Gagosian Gallery after he
died. Memories of Steven still oat in this space . . . and tiny wooden pieces
of his crashed stretchers still lay on or are wedged into the oor. This history,
my memories, they still insert themselves in this space and, for me, that is
importantand not just in art, but in life.
260
A
m
y

G
r
a
n
a
t
But objects, studios, movies. I make my lms all over the place. And I print
my photos in Chinatown. But everyday I walk down Bedford Avenue, turn left
onto Manhattan Avenue, and take it to the end, next to the hotel where the
sheriff is usually sitting on my doorstep, and I ask him to scoot so I can get
to the door, and I go into my studio. Once inside, I look at my stuff or work at
the table. Sometimes scratch lm pieces; sometimes play the drum set or the
guitar.
Today in the studio, March 31, 2009. Rich and Stefan came over and we
played music for a few hours. Going between drums, guitar, and keyboard.
Then Becket came by to say hi on his way back to his studio after a game of
tennis. And then the Time Warner guy stopped by to tell me that he cant hook
up the Internet for me until I get access to the backyard. I kept telling him it
isnt possible; it isnt our backyard and we cant get access to it. I think it is
actually attached to the hotel. But I dont know. Ill have to ask Oli about it next
time he comes to New York. Amy Granat studio, 2009.
261
David Robbins
The idea of working in a studio makes me uncomfortable, always has, as has
thinking of myself as an artist. Both terms presume that my motive is to make
art, whereas much of my career has been dedicated to searching forand
twice discoveringmodes of thinking and creating that offer sophisticated al-
ternatives to art, and adding those to the pool of possibilities. Im not against
art; my response to life is just built along other lines. I began as an artist, but
over time I came to feel that what we think of as art represents a false free-
dom: were allowed to do anything we want so long as we agree to call it art. I
believe there are other kinds of communication endeavors and production that
are yet to be discovered. For all these reasons, I prefer to think of myself as
an independent imagination rather than as an artist. I dont like to know where
Im going to end up before I even begin.
Whatever city Ive lived inNew York, Cologne, Bruxelles, MilwaukeeIve
always worked from home and integrated home life with work life. (I began my
career making photographs, and a camera doesnt require much room. I never
learned how to print.) Either I made things at the kitchen table or I had them
fabricated. I tried having a studio only once, in 1985, when a sculptor friend
and I rented an additional apartment in the Hells Kitchen building where we
lived. For me, the experiment lasted just two weeks. I didnt understand main-
taining a separate room to which I was to go and make my art. I hadnt gone
to art school and never got into the studio habit. Having a studio made my
mind feel boxed-in.
These days I reside in a quiet, leafy suburb of Milwaukee, in a modernist
ranch house with great spatial ow. The living room ows into the study. The
desk in my study is Swedish, rosewood, circa 1960, of anonymous and rather
eccentric design. The chair is a green upholstered swivel chair designed in the
mid-1960s by the Danish designer Kay Korbing. Across the room is a com-
fortable black leather couch designed by a childhood friend, Ted Boerner. Its
an environment well-suited for writing books and editing videos, which, being
David Robbins studio, 2009.
263
forms that can travel in the world, in the culture, in the economy, in ways that
art does not, I prefer over producing photographs or other art objects.
In the study are tools appropriate to my trades: three laptops and a large
television. Each of the laptops is assigned distinct functions. One is reserved
for administrative work, career matters, and the Internet; the second is used
for Photoshop and video editing; I do my writing on the third, which lays in
wait on an ottoman in front of an Eames chair. At least two laptops glow from
the time I get up, 6:30 a.m., until I dont have any more work energy in me that
dayusually 9 p.m. When Im editing, the TV functions as a monitor, and then
I sit at the center of a semicircle of small screens. Usually the radio is on, too,
for added stimulus.
Of course, I have to get the images for the videos somewhere, and all the
visuals that comprise my current fascinationsnature, suburbia, physically at-
tractive outdoorsy-looking people, curious or informative juxtapositions of the
manmade and the naturalI happen upon outside the connes of home. I keep
a video camera in the car, and as I drive around the suburban landscape
going about my business, while keeping my eye sharp and my mind openI
video tape any nds that play to my instincts. Findings are ruled in or out based
on the depth of my response to them, informed by intuition and long experi-
ence in making things. Some surprising new detail may suggest some un-
anticipated direction of thought or invention. I am utterly undisciplined, except
as pertains to the daily discipline of remaining work-focused, and I am uncon-
cerned about it. There isnt some problem that I am using art to solve. And
I recognize no obligations toward art. I am only interested in nding ways to
communicate love of life and to self-evolve through that search. My only ob-
ligation is to the attention that an audience may give me. That is enough, and
it is considerable.
264
James Welling
Polaroids, 1:76
In September 1975 a good friend of mine, Bart Thrall, loaned me his Polaroid
450 camera. After using it for a few weeks, something malfunctioned with
the shutter and I foolishly tried to repair it. Never try to repair a shutter. After
I bought my friend a new Polaroid, I was left with a shutterless camera body.
In January 1976 I realized that I could still take pictures with this camera if I
set it on a tripod and removed the lens cap to control the exposure. This I did,
and for the next four months I made Polaroid photographs in my studio, in a
restaurant I worked at, and at my parents house in Connecticut. The picture-
taking ended in October, when I exhibited the photographs at the Arco Center
for Visual Art in downtown Los Angeles. A week after the opening, I bought a
real camera, a wooden 4 ~ 5.
For anyone who knows Polaroid lm, there is a large discrepancy between
observed color and the color it is able to record. Most Polaroid lms have low
saturation and are greenish. By carefully studying the data sheet that came
with the lm, I realized that the developing temperature was extremely impor-
tant for color rendition. With this in mind, I began to process the Polaroids
over my gas stove. Heating the lm to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit gave me
vivid color but limited me to locations where I had access to a stovehence
home or a restaurant.
The pictures I made in my studio record corners and fragments of things. In
a few, such as Bike at Night, I refrigerated the lm when it was processing to
reduce the temperature and accentuate the greenish cast of my uorescent
lights. Among these studio Polaroids are numerous photographs of my green
ten-speed bike. Eight months later, this bike would take me around West
Los Angeles with my view camera and tripod strapped to its rack. I had nally
graduated to serious photography, no longer restricted to interiors. Following
the Polaroids of my studio, I would wait thirty years to work in color again, this
time photographing farms in the Hudson Valley for a project my brother called
Agricultural Works/Insect Chorus.
James Welling, Polaroid Photographs, 1976.
Te
Studio
as Spacc
and
NonSpacc
269
Jon Wood
Brancusis whitc studio
Tc lasL six ycars havc wiLncsscd crucial dcvclopmcnLs in Lhc hisLory and
rcpuLaLion o Lhc sculpLor ConsLanLin Brancusi: rsL, a major rcLrospccLivc
o his work aL Lhc Muscc NaLional dArL Modcrnc, CcnLrc Ccorgcs Pompi-
dou in Paris (Lhcn aL Lhc Philadclphia Muscum o ArL) in 1005, sccond, Lhc
ncw rcconsLrucLion o his sLudio, dcsigncd by Rcnzo Piano, ouLsidc Lhc Ccn-
Lrc Ccorgcs Pompidou, which opcncd in 1007, and Lhird, Lhc rcsLoraLion,
wiLh Lhc supporL o Lhc World MonumcnLs Fund, o his largc-scalc ouL-
door sculpLurc Lhc Endless Column aL Trgu 1iu in Romania in 2uuu. Fach
o Lhcsc dcvclopmcnLs has gcncraLcd much dcbaLc inLcrnaLionallydcbaLc
which scrvcs Lo rcmind us o Lhc cxLraordinary, i noL uniquc, hcriLagc o
Lhis sculpLor, spanning as iL docs Lhc LwcnLicLh ccnLury rom casL Lo wcsL,
rom BucharcsL Lo Paris Lo Ncw York.
AL an inLcrnaLional concrcncc on Lhc sculpLor hcld in BucharcsL Lo com-
mcmoraLc boLh his 125Lh annivcrsary and Lhc rcsLoraLion o Lhc Endless Col-
umn, Lhc spcakcrs wcrc inviLcd Lo rcspond Lo Lhc proposiLion and qucsLion
Brancusi aL his zcniLh: WhaL ncxL` Tis arLiclc, bascd in parL on Lhc papcr
givcn aL Lhis concrcncc, is an aLLcmpL Lo look criLically aL Lhc whiLcncss o
Brancusis sLudio. In doing so, I givc a closc rcading o onc o Lhc mosL noLa-
blc aspccLs o Lhis sculpLors ocuvrc, which was much dcscribcd by many o
his conLcmporarics and which has, in Lurn, conLribuLcd paradoxically boLh
Lo Lhc mysLcry and Lhc acccssibiliLy o Brancusis work ovcr Lhc ycars. Tc
whiLc sLudio is an imporLanL parL o Lhc myLh o Lhis sculpLor: iL has Lrav-
clcd wcll and iLs conccpLual implicaLions havc, in Lurn, oLcn bccn Lakcn or
granLcd. In rcconsidcring iL hcrc I cndcavor Lo show how Brancusis whiLc
sLudio is noL mcrcly Lo bc sccn as a proLo-whiLc cubc buL as an claboraLc con-
sLrucL LhaL was gcncraLcd by Lhc arLisL Lhrough his sculpLurc, Lhrough his
phoLography, Lhrough his scl-conscious craLing o a sLudio-oricnLaLcd ar-
LisLic idcnLiLy, and Lhrough Lhc characLcrizaLion o his sLudio cnvironmcnL
by his supporLcrs as a placc Lo sLagc his arL and lic. Today, a visiL Lo IALclicr
Brancusi, Lhc ncw rcconsLrucLion ouLsidc Lhc Pompidou o Lhc quarLcrs o
270
J
o
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W
o
o
dhis laLcr sLudio aL 11 impassc Ronsin, is a visiL Lo a clcan and brillianLly whiLc
sLudiocourLcsy o Lhc immaculaLc whiLc walls and Lhc many whiLc plas-
Lcr casLs o works which hc accumulaLcd in his sLudio and which consLiLuLcd
a good parL o Lhc donaLion Lo Lhc Frcnch sLaLc aL his dcaLh. In Lhis cssay, I
would likc Lo rcLurn Lo his carly ycars, whcn Lhc sLudio was noL as obviously
whiLc as iL would laLcr bccomc, and Lo his rsLnow losLsLudio aL S
impassc Ronsin, whcrc hc livcd and workcd rom 1016 Lo 1027. I will look aL
a rangc o spccic cxamplcs wiLhin Lhcsc rsL ycars o his succcss as a sculp-
Lor, which lay barc somc o Lhc carlicr dynamics o Lhis mulLiaccLcd work-
placc, in ordcr Lo rccovcr somc o Lhc gcrminaLivc origins o Lhc whiLc sLudio
in iLs imagcs, iLs conLcnLs, and iLs primary public.
Onc o Lhc mosL rcmarkablc and cmphaLic asscrLions o Lhc cxLcnL Lo
which whiLcncss was sccn as coordinaLing Brancusis arL and lic can bc
ound in words o MargarcL Andcrson:
ConsLanLin Brancusi livcs in a sLonc sLudio in Lhc Impassc Ronsin, ruc dc Vau-
girard. His hair and bcard arc whiLc, his long working-mans blousc is whiLc, his
sLonc bcnchcs and largc round Lablc arc whiLc, Lhc sculpLors dusL LhaL covcrs
cvcryLhing is whiLc, his Bird in whiLc marblc sLands on a high pcdcsLal againsL
Lhc windows, a largc whiLc magnolia can always bc sccn on Lhc whiLc Lablc. AL
onc Limc hc had a whiLc dog and a whiLc roosLcr.
WriLLcn in Lhc 106us, whilsL rccrring Lo an cncounLcr LhaL Look placc in
Lhc 102us, Andcrsons dcscripLion sLands as a Lclling dcmonsLraLion o Lhc
consisLcncy wiLh which whiLcncss was sccn and dccmcd Lo bc pursucd by
Lhc sculpLor, as almosL a manicsLo, LhroughouL his lic. Tis was somcLhing
which Ccorgcs DuLhuiL also sLrcsscd in 1054: NoLhing has changcd. WhiLc-
ncss, morc whiLcncss, whiLcwash and plasLcr cvcrywhcrc, whiLc rom chim-
ncy Lo walls Lo Lhc round Lablcs.
IL mighL bc LcmpLing, in Lhc lighL o such compclling rsLhand accounLs,
Lo closc Lhc lc on Brancusis whiLc sLudio: iL was Lhcn, and is now, whiteno
morc, no lcss. As wiLh Lhc noLion o simplicaLion and iLs aLLcndanL procc-
durc o scrialiLy, Lhis whiLcncss was a consLiLucnL parL o Lhc Brancusi idcn-
LiLy and o whaL has madc Lhc sculpLor, in Lhc shrcwd words o 1ohn Colding,
an arL hisLorians drcam. NcvcrLhclcss, Lhc whiLcncss o Brancusis sLudio,
as a conccpL and as a sculpLural maLcrial (plasLcr and sLonc), can bc rcad as
having undcrgonc a numbcr o rcappropriaLions and shiLs in cmphasis rom
1016 Lo 1057, rom his arrival aL impassc Ronsin Lo his dcaLh. IL docs noL, dc-
spiLc Lhc conLrivanccs o Lhc sculpLor and his supporLcrs, carry Lhc absoluLc
and Limclcss valuc wiLh which iL was accrcdiLcd by Andcrson and DuLhuiL.
IL was, in parLicular, Lhc Limclcssncss o whiLcncss, connoLing boLh Lhc
271
ancicnL and Lhc modcrn, LhaL so powcrully aciliLaLcd Lhis characLcrizaLion.
MaLisscs amous Red Studio o 1011, in iLs aLLcmpL Lo cvokc, in auvc rcd,
a harmony o objccLs in rclaLion Lo Lhc sLudio inLcrior, did noL arLiculaLc
Limclcssncss. On Lhc conLrary, a grandaLhcr clock sLood aL Lhc vcry ccn-
Lcr o MaLisscs canvas, whilc Lhc rcd scrvcs as a conLrasL Lo Lhc sLudios
grccn gardcn surrounds. On Lhc walls o Brancusis sLudio Lhcrc was noLicc-
ably no clock. Tis was a placc inLcndcd Lo bc wiLhouL disLracLion rom clsc-
whcrc (Lhc sculpLor madc much o his own urniLurc and kcpL a collccLion
solcly o his own work). As in Lhc windowlcss and clocklcss church, casino,
or nighLclub, all LhaL was rcquircd o Lhc sLudio visiLor (-cum-worshippcr-
cum-danccr-cum-gamblcr) oncc ovcr Lhc Lhrcshold, was Lo play and conccn-
LraLc on Lhc gamc, noL Lo ask whaL Limc iL was. Indccd, why should Lhc sLu-
dio visiLor ask` For Brancusi, who was noLorious or conLrolling sLudio visiLs,
was also amcd or ocring himscl as Lhc rcgisLcr o Limclcssncss amid his
work and wiLhin Lhc conncs o his sLudios. For hc cccLivcly ovcrsaw Lhc
consLrucLion o a closc rclaLionship bcLwccn himscl and his sLudios whiLc-
ncss: in 1016, whcn Brancusi was orLy, hc was going gray, and in 1026, Lhc
ycar in which hc Lurncd Ly and aLavisLically skcLchcd himscl as onc hun-
drcd ycars old, hc was wcll on Lhc way Lo bcing whiLc.` As Brancusi goL oldcr,
noL only did his hair and his cloLhcs gcL whiLcr (culminaLing in Lhc amous
whiLc burial drcss o 1057), so Loo did his sLudio. In Lhis way, Lhc whiLc-
ncss o his bcardmorc Lhan Lhc sculpLors sLcrcoLypical cunning smilc and
Lwinkling cycs, avorcd by Hcnry 1amcs and Raincr Maria Rilkcbccamc
onc o his ccnLral characLcrisLics, onc mighL say, Lradcmarks. IL Lhcrcorc
comcs as no surprisc Lo nd iL rcqucnLly mcnLioncd in Lhc accounLs o sLu-
dio visiLors. Hc had, by such accounLs, Lhc bcard o an Arcadian shcphcrd, o
Carlylc, o WhiLman, and cvcn o onc wriLcrs grandaLhcr. No onc, how-
cvcr, was impoliLc cnough Lo mcnLion LhaL o Rodin. For Rodin was always
Lhc mcasurc againsL which Brancusi judgcd his work and achicvcmcnLs
as wcll as, in Brancusis own words, Lhc grcaL oak undcr which noLhing
grows. Rodins bcard was wiLhouL doubL an imporLanL prcccdcnL and gavc
auLhoriLy, graviLas, and scriousncss Lo Lhc sLaLus o Lhc sculpLor as a man
o lcLLcrs. Trough Lhc lcns o his phoLographcrsSLcichcn and DrucL
and in Lhc hands o Lhc oLhcr sculpLors who porLraycd him (Bourdcllc, Clau-
dcl, and Bouchard), Lhc bcard was ccnLral Lo Rodins sculpLorhood: his scl-
conscious and rcprcscnLcd posc as Lhc masLcr-arLisL and Lhinking man.' As I
will discuss, Brancusi builL upon Lhc cxamplc o Lhis arLisLic idcnLiLy, Laking
iL bcyond Lhc sculpLural objccL and porLraiLurc and ccding iL inLo Lhc con-
sLrucLion o a sLudio licsLylc.
IL was wiLh his movc Lo Lhc sLudio aL S impassc Ronsin in 1016, approxi-
272
J
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n

W
o
o
dmaLcly a dccadc aLcr lcaving Rodins sLudio, whcrc hc had bccn an assisLanL,
LhaL Brancusi rsL bcgan Lo consLrucL an idcnLiLy or his work and or him-
scl as a sculpLor.' ImporLanLly, his rsL vue datelier gouachcs and drawings
mark Lhc momcnLs LhaL whiLcncss can bc noLcd as bccoming a conccrn in
Lhc characLcrizaLion o his sLudio cnvironmcnL. I in his 101516 sLudio pho-
Lographs, his largc-scalc woodcn Arch was phoLographcd as raming Bran-
cusi and work in progrcss, his 101S gouachc vue datelier docs noL ramc,
raLhcr, iL cvokcs an aLmosphcrc and LogcLhcrncss in which work and Bran-
cusi himsclLhrough Lhc inclusion o Lhc Lop o his drawing board, Lhc
sculpLors poinL o vicw in Lhc drawingsis orcgroundcd. Fvcn whcn us-
ing pcn and ink insLcad o gouachc or chalk Lo crcaLc Lhis whiLcncssand
Lhcrc is a Lclling liLcralism in Lhc chalkincss o such drawings in rclaLion Lo
Lhc whiLcncss o Lhc sLudiohc consisLcnLly inscribcd himscl in such vicws,
as Sidncy CcisL has noLcd. Tcsc rsL vues datelier wcrc Lhus sLudio vicws
invcsLcd wiLh scl-porLraiLurcvicws in which Brancusi puL himscl in Lhc
picLurc, in Lhc sLudio and among his work.
I Lhcsc curious imagcs mark Lhc bcginnings o Lhc whiLc sLudio, Lhcy
arc by Lhc samc Lokcn obuscaLory in Lhcir subLlc insisLcncc on Lhc sculp-
Lors soliLudc and auLonomy, a clichc o modcrnisL crcaLiviLy. S impassc Ron-
sin was noL jusL a onc-man workshop buL an inLcllccLual propcrLya placc
whcrc hospiLaliLy was ocrcd and whcrc idcas wcrc sharcd and ricndships
ormcd. IL was during Lhcsc carly ycars in impassc Ronsin LhaL crucial as-
pccLs o Lhis characLcrizaLion wcrc rsL ormulaLcd and LhaL, Lhrough his in-
volvcmcnL wiLh DadaisLs likc Man Ray, TrisLan Tzara, Blaisc Ccndrars, Mar-
ccl 1anco, and Marccl Duchamp, his sLudios whiLcncss was providcd wiLh iLs
rsL conccpLual commcnLary.
Man Ray was parLicularly insLrumcnLal in Lhis, sincc in Lhc carly 102us iL
was hc who rsL hclpcd Lhc sculpLor Lakc and dcvclop his own phoLographs.
Indccd, iL was Lhrough monochromc phoLography LhaL Brancusi cxplorcd
wiLh a passion his sLudio cnvironmcnL as a placc o display, complicaLing
Lhc liLcralism noLcd carlicr. Tc moLi o Lhc lamp, avorcd by DadaisLs (no-
Lably Picabia) as cvocaLivc o Lhc mysLcry and magic wiLhin Lhc producLs o
Lcchnological modcrniLy, gurcs in many o his phoLographs as a mcLaphor
or conccpLion and illuminaLion, animaLing sculpLurcs by highlighLing Lhcir
suraccs and cmphasizing Lhcir shadows. In Lhc insLancc o his own sLudio
phoLographs o himscl wiLh Tzara, Duchamp, Man Ray, Mina Ioy, Marga-
rcL Andcrson, and 1anc Hcap, iL was by virLuc o Lhc rays o his lamp LhaL
Lhc groups LogcLhcrncss was rcprcscnLcd, bound by lighL in Lhc darkncss
o his sLudio. I Lhis lighLing sLraLcgy rccallcd Boccionis plasLcr rays us-
ing objccL and cnvironmcnL, whaL was bcing uscd in Brancusis casc was a
273
group o avanL-gardisLs in Lhc sLudio, Lhrough Lhc conLrolling prcscncc and
hospiLaliLy o Lhcir hosL. Indccd, Lhcsc wcrc parLicularly inLcrcsLing gcsLurcs
in Lhc conLcxL and company o Lhc pocL Mina Ioy, whosc pocm Brancusis
Coldcn Bird is a LribuLc Lo his usc o lighL and Lhc simulLancous illumina-
Lion and dcmaLcrializaLion o his bronzc sculpLurc Lhrough shinc and lighL-
ing. Ioy dcscribcd iL as an incandcsccnL curvc / lickcd by chromaLic amcs
/ in labyrinLhs o rcccLions. FurLhcrmorc, ollowing Lhc disappcarancc
o hcr DadaisL husband ArLhur Cravan, Ioy managcd Lo conLinuc and und
hcr work as a pocL by sLarLing hcr own busincss making dcsigncr lamps and
lighL shadcs.
I phoLography was Lhc mcdium uscd in Lhcsc carly ycars or Lhc sculp-
Lors cxploraLions, Dada was ccrLainly iLs inLcllccLual and arLisLic climaLc.
Tc rclaLionship bcLwccn Brancusi and Dada has bccn addrcsscd bcorc buL
has usually bccn sccn in Lcrms o his subvcrsion o Lhc LradiLional uncLion
o Lhc pcdcsLal and his usc o Lhc basc (in sLonc, wood, and plasLcr) as an
inLcgral parL o Lhc work. I shall, raLhcr, draw aLLcnLion Lo a sharcd scL o
mcLaphorical conccrns. WhiLcncss was amcnablc Lo Dada juxLaposiLion and
subvcrsion: iL was amcnablc Lo Lhc pocLic problcmaLising o binary opposi-
Lions, such as black/whiLc, darkncss/lighL, rough/smooLh, wcighL/wcighL-
lcssncss, hoL/cold, indoors/ouLdoors, WcsLcrn/non-WcsLcrn.
Tc Romanian DadaisL Tzara, who promoLcd Lhc grinding whiLcncss o
Ncgro ArL in his rcvicw o 1017, was a closc ricnd and supporLcr o Lhc
sculpLor. His unpublishcd arLiclc on Brancusi, wriLLcn in 1022 or Vanity
Fair, bcgins wiLh Lhc sLudios whiLcncss: Un grand aLclicr. TouL blanc rcmpli
dc blocs dc marbrc cL dc picrrcs. Dcs pouLrcs cnormcs rcsLcs dc prcssoirs dc
raisin d il y a plusicurs sicclcs. Tzara, wiLhin DadaisL circlcs, also Look on
Lhc scl-dcclarcd rolc and pcrsona o a lampiste who wroLc saLirical lampister-
ies (liLcrally, lamp sLorics).` Lampiste is Lhc word or boLh a lighL Lcchnician
and a downLroddcn undcrling: a paradoxical guisc Lhrough which Tzara prc-
scnLcd himscl noL as an arLisL or pocL buL as a kind o low-lic luminary.
OLhcrs in Lhc milicu who wcrc noL Lhcrc mighL as wcll havc bccn in Lcrms
o Lhis collccLivc characLcrizaLion o Brancusis whiLc sLudio. For Ccndrars
and 1cannc RobcrL FosLcr, his whiLc sLudio was a cold and snowy placc, boLh
LcrrcsLrial and cxLraLcrrcsLrial, o Lhc mounLains and o Lhc hcavcns. Tcir
rcsponscs arc Lclling in Lhc way LhaL Lhcy pocLically associaLc Lhc whiLc cn-
vironmcnL o Lhc Paris sLudio Lhcy havc visiLcd wiLh oLhcr ouLdoor cnviron-
mcnLs. Ccndrars wroLc Lo Brancusi rom Lhc Alps in 1021, dcscribing himscl
as all alonc in Lhc snows, as you arc in your all whiLc sLudio. FosLcr, who
was Lhc gucsL o Lhc sculpLor in 1022, wroLc in Lhc Lh sccLion o hcr pocm
Dncr avcc Brancusi:
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dWc saluLc Lhc Lablc . . . an AsLcroid
CaughL snowy rom rozcn spaccs o Lhc sky.
(PlasLcr rcshly Lrowlcd by Brancusi, Damp Lo Lhc Louch.)
Upon iLs whiLcncss
Colour o amc and LwilighL
Capuchins, pcLals o scarlcL
Sinking in LwilighL.'
IocaLing Lhc rcsponsc o Duchamp, onc o Lhc mosL crucial mcmbcrs o Lhis
DadaisL milicu, Lo Brancusis whiLc sLudio is morc problcmaLic. Duchamp
was ccnLral in his inLcllccLual and commcrcial supporL or Lhc sculpLor, ycL
liLLlc commcnLary cxisLs rcgarding Lhcir rclaLionship.' Hc supporLcd Bran-
cusi as a dcalcr, LranslaLor, curaLorial assisLanL, and public rclaLions consul-
LanL LhroughouL Lhc 102us and carly 103us. By 1021, Lhc ycar o his Why
Not Sneeze Rrose Slavy?, Duchamp was a amiliar o Brancusis who had rc-
qucnLly visiLcd his sLudio and had an inLimaLc knowlcdgc o his arLisLic prc-
occupaLions.
IL is in Lhis cnigmaLic cagc work LhaL Duchamps rcsponsc Lo Brancusis
whiLc sLudio can, Lo my mind, bc ound. WhilsL iL is, o coursc, onc o Duch-
amps own works, iL is onc which I rcad as Laking iLs bcarings rom and bcing
gcncraLcd by an imaginaLivc rcinLcrprcLaLion o his ricnds sLudio cnviron-
mcnL. TaL Duchamp was rccrring Lo Lhc sculpLors sLudio can bc gaugcd
rom cach o Lhc clcmcnLs o Why Not Sneeze Rrose Slavy? whcn vicwcd in
dialoguc wiLh Lhc cLions and rcaliLics o LhaL sLudio. Sccn as a wholc, Du-
champs combinaLory box work can bc rcad as a privaLc, porLablc, and min-
iaLurizcd homagc Lo Brancusis whiLc sLudio. IcL us Lhcn rcvicw iLs sLrucLurc,
iLs componcnLs, and iLs LiLlc, in ordcr Lo locaLc Lhis commcnLary.
In Why Not Sneeze Rrose Slavy? wc arc prcscnLcd wiLh a whiLc-painLcd
mcLal bird cagc, hal-ull o whiLc marblc cubcs, wiLh a whiLc cuLLlcbonc and
a LhcrmomcLcr. IL is an immcdiaLcly disoricnLing piccc. Tis is a birdcagc
LhaL could noL possibly accommodaLc a birdLhc marblc blocks cluLLcr iL
up and havc Lakcn up whaL liLLlc airspacc Lhcrc is or a bird Lo y or sprcad
iLs wings. As wcll as an objccL o conLainmcnL and display, Lhc birdcagc is
cquippcd wiLh a rcadymadc and wcll-known iconographic currcncy wiLhin a
picLorial LradiLion: a vanitas moLi and symbol o losL innoccncc and youLh.
In Lhc hands o Lhc SurrcalisLs, mosL noLably CiacomcLLi and FrnsL, Lhis was
Lo bc urLhcr cxplorcd, buL wiLhin Lhcsc and Duchamps rcappropriaLions
Lhc idca o Lhc birdcagc as a mcLaphor or Lhc arLisLs sLudio was rcsonanL.
Picassos losL Self-Portrait with Bird-Cage o 1010 is a good cxamplc o Lhis
shiL and Lhc way in which Lhc cagc rcads as Lhc prcdicamcnL o Lhc sLudio-
Marcel Duchamp, Why Not Sneeze Rrose Slavy? 1921.
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dbound arLisL. Tis has parLicular rcsonancc or Brancusi and his work, bound
by Lhc physical dimcnsions o Lhc sLudio. Tc kcy cxccpLion Lo (and cscapc
rom) Lhis was, o coursc, his Endless Column in Trgu 1iu.
I Lhc cagc is Lo bc rcad as a sLudio, Lhcn whaL abouL Lhc clcmcnLs iL con-
Lains` Duchamp had had Lhc marblc cubcs cspccially madc and Lhrough
Lhis and Lhcir singulariLy as objccLs, Lhcy closcly rclaLc Lo Lhc samplc blocks
providcd by sLonc rcLailcrs, which wcrc ubiquiLous in sculpLors sLudios
LhroughouL Paris. For sculpLors Lhcsc blocks showcd how hard and durablc
a maLcrial wasand Lhus how diculL iL was Lo carvcand how a parLic-
ular Lypc o sLonc lookcd whcn polishcd. Brancusi had many such samplc
blocks in his sLudio. WhcLhcr or noL Duchamps sclccLion o Lhcm rcads as a
(raLhcr wcak) DadaisL jokc on cubisL sculpLurc, Lhcsc small cubcs arc objccLs
LhaL mcdiaLc and aciliLaLc sculpLural dccision-making bcorc Lhc physical
work bcgins. WhilsL Lhcy can bc said Lo havc rcadymadc sLaLusand Lhus
uncLion conccpLually in rclaLion Lo Lhc busincss o no longcr making arL
Lhcy arc madc o marblc, a noblc sculpLural maLcrial. Alongsidc Lhis and in
linc wiLh Lhc noLion o Lhc cagc as Lhc sLudio in miniature, iL is noLablc LhaL
Brancusis sLudio was amously ull o sLonc blocks and bouldcrs, which hc
uscd noL Lo carvc inLo buL as props upon and around which Lo display work.
Tis gavc Lhc sLudio aL S impassc Ronsin, which hc had Lo vacaLc in 1027
(parLly bccausc o damagc Lo Lhc oor causcd by Lhc wcighL o Lhcsc boul-
dcrs) Lhc look o a quarry. Trough Lhis Duchamps mcLaphors arc in Lunc
wiLh Lhosc cmploycd by somc o Lhc sLudio visiLors alrcady mcnLioncd. Du-
champ would havc bccn all Loo awarc o Lhis cxLraordinary sLraLcgy or dis-
play, and iL is Lclling LhaL iL is Lhrough Lhcsc cubcs (miniaLurizcd vcrsions o
Lhc sLudio-quarrys blocks) LhaL sLudio-work is connoLcd.
Tc cuLLlcbonc is boLh Lhc mosL vcilcd and Lhc mosL Lclling componcnL
in Why Not Sneeze Rrose Slavy? On Lhc onc hand, Lhis bcak-sharpcning ob-
jccL is a skclcLal objccL and Lhus onc in kccping wiLh Lhc sLcrcoLypical unc-
rcal characLcr o Lhc sculpLors sLudio. On Lhc oLhcr, iL signals an imaginary
LranslocaLion o Lhc cagc cnvironmcnL. Tc normal placcs or sh and birds
(undcrwaLcr and in Lhc air) havc bccn invcrLcd hcrc wiLh DadaisL humour.
IL is a birdcagc wiLh a shbonc in iL, a birdcagc as an aquarium, and, in Lurn,
Lhc sLudio as a paradoxical placc o LransormaLion and a conLaincr or imag-
inary worlds. Tcsc animal subjccLs ccrLainly had an urgcnL LopicaliLy or
Brancusi aL Lhis parLicular Limc. His scrics o Bird works (which had bcgun
bcorc Lhc war wiLh Maiastra) was vcry much in proccss, and in 1022 Bran-
cusi complcLcd his rsL marblc Fish. Tc rclaLionship bcLwccn Duchamps
cuLLlcbonc and Brancusis Fish has ncvcr bccn addrcsscd bcorc, which is
surprising givcn Lhcir rcscmblancc. Brancusis sculpLurc is noL a rcprcscnLa-
277
Lion o a sh, wiLh scalcs and ns, buL an aLLcmpL Lo arLiculaLc iLs csscncc
and iLs spccd and uidiLyin Lhrcc dimcnsions. Duchamps cuLLlcbonc is a
Lclling counLcrparL: Lhc inncr shcll o Lhc sh and an absLracL orm. IL is a
naLural rcadymadc broughL abouL Lhrough organic climinaLion o ormiL
is all LhaL rcmains aLcr Lhc sh dics. Alongsidc Lhc hcavy marblc cubcs, Lhc
cuLLlcbonc has a dclicaLc lighLncss rcsonanL o Brancusis sculpLural cccLs:
his Fish sccms Lo oaL, as do cuLLlcboncs. In kccping wiLh Lhis, iL was also in
Lhc ycars 102122 LhaL Brancusi bcgan Lo cmploy mirror bascs or Lhc dis-
play o his sculpLurcor works, hardly coincidcnLly, such as Fish in 1022
and Newborn II in 1023. TaL Lhc mirror basc was Lhc ormaL uscd by Du-
champ or Why Not Sneeze, Lhrough which Lhc works LiLlc (prinLcd undcr-
ncaLh in rcvcrsc) was rcccLcd onLo Lhc glass was, I Lhink, signicanL, givcn
his ricndship wiLh Brancusi, iL oncc again suggcsLs cxchangcs o idcas bc-
Lwccn Lhc Lwo mcn.
SculpLors sLudios wcrc amously cold and, as Lhc carlicr commcnLarics o
Ccndrars and FosLcr scrvc Lo rcmind us, Brancusis was no cxccpLion. Tc ad-
diLion o Lhc LhcrmomcLcr, howcvcr, Lakcs Lhis cvocaLion o an aLmosphcrc
urLhcr: Lhis cagc cnvironmcnL has a LcmpcraLurc. Iikc Lhc LiLlc o Lhc work,
Lhc LhcrmomcLcr poscs a qucsLion LhaL is askcd simulLancously o a body as
wcll as o an objccL-cnvironmcnL. Tc answcr, o coursc, is cold: an answcr
Lhrough which Lhc coaliLion o sLudio and sLudio visiLor (hcrc Duchamp as
Rrosc Sclavy) is playully arLiculaLcd.
Finally lcL us rcLurn Lo Lhc LiLlc o Lhc work. Why Not Sneeze Rrose Slavy?
poscs a qucsLion. To answcr Lhc qucsLion LhaL Duchamps imaginary doublc
is askcd (why noL sncczc`), Lhc connoLaLions o sncczing (dusLincss, cold-
ncss, and orgasm) arc Lo bc noLcd in rclaLion Lo Lhc cagc work iLsclLhc
causc and conLcxL o Lhc qucsLion. In Lhis way, Duchamps LiLlc cngagcd in
Lhc discoursc o Lhc sacrcd dusL o Lhc sculpLors sLudio, a wcll-known Lropc
in dcscripLions o Lhc sLudios o Rodin, Bourdcllc, and many oLhcr sculpLors
aL Lhis Limc. Brancusi himscl, unlikc Picasso, CiacomcLLi, or o coursc Du-
champ, did noL acLivcly cngagc in Lhis characLcrizaLion. DusL, howcvcr, was a
prcoccupaLion o Duchamps, as can bc noLcd in Dust Breeding (102u)Man
Rays phoLograph o Large Glassand in Ccorgia OKcccs rccollccLion o
Duchamps own Ncw York sLudio in Lhc carly 102us:
IL was a cw ighLs up in a dismal, draLy building. IL was a vcry largc room
again. IL was Lhc room whcrc hc madc Lhc glass painLings and hc cvidcnLly livcd
Lhcrc whilc hc was making Lhcm. Tc room lookcd as Lhough iL had ncvcr bccn
swcpLnoL cvcn whcn hc rsL movcd in . . . Lhc dusL cvcrywhcrc was so Lhick
LhaL iL was hard Lo bclicvc. I was so upscL ovcr Lhc dusLy placc LhaL Lhc ncxL day
278
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dI wanLcd Lo go ovcr and clcan iL up. BuL SLicgliLz Lold mc LhaL hc didnL Lhink
Duchamp would bc vcry plcascd. Hc LhoughL hc probably likcd iL Lo bc jusL as iL
was. I rcmcmbcr LhaL I was sick wiLh a cold. I jusL sccmcd Lo bc sick rom having
sccn Lhis unplcasanLly dusLy placc.
Whcn Man Rays phoLograph o Large Glass was rcproduccd in Littrature in
OcLobcr 1022, iL was capLioncd, Tis is Lhc domain o Rrosc Sclavy / How
arid iL ishow crLilc iL ishow joyous iL ishow sad iL is / Vicw Lakcn
rom an acroplanc by Man Ray in 1021 / PhoLo o glass in Ncw York sLudio.
Tc rclaLionship bcLwccn dusL and Lhc sLudio was a closc onc or Du champ
aL Lhis Limc, and Lhrough iL hc cxplorcd his own sLudio (wiLh Lhc hclp o Man
Rays phoLography) as a placc Lo display work and crcaLc miniaLurizcd land-
scapcs on Lhc lcvcl. Duchamps Why Not Sneeze Rrose Slavy? is Lhus an cx-
Lraordinary work, which sLands as a urLhcr qualicaLion o Brancusis whiLc
sLudio and iLs myLhology and shcds a liLLlc morc lighL on Lhc inLcr acLion
bcLwccn Lhcsc Lwo arLisLs and Lhcir working cnvironmcnLs aL a pivoLal mo-
mcnL in Lhcir carccrs.
Alongsidc Lhc characLcrizaLions o mcmbcrs o Lhis Paris Dada milicu,
pcrhaps onc o Lhc mosL inLcrcsLing o Brancusis own aLLcmpLs Lo urnish
his licsLylc wiLh Lhc accouLrcmcnLs o whiLcncss can bc sccn in his purchasc
o a whiLc dog, which hc callcd Polairc. Hc had carlicr aLLcmpLcd Lo kccp onc
o Cabricllc BucL-Picabias whiLc roosLcrs in his sLudioan aLLcmpL LhaL
had ailcd, Lhc animal was rcLurncd. In Lhc casc o Polairc, Lhc animal was
boLh a pcL and company or Lhc sculpLor andin kccping wiLh Lhc anxicLy
abouL LhcL dcLccLablc in his ablc HisLoirc dcs Brigands (1025)would
havc scrvcd as a guard dog or Lhc ramshacklc prcmiscs. Polairc was also,
howcvcr, a symbolic sLudio prop kcpL Lo cnhancc Lhc sculpLors whiLc sLudio
and aciliLaLc his arLisLic idcnLiLy. As Colding rcminds us, Tc only ovcrL
rclaLionship hc cnjoycd was wiLh his whiLc Samoycd biLch Polairc, whom
hc acquircd in 1021. Shc accompanicd him cvcrywhcrc, cvcn Lo Lhc cincma,
shc would acccpL ood rom no onc buL himscl and mcnaccd cmalc visiLors
Lo Lhc sLudio. Shc bccamc, in hcr own way, a cclcbraLcd Parisian bcauLy and
ricnds would ask aLcr hcr in Lhcir lcLLcrs. Oncc again Lhc dual connoLa-
Lions o Lhc cclcsLial and Lhc arcLic arc Lo bc noLcd: Polairc boLh mcans Polar
and is shorL or Lhc NorLh SLar (ltoile Polaire).
An carly 102us phoLograph o Brancusi wiLh Lhc dog on Lhc sLcps o S im-
passc Ronsin was publishcd in De Stijl in 1027, and Man Ray phoLographcd
Lhc sculpLor wiLh his dog and Fdward SLcichcns in 1022. Pcrhaps Lhc mosL
inLcrcsLing phoLograph, howcvcr, is a liLLlc known onc o Brancusi and
Polairc Lakcn by Lhc sculpLor in his sLudio in 102122. Bcyond Lhc cxamplc o
279
Lhc woodcn basc work Chien de Garde (ca. 1022), Brancusi sculpLcd sh, birds,
and LurLlcs buL was noL, likc a numbcr o his conLcmporarics (and givcn Lhc
populariLy o rcdogs and andirons), Lo includc Lhcsc animals wiLh any sig-
nicancc in his rcpcrLoirc. In Lhis parLicular phoLograph, Polairc has bccn
placcd on a basc and raiscd up and abovc Lhc gcncric connoLaLions o ani-
malia. Tis by all accounLs dcvoLcd and proLccLivc animal has hcrc bccn com-
mcmoraLcd and plaLormcd as a sculpLurc in a way similar Lo LhaL in which
Lhc ballcL danccr Codrcanu and Man Ray wcrc phoLographcd by Brancusi
pcrorming as sculpLurcs. In Lcrms o Lhc sculpLors Lask, Lhis phoLograph
also has a curious bcaring on Brancusis advocacy o LruLh Lo maLcrials, as
cxprcsscd in an inLcrvicw wiLh DoroLhy Dudlcy in Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs in 1026:
You cannoL makc whaL you wanL Lo makc, buL whaL Lhc maLcrial pcrmiLs you
Lo makc. You cannoL makc ouL o marblc whaL you would makc ouL o wood, or
noL o wood whaL you would makc ouL o sLonc. . . . Fach maLcrial has iLs own
lic and onc cannoL, wiLhouL punishmcnL, dcsLroy a living maLcrial Lo makc a
dumb scnsclcss Lhing. TaL is, wc musL noL Lry Lo makc maLcrials spcak our lan-
guagc, wc musL go wiLh Lhcm Lo Lhc poinL whcrc oLhcrs will undcrsLand Lhcir
languagc.
Brancusis dcscripLion o LruLh Lo maLcrials can bc rcad as cxacLing a com-
parison wiLh Lhc Laming and domcsLicaLion o animals, a comparison LhaL
closcly Lallicd wiLh his abling Lcndcncics.
In Lhis quoLaLion, LruLh Lo maLcrials was spccically prcscnLcd as a Lwo-
way, inLcracLivc proccssonc o LrusL and LrusLing and o bringing ouL qual-
iLics wiLhouL changing Lhc inhcrcnL naLurc o Lhc maLcrial or animal. In Lhis
phoLograph Brancusi has, in a domcsLicaLing manncr, prcscnLcd Lhc sLu-
dio as Lhc domain or such inLcracLion. Poiscd on a pcdcsLal, Polaircs obc-
dicncc can bc sccn Lo LcsLiy Lo Lwo issucs: rsL, Lhc sculpLors abiliLy Lo
Lamc and bc Lruc Lo Lhc animaLc maLcrial o his sLudio homc and, sccond,
an acknowlcdgcmcnL and rcLurn o LhaL abiliLy. For Lhc dcliLy LradiLionally
associaLcd wiLh rcprcscnLaLions o dogs was hcrc in Lhc sLudio conducLcd
Lhrough sculpLurcs vcry own proccsscs, Lhrough Brancusis arLiculaLion o
LruLh Lo maLcrials. His pcLs dcliLy can bc rcad as having conccpLual mcan-
ing in rclaLion Lo his craL.
Tc powcr and cccLivcncss o Polairc as a dcvicc Lhrough which Brancusi
could communicaLc his prcoccupaLions and arLisLic idcnLiLy was noL limiLcd
Lo Lhc sLudio. ALcr Polairc dicd in 1025, Brancusi visiLcd Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs
in 1026, whcrc hc was cxhibiLing in Ncw York and Chicago, borrowing Fd-
ward SLcichcns dog SLoor, o an idcnLical Samoy brccd, Lo accompany him
on his Lrip. Brancusi and Polairc, as noLcd alrcady, had bccn somcLhing o a
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ddoublc acL on Lhc Parisian cac circuiL, and bcing sccn wiLh such a whiLc and
wild-looking dog in Amcrican ciLics was no doubL parL o Lhc animals charm,
sincc iL cxoLicizcd and madc cnigmaLic iLs owncr. FurLhcrmorc, givcn Lhc
imporLancc in Lhc popular Amcrican imaginaLion o such narraLivcs as 1ack
Iondons White Fang (10u6), a novcl prcciscly abouL Lhc Laming o a wol,
Lhc company o such a dog can bc rcad as having uncLioncd as a kind o mo-
bilc sLudio prop and a aciliLaLor or Lhc sculpLors growing rcpuLaLion in Lhc
UniLcd SLaLcs. As Ann Tcmkin has noLcd o Paul Morands imporLanL caLa-
log prcacc Lo Brancusis cxhibiLion in Lhc Brummcr Callcry in Ncw York in
1026, Lhc criLic rcvcalcd somcLhing o his own vision o Amcrica Lhrough
Lhc sculpLor, casLing his sLudio as an unLamcd ronLicr ull o grcaL blocks
o building sLonc, bcams, Lrunks o Lrccs, bouldcrs and rocks. Tc shiL
rom Chien de Garde Lo Polairc/SLoor wiLhin Lhc carly 102us givcs a Lclling in-
dicaLion o Lhc way in which Brancusis noLion o whiLcncss was dcvcloping
conccpLually and was bcing cxLcndcd ouL o DadaisL bascs, bcyond his sculp-
Lurcs inLo his phoLography, lic, and idcnLiLyas a pionccring arLisL.
Polairc was a shorL-livcd accouLrcmcnL wiLhin an incrcasingly broadcn-
ing schcmc LhaL ound onc o iLs primary mcans o cxprcssion in Brancusis
own inLcrior dccoraLion. Tc whiLcwash wiLh which hc covcrcd his rcplacc
and walls was applicd rcgularly Lo covcr up accumulaLcd Lraccs o sooL and
dirL. On a pragmaLic lcvcl, Lhc sculpLor mainLaincd LhaL Lhc plasLcrcd sLudio
walls providcd imporLanL insulaLion and soundproong as wcll as conLribuL-
ing Lo Lhc dcsircd appcarancc o his quarLcrs. In Brancusis plans in Lhc laLc
102us and carly 103uswhich coincidcd wiLh landlord disagrccmcnLs and
Lhc movc rom numbcr S Lo 11 impassc RonsinLo build a ncw sLudio aL 1S
ruc SauvagcoL, Lhc dcsigns wcrc drawn up wiLh plasLcr vcry much in mind.
Tc ruc SauvagcoL sLudio was, o coursc, ncvcr rcalizcd, howcvcr, rom Lhc
drawings onc can imaginc how whiLc Lhis sLudio would havc bccn.`
IL was Lhus wiLhin impassc Ronsin LhaL Lhc sculpLors wall-bound han-
dling o plasLcr was conncd. ILs look was onc LhaL Brancusi appropriaLcd
wiLh succcss, Lhc aky, powdcry suraccs o his sLudio walls wcrc rcminis-
ccnL o boLh church inLcriors and his own work in rcsco in Lhc 102us. In
Lhc wall-likc suraccs o Lhcsc rcscocs, Brancusi achicvcd an cccL popular
among such symbolisL painLcrs as Puvis dc Chavanncs and Cauguin. Hcllcrs
accounL o Lhis mural cccL, rcad Lhrough Lhc cxamplc o Cauguins Garden
at Arles (1SSS), providcs an cxccllcnL insighL:
Tc canvas is Lhick and posscsscs a hcavy LcxLurcd wcavc and was primcd by Cau-
guin himscl wiLh a maLLc, whiLc primcr apparcnLly mixcd by him and crcaLing
a highly absorbanL, chalklikc suracc. . . . FsscnLially, Cauguin Lransormcd his
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cascl painLing inLo a wall, inLo an crsaLz rcsco LhaL uscd oil painL in ordcr Lo cm-
ulaLc mural Lcchniquc. 1usL as Lhc wcL plasLcr and pigmcnL o a LradiLional rcsco
usc inLo an inscparablc uniLy, so Lhc Lhin painL, chalky primcr and coarscly Lcx-
Lurcd canvas wcrc uscd by Cauguin inLo an inscparablc ncw bcing.
From cascl and objccL Lo wall and Lhcn Lo cnvironmcnL in Lhc casc o Bran-
cusis sLudio, his gouachcs, rcscocs, and walls wcrc all parL o a uniLy craLcd
and vcnLurcd by Lhc sculpLor Lo cvokc a way o lic. In kccping wiLh Lhc prop-
crLy o plasLcr iLscl, Lhc way o lic placcd subLly on display was a highly
absorbanL onc, whichin conLrasL, or cxamplc, Lo Lhc woodcn, chapcl-
likc dccor o Bourdcllcs sLudio and iLs disLracLing propswas capablc o
drawing in and ocusing Lhc visiLors aLLcnLion on Lhc conLcnLs o Lhc placc,
Lhc sculpLurcs on show.
Ovcr Lhc ycars, Brancusis sculpLural palcLLc, so Lo spcak, would bc spoL-
Lcd and ploLLcd wiLh a scrics o accumulaLcd hisLorical momcnLs and con-
noLaLions. WiLhin Brancusis conccpLion o whiLcncss, Lhc blanc o blancheur
can also, parLly as a conscqucncc o Lhis plcLhora o associaLions, bc rcad
as signaling blank. For in many ways Lhc whiLc sLudio opcraLcd as a ciphcr,
and an cxLrcmcly succcssul onc aL LhaLhighly gcncraLivc and amcnablc
Lo imaginaLivc appropriaLion and projccLion. Do noL look or mysLcrics, I
givc you purc joy, rcads onc o Brancusis mosL quoLcd sLaLcmcnLs. For sLu-
dio visiLors, whaL Lhcy saw was cccLivcly whaL Lhcy wanLcd, as wcll as
whaL Lhcy goL, sincc Brancusi ocrcd illuminaLion and cnlighLcnmcnL
rcvcalcd joy.
I would arguc LhaL mysLcrics Loo wcrc a signicanL aspccL o Brancu-
sis sLudio idcnLiLyLo bc sccn in Lhc subLlc associaLions o Lhc sculpLors
whiLcncss Lo which I havc drawn aLLcnLion. Tc whiLc sLudio was a highly
succcssul concciL: iL was noL only a crucial mcans o providing Brancusis
sculpLurc and his own sculpLorhood wiLh harmony and auLonomy, buL also
an cccLivc dcvicc Lhrough which rcccpLion could bc houscd and cnhanccd.
IL providcd an aLmosphcrc and an accommodaLing cnvironmcnL in which
Lhc sLudio visiLor, oncc inviLcd as a gucsL and ovcr Lhc Lhrcshold, could noL
hclp buL bccomc implicaLcd.
SculpLurc 1ournal 7 (2002): 10820. As elsewhere in this volume, British spellings have been
Americanized. Te author would like to thank Dr. Alexandra Parigoris, Marielle Tabart, and Liz
Aston of the Henry Moore Institute for their assistance in the preparation of this article.
1 To mark Lhc sLudio rcconsLrucLion, a ncw scrics o publicaLionsIcs CarncLs dc laLclicr
Brancusihas bccn crcaLcd by Maricllc TabarL.
2 M. Andcrson, My Tirty Years War: Te Autobiography (Ncw York, 1060), 25152.
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d3 C. DuLhuiL, Brancusi RcvisiLcd and Lhc Arcnsbcrg Brancusis, Art News 53, no. 6 (OcLo-
bcr 1054): 25.
4 1. Colding, WhiLc Magic: Brancusi, in Visions of the Modern (Iondon, 1004), 1S5.
5 Portrait of Myself as a Century Old, 1026, bluc pcncil on papcr, rcproduccd in N. Dumi-
Lrcsco and A. IsLraLi, Brancusi (Paris, 10S6) (Fnglish cdiLions: Harry N. Abrams, 10S7, Fabcr
& Fabcr, 10SS), 171.
6 W. Carlos Williams, Brancusi, Arts 3u (Novcmbcr 1055): 21, A. Wilson, A visiL Lo Bran-
cusis, New York Times Book Review and Magazine, AugusL 10, 1023, 17, P. Morand, Brancusi
(cxh. caL., Brummcr Callcry, Ncw York, 1026), n.p., S. PuLnam, Paris Was Our Mistress: Mem-
oirs of a Lost and Found Generation (1047, Ncw York, 107u), 100.
7 Scc, or cxamplc, SLcichcns August Rodin in front of the Hand of God, Muscc Rodin, Paris.
Tc Muscc Rodin has many porLraiL sculpLurcs o Rodin in iLs collccLion: Claudcls Bust of
Auguste Rodin, 1S02, bronzc, 4u.7 cm high, Bourdcllcs Bust of Rodin, 10u0, bronzc, 67 cm
high, and Bouchards Rodin, ca. 102u, bronzc, 37 cm high.
8 Tc ramicaLions o Brancusis Romanian background or his arLisLic idcnLiLy, in Lcrms
o rcacLion and mcmory, havc bccn cxamincd mosL rcccnLly by Alcxandra Parigoris, Con-
sLanLin Brancusi, a PcasanL in Paris: A SLudy o Tc Pcrsona and Work o ConsLanLin Bran-
cusi rom a PosL-SymbolisL PcrspccLivc, PhD Lhcsis, CourLauld InsLiLuLc o ArL, UnivcrsiLy
o Iondon, 1007.
9 S. CcisL, Brancusi: the Sculpture and Drawings (Ncw York, 1075), 3334.
10 M. Ioy, Brancusis Coldcn Bird, in Te Last Lunar Baedeker, cd. R. I. Conovcr (Man-
chcsLcr, 10S2), 1S.
11 M. Ioys Etoiles, rcproduccd in Art et Industrie in 1020, wcrc noL so much shadcs as sLar-
shapcd papcr cnvclopcs, sLar conguraLions wiLh a bulb in Lhc middlc.
12 Scc, mosL noLably, F. Balas, Brancusi, Duchamp and Dada, Gazette des Beaux-Arts 05
(April 10Su): 16574.
13 T. Tzara, Oeuvres Compltes: Tome I (19121924) (Paris, 1075), 30405.
14 Ibid., p. 610.
15 For a LranslaLion o Tzaras rcvicw, scc T. Tzara, Seven Dada Manifestos and Lampisteries,
Lrans. B. WrighL (Iondon, 10S4), 575S.
16 Blaisc Ccndrarss lcLLcr o March 11, 102u, is rcproduccd in DumiLrcsco and IsLraLi, Bran-
cusi, 132.
17 1. R. FosLcr, Brancusi, in Rock Flower (1023).
18 A noLablc rcccnL cxccpLion Lo Lhis is Lhc caLalog o Lhc ALclicr Brancusis cxhibiLion o
2uuu, M. TabarL, cd., Brancusi et Duchamp, regards historiques.
19 A. dHarnoncourL and K. McShinc, Marcel Duchamp (cxh. caL.,, Muscum o Modcrn ArL,
Ncw York, 1073), 21213.
20 IHisLoirc dcs Brigands is vcry illuminaLing in Lhis conLcxL. NoL only docs iL casL Lhc
sculpLor as an cgg-laying chickcn, buL also, in Lurn, iL can bc rcad as arLiculaLing a vcry rcal
conccrn (soon aLcr Polaircs dcaLh) abouL Lhc sacLy and sccuriLy o Brancusis sculpLurc
wiLhin Lhc cul-dc-sac: aL oncc a communal cnvironmcnL and a placc busy wiLh Lhc comings
and goings o unknown visiLors.
21 Colding, WhiLc Magic: Brancusi, 10102.
22 Scc DumiLrcsco and IsLraLi, Brancusi, 160.
283
23 D. Dudlcy, Brancusi, Dial S2 (Fcbruary 1027): 124.
24 F. T. Bach, M. Rowcll, and A. Tcmkin, cds., Constantin Brancusi 18761957 (cxh. caL.,
Cambridgc, MA, 1005), 6u.
25 For rcproducLions o somc o Lhcsc drawings, scc DumiLrcsco and IsLraLi, Brancusi, 1S1.
26 R. Hcllcr, Conccrning symbolism and Lhc sLrucLurc o suracc, Art Journal 45, no. 2
(Summcr 10S5): 14S.
James Welling, Paris, 2009.
285
James Welling
Paris, 200:
A few years ago, I began to think about sculpture in a new way. As I taught a
seminar on color theory, I realizad that the one class of objects that is without
color is sculpture. Sculpture cannot have color; since the early 1800s it has
been thought of as pure form, which by denition is colorless.
I started photographing Alexander Calder and Tony Smith sculptures. Last
year in the spring, Charlie Rays Log was up at Regen Projects, and Michael
Asher made an incredible show at the Santa Monica Museum. After I photo-
graphed both exhibitions I realized that a sculpture project was coming toge-
ther. In January 2009 I traveled to Paris for an exhibition and photographed at
the LAtelier Brancusi at the Centre Georges Pompidou.
The Atelier is the third reconstruction of Brancusis studio. He expanded his
workspace over the years, eventually occupying four rooms in a studio com-
plex on the outskirts of Paris. I concentrated on unnished casts and molds,
things that were colorless. The only (warm) color was the brass Sleeping
Child and the ancient, wooden ddle.
286
Caroline A. Jones
PostStudioPostmodcrn
Postmortcm
AlLhough carlicr insLanccs o mcchanomorphic imagcry had lcL arLisanal,
sLudio producLion mcLhods largcly inLacL, by Lhc laLc 106us Lhc machincs
implicd criLiquc o Lhc sLudio bccamc cxpliciL. Pcrhaps iL was Lhc aggrcssivc
indusLrial scalc o Lhcsc barcly painLcd objccLs, pcrhaps iL was Lhcir rclcnL-
lcss scrial producLion. Pcrhaps iL was simply LhaL Warhols silkscrccncd cc-
lcbriLy canvascs, SLcllas mcLallic dic-cuLlikc icons, and SmiLhsons bins o
orc wcrc much closcr Lo commcrcially manuacLurcd or indusLrial objccLs
Lhan wcrc Lhc machinc-inucnccd imagcs o carlicr dccadcs (say, UmbcrLo
Boccionis Dynamism of a Figure in Space or Charlcs DcmuLhs My Egypt
Lhc ormcr, aLcr all, likc Lhc Nikc o SamoLhracc LhaL Boccioni had abjurcd,
Lhc laLLcr a airly rcprcscnLaLional porLraiL o monumcnLal archiLccLurc, in
Lhis casc Lhc Lypc o Amcrican grain clcvaLors LhaL wcrc also sLimulaLing Ic
Corbusicrs modcrnism aL Lhc Limc). Probably or all o Lhcsc rcasons, Lhc
arL o Lhc carly 106us was so dramaLically indcxcd Lo objccLs madc ouLsidc
Lhc sLudio LhaL arLisLs in SmiLhsons gcncraLion saw no morc nccd or LhaL
ccnLralizcd arLisanal spacc. ArL could bc jobbcd ouL by blucprinL or ordcrcd
by phonc, pursuing Moholy-Nagys provocaLivc buL ulLimaLcly isolaLcd gcs-
Lurc Lo a ar morc widcsprcad conclusion. Tc collapsc o Lhc sLudio was noL
incviLablc, buL iL was suprcmcly logical, oncc Lhc machinc bccamc Lhc modc,
as wcll as Lhc cmblcm, o arLisLic changc.
OuLsidc Lhc Amcrican conLcxL, Lhcrc is cvidcncc LhaL by Lhc laLc 106us
Lhc sLudio was vcxcd by conLradicLions inLcrnal Lo Lhc arL, and lcss involvcd
wiLh issucs o mcchanical producLion or imagcs o Lhc Lcchnological sublimc.
Yvcs Klcin, Picro Manzoni, and 1oscph Bcuys, as wcll as Lhcir collcagucs in
Lhc inLcrnaLional Fluxus group, had all cngagcd in pcrormancc arL, wiLh Lhc
rcsulL LhaL Lhc primacy o Lhc objccL, and Lhc sLudio Lo which iL had always
bccn linkcd, had bccn consisLcnLly (i impliciLly) challcngcd. Bcuys cxcmpli-
cd Lhis in his Lhcorics abouL pcdagogy, Lo which hc commiLLcd his procs-
sional lic:
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I donL bclicvc LhaL an arL school . . . should lay cmphasis on xcd placcs Lo work
in Lhc school. TaL sorL o Lhinking is Licd up wiLh Lhc idca o arL as a craL, wiLh
Lhc workbcnch and Lhc drawing-Lablc. Tc nccd or LhaL is only now clL by a
cwbccausc Lhc majoriLy is sLriving or movcmcnL and sccs Lhc school as a
mccLing-poinL. . . . Tc mosL imporLanL Lhing Lo mc is LhaL man noL only producc
arLiclcs buL bccomc a sculpLor or archiLccL o Lhc wholc social organism.
Tc challcngcs Lo Lhc sLudio in such Furopcan arLisLs work camc abouL
largcly Lhrough such LhcorcLical commiLmcnLs raLhcr Lhan Lhc Lropism Lo-
ward an indusLrial acsLhcLic. Indccd, in Bcuyss work iL could bc argucd LhaL
Lhc sLrugglc Lo rcmain opposiLional in acc o Lhc Ccrman cconomic mir-
aclc lcd him away rom indusLry Loward a primiLivisLic shamanismbuL
cvcn Lhis rolc lcd ouL o Lhc sLudio, whcrc arLisLic shamanism had prcviously
bccn conncd.
Tc philosophical implicaLions o Minimalism rcprcscnLcd anoLhcr chal-
lcngc Lo Lhc sLudio LhaL cmcrgcd in Lhc somcLimcs morc inLcllccLual prac-
Licc o Furopcan arLisLs: i Lhc works pcrccpLion was cnLircly dcpcndcnL on
iLs siLuaLion, LhaL is, i iLs acsLhcLics wcrc cnLircly siLc-spccic, Lhcn how
could iL bc gcncraLcd in onc spacc (Lhc sLudio) in ordcr Lo bc pcrccivcd in
an cnLircly dicrcnL spacc (Lhc gallcry, muscum, or collccLors homc)` Tc
mosL LrcnchanL sLaLcmcnL on Lhis qucsLion was arLiculaLcd by Frcnch arL-
isL Danicl Burcn in 1071, in an cssay cnLiLlcd Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLudio
(publishcd in Fnglish in 1070 and rcprinLcd in Lhis volumc). InLcnLionally
parallcl Lo conccpLual arLisLs laLc-106us criLiqucs o Lhc muscum, Lhc gal-
lcry, and Lhc privaLc homc as spaccs Lo display arL, Burcn wroLc: Analysis
o Lhc arL sysLcm musL incviLably bc carricd on in Lcrms o Lhc sLudio as Lhc
unique space o producLion and Lhc muscum as Lhc unique space o cxposiLion.
BoLh musL bc invcsLigaLcd as cusLoms, Lhc ossiying cusLoms o arL.` TaL
Burcn saw Lhc sLudio in 1071 as poLcnLially sLill Lhc unique space o produc-
Lion suggcsLs how powcrully Lhc Furopcan sLudio idcal ycL rcigncd. Bu-
rcn procccdcd Lo analyzc lucidly Lhc uncLions o Lhis sLudio as Lhc placc in
which, and or which, Lhc work o arL is madc. Tc incviLablc loss o mcan-
ing occasioncd by Lhc works rcmoval rom Lhc sLudio is Lolcrablc only whcn
conLrasLcd Lo Lhc complcLc abscncc o mcaning i Lhc work ncvcr lcavcs. In
his nal, polcmical conclusion, Burcn sLaLcd: Tc arL o ycsLcrday and Lo-
day is noL only markcd by Lhc sLudio as an csscnLial, oLcn uniquc, placc o
producLion, iL procccds rom iL. All my work procccds rom iLs cxLincLion.
FxacLly how Lo procccd rom LhaL cxLincLion was lcL unsaid in Lhis sLaLc-
mcnL, lcaving Lhc rcadcr aL LhaL momcnL wiLh Lhc vcrbal cquivalcnL o Yvcs
Klcins Leap into the Void. WhaLcvcr, or whocvcr, was Lo caLch Lhc arLisL aLcr
Lhc cxLinguishing acL is kcpL invisiblc or ouL o Lhc ramc.
288
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Tc cxLincLion Burcn callcd or so dramaLically was unanLicipaLcd aL Lhc
carly-106us momcnL in which I bcgan my sLudy o Lhc machinc in Lhc sLu-
dio, buL by 1071 (aLcr Lhc cxamplc o SmiLhson and oLhcrs) iL could sLand
as a rallying cry and manicsLo. WiLhouL acccss Lo Lhc dcscrLs o Lhc Amcri-
can WcsL, and unwilling Lo makc arL (as SmiLhson had) rom Lhc indusLrially
disrupLcd landscapcs o Furopc, Burcns urious call or Lhc sLudios dcmisc
rcsulLcd in somc surprisingly clcganL arL. His siLc-spccic works apply his
own Lradcmark sLripcs (likc SLcllas bands, buL widcr and morc dccoraLivc)
Lo uncxpccLcd locaLions: muscum sLair Lrcads, subway plaLorm billboards,
and ragmcnLcd classical columns rangcd in a Parisian place. Tcir LhcorcLi-
cal sophisLicaLion rcsulLs rom Burcns manipulaLion o discourscas savvy
as SmiLhsonsso LhaL Lhc rcpcLiLion o Lhc samc moLi in changing or-
maLs will bc sccn Lo dcsLroy uniqucncss, quasi-rcligious idcalism, ormal
cvoluLion, and so orLh.' ConLcmplaLing Burcns quinLcsscnLially rcspccL-
ul soluLion rcminds us LhaL cradicaLing Lhc sLudio will achicvc rcsulLs cn-
Lircly spccic Lo Lhc culLural conLcxL o Lhc arLisL. CriLiqucs o uniqucncss,
individualism, and idcalism will noL ncccssarily cnLail corrcsponding claims
or univcrsalism (onc nccd Lhink only o Lhcorics o racc and naLion, nciLhcr
univcrsalisL nor prcciscly individualisLic), indccd, posLmodcrnism has madc
any broad claims or univcrsalism highly suspccL. In Lhc cnd, Lhc rcmancnL
culLural spccics o a givcn localc can bc assimilaLcd Lo claims or auLhorship,
and localism and auLhoriLy arc Lhc lcgacics o Lhc ccnLralizcd modcrnisL sLu-
dio LhaL havc provcd hardcsL Lo dismanLlc, posLmodcrnism noLwiLhsLanding.
Which brings us back Lo RobcrL SmiLhsons cxpliciL posL-sLudio criLiquc and
iLs rclaLionship Lo posLmodcrnisms criLiquc o modcrnism as a wholc.
SmiLhson uscd Lhc ncw phrasc posLmodcrnism in Lhc lasL cw ycars
bcorc his dcaLh, buL Lhc rccrcnccs arc so glancing LhaL wc will ncvcr know
whaL hc mighL havc mcanL by Lhc Lcrm.' As or Lhc working dcniLion hcrc,
iL should bc clcar LhaL I am opcraLing wiLh Lhc assumpLion LhaL Lhcrc arc as
many posLmodcrnisms as modcrnisms (posLmodcrnism bcing ncccssarily
parasiLical upon modcrnism), buL LhaL Lhosc posLmodcrnisms noncLhclcss
sharc cnough inLcrnal consisLcncy Lo dcnc a Lruc pcriodizing brcak. FirsL,
Lhc pcriodizaLions LhaL boLh lcL- and righL-wing LhcorisLs havc proposcd
clusLcr consisLcnLly around Lhc dccadc o Lhc 106ussignicanL or my
argumcnL LhaL SmiLhsons work o Lhc mid- Lo laLc 106us parLicipaLcd in Lhc
posLmodcrn Lurn. Tis consisLcnL pcriodizaLion occurs poliLically around
Lhc brcakdown in colonial sLrucLurcs (Lhc collapsing o Frcnch and Amcri-
can conLrol ovcr VicLnam, BriLish and Frcnch Arica, cLc.), cconomically
in Lhc shiL rom primary Lo sccondary or LcrLiary proccsscs (indusLrial Lo
posLindusLrial, producLion Lo consumpLion, hcavy indusLry Lo scrvicc scc-
Lors, colonial dominaLion Lo markcL pcncLraLion), and culLurally in whaL
289
IyoLard has amously Lcrmcd Lhc brcakdown o masLcr narraLivcs, BarLhcs
callcd Lhc dcaLh o Lhc auLhor, Frcdric 1amcson vicwcd as Lhc collapsc o
dcpLh modcls, and oLhcrs havc sccn gcncrally as Lhc brcakdown o xcd
sLrucLural scmioLics inLo posLsLrucLural slippagc o Lhc signicr. Tis rcc-
iLaLion o parallcl shiLs is noL mcanL as an argumcnL or a Marxian basc-Lo-
supcrsLrucLurc alignmcnL bcLwccn arL and Lhc poliLical or cconomic sphcrcs.
RaLhcr, wiLh 1amcson, I wanL Lo arguc or Lhc signicancc o homologics
bcLwccn Lhc breaks in Lhosc orms [arL, poliLics] and Lhcir dcvclopmcnL.
PoliLics and cconomics arc parL o Lhc samc culLurc LhaL produccs and con-
sumcs arL, arLisLic agcnLs can moLivaLc changcs in culLurc LhaL in Lurn can
consLrucL ncw clds o inLcrprcLaLion or poliLics and cconomics, aL scvcral
scalcs. Tcrc can bc no doubL LhaL Lhc indusLrial producLion o Lhc posLwar
pcriod also produccd SmiLhson, buL nciLhcr can wc doubL LhaL SmiLhson
himscl consLrucLcd clcmcnLs o Lhc indusLrial culLurc o his Limc.
WhaL is uscul abouL Lhc conccpL o posLmodcrnism is noL so much iLs pu-
LaLivcly prcscripLivc rolc (which musL sccm ciLhcr apocalypLic or uLopian aL
Lhis millcnnial juncLurc). RaLhcr iL is posLmodcrnisms dcscripLivc rolc LhaL
allows us Lo scc various modcrnisms as noL incviLablc buL hisLorically dc-
Lcrmincd, pcrmiLLing us Lo rcad Lhc shiLs, rupLurcs, and collapscs in Lhosc
modcrnisms as cqually conLingcnL. SmiLhsons rolc in Lhc collapsc o a par-
Licular modcrnism LhaL was ccnLcrcd on Lhc sLudio yicldcd complcx rcsulLs,
or his own posiLion as an auLhor and or subscqucnL arLisLs. Bricy, in whaL
rcmains o Lhis conclusion, I wanL Lo anchor SmiLhson in Lhc discoursc o
posLmodcrnism and arguc or Lhc Lcchnological maLcrialiLy LhaL rcmains
crucial Lo his works imporLancc as arL. Hcrc my claim will bc LhaL Lhc rc-
mains o Lhc machinc, indcxcd againsL Lhc rubblc o Lhc sLudio, arc whaL
Lic SmiLhsons work Lo a spccic discoursc o Lcchnological sublimiLy, in iLs
ncwly posLmodcrn orm. From Lhc ramc csLablishcd by SmiLhsons posL-
modcrnism, wc can scc morc clcarly Lhc rolcs LhaL SLclla and Warhol playcd
in rclaLion Lo Lhc sLudio, sccing whaL rcmaincd modcrn in Lhcir producLion
dcspiLc (or aL Limcs bccausc o) Lhcir machincs. Wc can also look back cvcn
urLhcr Lo Lhc conccrns o my rsL Lwo chapLcrs on Lhc AbsLracL Fxprcssion-
isLs Lo scc whaL aspccLs o Lhcir rclaLionship Lo libido wcrc broughL back by
SmiLhsons disarmingly dcsublimaLing criLiquc.
Tc cnLirc sLrucLurc o SmiLhsons laLc cssays, such as 106Ss A Muscum
o Ianguagc in Lhc ViciniLy o ArL, is prcdicaLcd on an opposiLion Lo, or
cscapc rom, modcrnism, and Lhcrc is in Lhcsc wriLings an clcgiac, lcLhar-
gic, and aL Limcs apocalypLic Lonc LhaL rcsonaLcs clcarly wiLh Lhc posLmod-
crn wriLcrs who would cmcrgc in subscqucnL dccadcs. BuL SmiLhson is -
nally and mosL ully implicaLcd in posLmodcrn Lhcory in Lhc 10Sus discoursc
o criLics such as Rosalind Krauss, Hal FosLcr, and Craig Owcns, or arLisLs
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such as PcLcr Hallcy and Mark Tanscy. Fvcn hcrc, Lhis implicaLion occurs
noL Lhrough somc uncquivocal cndorscmcnL o SmiLhson by Lhcsc wriLcrs
as onc o Lhcm, buL Lhrough Lhcir rccurrcnL ascinaLion wiLh his work and
Lhcir judgmcnL o him as crucially signicanL or Lhc posLmodcrn Lurn. I ac-
ccpL Lhc consLrucLion o SmiLhson as a posLmodcrn arLisL, Lhcn, bccausc iL
has bccn largcly rom a posLmodcrn vanLagc poinL LhaL his work has had iLs
dccpcsL culLural rcsonanccrsL in Lhc laLc 107us, buL conLinuing or arL-
isLs working aL Lhc cnd o Lhc LwcnLicLh ccnLury as wcll.
Craig Owcnss 1070 rcvicw o SmiLhsons Writings or October magazinc,
LiLlcd FarLhwords, ccmcnLcd Lhc pcrccpLion o SmiLhson as a gcncraLivc
sourcc or posLmodcrnism. Owcns vicwcd SmiLhsons work as cccLing a
radical dislocaLion o arL away rom Lhc gallcry (and sLudio) sysLcm. Morc-
ovcr,
Lhc crupLion o languagc inLo Lhc acsLhcLic cldan crupLion signallcd by, buL
by no mcans limiLcd Lo, Lhc wriLings o SmiLhson, Morris, Andrc, 1udd, Flavin,
Raincr, IcWiLLis coincidcnL wiLh, i noL Lhc dcniLivc indcx o, Lhc cmcrgcncc
o posLmodcrnism. . . . TaL SmiLhson Lhus Lransormcd Lhc visual cld inLo a
LcxLual onc rcprcscnLs onc o Lhc mosL signicanL acsLhcLic cvcnLs o our dc-
cadc, and Lhc publicaLion o his collccLcd wriLings consLiLuLcs a challcngc Lo criLi-
cism Lo comc Lo Lcrms wiLh . . . posLmodcrnism in gcncral.
By 10S1, Owcnss posiLioning o SmiLhson as a posLmodcrnisL had bccomc
so canonical LhaL iL was a dogma LhaL could bc ashionably challcngcd, as
whcn criLics such as Dalc McConaLhy askcd, Tc qucsLion is noL how Rob-
crL SmiLhson Ls inLo PosLmodcrnism buL how hc radically dcparLs rom
iL. McConaLhys gloss on Owcns was noL inLcndcd Lo rcsLorc SmiLhson
Lo modcrnism, buL Lo cxaminc Lhc spccics o SmiLhsons LhoughL, undcr-
scoring Lhc crcc anLimodcrnism LhaL propcllcd SmiLhson away rom para-
siLical cclccLicism Lo gcncraLc ncw acsLhcLic orms. In parLicular, McConaLhy
argucs LhaL SmiLhson cannoL bc posiLioncd wiLhin arL hisLory, wiLh iLs Lcrms
gcncraLcd by painLing and sculpLurc. RaLhcr hc should bc sccn as a liLcrary,
didacLic, and mcLaphysical gurc likc Bunyan, Iockc, or an Fdgar Allcn Poc
dcLccLivc rom PaLcrson, N.1., wcaring dark glasscs and a lcaLhcr jackcL.
My argumcnL docs noL scck Lo conLradicL ciLhcr Owcnss or McConaLhys
mulLivalcnL posiLioning o SmiLhson in rclaLion Lo posLmodcrnism. WhaL I
do wanL Lo qucsLion is Lhcir sharcd cmphasis on SmiLhsons posLmodcrnism
as a LcxLual opcraLion, Lhcir suggcsLion LhaL SmiLhson is a posLmod crnisL bc-
causc o his wriLings alonc. Whilc Owcns makcs passing rccrcncc Lo SmiLh-
sons works, iL is Lhc cssays LhaL hc sccs as dcLcrminaLivc, Lhc dcniLivc
indcx . . . o posLmodcrnism. Whilc McConaLhy illusLraLcs somc sculpLurcs,
hc wanLs SmiLhson Lo bc sccn wiLhin a liLcrary cld o producLion, a kind o
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conLcmporary Anglo-SurrcalisL pocL. I wanL Lo insisL, on Lhc conLrary, upon
Lhc maLcrialiLy o SmiLhsons criLiquc (in all iLs discursivc polyvocaliLy), and
Lhc ncccssiLy, or SmiLhson (and myscl), LhaL his arL bc madc visiblc (and
noL simply wriLLcn or conccpLualizcd). As I havc argucd abovc, Lhc carLouchc
works o Lhc carly 106us (workcd ouL wcll bcorc SmiLhsons publishcd cs-
says) wcrc crucial. Tcy wcrc among Lhc rsL objccLs o LhaL dccadc Lo croLi-
cizc Lhc indusLrial acsLhcLic by cxposing Lhc impliciL dialccLic bcLwccn hu-
mans and machincs, polarizing as gcndcrcd buL consLrucLcd dirance Lhc
organic and Lhc crysLallinc, Lhc owing and Lhc rigid, Lhc corporcal and Lhc
Lcchnological. For SmiLhson, I havc argucd LhaL Lhcsc prcconscious, prc-
vcrbal works csLablishcd whaL would rcmain a compclling insighL inLo Lhc
rolc o libido in Lhc Lcchnological sublimc.`
Iikc Lhc laLcr siLc/nonsiLc works, Lhc carLouchc drawings csLablishcd Lhc
dialccLical Lcrms wiLh which iL bccamc possiblc or SmiLhson Lo ully chal-
lcngc Lhc modcrnisL sLudio as a ccnLralizcd poinL o origin or arLand Lhcy
csLablish LhaL dialccLic iniLially in a nonvcrbal ramc. As Lhc nonsiLcs poinLcd
ouL o Lhc sLudio/gallcry Lo a morc pcriphcral locaLion or arLs mcaning, so
Lhc carLouchcs had locaLcd Lhc croLic signicancc o Lhc imagc in clucs scaL-
Lcrcd on Lhc pcriphcry (or vanishcd ccnLcr) o Lhc pagc. UlLimaLcly, Lhcsc
physical arL objccLs achicvcd Lhc criLical rclaLionship Lo subjccLiviLy LhaL is a
hallmark o Lhc mosL innovaLivc posLmodcrn arL. WiLhouL such maLcrial ob-
jccLs, SmiLhson would doubLlcss havc bccn a provocaLivc posLmodcrn cssay-
isL or conccpLual arLisL, buL hc could noL havc suraccd dcsirc as insisLcnLly
as hc dida dcsirc LhaL sLubbornly inhcrcs in objccLs, cvcn (or cspccially)
Lcchnologically mcdiaLcd oncs LhaL rcad as LoLcms or cLishcs o our dcsir-
ing machincs.
SmiLhson rccognizcd Lhc imporLancc o maLcrializaLion, commcnLing in
many placcs LhaL cvcn i conccpLual arLisLs aLLcmpLcd Lo do away wiLh ob-
jccLs as a way o criLiquing commodiLy capiLalism, Lhcy would sLill bc parL
o Lhc sysLcm. Fschcwing maLcrializaLion, such arLisLs would mcrcly bc cn-
gagcd in alsc idcalism, playing inLo capiLalism dcspiLc Lhc anLasy o bcing
quaranLincd or cuL o rom Lhc markcL-drivcn arL world. Tough SmiLhson
docs noL say so cxpliciLly, iL sccms likcly LhaL hc rccognizcd LhaL objccLs can
suracc and makc cxpliciL Lhc all-imporLanL rolc o Lhc arL world in Lhc dis-
coursc LhaL makcs arLs mcaning, raLhcr Lhan hidc bchind a alsc idcalism,
such objccLs can opcn Lhc vcry sysLcms o Lhc arL world Lo criLical conLcm-
plaLion. SmiLhson, likc Lhc posLmodcrn LhcorisLs who nd him so salicnL,
kncw LhaL arLisLs in a capiLalisL socicLy will always nccd Lhc markcL-drivcn
arL world, Lhc world o imagcs iL gcncraLcs, and Lhc acccss Lo popular culLurc
LhaL iL providcs. As hc mordanLly commcnLcd Lo a sympaLhcLic curaLor (dis-
Linguishing his own morc maLcrial arL rom LhaL o his conccpLualisL ricnds),
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ConccpLual arL is likc a crcdiL card LhaL has noLhing Lo back iL up.' Clcarly
SmiLhson had noLhing againsL capiLal, buL hc wanLcd iLs ows Lo bc palpablc
and wcll-oundcd, good crcdiL Licd Lo Lhc world o commodiLics and whaL
cconomisLs call rcal propcrLy, invcnLory LhaL, or SmiLhson, would rcmain
dispcrscd LhroughouL Lhc worlds pcriphcrics raLhcr Lhan sLockpilcd in somc
ccnLral acLory o modcrn arL.
Whilc I havc argucd as sLrcnuously as Owcns LhaL Lhc cxpcricncc o Spiral
Jetty is a producL o discoursc, noL pilgrimagc, iL is a crucial aspccL o LhaL
discursivc cxpcricncc LhaL we believe Spiral 1cLLy to have existed, to have been
madeand madc noL by hand, buL by a massivc concaLcnaLion o carLh-
moving machincs. CcrLainly Lhis was crucial Lo SmiLhson, who praiscd Frcd-
crick Iaw OlmsLcd, Lo Lhc dcLrimcnL o Torcau: OlmsLcd madc ponds,
hc didnL jusL conccpLualizc abouL Lhcm.' BuL in OlmsLcds CcnLral Park,
which SmiLhson praiscd as Lhc rsL carLhwork, Lhc abricaLcd dclls, gladcs,
and ponds wcrc ncvcr mcanL Lo sccm anyLhing buL naLuralmorc naLu-
ral, in acL, Lhan Lhc squaLLcrs camps and raggcd arm ploLs LhaL Lhcy wcrc
dcsigncd Lo rcplacc. ArLisLs such as SmiLhson, by conLrasL, wanLcd Lo cx-
posc and Lhcrcby problcmaLizc Lhc madc-ncss o Lhcir landscapcs, using
Lhc arLiacLualiLy o Lhc man-madc Lo bring boLh arLicc and Lhc naLural
inLo qucsLion.
Tosc who did makc Lhc pilgrimagc Lo Lhc Spiral Jetty rcmaincd conuscd
abouL Lhc sLaLus o Lhcir cxpcricncc, rccognizing LhaL Lhc icons rcprcscn-
LaLions and iLs physical cxisLcncc wcrc in somc kind o crucial symbiosis
nciLhcr rcplaccd Lhc nccd or Lhc oLhcr. TaL conusion was undcrsLand-
ablc, and producLivc: Lhc jcLLy livcs noL as a disLanL objccL LhaL wc oncc
visiLcd, mighL visiL, or can only rcad abouL visiLing. IL livcs as a dynamic
clusLcr o imagcs and words and Lhings, cach dcpcndcnL upon Lhc oLhcr or
lcgiLimaLion, signicaLion, and valuc. As I havc bccn aL pains Lo dcmonsLraLc,
SmiLhsons work may noL havc bccn all objccLs, buL nciLhcr was iL all Lalk or
all acLion. Tc objccLs wcrc Lhc rcsulL o pcripaLcLic acLions, which in Lurn
goL rcprcscnLcd in Lhc Lalk, and Lhc Lalk in Lurn mappcd ouL Lhc goals o Lhc
pcripaLcsis and Lhc signicancc o Lhc objccLs (and Lhcsc LrajccLorics could
bc scramblcd or rcvcrscd). BuL Lhc prcscncc o objccLs in Lhc clusLcr was cru-
cial. Tc LoLcm, Lhc cLish, Lhc idol, and Lhc icon musL all cxisL, bclic alonc
docs noL succ Lo aLLracL and mobilizc dcsirc.
Iawrcncc Alloway, onc o Lhc criLics mosL rcsponsiblc or iniLiaLing SmiLh-
sons posL-sLudio rcpuLaLion, was posscsscd, in 1072, by Lhc physicaliLy o
Spiral Jettys siLc and Lhc claboraLc pcrormancc o iLs consLrucLion. Awcd
by Lhc complcx collaboraLivc labor cncodcd in iLs coils, Alloway did noL ycL
qucsLion Lhc propricLy o using machincs Lo masLcr and rcarrangc naLurc
(as oLhcr criLics cxpliciLly did). His rcvicw raiscd onc o Lhc scrccns Lhrough
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which vicwcrs would havc pcrccivcd Lhc oaLing imagc o Lhc Spiral Jetty,
rcinorcing Lhc bruLcly maLcrial Lcchnologism iniLially undcrgirding SmiLh-
sons sublimiLy. Only SmiLhsons morc obviously ambivalcnL lm and cssay
would undcrcuL Lhc Lcchnological Lriumphalism o Alloways accounL, which
bcgins wiLh how diculL iL had bccn or SmiLhson Lo nd a crcw big cnough
or his projccL:
Finally Parsons AsphalL Inc., Ogdcn [ULah], Look Lhc job. . . . Tc working pro-
ccdurc on whaL was callcd 1ob No. 73 was as ollows. FronL-cnd loadcrs (Michi-
gan Modcl 175) wcrc uscd Lo burrow rocks ouL and Lo collccL sand on Lhc shorc.
Tcn-whcclcr dump Lrucks carricd Lhc load Lo Lhc lakc, backcd ouL along Lhc coil,
and Lippcd iL o Lhc cnd. Hcrc Lruck loadcrs (CaLcrpillar Modcl 055) placcd
Lhc dumpcd rocks and Lampcd Lhcm down wiLhin Lhc narrow limiLs scL up by
guidc lincs placcd by SmiLhson. Tc Lcchnical diculLics wcrc considcrablc and
callcd on all Lhc skills o Lhc drivcrs, including Lhc opcraLional hunch LhaL Lclls
whcn Lhc ground is Loo soL and likcly Lo subsidc. Tc drivcrs, ar rom bcing
ironic abouL a non-uLiliLarian projccL, apprcciaLcd Lhc Lask as a challcngc and
would bring Lhcir amilics ouL Lo Lhc siLc or picnics aL which Lhcy could dcm-
onsLraLc Lhcir virLuosiLy. Tc machincs Lippcd and josLlcd Lhcir way along Lhc
spiral as Lhc ncw cmbankmcnLs grcw. A crucial gurc in Lhc work was Lhc orc-
man, CranL Booscnbarck, who rcspondcd Lo Lhc problcms o Lhc unprcccdcnLcd
sLrucLurc wiLh canny skill and mainLaincd Lhc conccnLraLion o Lhc workmcn by
his lcadcrship.
Alloway is dcLcrmincd LhaL Lhc grunLs and groans o Lhc carLhmovcrs will
lcavc Lhc mcrcly mcLaphorical rcalm o dinosaurs and cnLcr Lhc work-
ing mans world o Lough procssional accomplishmcnLs. Whcrc SmiLhson
was conLcnL Lo cnumcraLc ingrcdicnLs (waLcr, mud, salL . . . ), Alloway in-
sisLs upon dcLailing Lhc sLaggcring uniLs in which Lhosc ingrcdicnLs arc dc-
ploycd:
IL is 1,5uu ccL rom Lhc Lop o Lhc ridgc ouL Lo Lhc Lip o Lhc coil which mcasurcs
abouL 15 ccL across, jusL cnough Lo supporL Lhc Lrucks. Tc ll is madc up o
3,5uu cubic yards o bouldcrs and carLh, cach cubic yard wcighs 3,Suu pounds,
which mcans LhaL a LoLal o 6,65u Lons was movcd Lo consLiLuLc Lhc cmbank-
mcnL. Tcsc sLaLisLics, which should bc rcad as Lhc cquivalcnL o a Lcchnical dc-
scripLion, such as oil on canvas or waLcrcolor on papcr, indicaLc scalc.
Such cnumcraLion is, o coursc, crucial Lo KanLs maLhcmaLical sublimc: Lhc
cnormousncss o ncarly inniLc mcasurcmcnLs LhaL conound rcprcscnLa-
Lion. And indccd, inLoxicaLcd by LhaL maLhcmaLical sublimc, Alloway im-
mcdiaLcly scgucs inLo Lhc (Frcudian) occanic: Walking along Lhc spiral liLs
onc ouL inLo Lhc waLcr inLo a brcaLhlcss cxpcricncc o horizonLaliLy. Tc lakc
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sLrcLchcs away unLil nally Lhcrc is a ripplc o disLanL mounLains and closc
around onc Lhc shorc crumblcs down inLo Lhc waLcr. BuL whaL madc Lhis
cnLirc sccLion rcsonanL wiLh iLs 1072 rcadcrs is Lhc Lcchnological valcncc
o Lhis sublimiLy, Lhc acL o Lhc jcLLys made-ness. Tc Lraccs o proccss or
Alloways rcadcrs wcrc no longcr Lhc ropcs o painL, handprinLs, and cvcn
cigarcLLc buLLs in Pollocks drip painLingssigns o inLcnsiLy, isolaLion, and
individuaLion. Now Lhosc Lraccs wcrc Lhc liLcral Lracks o ronLloadcrs, Lhc
gougcs and scrapcs lcL by CranL Booscnbarcks machincs. WhaL cxhilaraLcs
us is noL jusL Lhc brcaLhlcss cxpcricncc o horizonLaliLy, buL Lhc dramaLic
cxpcndiLurc o capiLal, labor, and low-lcvcl Lcchnology marshalcd or Lhc
purposcs o arL, Lhc supposcd rippcry o acsLhcLics bcing accordcd Lhc scri-
ous rcsourccs o Lhc civil cnginccr.
Tc posL-sLudio diaLribcs SmiLhson gcncraLcd in his cssays would bc in-
LcrcsLing, philosophically, wiLhouL Lhc Spiral Jetty or Lhc numcrous siLcs and
nonsiLcs hc dcsignaLcd and produccd. BuL wc glcan inklings o Lhc hisLorical
sourcc o LhaL posL-sLudio impulsc, and scnsc somc o iLs culLural conLcxL,
whcn wc rcad Lhosc diaLribcs Lhrough Lhc physical giganLism o Lhc siLcs
and Lhc pcriphcral cmpLincss o Lhcir locaLions (and whcn wc go back sLill
urLhcr Lo Lracc Lhc carly sourccs or Lhc libido sLill cvidcnL in Lhcir orms).
Tcsc pcriphcrics prcscnL Lhc visccral cld in which Lhc BcaL impulsc plays
iLscl ouL, and whcrc Lhc sublimc ovcrwhclms. Tcy arc akin Lo Lhc Indian
burial mounds and howling wasLclands LhaL AbsLracL FxprcssionisLs such as
BarncLL Ncwman soughL in Lhcir pronounccmcnLs abouL Lhc sublimc, buL
iL is a kinship LhaL had cxpcricnccd a posLindusLrial Lorquc in Lhc pcriphcr-
ics SmiLhson prowlcd. Tcsc dcsolaLc indusLrial wasLclands arc bordcrcd by
highways and liLLcrcd wiLh rusLing cquipmcnL, Lumblcd rocks and Lumblc-
down shacks, abandoncd dcrricks LhaL arc signs noL o progrcss buL o dcr-
clicLion. Tcsc ouLlying, indusLrially disrupLcd siLcs arc Lhc conLinuous goal
gurcd by SmiLhsons pcripaLcLic narraLivcs, rom Lhc imaginary wandcr-
ings o Cczannc Lo Lhc locaLions or Lhc lm, phoLographs, and cssay LhaL
rcprcscnL SmiLhsons parL o Lhc discoursc LhaL consLiLuLcs Lhc Spiral Jetty.
Having lcL Lhc sLudio, Lhc machinc is sccn as manicsLly incapablc o mas-
Lcry in Lhc vasL and indicrcnL cnvironmcnL o Lhc ULah dcscrL, posLmod-
crnism appcars hcrc in Lhc guisc o an cnd Lo (human) hisLory and a dwar-
ing o iLs cccLs.
Tc dcsircs Lo prcscrvc a lasL, apocalypLic and ahisLorical sublimiLy rom
SmiLhsons rusL-ladcn criLiquc arc sLill aL play, as wiLncsscd by Lhc mosL rc-
ccnL rcproducLions o Lhc rcccnLly rccmcrgcd Spiral Jetty. PhoLographs Lakcn
by a local procssional in 1004 showcd Lhc barcly projccLing salL- cncrusLcd
rocks o Lhc 1cLLy sLrung likc pcarls ouL inLo Lhc shimmcring lakc, a small pri-
vaLc planc moving inquisiLivcly ovcrhcad. Whcn rcproduccd in Lhc summcr
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issuc o Artforum, howcvcr, Lhc phoLograph was croppcd, no longcr show-
ing Lhc airplancrcLurning Lhc jcLLy Lo a Limclcss, occanic ramc. Tcrc is
noLhing inhcrcnL abouL SmiLhsons dcsublimaLing criLiquc, iL is as subjccL
Lo muLaLion as any discursivc producL, as capablc o rccupcraLion as any dc-
sLabilizing aLLcmpL.
HisLory docs makc somc inLcrprcLaLions lcss possiblc Lhan oLhcrs, how-
cvcr. Tc lciLmoLi o Tony SmiLhs odysscy onLo Lhc Ncw 1crscy rccway, and
Lhc cpic journcys o Lhc BcaLs, which iL mimickcd in miniaLurc, wcrc cncoun-
Lcrs wiLh a sublimiLy LhaL was no longcr Lcnablc in iLs nincLccnLh-ccnLury
orm, or in Lhc LwcnLicLh-ccnLury varianL animaLcd by AbsLracL Fxprcssion-
ism. WaLcralls and LhundcrsLorms, canyons and junglcsLhcsc had bccn
signs and wondcrs cnough or Lhc laLc nincLccnLh-ccnLury audicncc hun-
gry or Lhc risson o dangcr rcmancnL in Lhc vanishing Amcrican ronLicr.
Fvcn whcn Lhosc landscapcs could no longcr supporL liLcral rcprcscnLaLion
in Lhc arL o Lhc Ncw York School, Lhcir vasLncss and cxisLcnLial signicancc
sLill rcsonaLcd in Lhc painLings o Pollock, SLill, RoLhko, and Ncwman. BuL
or SmiLh, SmiLhson, and oLhcrs likc Lhcm in Lhc posLwar cconomic boom,
sublimiLy was morc orccully cxpcricnccd among Lhc sLinking smokcsLacks
o Fsso-Fxxon Lhan in Lhc riparian vallcys o Lhc Hudson Rivcr. WhaL Lhcy
soughL Lo rccord was noL mcrcly Lhc look o Lhc cxpanding posLwar indus-
Lrial landscapc LhaL was Amcrica, buL Lhcir cxpcricncc o iL, noL mcrcly Lhc
iconic rccollccLion o a Lcchnological sublimc, buL a pcrormaLivc rccnacL-
mcnL o Lhc ways iL had bccn produccd. Tis was a ncw goal or Amcrican
arL, and iL was aLcul or Amcrican modcrnism LhaL iL was playcd ouL in, and
againsL, Lhc sLudio.
WhaL inLcrcsLs mc abouL SmiLhson, and whaL links him Lo SLclla, Warhol,
and oLhcr Amcrican arLisLs o Lhc posLwar pcriod, arc boLh pracLiccs and pro-
ducLions. Whcn Lhosc pracLiccs and producLions arc vicwcd comparaLivcly
and diachronically, Lhc issuc o posLmodcrnism bccomcs clcar. TcxLs arc a
way inLo Lhosc pracLiccs, Lhcy providc a window onLo culLural pcrccpLions
o Lhc producLions, and Lhcy can also bc pracLiccs and producLions in Lhcm-
sclvcs (and rarcly morc so Lhan or SmiLhson). BuL Lhcy conLribuLc mosL Lo
our undcrsLanding o arLs hisLory whcn Lhcy arc rcad againsL and Lhrough
Lhc sLill-markcLcd objccLs Lhcy accompany, and scanncd againsL Lhc Lraccs
o producLion Lhosc objccLs can convcy. Iikc hisLorians o scicncc who wanL
Lo movc bcyond inLcllccLual hisLory Lo maLcrial culLurc, I havc laborcd Lo
idcnLiy links and rcsonanccs LhaL bccomc manicsL in scvcral rcgisLcrs: Lhc
iconic and Lhc pcrormaLivc, Lhc discursivc and Lhc producLivc, Lhc clusivcly
cphcmcral Lracc o mcaning and Lhc sLubbornly maLcrial objccL Lo which iL
is hisLorically and hcrmcncuLically aLLachcd.` Tc sLudio has bccn our sLagc
or vicwing Lhcsc pracLiccs and producLions, iLs disappcarancc aL Lhc cnd o
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Lhis book bccomcs lcss Lhc all o a curLain Lhan Lhc posLmodcrn slippagc o
a signicr Lo anoLhcr discursivc planc.
I havc argucd LhaL Lhc sLudio was a parLicularly privilcgcd kind o signi-
cr in Lhc conLcsLcd discoursc on auLhorship and Lhc indusLrial acsLhcLic in
Lhc 106us. Sccurcly modcrnisL in Lhc immcdiaLc posLwar pcriod, Lhc soliLary
spacc o Lhc sLudio was guaranLor o Lhc AbsLracL FxprcssionisL canvass au-
LhcnLiciLy, iLs prcscncc as an individuaLing objccL crcaLcd (auLhorizcd) by an
isolaLcd, hcroic arLisL-gcnius. Tc lms and phoLographs LhaL consLrucLcd
such a vicw o Lhc sLudio also suLurcd a parLicular subjccL: Lhc vicwcr o
Lhcsc popularizaLions was sLrucLurcd as a privilcgcd voycur, wiLncssing a
dccply privaLc acL o crcaLion in Lhc sLudio LhaL would also bc gurcd on Lhc
canvascs LhaL issucd rom iL.
BuL as Lhc camcras Lhcmsclvcs whirrcd away in Lhc soliLary sLudio, Lhcy
bccamc parLicipanLs in Lhc socializaLion and cxpansion o LhaL spacc. And as
Lhc indusLrial acsLhcLic cmcrgcd in Lhc work o painLcrs such as SLclla and
Warhol, whaL happcncd in Lhc sLudio bccamc a ccnLral issuc in Lhc prcscnLa-
Lion o Lhcir arL. SLcllas rhcLoric o cxccuLivc arLisLry and Warhols cclcbra-
Lion o his FacLory dclcgaLions had mcaning only whcn rccrcnccd againsL
Lhis csLablishcd Lropc o Lhc auLhorizing sLudio and whcn playcd ouL in Lhc
hardcncd discoursc o Lhcir arL. Similarly, SmiLhsons dispcrsals o Lhc arL
objccL, and o Lhc siLc o producLion, wcrc sLagcd againsL Lhc alrcady csLab-
lishcd backdrop o Lhc machinc in Lhc sLudio. Tis, Lhcn, was whcrc SmiLhson
sLagcd his criLiquc, dcconsLrucLing Lhc sLill-ccnLralizcd sLudio and sccking
Lo rcoricnL arL Lo Lhc dccaying pcriphcrics o Lhc posLindusLrial landscapc.
Tc union o Lhc iconic and Lhc pcrormaLivc in Lhc placc o Lhc sLudio (and
againsL iL) was whaL gavc Lhc 106us work o Lhcsc arLisLs iLs salicncc, and
whaL has ascinaLcd mc hcrc.
Tc romancc o Lhc sLudio had bccn prcdicaLcd on Lhc cxclusion o oLhcrs,
and by cxLcnsion, Lhc criLiquc o LhaL romancc mighL suggcsL Lhc poLcnLial
or Lhcir inclusion and Lhc possiblc origin o a pracLical poliLical rcsulL. TaL
oLhcrs mighL bc includcd only Lo bc dominaLcd is a possibiliLy inhcrcnL in
any hicrarchical producLivc sysLcm, parLicularly capiLalisL oncsas implicd
by SLcllas dicLaLorial prolcLarianism, Warhols managcmcnL o Lhc Busi-
ncss ArL Busincss, and cvcn SmiLhsons copyrighLcd owncrship o Lhc ncc-
cssarily collaboraLivc labor LhaL wcnL inLo Lhc Spiral Jetty lm. BuL cvcn in
such dominaLcd orms, Lhc prcscncc o oLhcr auLhors always shadows Lhc
cxpandcd sLudios producLionscxpliciLly in Warhols provocaLivc claim
LhaL Ccrard docs all my painLings, impliciLly in SLcllas praisc o Lhc cxccu-
Livc arLisL, and visually Lhrough Lhc nal shoL o Lhc cdiLing room LhaL con-
cludcs Lhc Spiral Jetty lm. Tcsc shadowy possibiliLicsor collaboraLion,
297
dclcgaLion, and cvcn appropriaLion o oLhcrs laborbccamc major Lhcmcs
or arLisLs cmcrging aLcr Lhc 107us, and rcvcal Lhcmsclvcs orccully as parL
o Lhc ongoing criLiquc o Lhc sLudio in Amcrican arL.
Whcn Sol IcWiLL wroLc in 1067 LhaL Lhc idca bccomcs a machinc LhaL
makcs Lhc arL, Lhc sLudio had alrcady droppcd ouL o his ormulaLion, as his
hand had droppcd ouL o his arL. Tc arL would bc madc outside the studio,
by oLhcr hands, Lhc arLisLs auLhorship rcmancnL only in an idca LhaL would
bc pcrormcd (and appcar) dicrcnLly wiLh cach incarnaLion. CalArLs Wom-
anhouse Lo Burcns simulLancous buL vcry dicrcnL criLiqucs in 1071, Lhc
sLudios vcxcd sLaLus bccamc clcar. ALcr Lhc polcmical rcconsLrucLion o
Warhols FacLory in 10S4 by appropriaLion arLisL Mikc Bidlo, Lhc dispcrscd
sLudio bccamc, in posLmodcrnism, Lhc cmpLicd poinL o origin or Lhc much-
cclcbraLcd dcaLh o Lhc auLhor.' Tc dispcrsal o Lhc sLudio also gurcd in
Lhc dramaLic, posL-107u appcarancc o collaboraLivc Lcam arLisLs (such as
CilbcrL and Ccorgc, Annc and PaLrick Poiricr, Komar and Mclamid, Clcgg
and CuLLman, and Lhc SLarn Twins). Tc work o such arLisLs implicd a cri-
Liquc o Lhc original hand o Lhc arLisL LhaL was alrcady impliciL in War-
hols and SLcllas dcpcrsonalizing Lcchniqucs, and madc iL clcar LhaL Lhcrc
would always bc morc Lhan onc individual making Lhc arL. In many cascs,
such collaboraLions wcrc Licd Lo an anonymous phoLographic Lcchnology
or locaLcd in a liLcrally cxpandcd sLudiosuch as Tim Rollins + K.O.S.,
Lhc symbioLic union o an arLisL-Lcachcr and Lhc lcarning-disablcd Bronx
sLudcnLs who madc Lhc arL. Morc cynical appropriaLion arL objccLs, such
as Shcrry Icvincs phoLographs o rcproducLions o phoLographs by Walkcr
Fvans (10S1) or 1c Koonss prcscnLaLions o machinc-madc objccLs pro-
duccd rom oLhcrs kiLsch imagcs (1001), arc also Lhc bcncciarics o Lhc
dispcrscd sLudio and iLs dcauLhorizing prcscncc in Amcrican arL.
As is characLcrisLic in Lhc anLiLoLalizing discoursc o posLmodcrnism
(which has hovcrcd ovcr Lhis book likc a raggcd acgis), Lhc rccmcrgcncc o
prcvious orms in dicrcnL guiscs and conLcxLs produccs dicrcnL rcsulLs.
During Lhc momcnL o Lhc 106us LhaL I havc choscn Lo placc aL Lhc ccnLcr
o my inquiry, Lhc machincs in Lhc sLudios o SLclla and Warhol ground ouL
an indusLrial acsLhcLic o Lrcmcndous orcc and culLural rcsonancc, in his
dialccLics and discursivc Spiral Jetty SmiLhson laLcr pushcd LhaL acsLhcLic
Lo onc logical, cnLropic conclusion. Tc dynamic cxpansion o capiLal in Lhc
carly 106us, and iLs convcrsion inLo signs and simulacra or Lhc ncccssary
cxchangcs o an incrcasingly global consumcr culLurc, arc gurcd in Lhc carly
ycars o Lhis indusLrial acsLhcLic.' Tc subscqucnL clccLronic mobilizaLion
o capiLal and Lhc cxhausLion o hcavy indusLry aL Lhc cnd o Lhc dccadc arc
clcmcnLs in Lhc dispcrsal o LhaL samc indusLrial acsLhcLic. Dispcrsal docs
298
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noL mcan dcmisc, howcvcr. In Lhc 10Sus, Lhc charms o cybcrpunk, junk
bonds, smarL bombs, PaLrioL missilcs, and oLhcr culLural anLasics aLLcsL
Lo Lhc conLinuing appcal o, and Lo, Lhc Lcchnological sublimc.
Whcrc our libidinous aLLachmcnLs Lo Lcchnology will lcad usacsLhcLi-
cally, cconomically, biologically, miliLarilyis sLill vcry unclcar, buL arL will
conLinuc Lo play a powcrul rolc in charLing LhaL paLh. Chanccs arc, arLisLs
wonL bc drawn back Lo Lhc sLudiobuL i Lhcy arc, iL will bc a radically di-
crcnL placc Lhan iL was in 104S. Machincs arc now so dccp in our Imaginary
LhaL wc arc culLural, i noL ycL biological, cyborgs, wc arc soL-wircd or Lcch-
nology in our dcsiring machincs.
Machinc in Lhc SLudio (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996), 36273.
1 Sizc and scalc do bcar Lhcsc associaLions. Rccall LhaL Lhc cnormous acadcmic hisLory
painLings o Lhc nincLccnLh-ccnLury Frcnch salons had bccn callcd machincs.
2 Scc Iouis Kaplan, Tc Tclcphonc PainLings: Hanging Up Moholy, Leonardo 26, no. 2
(1003):1656S. In addiLion Lo Alcxandcr Iibcrmans adopLion and cxLcnsion o Moholys
gcsLurc, Lhcrc is Lhc cxamplc o Tony SmiLh, dcscribcd in onc rccrcncc abouL a documcn-
Lary lm on him as having Lhc mislcading sobriqucL o Lhc arLisL who ordcrs sculpLurc by
Lclcphonc. Scc Susan P. Bcscmcr and ChrisLophcr Crosman, comps., From Museums, Galler-
ies, and Studios: A Guide to Artists on Film and Tape (WcsLporL, CT: Crccnwood Prcss, 10S4),
1u2 (cnLry 3u27).
3 1oscph Bcuys inLcrvicwcd by Ccorg 1appc, Lrans. 1ohn WhcclwrighL (1072), in Art in Te-
ory, cd. Charlcs Harrison and Paul Wood (Oxord: Blackwcll, 1002), S0u.
4 Danicl Burcn, Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLudio, Lrans. Tomas Rcpcnsck, October 1u (Fall
1070): 515S.
5 Ibid., 51.
6 Ibid., 5S.
7 Scc Burcns dcnsc and uncpigrammaLic cssay Misc cn gardc (1060), LranslaLcd as Bc-
warc and cxccrpLcd in Charlcs Harrison and Paul Wood, cds., Art in Teory, 19001990: An
Anthology of Changing Ideas (Oxord: Blackwcll, 1003), S5u .
8 SmiLhson was alrcady using Lhc phrasc posL-modcrn in Lhc carly 7us, according Lo Pc-
Lcr Schjcldahl. Scc his A Nosc or Lhc Abyss: MonumcnLs o a McLaphysical Dandy (rcvicw
o Te Writings of Robert Smithson), Village Voice supplcmcnL, no. S (1unc 10S2), 1, 7, clip-
ping in 1ohn Wcbcr Callcry Archivcs.
9 For a good summary o Lhc cconomic argumcnLs and Lhcir connccLion Lo Lhc culLural, scc
MargarcL A. Rosc, Te Post-modern and the Post-industrial: A Critical Analysis (Cambridgc:
Cambridgc UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 1001), 1can-Franois IyoLard, Te Postmodern Condition, Ro-
land BarLhcs, Tc DcaLh o Lhc AuLhor (106S), in Image-Music-Text (Iondon: FonLana,
1077), and Frcdric 1amcson, Postmodernism; or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism (Dur-
ham, NC: Dukc UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 1001). 1amcsons Lhcorics o posLmodcrnism rcmain somc
o Lhc mosL comprchcnsivc, and I am indcbLcd Lo Lhcm. Rcgarding Lhc pcriodizaLion around
299
Lhc 106us, scc in parLicular his Pcriodizing Lhc 6us, in Sohnya Sayrcs cL al., Te Sixties with-
out Apology (Minncapolis: UnivcrsiLy o MinncsoLa Prcss, 10S4), 17S2u0.
10 1amcson, Pcriodizing Lhc 6us, 170.
11 I am graLcul Lo PcLcr Calison or our many discussions on Lhis poinL. Hcrc I dicr rom
1amcson, who sLaLcs, HisLory is ncccssiLy, . . . Lhc 6us had Lo happcn Lhc way iL did, and
. . . iLs opporLuniLics and ailurcs wcrc incxLricably inLcrLwincd (ibid., 17S). Surcly Warhol
could havc sLaycd in advcrLising, SLclla could havc gonc Lo law school, and SmiLhson could
havc bccomc a scicnLisLsomconc would havc llcd Lhcir nichcs, buL pcrhaps Lhc sLu-
dio would havc survivcd longcr wiLhouL Lhc compclling onslaughLs Lhcsc arLisLs providcd
and Lhc scducLions o indusLry would havc bccn lcss culLurally availablc Lo Lhc arL-vicwing
public.
12 Craig Owcns, FarLhwords, in Beyond Recognition: Representation, Power, and Culture, cd.
ScoLL Bryson (Bcrkclcy: UnivcrsiLy o Caliornia Prcss, 1002), 122, 126, and 12S.
13 Dalc McConaLhy, RobcrL SmiLhson and AnLi-Modcrnism: Tc RupLurc o PasL and Prcs-
cnL, Artscanada (March/April 10S1): 21, copy in 1ohn Wcbcr Callcry Archivcs.
14 Ibid.
15 In a urLhcr projccL I hopc Lo cxaminc Lhc rclaLionship o SmiLhsons libidinous Lcchno-
logical sublimc Lo LhaL o carlicr mcchanomorphic arL, mosL noLably LhaL o Francis Picabia
and Duchamp. SmiLhson was aLLracLcd Lo Lhis work, and rccognizcd ccrLain commonaliLics
wiLh his own. Hc was sucicnLly anxious abouL Lhis aniLy Lo cxcoriaLc Duchamp whcn-
cvcr possiblcscc his inLcrvicw wiLh Moira RoLh, anLhologizcd in Te Writings, or cxam-
plc. I Lhink Lhcrc arc imporLanL disLincLions bcLwccn SmiLhsons aLLiLudc and Duchamps,
Carolinc A. 1oncs, Machine in the Studio (Chicago: UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss, 1006), chap.
5. MosL carlicr arL posiLioncd Lhc machinc as radically other, ouLsidc human rcproducLion
Lhink o Duchamps celibataires, or cxamplc, and his mcchanical (virgin) bridcs. SmiLhson
brcaks down Lhc human-machinc boundary in ways morc in linc wiLh Donna Haraways
uLopian anLasy o Lhc cyborg (Haraway, A Cyborg ManicsLo: Scicncc, Tcchnology, and
SocialisL-Fcminism in Lhc IaLc TwcnLicLh CcnLury, in Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: Te Re-
invention of Nature [Ncw York, RouLlcdgc, 1001],140S1)hc crcaLcs imaginary hybrids in
which pipcs and injccLors can copulaLc and King Kong has a sLccl skin. My prcliminary work
has suggcsLcd LhaL Lhis is an aLLiLudc morc in kccping wiLh Picabias, whcrc Lhc machinc is
noL an analoguc o dicrcncc buL o hybridiLy.
16 W. 1. T. MiLchclls rcccnL work on Lhc dcsircs wc scc in objccLs, pursucd in his book
What Do Pictures Want? Te Lives and Loves of Images (Chicago: UnivcrsiLy o Chicago Prcss,
2uu5), has bccn inucnLial on my Lhinking in Lhis rcgard. I am graLcul Lo Tom or sharing
carly draLs o Lhis work, and arguing wiLh mc ruiLully or Lhc voliLion and auLonomy o
Lhc arL objccL.
17 In Lhc samc lcLLcr, wriLLcn Lo Furopcan curaLor and criLic Fnno Dcvcling on ScpLcmbcr
7, 1071, SmiLhson gocs on aL somc lcngLh: ArL LhaL Lurns away rom physical producLion
Lo absLracL composiLion [`] sLrikcs mc as rcacLionary. . . . ArL should bc an ongoing dcvclop-
mcnL LhaL rcachcs all classcs. As iL is now arLisLs arc LrcaLcd likc colonials, who arc sysLcmaL-
ically rippcd o. O coursc, Lhcrc arc arLisLs who supporL Lhis rcacLionary condiLion by mak-
ing absLracL painLings and sculpLurc LhaL can bc convcrLcd inLo an cxchangc currcncy by Lhc
300
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ruling powcrs. By making porLablc absLracLions, Lhc middlc-class arLisL plays righL inLo Lhc
hands o mcrcanLilisL dominaLion. Moncy iLscl is a guraLivc rcprcscnLaLion rcduccd Lo Lhc
widcsL cxchangc. PorLablc absLracL arL is a non-guraLivc rcprcscnLaLion rcduccd Lo a nar-
row cxchangc. Tc porLraiL o a king or a prcsidcnL on moncy . . . is or Lhc many. Tc sLripcs
and grids on an absLracL painLing is [sic] or Lhc cw. RobcrL SmiLhson Lo Fnno (Dcvcling),
Archivcs o Amcrican ArL, SmiLhsonian InsLiLuLion, SmiLhson papcrs, rccl 3S33, ramcs
36760. AnoLhcr cxamplc o SmiLhsons pcrspccLivc: oncc somcLhing physical is madc, iL
has Lhc powcr Lo gcncraLc pcrccpLions rom many dicrcnL disciplincs. UndaLcd draL o
a lcLLcr Lo Cyorgy Kcpcs wriLLcn jusL bcorc a Lrip Lo Holland Lo work on Lhc Broken Circle/
Spiral Hill, AAA, SmiLhson Papcrs, Rccl 3S33, ramc 252.
18 RobcrL SmiLhson, Frcdcrick Iaw OlmsLcd and Lhc DialccLical Iandscapc, in Te Writ-
ings of Robert Smithson, cd. Nancy HolL (Ncw York: Ncw York UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 1070), 11S.
19 CuraLor 1an van dcr Marck wroLc abouL Lhis Lo SmiLhson aLcr visiLing Lhc jcLLy in 1071
(hc had lcL Lhc muscum world Lo work on ChrisLos Valley Curtain, which was going up
ncarby in Lhc Ric Cap o Colorado): IL is sLrangc Lo rcccL, aLcrwards, on how public Lhc
1cLLy is (Lhrough lms, phoLos, magazinc rcproducLions, cLc.) and ycL how privaLc and rc-
moLc. WhaL is Lhc morc rcal` TaL dramaLic lmcd accounL in glorious colors oozing work
and rawncss and cncrgy. Or LhaL grayish rcmoLc proLubcrancc inLo Lhc SalL Iakc, misLakcn
by mosL casual visiLors or anoLhcr aborLivc aLLcmpL Lo span Lhc lakc, nd mincrals or build
a liLLlc shack away rom iL all. 1an van dcr Marck Lo RobcrL SmiLhson, 1unc 16, 1071, AAA,
SmiLhson papcrs, rccl 3S33, ramc 333.
20 Again, I ciLc W. 1. T. MiLchcll, and cxprcss my graLiLudc or Lhc opporLuniLy Lo rcad in
manuscripL his What Do Pictures Want?
21 Iawrcncc Alloway, RobcrL SmiLhsons DcvclopmcnL, Artforum 11, no. 3 (Novcmbcr
1072): 50.
22 Ibid., 6u.
23 Ibid.
24 Scc 1can-Picrrc Criqui, Rising Sign, Artforum 32, no. 1u (Summcr 1004): S1.
25 Tc hisLorian o scicncc mosL inucnLial on my Lhinking is, as always, PcLcr Calison.
Scc also NorLon Wiscs narraLivcs o Ccrman corLs Lo makc gardcns o Lhcir machinc
cnvironmcnLs, in McdiLaLing Machincs, Science in Context 2, no. 1 (10SS): 77113, and
his ArchiLccLurcs or SLcam, in PcLcr Calison and Fmily Ann Tompson, cds., Te Archi-
tecture of Science (Cambridgc, MA: MIT Prcss, 1000). Also inucnLial has bccn Lhc work o
SLcvc Shapin and Simon Schacr in Leviathan and the Air Pump: Hobbes, Boyle, and the Ex-
perimental Life (PrinccLon, N1: PrinccLon UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 10S5).
26 Sol IcWiLL, Paragraphs on ConccpLual ArL, Artforum 5, no. 1u (1unc 1067): Su.
27 Scc BarLhcs, DcaLh o Lhc AuLhor. Michcl FoucaulLs WhaL Is an AuLhor` is anoLhcr
crucial cssay in Lhis dcvcloping posLmodcrn discoursc. Is Lhc ccnLcrcd sLudio rccmcrging in
an ironizcd orm` 1ason Rhoadcss cnvironmcnL or Lhc 1005 Bicnnial aL Lhc WhiLncy Mu-
scum o Amcrican ArL was suggcsLivc. Callcd simply Untitled, 1005, iL compriscd an clabo-
raLc, gooy, and hilarious layouL o donuL-making machincs, mock donuL-making machincs,
Toro lawnmowcrs, moLorbikcs makc rom Toro lawnmowcrs and oLhcr small gasolinc
cngincs, various Lools, and plasLic. Tis cnLirc mcchanical manuacLury was surroundcd
by vinLagc phoLographs o ConsLanLin Brancusi in his sLudio, paircd wiLh conLcmporary
301
color prinLs o (prcsumably) Rhoadcs in his. UnillusLraLcd documcnLaLion in Klaus KcrLcss
cL al., Metaphor: 1995 Biennial Exhibition (Ncw York: WhiLncy Muscum o Amcrican ArL,
1005), 263.
28 I havc bccn inucnccd in Lhis rcading boLh by Frcdcric 1amcsons cssay Pcriodizing Lhc
6us and by David Harvcy, Te Condition of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Origins of Cul-
tural Change (Iondon: Basil Blackwcll, 10S0).
29 Scc Rob Wilsons cssay Tcchno-Fuphoria and Lhc Discoursc o Lhc Amcrican Sublimc,
Boundary 2, 10, no. 1 (Spring 1002): 2u520, or a LrcnchanL discussion o Lhc idcological usc
o Lcchnological sublimiLy in Lhc rcalm o poliLics during Lhc 1002 Cul War, and Lhc mobi-
lizaLion o anLasics o ccnLralizcd, naLional capiLal bchind Lhc aadc o Lhc smarL bombs
and PaLrioL missilcs, mosL o which Lurncd ouL Lo bc vcry dumb indccd.
302
Courtney J. Martin
Tc Studio and thc City:
S.P.A.C.F. Itd. and Rashccd
Araccns Chakras
Spcaking rom Bcrlin in 10S2 abouL Lhc way LhaL hc incorporaLcd lm inLo
his pracLicc, PcLcr Scdglcy dcscribcd Iondon as a sLudio spacc:
I produccd in 1071, a cincma lm in which I Lricd Lo convcy Lo WcsL Bcrlin audi-
cnccs my rcacLions Lo Lhc ambicncc o Iondon by prcscnLing iLs conLrasLing am-
biguiLics and Lhc pacc and somcLimcs borcdom o Lhosc who livc and work Lhcrc.
IL is a lm collagc rccording a sccmingly cndlcss Lrip along a moLorway, wiLh rc-
pcaLcd scqucnccs and supcrimposcd imagcs o Lhc docks o FasL Iondon, whcrc
Lhc S.P.A.C.F. sLudios arc locaLcd. Tc lm may havc bccn madc as a rcacLion Lo
my rcjccLion o guraLivc subjccL maLLcr in my painLings and sculpLurcs.
Tc sLudio LhaL hc mcnLions was mosL likcly Lhc I SiLc sLudio, onc o Lhc
buildings in Lhc S.P.A.C.F. ILd. sLudio schcmc. Tc ambicncc, Iondons
posL-cmpirc dcrclicLion, would havc bccn jarring Lo anyonc who assumcd
LhaL Lhc ciLy had rcgaincd iLs prcwar promincncc. By Lhc cnd o World War II
Lhc FasL Fnd docks, oncc a major LransporL hub (wiLh similarly ar- rcaching
namcs likc FasL India and Cyprus), bccamc spaccs o vacancy and vagrancy
wiLh liLLlc commcrcc moving Lhrough Lhcm. As Scdglcy suggcsLs, Lo dcscribc
Iondon Lo Bcrlincrs (or anyonc) would rcquirc a mcnLion o Lhc docks, which
sLood in as a mcLaphor or Lhc dcclinc o Iondons grandcur and powcr. Tc
docks wcrc a locaLional and visual rccord o whaL Lhc ciLy had oncc bccn and
whaL iL had bccomc. Tc mcLaphor o Iondon as a dcrclicL, posLimpcrial,
posLcolonial, posLindusLrial dock was LLing, givcn LhaL Scdglcy had sLccrcd
a group LhaL pushcd Lhc BriLish govcrnmcnL Lo rcusc Lhcsc spaccs as arL-
isLs sLudios. BuL Lhis mcLaphor was doublc-accd. I Iondons all rcduccd
iL Lo disusc, Lhc ciLy was a massivc sLudio o rcmnanLs and rcusconc LhaL
arLisLs likc Scdglcy drcw rom conccpLually (as was Lhc casc wiLh his lm),
ormally, and maLcrially.
303
S.P.A.C.E. Itd.
S.P.A.C.F. ILd. grcw ouL o arLisLs BridgcL Rilcy and PcLcr Scdglcys idca LhaL
posLwar Iondon produccd a populaLion o arLisLs, among oLhcrs, who wcrc
noL ablc Lo nd rcasonably priccd working spacc. In Lhcir whiLc papcr on
Lhc subjccL, Lhcy dcscribcd Lhc siLuaLion or arLisLs lacking sLudios Lhusly:
. . . Lhc risc in land valucs and rcnLals in cvcry urban ccnLrc, Lhc dcvclopmcnL or
high-rcnLal rcsidcnLial purposcs o Lhosc disLricLs LradiLionally providcd wiLh
aciliLics or arLisLs (onc Lhinks, or cxamplc, o Chclsca, HampsLcad, Kcnsing-
Lon, whcrc sLudios arc convcrLcd inLo dcsirablc aLs and Lhcrc is no rcplacc-
mcnL o working sLudios), Lhc grcaLcr scalc on which painLcrs and sculpLors arc
working.
All Lhrcc acLorsrising cosLs, dcvclopmcnL, and ncw orms o arL- making
conLribuLcd Lo a squcczc on spacc in Iondon. Tcsc acLors also dcncd
Lhc ways LhaL indusLry had alLcrcd in BriLain in Lhc posLwar pcriod. Work-
crs, now cmploycd in dicrcnL sccLors Lhan bcorc Lhc war, lookcd or homcs
wiLhin Lhc ciLy buL wcrc bcing pushcd Lo iLs suburban margins or cnLiccd Lo
livc in Lhc highrisc complcxcs complcLcd in Lhc mid-106us. In calling or
whaL mighL LradiLionally havc bccn a parL o BriLains (or mosL Furopcan
govcrnmcnLs) social conLracL wiLh arLisLs, S.P.A.C.F.s proposal aligncd
Lhcm wiLh indusLry. ArLisLs wcrc workcrs whosc workplaccs nccdcd Lo bc
providcd and rcgulaLcd by Lhcir cmploycr, Lhc ciLy. As Lhcy noLcd:
NoL Lo havc adcquaLc spacc can bc ncar-crippling, bccausc capaciLy and pcror-
mancc alikc may bc diminishcd whcn Lhc availablc spacc is Loo small or work or
or showing o work Lo good advanLagc, and Lhc rcsulLanL Lcnsions in domcsLic
or procssional lic can rcLard an arLisLs dcvclopmcnL.`
Indccd, S.P.A.C.F.s oundcrs L Lhis ncw modcl. Rilcy was a largc-scalc
painLcr, and Scdglcy had movcd rom LradiLional painLing and sculpLurc inLo
insLallaLion and lm. Tcir pracLiccs mirrorcd Lhosc o oLhcr Iondon arLisLs
who nccdcd largcr and morc cxiblc workspacc. Rilcy and Scdglcy caughL
a glimpsc o a soluLion in ManhaLLan, which Lhcy visiLcd or Lhc cxhibiLion
Tc Rcsponsivc Fyc aL Lhc Muscum o Modcrn ArL in 1065. Tcrc, Lhcy wcrc
inspircd by Lhc rcpurposing o indusLrial and commcrcial spacc or arLisLs in
downLown ManhaLLan.
Upon Lhcir rcLurn Lo Iondon, Lhcy bcgan Lo organizc S.P.A.C.F. ILd.
(Spacc, Provision, ArLisLs, CulLural and FducaLional), which was launchcd
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nin Lhc all o 106S as an incorporaLcd nonproL, wiLh a board o dirccLors
LhaL includcd W. A. WcsL, Ircnc WorLh, PcLcr Townscnd, and Mauricc dc
Sausmarcz. Tc dirccLors rcprcscnLcd Lhc widcr cld o Lhc arLs. WorLh was
a noLcd cxpaLriaLc sLagc acLrcss, Townscnd was Lhc cdiLor o Studio Inter-
national, Lhc mosL circulaLcd conLcmporary arLs magazinc o Lhc Limc, and
dc Sausmarcz, an arLisL, was Lhc principal o Lhc Byam Shaw School o ArL.
Along wiLh dc Sausmarcz, WcsL, a procssor aL Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Rcading,
gavc Lhc group insLiLuLional clouL.' S.P.A.C.F. uncLioncd as a coopcraLivc
Lo obLain shorL-Lcrm lcascs rom Lhc CrcaLcr Iondon Council (CIC) on va-
canL buildings, somc scL Lo bc dcmolishcd or commcrcial cxpansion, oLhcrs
simply dcrclicL.' WiLh minimal accommodaLion (Lhc provision o clccLriciLy,
running waLcr, and hcaL), Lhcsc buildings wcrc convcrLcd inLo work-only
sLudio spaccs or arLisLs. AL Lhc cnd o Lhc lcasc (or liccnsc, as iL was callcd),
S.P.A.C.F. and Lhc arLisLs vacaLcd Lhc propcrLy and movcd on Lo anoLhcr
vacancy.
Onc o Lhc rsL S.P.A.C.F. cndcavors was aL SL. KaLharinc Dock, a suiLc
o warchouscs jusL casL o Lhc Towcr o Iondon and Lhc Towcr Bridgc in an
inlcL on Lhc norLh bank o Lhc Tamcs Rivcr. An acLivc porL in Lhc ninc-
LccnLh ccnLury, SL. KaLharinc had bccn scvcrcly damagcd during Lhc bliLz.
S.P.A.C.F. arrangcd a Lwo-ycar lcasc rom Lhc CIC or Lhc aciliLy, which
compriscd Lhrcc largc waLcr basins o 1u acrcs surroundcd by warchousc
buildings covcring somc 1uu,uuu sq. L. and rising our and six sLorcys in
hcighL. Tc main arLisLs sLudios and occ arca wcrc locaLcd in a warc-
housc dubbcd I SiLc, or I Warchousc.
Whilc Lhc original mandaLc or S.P.A.C.F. ouLlincd aordablc sLudio
spacc or arLisLs, parLicularly young arLisLs and arL sLudcnLs, Lhcrc was also
a clausc or sLudio workshops or arLisLs o all naLionaliLics working in
Lhc visual arLs. Tc laLLcr rcccLcd Lhc uLopian componcnL o Lhc undcr-
Laking, Rilcy and Scdglcy cnvisioncd Lhc sLudio program as a communal o-
rum or work whcrcin socialisL valucs would bc combincd wiLh inLcrnaLion-
alism. Tis clausc also rccognizcd Lhc posLimpcrial rcaliLy o Iondon. ALcr
World War II many rcsidcnLs o ormcr BriLish colonics had rclocaLcd Lo Lhc
UniLcd Kingdom, many scLLling in iLs largcsL ciLy, Iondon, whosc docks had
bccn Lhc major ouLlcL Lo Lhc counLrys colonial posLs. By 106S, Iondon was a
ciLy whosc pasL had rcLurncd Lo iL in Lhc orm o ncw ciLizcns. Tough BriL-
ain did noL cxpcricncc social uphcaval likc conLincnLal Furopc in 106S, grcaL
social changcs rcsulLcd rom Lhc inux o immigranLs. Morc progrcssivc
Lhan Lhc govcrnmcnL, which vicwcd ncarly all immigranLs as manual labor-
crs, S.P.A.C.F. rccognizcd LhaL somc o Lhcsc ncw ciLizcns wcrc arLisLs who
mighL sharc in Lhcir idcals abouL arL-making.
305
Chakras in thc Tamcs
Rashccd Araccn was onc o Lhcsc ncw arrivals, having rcachcd Iondon in
1064 rom Karachi, by way o Paris, wiLh Lhc inLcnLion o bccoming an arL-
isL. Prcviously a draLsman or BriLish PcLrolcum, Araccn had movcd conLi-
ncnLs, sacriccd maLcrial comorL, and radically alLcrcd his carccr paLh wiLh
Lhc inLcnLion o bccoming an arLisL. His work, sLcmming rom his knowl-
cdgc o cnginccring and building sLrucLurcs, was inLcrsLiLial, hc was nci-
Lhcr a painLcr nor sLricLly a sculpLor. In Lhc mood o Lhc Limcs, hc was cx-
ploring whaL would comc Lo bc known as insLallaLion Lhrough a varicLy o
mcans. From Lhc ouLscL o his rcsidcncy, hc produccd minimalisL orms LhaL
hc callcd sLrucLurcs.` Tcsc wcrc griddcd, gcomcLric works, oLcn painLcd,
LhaL rcquircd a grcaL cxpansc o spacc Lo consLrucL (as wcll as workshops
or wood joincry and wcldcd sLccl) and Lo cxhibiL and sLorc. Tus, ollowing
in Lhc manncr o Lhc ncw orms o sculpLurc bcing produccd aL LhaL Limc,
Araccn rcquircd a largc mulLiuncLion spacc in which Lo conccivc and craL
his work. As onc o Lhc carlicsL occupanLs, hc ound aL I SiLc a placc Lo dc-
vclop his work and cnjoycd a rccdom LhaL Iynn Scharan also noLiccd dur-
ing hcr visiL in 1060: Somc arcas arc parLiLioncd or addiLional wall spacc,
oLhcrs uncLion as largc, unbrokcn cxpanscs whcrc groups or ncighbors
work rccly.
I SITE at St. Katharine Dock, SPACE Studios, 19681970.
306
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nTc shclLcrcd waLcr surrounding Lhc I SiLc sLudio was also availablc or
rcsidcnLs usc.' Fncloscd by commcrcial buildings Lo Lhc norLh, casL, and
wcsL and a lock LhaL lcd ouL Lo Lhc Tamcs Lo Lhc souLh, SL. KaLharinc Dock
was an urban island. Tc waLcr was rclaLivcly calm, Lhough as Araccn noLcd,
iL was liLLcrcd wiLh Lhc dcLriLus o Lhc ciLy:
IL bccamc my obscssion Lhcrc Lo look aL Lhc waLcr and obscrvc Lhc oaLing picccs
o wood and plasLics which wcrc driLing rom onc placc Lo anoLhcr owing Lo Lhc
acLion o Lhc movcmcnL o waLcr and wind. Fvcry day iL was complcLcly a dicr-
cnL cxpcricncc by nding Lhc picccs o wood and plasLic cLc. in dicrcnL rclaLion-
ship Lo cach oLhcr and aL a dicrcnL placc on Lhc waLcr.'
Iikc Scdglcys allusion Lo Lhc docks capLivaLing conLrasLs, Araccns dcscrip-
Lion o Lhc oaLing objccLs scrvcs as a mcLaphor or Lhc ciLys cvoluLion.
Iondon was bcing alLcrcd daily by ncw arrivals, whosc languagcs, cusLoms,
sounds, and movcmcnLs rcarrangcd iLs prcvious paLLcrns. Tc oncc casL-
crn Furopcan and 1cwish immigranL cnclavcs in FasL Iondon, or cxamplc,
wcrc bcing rcplaccd by Bangladcshi and PakisLani migranLs. SouLh Iondon
saw largc inuxcs o Arican and Caribbcan populaLions, whilc Lhc norLh o
Lhc ciLy houscd groups o Turkish and Crcck CyprioLs. Tc movcmcnL LhaL
Araccn noLiccd in Lhc waLcr was Lhus rcplicaLcd on Lhc sLrccLs. During Lhis
Limc, hc also bccamc involvcd in communiLy and parLicipaLory arL cvcnLs,
many o which cxprcsscd a commiLmcnL Lo combaLing Lhc sLigmaLizing and
harassmcnL o immigranLs in BriLain.
Bcgun in 1060 and iniLiaLcd in Fcbruary o 107u, Chakras was Araccns
rsL cnvironmcnLal and parLicipaLory projccL aL I SiLc. Araccn inviLcd ricnds,
somc oLhcr S.P.A.C.F. arLisLs, and passcrsby Lo Lhrow disks inLo Lhc waLcr.
In LoLal sixLccn rcd uorcsccnL plasLic disks, cach Lwo ccL in diamcLcr, wcrc
oaLcd in Lhc waLcr. Iikc Lhc dcbris LhaL Araccn had sccn Lhcrc, Lhcir movc-
mcnL was conLingcnL upon Lhc variablc condiLions o Lhc waLcr and Lhc wind.
Unlikc Lhc dcbris, howcvcr, Lhcy wcrc consisLcnL in sizc, color, shapc, wcighL,
and buoyancy, climinaLing such variaLions, which Araccn Lcrmcd rclaLions,
mcanL LhaL ciLhcr all o Lhc disks would oaL or all would sink. In Lhis casc,
Lhcy all oaLcd.
Araccns laLcr social jusLicc and poliLical arL acLions posiLion Chakras as
a commcnL on Lhc ways in which dicrcncc (bc iL class, racc, cLhniciLy, or
gcndcr) was an uncasy L in BriLain in Lhc laLc 106us. On onc lcvcl Chakras
is a commcnLary on Iondons adapLaLion Lo iLs ncw ciLizcns. Tc sink-or-
swim unccrLainLy is noL wiLhouL humor, i noL also irony. FloaLing a sym-
bolic objccL wiLh bodily connoLaLions drawn rom FasLcrn spiriLual Lradi-
Lions (chakras occur in boLh Hinduism and Buddhism) in waLcr LhaL lcads Lo
Lhc opcn sca is a pcrormancc o rcclaiming, o libcraLion rom impcrialism,
307
and wiLh iL, slavcry, colonialism, and all iL implics. BuL was Lhis pcrormancc
saLirical` For Lhis Lo bc donc by an immigranL working in a communal arL
program wiLh uLopian ovcrLoncs, LhaL opLion has Lo bc considcrcd.
On a ormal lcvcl, Lhc acLion soughL Lo rcsolvc a Lcnsion Araccn clL bc-
Lwccn a sccurc undcrsLanding o minimalisL orm (hcrc shown Lhrough uni-
orm, gcomcLric objccLs) and a morc cxpansivc arL pracLicc LhaL dcpcndcd
on Lhc parLicipaLion o oLhcrs and Lhc coordinaLion o unconLrollablc clc-
mcnLs: wind, waLcr, and Lhc cvcr-prcscnL possibiliLy o rain in Iondon. Fach
o Lhcsc aspccLs drcw aLLcnLion Lo Lhc manicsL condiLion o laLc 106us Ion-
don as iL conronLcd urban dcLcrioraLion amid populaLion rcgcncraLion. IL
was a ciLy alling down and cxpanding simulLancously.
For Araccn Lhcrc was also anoLhcr componcnL, making arL LhaL had liLLlc
or no commcrcial poLcnLial. Hc dcscribcd Lhc aims o Chakras Lhusly:
I wc wanL LhaL arL should bccomc [an] csscnLial parL o our lic or LhaL all Lhc
pcoplc should havc acccss Lo iL, iL is csscnLial LhaL rsL Lhc monopoly o onc par-
Licular class Lo own and apprcciaLc Lhc work o arL musL bc dcsLroycd.
Chakras rcalizcd Lhis dcsLrucLion o Lhc monopoly by bcing almosL com-
plcLcly inLangiblc. Tc disks wcrc allowcd Lo oaL on Lhc waLcr undcr Lhc
Lcrms o rclcasc, a hisLorically wcighLcd synonym or manumission. Iikc
mosL acLions, Chakras was a onc-o pcrormancc LhaL circulaLcd Lhrough a
cw phoLographs, which Araccn did noL cdiLion or scll. (AL Lhc Limc, Ion-
don had almosL no viablc arL markcL, parLicularly or cxpcrimcnLal arL.)
Rasheed Araeen, Chakras (detail), 19691970.
308
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n ALcr Lhc iniLial rclcasc, Lhc individual disks wcrc noL rcLricvcd rom Lhc wa-
Lcr. Iikc Lhc dcbris LhaL inspircd Lhcm, Lhcy wcnL wiLh Lhc currcnL, bccom-
ing morc unmarkcd rcmnanLs o Lhc ciLy.
Making arL LhaL could noL bc sold was iLscl a rclcasc rom a ccrLain Lypc
o acsLhcLic prcssurc. Tis is noL Lo suggcsL LhaL Araccn lackcd ambiLion
wiLh rcgard Lo his work or his carccr. In Lhc samc ycar LhaL hc bcgan work
on Chakras, hc was awardcd Lhc sccond prizc aL Lhc scvcnLh 1ohn Moorcs
Iivcrpool FxhibiLion aL Lhc Walkcr Callcry in Iivcrpool. Araccns cnLry, Boo
(1060), complcLcd aL his I SiLc sLudio, was onc o only a cw purchascd by
Lhc Walkcr. Iondon, by way o Lhc S.P.A.C.F. program, allowcd Araccn and
oLhcr arLisLs Lo mainLain a convcnLional sLudio pracLicc whilc also invcnLing
and cxpcrimcnLing wiLh ncw orms.` SL. KaLharinc Dock had a mcLonymic
rclaLionship Lo Lhc ciLy, jusL as S.P.A.C.F. did Lo Lhc govcrnmcnL rom which
iL unnclcd rcsourccs Lo arLisLs in Lhc hopcs o csLablishing arL and arLisLs as
signicanL caLurcs o municipal, i noL naLional, culLurc. Chakras was only
onc cxamplc o Lhc innovaLions osLcrcd by Lhcsc inLcracLions. As a ncw ar-
rival, Araccns prcscncc in Iondon, and in SL. KaLharinc Dock in parLicular,
challcngcd Lhc ciLy and Lhc program Lo livc up Lo iLs idcals. WiLhin Lhc con-
ncs o Lhc S.P.A.C.F. sLudio program, hc was ablc Lo harncss Lhc poLcnLial
o Lhc shclLcrcd waLcr ouLsidc iLs door, and Lhus o Lhc surrounding ciLy.
1 PcLcr Scdglcy and Hcinz Oh, My KincLic ArLworks and PainLings (107110S2), Leonardo
15, no. 3 (Summcr 10S2): 1S4.
2 DcspiLc Lhc ongoing rclaLionship bcLwccn BridgcL Rilcy and PcLcr Scdglcy, carly prcss rc-
lcascs ciLc Scdglcy as bcing chargcd wiLh mosL o Lhc organizaLional work or S.P.A.C.F.
1ohn H. Holloway, InLcrnaLional Scicncc-ArL Ncws (ArL cL Scicncc: Nouvcllcs dc IFLrangcr),
Leonardo 2, no. 4 (OcLobcr 1060): 45u.
3 A Proposal Lo Providc SLudio Workshops or ArLisLs, Studio International 177, no. 0uS
(Fcbruary 1060): 66. Tis is a shorLcr vcrsion o Spacc Provision ILd., A Proposal Lo Pro-
vidc, on an UlLimaLcly Scl-supporLing Financial Basis, SLudio Workshops or ArLisLs, To-
gcLhcr wiLh Such AddiLional FaciliLics as Arcas or IighL ProjccLion Work, Workshops or
IighL McLals cLc., and FxhibiLion Spaccs (1060). A slighLly longcr vcrsion o A Proposal Lo
Providc SLudio Workshops or ArLisLs was circulaLcd in Lhc samc ycar, scc publiciLy lcacL
issucd by Spacc Provision ILd., TaLc Iibrary and Archivc.
4 For a longcr discussion o archiLccLurc in Iondon aLcr World War II, scc PcLcr Murray
and SLcphcn Tromblcy, cds., Modern British Architecture since 1945 (Iondon: F. Millcr/RIBA
Magazincs, 10S4).
5 Proposal Lo Providc SLudio Workshops, 66.
6 1onaLhan 1oncs, InLcrvicw wiLh BridgcL Rilcy, Guardian, 1uly 5, 2uuS. Rilcy inciLcd a
grcaL dcal o mcdia aLLcnLion whilc in Ncw York bccausc hcr work was Lakcn Lo bc cmblcm-
aLic o Lhc commcrcial poLcnLial in so-callcd Op arL, spawning ashion sLylcs and dccoraLion.
309
Scc 1ohn Canaday, Tc Rcsponsivc Fyc: Trcc Chccrs and High Hopcs, New York Times,
Fcbruary 2S, 1065. DcspiLc Rilcys discomorL wiLh Lhc way LhaL hcr work was rcccivcd, iL is
likcly hcr amc LhaL lcnL wcighL Lo Lhc S.P.A.C.F. projccL.
7 In 1060 S.P.A.C.F.s sponsors wcrc Hcnry Moorc, David Bcnson, MinisLcr o ParliamcnL
Niall McDcrmoLL, Dcsmond Plummcr (lcadcr o Lhc CrcaLcr Iondon Council), and Norman
Rcid (dirccLor o Lhc TaLc Callcry).
8 In addiLion Lo Lhc CIC, S.P.A.C.F. rcccivcd public supporL rom Lhc ArLs Council o CrcaL
BriLain and privaLc supporL rom individuals.
9 In 1060, S.P.A.C.F. also proposcd Lo occupy a warchousc aL Lhc ormcr Marshalsca Prison.
Tc prison, in which Charlcs Dickcnss aLhcr had bccn lockcd up or dcbL, was caLurcd in
Lhc novclisLs book Little Dorrit (1S57). Iikc Marshalsca, SL. KaLhcrincs Dock had hisLori-
cal signicancc. Somc o Lhc cxLcrior sLrucLurcs wcrc consLrucLcd by Tomas Tclord, Lhc
cnginccr. S.P.A.C.F.s rsL projccL was Lhc SLockwcll DcpoL, an abandoncd acLory in SouLh
Iondon. Tcrc, unlikc SL. KaLhcrincs Dock and Marshalsca, S.P.A.C.F. providcd Lhc nan-
cial and adminisLraLivc hub or a group o SL. MarLins School o ArL sculpLing sLudcnLs who
nccdcd largcr workspaccs. Tc sculpLurc coursc aL SL. MarLins grcw in promincncc in Lhc
laLc 106us, largcly duc Lo Lhc succcss o AnLhony Caro, a LuLor Lhcrc. Onc o cw BriLish arL-
isLs Lo bc hcraldcd by Lhc Amcrican arL criLic ClcmcnL Crccnbcrg, Caro lcd a rcvival in sculp-
Lurc Lhrough his cngagcmcnL wiLh absLracLion. His acclaim was cxLcndcd Lo his pupils, mosL
noLably in Te New Generation: 1965, an cxhibiLion which was on vicw aL Lhc WhiLcchapcl
ArL Callcry rom March Lhrough April 1065. Tc ninc sculpLors in Lhc cxhibiLion wcrc David
Ancslcy, Michacl Bolus, Phillip King, Roland Pichc, ChrisLophcr Sandcrson, Tim ScoLL, Wil-
liam Tuckcr, Isaac WiLkin, and Dcrrick Woodham, only our o whomPichc, Sandcrson,
WiLkin, and Woodhamwcrc noL undcr Caros LuLclagc. Tc imporL o Lhc coursc lasLcd
Lhrough Lhc dccadc. For cxamplc, in 1anuary 1060, as parL o a spccial issuc cnLiLlcd Somc
AspccLs o ConLcmporary BriLish SculpLurc, Studio International publishcd an arLiclc on SL.
MarLins, complcLc wiLh phoLographs and a charL o iLs LuLors and pupils, which showcd
how cach (dirccLly dcsccndcd rom Caro) had pursucd an arL carccr. Onc subsccLion noLcd
Lhosc who had cxhibiLcd in Ncw CcncraLion. Tc SculpLurc Coursc aL SL. MarLins, Stu-
dio International 177, no. 0u7 (1anuary 1060): 1u11.
10 Spacc Provision ILd., A Proposal to Provide, on an Ultimately Self-supporting Financial Ba-
sis . . ., K2. OLhcr prcss maLcrial lisLs Lhc squarc ooLagc as 6u,uuu.
11 Ibid.
12 As Dominic Sandbrook dcmonsLraLcs in White Heat: A History of Britain in the Swinging
Sixties (Iondon: IiLLlc, Brown, 2uu6), immigraLion was onc o BriLains kcy issucs Lhrough-
ouL Lhc dccadc.
13 Onc o BriLains major conicLs in 106S occurrcd around arL school cducaLion. In a baLLlc
bcLwccn cducaLion adminisLraLors and sLudcnLs, along wiLh somc LuLors, sLudcnLs soughL
Lo havc morc inpuL inLo Lhcir cducaLion. Tc mosL imporLanL o Lhcsc baLLlcs Look placc
in May aL Lhc Hornscy Collcgc o ArL in norLh Iondon. SLudcnLs Lhcrc sLagcd a siL-in LhaL
lcd Lo somc curriculum changcs or Lhc naLion. Rilcy LaughL aL Hornscy rom 106u1061.
During Lhc cxhibiLion, Hornsey Strikes Again aL Lhc InsLiLuLc o ConLcmporary ArLs in 1uly,
which was a corollary Lo Lhc siL-in, shc was inviLcd Lo spcak in supporL o changcs Lo arL cd-
ucaLion. Hcr involvcmcnL wiLh Hornscy was simulLancous wiLh scLLing up S.P.A.C.F. and
310
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nmay accounL or Lhc aLLcnLion paid Lo sLudcnLs in Lhc S.P.A.C.F. proposal. For a longcr dis-
cussion o Lhc Hornscy Collcgc o ArL rcvolL, scc Iisa Tickncr, Hornsey 1968: Te Art School
Revolution (Iondon: Franccs Iincoln, 2uuS).
14 InLcrvicw by Lhc auLhor wiLh Rashccd Araccn, Novcmbcr 1, 2uu6. In addiLion Lo his arL
pracLicc, Araccn (b. 1035) oundcd Lhc journal Black Phoenix (107S70), which conLinucd
as Tird Text (10S0). In 10S0 hc curaLcd Lhc rsL major muscum cxhibiLion o Asian and
black arLisLs in BriLain, Tc OLhcr SLory: Aro-Asian ArLisLs in PosL-War BriLain, aL Lhc
Hayward Callcry.
15 For a longcr discussion o Araccns sLrucLurcs, scc Rashccd Araccn, Making Myself Vis-
ible (Iondon: Kala Prcss, 10S4), and Minimalism and Beyond: Rasheed Araeen at Tate Britain
(Tird TcxL/TaLc BriLain, 2uu7).
16 Iynn Scharan, I SiLc and WcsLbcLh: Two SoluLions Lo Onc Problcm, Members Newslet-
ter (Tc Muscum o Modcrn ArL, Ncw York) no. 7 (WinLcr, 1060107u): 5.
17 Cuy BrcLL, InLroducLion, in Rashccd Araccn, Making Myself Visible (Iondon: Kala Prcss,
10S4): S.
18 Rashccd Araccn, Karachi, April 11, 1074, in Araccn, Making Myself Visible (Iondon:
Kala Prcss, 10S4): 64.
19 For a longcr discussion o posLwar immigraLion in BriLain, scc V. C. Kicrnan, BriLons Old
and Ncw, in Immigrants and Minorities in British Society, cd. C. Holmcs (Iondon, 107S).
20 Araccns mosL promincnL social jusLicc connccLion was wiLh Lhc BriLish branch o
Lhc Black PanLhcr ParLy, which hc ocially joincd in 1073. InLcrvicw by Lhc auLhor wiLh
Rashccd Araccn, Novcmbcr 1, 2uu6.
21 Rashccd Araccn, Karachi, April 11, 1074, in Araccn, Making Myself Visible, 65.
22 Ibid.
23 InLcrvicw by Lhc auLhor wiLh Rashccd Araccn, Novcmbcr 1, 2uu6.
24 Mcmorandum rom Hugh ScruLLon, C.B.F., Lo Lhc ArLs and RccrcaLion CommiLLcc o
Lhc Walkcr ArL Callcry, undaLcd. 1ohn Moorcs FxhibiLion archivc, Walkcr ArL Callcry. Scc
also Cail P. D. FngcrL, AcquisiLions o Modcrn ArL by Muscums, Burlington Magazine 113,
no. S15 (Fcbruary 1071): 11S.
25 In 1071, Lhc ycar aLcr S.P.A.C.F. vacaLcd SL. KaLhcrincs Dock, Araccn cxhibiLcd in
Spacc: PainLings and SculpLurc rom SL. KaLhcrinc Dock aL Marblc Hill Housc in Twickcn-
ham. IL was Lhc sixLh cxhibiLion organizcd or S.P.A.C.F. arLisLs by Scdglcy and Lhc ArL In-
ormaLion RcgisLry (A.I.R.), an o-shoL o S.P.A.C.F. I am Lhankul Lo Alicia Millcr or shar-
ing hcr knowlcdgc o Lhc S.P.A.C.F. archivc, parLicularly Lhc hisLory o Lhc A.I.R. For morc
on cxpcrimcnLal arL in BriLain aLcr 106S, scc David CurLis, A History of Artists Film and
Video in Britain (Iondon: BFI, 2uu7), Ncil Mulholland, Te Cultural Devolution: Art in Britain
in the Late Twentieth Century (Iondon: AshgaLc, 2uu3), and 1ohn A. Walkcr, Left Shift: Radi-
cal Art in 1970s Britain (Iondon: I. B. Tauris, 2uu2).
311
Katy Siegel
Iivc\ork
Fclix Conzalcz-Torrcs. When I rst started making art in 1987, I had no money. I had
a little tiny studio smaller than this kitchen.
Ross Blcckncr. Te size of the studio is not particularly relevant to the work you do,
Felix, is it?
Fclix Conzalcz-Torrcs. Tat was a studio apartment, not my studio.
Sincc Lhc mid-106us, Lhc sLudio has bccn associaLcd wiLh a varicLy o ouL-
daLcd or suspccL idcaspainLing, handcraL, gcnius, cxprcssion, auLonomy,
commcrcialismas opposcd Lo osLcnsibly morc scrious valucs: public lic,
conccpL, criLicaliLy, socialiLy, rcusal. CriLics and hisLorians as wcll as arLisLs
havc criLicizcd and dcmyLhologizcd Lhis insLiLuLion. Tcsc argumcnLs Lhcm-
sclvcs havc now bccomc old-ashioncd Lo a ccrLain cxLcnL, and Lhc sLudio is
currcnLly cnjoying a rcvival among criLics, hisLorians, arLisLs, and curaLors.
ILs all Loo casy Lo makc un o somc o Lhc morc high-mindcd chargcs againsL
sLudio pracLicc. Tc idcal o Lhc arLisL as gcnius has Lranscrrcd scamlcssly
Lo a long rosLcr o posL-sLudio arLisLs, whilc, cqually obviously, posL-sLudio
arL has noL provcd parLicularly rcsisLanL Lo Lhc markcL, insLallaLions, pcror-
manccs, and siLc-spccic work o all kinds havc garncrcd cnormous nancial
and social succcss. Pushing asidc Lhcsc judgmcnLs, pro and con, Lhc sLudio
is mosL conLinually inLcrcsLing or Lhc way in which iL cmbodics Lwo Lhings:
Lhc rclaLion bcLwccn Lhc producLion o arL and oLhcr kinds o producLion in
a socicLy aL a givcn momcnL, and Lhc rclaLion bcLwccn work and lic.
For mc, and I Lhink or many arLisLs, Lhc sLudio as iL has cxisLcd hisLori-
cally is noL onc o Lhc ramcs, cnvclopcs, and limiLs LhaL, as Danicl Burcn
wroLc, cnclosc and consLiLuLc Lhc work o arL. On Lhc conLrary, Lhc sLudio
is aLLracLivc prcciscly bccausc iL rcprcscnLs cxpansc, an cxpansc boLh Lcm-
poral and spaLial. WhaL has always aLLracLcd mc Lo Lhc sLudio as a kind o
placc was somcLhing closcr Lo Lhc original mcaning o Lhc sLudio apartment.
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Tis orm o rcal csLaLc now carrics a slighLly paLhcLic whi: a Liny singlc
room or a singlc pcrson who can aord noL Lo havc roommaLcs and hasnL
ormcd a morc communal living arrangcmcnL (alLhough during rcal csLaLc
pcaks, pcoplc sharc Lhcsc aparLmcnLs as wcll). In Ncw York aL Lhc Lurn o
Lhc LwcnLicLh ccnLury, howcvcr, sLudio aparLmcnL mcanL an aparLmcnL
or an arLisL, builL Lo accommodaLc boLh domcsLic and arLisLic nccds, usu-
ally wiLhin a coopcraLivc building arrangcmcnL. OLcn buL noL always onc
room, Lhcsc aparLmcnLs usually caLurcd doublc-sLory ccilings Lo accommo-
daLc largc arLworks and Lall windows or lighL. Fvcn as Lhc sLudio aparLmcnL
driLcd away rom Lhis carlicsL purposc, onc aspccL lingcrcd: raLhcr Lhan hav-
ing a dining room, a living room, and a bcdroom, dicrcnL rooms dcdicaLcd
Lo dicrcnL uncLions, Lhc occupanL docs cvcryLhing in Lhc samc room
slccping, caLing, and living, whaLcvcr LhaL mcans. Bccausc Lhc spacc is
small (and also pcrhaps bccausc iL is occupicd by only onc pcrson), Lhc archi-
LccLurc and Lhc occupanL arc rccd rom Lhc rigid social divisions LhaL usu-
ally ordcr daily lic.
Tis condiLion o ow was cvcn morc Lruc or Lhc sLudio propcr. 1usL as
Lhc sLudio aparLmcnL was originally a homc Lo work in, Lhc sLudio was and
or a long Limc conLinucd Lo bc a workplacc Lo livc in. Tis was Lruc o Lhc
Ncw York arLisLs sLudio in Lhc 101us and 102us (on Lhc Uppcr WcsL Sidc),
Lhc 104us and 105us (Crccnwich Villagc, Union Squarc), Lhc 106us and carly
107us (Soho), Lhc laLc 107us and 10Sus (Tribcca), and Lhc 10Sus and 100us
(Williamsburg). Tc acL LhaL in Ncw York many arLisLs havc livcd and madc
arL in conccnLraLcd clusLcrs has largcly passcd wiLhouL commcnL in hisLo-
rics and criLiqucs o Lhc sLudio, cvcn Lhough Lhis condiLion has crosscd gcn-
craLional and idcological dividcsrom Lhc DadaisL Duchamp in Lhc carly
LwcnLicLh ccnLury Lo posLwar painLcr Willcm dc Kooning Lo 106us pcror-
mancc arLisL Carolcc Schnccmann. ALcr Lhc 103us, Lhc sLudios wcrc oLcn
barcly convcrLcd manuacLuring loLs, and oLcn illcgal, whcn lcgal, Lhcy
camc Lo bc known as livc/work spaccs. ArLisLs puL in Lhcir own wiring and
plumbing, csLablishing Lhc rudimcnLary condiLions ncccssary or baLhing
and slccping and somcLimcs caLing, oLcn claboraLing on Lhcsc basic condi-
Lions raLhcr Lhan dccamping i Lhcy bccamc morc succcssul.
PhoLographs o Lhcsc sLudios Lcnd Lo ocus on Lhc glamour o raw spaccs
and indusLrial archiLccLurc, Lo dcpicL arLisLs as cxoLic or brooding. BuL Lhc
rcal inLcrcsL lics clscwhcrc: morc Lhan anyonc clsc in Lhis socicLy, Lhc arLisL
and hcr arL inLcgraLc work wiLh licmaLcrial, Limc, and cncrgy, in all Lhcir
possiblc conguraLions. Whilc Lhcsc possibiliLics arc primarily manicsLcd
as arL objccLs, Lhcy arc also maLcrializcd in Lhc condiLions o Lhc sLudio and
how iL is uscd. In gcncral, Lhc sLudio allows us Lo scc Lhc choiccs an individual
makcs (howcvcr socially condiLioncd) wiLh rcgards Lo how shc will spcnd hcr
313
Limc. In parLicular, Lhc livc/work spacc prcsumcs a dccp cngagcmcnL wiLh
oncs work, an idcnLiLy bcLwccn work and lic. Fvcn Donald 1udd, hailcd by
RobcrL SmiLhson as an carly cmigrcc rom Lhc sLudio or his cxcursions Lo
acLorics and plasLics manuacLurcrs, builL his idcal world in Mara bascd on
Lhc inLcgraLion o work and lic.
In daily lic, Lhis inLcgraLion mighL mcan working sporadically, or days aL
a Limc or in Lhc middlc o Lhc nighLLhc rccdom Lo ollow Lhc coursc o an
idca wiLh no consLrainLs buL Lhc arLisLs mcnLal and physical sLamina. Ovcr
Lhc coursc o ycars, iL mcanL, No vacaLions, rcal arLisLs donL Lakc vacaLions,
as painLcr Bill 1cnscn and so many oldcr arLisLs havc said. NoL bccausc Lhcy
couldnL aord iL, buL bccausc Lhcy did noL wanL a vacaLion rom Lhcir livcs,
did noL scck rclic rom work, or Lhcm, vacaLioning, noL working, was Limc
spcnL doing Lhings Lhcy didnL wanL Lo do. For mosL pcoplc in Lhc UniLcd
SLaLcs, cvcn or Lhc midccnLury middlc class, lic mcanL Ly wccks a ycar
doing somcLhing you had Lo do, and Lwo wccks doing whaL you wanted Lo do.
Famously, lcisurc iLscl, cvcn Lhc rcc Limc spcnL on somcLhing a workcr
wanLcd Lo do, bccamc noL an cscapc rom buL a rcquircmcnL o capiLalism, as
dcLailcd by many social criLics. Tc arLisLs odd rclaLionship Lo work sLood in
opposiLion Lo Lhc sLandard social divisions o Limc and scl, Lo whaL Harold
Roscnbcrg callcd Lhc spliL man.`
Today Lhc naLurc o work, parLicularly procssional work, is changing,
and our livcs arc losing Lhis midccnLury spliL naLurc. Morc and morc pcoplc
arc LclccommuLing or working cx-Limc, or arc on urlough, in Lhc posiLivc
spin o Lhc day. Wc arc pcrpcLually rcclancing, working, noL ninc Lo vc, buL
whcncvcr wc can: on dcmand, aL nighL, on Lhc wcckcnds, in cocc shops,
aL homc. To succccd in a world o cxibiliLy and impcrmancncc, whcrc onc
musL consLanLly scll oncscl Lo Lhc ncxL cmploycr, appcar poiscd or Lhc ncxL
opporLuniLy, wc ccl compcllcd Lo usc our sparc momcnLs Lo Lhink o ncw
sLraLcgics and ways Lo shinc. Tis mcans crasing Lhc linc bcLwccn work and
lic, noL jusL Lcmporally and spaLially buL psychologically. In acL, boLh LaciLly
and ovcrLly, Lhc posiLivc spin on Lhis consLanL work is LhaL wc arc working
Lhc way arLisLs work. Wc arc urgcd Lo grccL cvcry Lask as i iL wcrc a chancc
noL jusL or scl-advanccmcnL buL or scl-rcalizaLionLo Lakc Lhc arLisLs
way. CurrcnL succcss manuals advisc us noL so much Lo do whaL wc lovc as
Lo lovc whaL wc do . . . which is quiLc a dicrcnL maLLcr.
Pcoplc who arc working likc arLisLs nccd Lo livc likc arLisLs. In Lhc carly
107us, living likc an arLisL mcanL having a loL aparLmcnL downLown insLcad
o a suburban ranch housc or a classic six dividcd inLo bcdroom, dining room,
living room, and so on, wiLh a sophisLicaLcd licsLylc Lo maLch oncs sophisLi-
caLcd rcal csLaLc.' TaL licsLylc did noL includc working aL homc. Today, liv-
ing likc an arLisL mcans somcLhing slighLly dicrcnL, somcLhing rclcvanL Lo
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Lhc middlc-class procssional as wcll as Lhc bohcmian wcalLhy, building on
Lhc lcgacy o loL gcnLricaLion:
WiLh morc and morc pcoplc working aL homc aL lcasL parL o Lhc wcck, iLs pcr-
haps noL surprising LhaL condo dcvclopcrs around Lhc counLry arc bcginning Lo
promoLc livc-work uniLs as parL o Lhcir mix o ocrings. Tough Lhc conccpL
harks back Lo days whcn Lhc corncr groccr livcd in rooms abovc Lhc sLorc, Lhc dc-
sign usually owcs morc Lo Lhc arLisLs loL LhaL has prolicraLcd ovcr Lhc pasL cw
dccadcs in rcnovaLcd commcrcial buildings ound in rcsurrccLcd downLowns. In
addiLion Lo sculpLors and painLcrs, Lhcsc modcrn, aL-homc workspaccs LargcL
procssionals and cnLrcprcncurs.'
An urban Lhink-Lank mcmbcr adds, In a way, iLs a biL o a hypc, bccausc a
loL o pcoplc work aL homc aL lcasL parL o Lhc Limc. So you could say mosL
Amcricans rcsidc in livc-work uniLs. DocsnL sound so grcaL whcn you puL
iL LhaL way.
ILs Lhc arLisLs who arcnL rcally livingor, Lhcrcorc, workinglikc
arLisLs Loday. Succcssul arLisLs incrcasingly havc sLudios scparaLc rom Lhcir
homcs, whcrc Lhcy kccp rcgular hours bcLwccn Lravcling and appoinLmcnLs,
and Lhcsc arc, o coursc, run by managcrs and an assorLmcnL o cmployccs.
BuL iLs noL likc Lhis or mosL arLisLs. A sLudio visiL wiLh a young arLisL or an
arLisL wiLh limiLcd or no commcrcial succcss in a major U.S. ciLy oLcn sLill
happcns in an indusLrial building, buL undcr vcry dicrcnL condiLions rom
Lhosc o Lhc 107us. Tc cvcnL is usually sLagcd in a small room wiLh plywood
or shccLrock walls. Pan ouL Lo Lhc hallway: a row o doors, onc aLcr anoLhcr,
wiLh namcs on cach onc, along a wall o un-shccLrockcd sLuds. Pan ouL again
Lo scc oor aLcr oor jusL Lhc samc, a wholc building o sLackcd sLudios.
And again: an cnLirc ncighborhood wiLh somc rcsidcnLial spacc and Lhc oc-
casional bodcga puncLuaLing run-down lighL-manuacLuring buildings, cach
wiLh six, scvcn, cighL oors o Lcn or Lwclvc or LwcnLy small sLudios. Tis
cnvironmcnL crosscs Lwo unplcasanL labor orms o Lhc carly and laLc Lwcn-
LicLh ccnLury: Lhc swcaLshop and Lhc occ cubiclc. 1usL as Lhc loL sLudio
o Lhc 106us Look on Lhc condiLions o onc disappcaring orm o work (lighL
manuacLuring), Lhis sLudio Lakcs on somcLhing o (now) oldcr orms, cvcn
as Lhcy Loo morph and adc.
A young arLisL I know rcccnLly Look a sLudio in onc o Lhcsc crowdcd build-
ings in SunscL Park, Brooklyn, a ncwish locaLion or arLisLs, ar rom Lhc
oldcr arL ccnLcrs in ManhaLLan or cvcn in Brooklyn. Hc complains LhaL Lhc
building managcr sold him on Lhc idca LhaL hc was joining a communiLy,
buL in acL cvcryonc spcnds so much Limc working Lo makc a living and Lhcn
Lravcling Lo Lhcir sLudios, LhaL whcn Lhcy nd Limc Lo gcL Lhcrc, Lhcy jusL
go in and shuL Lhc door. Is shuLLing Lhc door a rclic` Tc chancc Lo bricy
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rcclaim oncs producLion and auLonomy` TaL closcd door looks morc likc
isolaLion Lhan auLonomy. Iong aLcr Nicolas Bourriaud has movcd on Lo
grccncr pasLurcs and ncwcr ncologisms, rclaLional acsLhcLics has ound
iLs grcaLcsL populariLy and mcaning wiLh Lhcsc young arLisLs, and noL young
buL also noL succcssul arLisLs (sLruggling, pcrhapsor pcrhaps noLLo
cmcrgc). Tc parLy, Lhc aparLmcnL living pcrormancc, Lhc sporLs acLiviLy
wiLh anciul rulcs, Lhc orL-building projccL LhaL is acLually an arL insLalla-
Lion conLinuc Lo Lhrivc, as do collccLivism and arLworks LhaL rccrcncc oncs
social connccLions Lo oLhcr arLisLs. Whilc iLs casy Lo rclaLc Lhcsc phcnomcna
Lo ncw habiLs o connccLiviLy, social ncLworking, and Lhc InLcrncL, I bclicvc
Lhis morc social arL also cxprcsscs a survival insLincL amid work condiLions
LhaL osLcr isolaLion.
Tcsc arLisLs cannoL aord Lo livc and work in Lhc samc placcquiLc a
dicrcnL condiLion rom posL-sLudio arLisLs who chosc noL Lo havc a sLudio
on principlc, likc Fclix Conzalcz-Torrcs (whosc conccpLual pracLicc allowcd
him noncLhclcss Lo bring his lic and work LogcLhcr, kccping a sLudio undcr
his bcd, as hc puL iL). For Lhc avcragc arLisL Loday, working in whaLcvcr mc-
dium, work is spliL rom livingno waking up in Lhc middlc o Lhc nighL Lo
changc or add Lo or dcsLroy somcLhing, no working Limc mcLcrcd only by Lhc
duraLion o cncrgy or idcas. Undcr nancial and Lcmporal consLrainLs, Lhc
idcal work o making arL Lakcs on many o Lhc aLLcndanL prcssurcs o rcal,
procssional or wagc labor work (alLhough oLcn wiLhouL moncLary com-
pcnsaLion), as wcll as iLs Lcmporal orm: Lhc ncccssiLy o working in rcgular,
limiLcd blocks o Limc. IL is onc Lhing or an arLisL Lo mimic Lhc acsLhcLics o
adminisLraLion or Lo usc occ Lcchnology likc PhoLoshop or lascrjcL prinL-
crs, iL is quiLc anoLhcr or him Lo live likc an occ workcrLhc old kind
o occ workcr. Iikc Lhc oLhcr dominanL sLraLcgics in arLisLic producLion
Lodayrcusal and ovcrproducLionLhc inLcrcsL in collccLiviLy is a symp-
Lom o Lhc sLraiLs arLisLs nd Lhcmsclvcs in.
Tc rcccnL ubiquiLy o posL-sLudio arL and Lhc cyclical scarch or rclic
rom Lhc sLaLus quo may havc inspircd curaLors and criLics Lo rcLurn Lo Lhc
subjccL o Lhc sLudio. BuL LhaL sLudio barcly cxisLs any morc, and in any
casc, Lhc niLc, pcrmancnL ninc-Lo-vc job, which iL cxpliciLly rcsisLcd, has
ncwound appcal amid currcnL social and cconomic condiLions. In acL, boLh
insLiLuLions arc ading. IL mighL bc Limc insLcad Lo look ahcad.
1 Ross Blcckncr, Fclix Conzalcz-Torrcs, Bomb 51 (Spring 1005).
2 Tc mosL amous, and pcrhaps Lhc rsL, o Lhcsc buildings in Ncw York was 33 W. SixLy-
scvcnLh SLrccL, whcrc Duchamp livcd and workcd in a singlc room wiLh a baLh. (IL was also
Lhc addrcss o Lhc luxurious aparLmcnL o his paLrons, Lhc Arcnsbcrgs.)
316
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3 AlLhough arLisLs sincc Lhc nincLccnLh ccnLury havc romanLicizcd Lhc ordinary workcr,
in posLwar Amcrica Lhc conccpL o arL as work has bccn parLicularly sLrong. Tc mosL obvi-
ous sympLom is Lhc way arLisLs, parLicularly Lhosc born jusL bcorc World War II, Lalk abouL
Lhcir work. Hows your work going` onc will commonly ask anoLhcr. Tc morc conLcm-
porary cquivalcnL would bc pracLicc. For an inLcrcsLing discussion o work in rclaLion Lo
Soho, scc SLcphcn Koch, RcccLions on Soho, in Soho: Downtown Manhattan, cd. Rcnc
Block (Bcrlin: Akadcmic dcr KunsLc/Bcrlincr FcsLwochcn, 1076), 1u5141.
4 ArLisLs who boasL o having a ninc Lo vc rouLinc, rom SLclla Lo 1ohn Baldcssari Lo
Chuck Closc, do so Lo signiy a rangc o aLLiLudcs, rom dcLachmcnL Lo work cLhic. DcspiLc
Lhcir sinccriLy in idcnLiying wiLh rcgular workcrs, Lhis is a somcwhaL ironic sLanccLhcy
arc much morc cnmcshcd wiLh Lhcir work Lhan Lhc avcragc shiL workcr (Baldcssari, or cx-
amplc, docs noL Lakc wcckcnds)i anyLhing, Lhcy arc morc likc docLors and oLhcr procs-
sionals in inLcllccLually cngaging and socially rcwarding work. O coursc, iL musL bc addcd,
an arLisL cannoL kccp ninc-Lo-vc hours unlcss his arL producLion gcncraLcs a living or hc
is indcpcndcnLly wcalLhy.
5 Roscnbcrg discusscd Lhc condiLions o lic in a socicLy LhaL dcmands boLh long hours
dcvoLcd Lo a hccLic, rcgimcnLcd work schcdulc and slowcr, morc looscly paccd lcisurc Limc,
Lo bc spcnL pursuing pcrsonal saLisacLion. Tcsc Lwo modcs o aLLcnLion havc Lcndcd Lo
producc a spliL wiLhin Lhc livcs o ordinary Amcrican workcrs as wcll as arLisLs prcssurcd
noL only Lo crcaLc buL Lo succeed. Roscnbcrg, likc many in Lhc aucnL 105us and 106us,
orcsaw Lhc cnd o work, courLcsy o auLomaLion, and wondcrcd whaL iLs cccL on orms
o crcaLiviLy and aLLcnLion would bc. Harold Roscnbcrg, Icisurc and Lhc SpliL Man, Vogue,
Fcbruary 1066.
6 Morc Lhan onc pcrson bcgan Lo noLc Lhc advanLagcsor cmploycrso Lhc modcl o
Lhc arLisL as workcr, which sccms Lo havc bcgun appcaring in busincss arLiclcs and books
in Lhc mid-100us. For an inLcrcsLing i bric analysis o Lhis phcnomcnon, scc Micki McCcc,
Self-Help, Inc.: Makeover Culture in American Life (Oxord: Oxord UnivcrsiLy Prcss, 2uu5),
1263u.
7 Sharon Zukin, Loft Living: Culture and Capital in Urban Change (RuLgcrs, N1: RuLgcrs Uni-
vcrsiLy Prcss, 10S0), S2.
8 Iivc-work condos ocr dual-purposc spacc, hLLp://rcalcsLaLc.msn.com/arLiclc.aspx
`cp-documcnLid=131uS477.
9 Ibid.
10 In addiLion Lo Lhc posL-sLudio arLisL ocuscd on producing or spccic cxhibiLion siL-
uaLions, arLisLs wiLhouL sLudios havc oLcn bccn womcn Licd Lo domcsLic rolcs, likc Rcc
MorLon, who madc arL bchind Lhc washcr/drycr, or gesamtkunstwerk ccccnLrics likc Iucas
Samaras, whosc arL-llcd homc rcprcscnLs Lhc usion o his arL and lic.
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Suzanne Lacy
Bcyond Ncccssity:
Tc Strcct as Studio
The studio as metaphor for a space of contemplation, reection, and invention
epitomizes a human desire that goes beyond artistsa desire that is far less
attainable for the poor and working classes of the world. In Full Circle, a work
I created for Chicagos Jane Addams Hull House Museum, economist Devaki
Jain said that when poor women in India were asked what they wanted, they
replied, We want to think. We want to dream.
1
Within the studio there is silence, waiting. There we attempt to be present,
in a specic place and at a particular moment, by paying attention: suspend-
ing perceptual closure and judgment, resisting conventional ways of knowing,
being deeply curious about and open to what arises. Free, if only for seconds,
from external disruption, many thoughts or sensations are possible: staring
pleasurably, meditating, daydreaming, inventing, imagining nonsense, creating
images, focusing intently, or unexpectedly resolving a problem.
The despair of artists everywhere is the absence of time in this place. Dis-
traught after working by day as a bureaucrat, Franz Kafka wrote in his diary, I
nish nothing, because I have no time, and it presses so within me.
2
American
writer Tillie Olsen used blank white spaces on her pages to remind us of the
silencing of those consumed in the hard, everyday essential work of main-
taining human life.
3
The poverty of poverty is not only lack of food. It is the loss of the possibil-
ity of ever entering, even imagining, the studio.
As a working-class woman from what I suspect is a long line of thwarted
creativity, I have made uneasy peace with the desire for a removed and isolated
studio in which to think and dream, and the necessitybecause of personal
economics and valuesto nd a studio in the streets.
In this studio, a space where reection and production are sometimes in-
distinguishable, negotiation is an important method of making. Besides ne-
gotiating between various perceptions, factions, and political realities, there
is also a personal negotiation that takes place internally as I listen deeply to
what is presented by others, all the while protecting some essential aspect of
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my own pleasure. Perhaps others manage this balancing act more graciously;
I need a place of retreat, whether a small loaned room in the middle of a dev-
astated main street or a place in my imagination where an image can gather
urgency and meaning.
Artists committed to a social practice encounter the street with openness,
pay attention to the details and images and bits of information, and seek con-
nections according to our personal histories and political perspectives. Like
lifting a bucket from a well, hand over hand, we pull out meaning from many
conversations and shape individual narratives into a whole one. This process
of making privileges time and relationships, giving us a way to shape the
nontraditional aspects of our work into a metaphor that reveals the relational,
social, and/or political forces at work in the street.
This studio has its pleasures too: the pleasure of relationship and, if one is
lucky, of a precise, inspiring, and visually exciting image executed under dif-
cult and unpredictable circumstancesjust the kind of circumstances under
which the majority of the worlds people spend their entire lives.
1 Suzannc Iacy and CoaliLion o Chicago Womcn, Full Circlc, in Culture in Action, cd. Mary
1anc 1acob, Michacl Brcnson, and Fva M. Olson (ScaLLlc: Bay Prcss, 1005), 64.
2 Tillic Olscn, Silences, 25Lh annivcrsary cd. (Ncw York: FcminisL Prcss aL CUNY, 2uu3), 15.
3 Shcllcy Fishcr Fishkin, Tc Icssons Silences Has TaughL Us, in Olscn, Silences, xv.
P R E V I OU S PAGE S
Suzanne Lacy, Reunin/
Reunion, 20082009.
A project of Otis MFA
Public Practice students
and faculty led by Su-
zanne Lacy, which drew
attention to the main
street of Laton, a rural
farming community in
California.
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Walead Beshty
Studio Narrativcs
It is clear that the world is purely parodic, in other words, that each thing seen is the
parody of another, or is the same thing in a deceptive form.
cc orcc s t1t i i i c , Te Solar Anus
June 16, 2007
After being in Europe for a month and a half, I return to the U.S. on Lufthansa,
which is in an ominous-sounding Star Alliance with my national carrier. I
think of the star and Batailles rectal inverse. Air travel is one of the few places
where class structure is rendered so vulgarly apparent; it is a mix of contra-
dictions, a unity of base physicality and total detachment. Passing through
business class on the way to coach, I feel lumpen, heaving bags, sweating,
and looking at the passengers who are reclining, sipping orange juice, already
settled in and prepared for the seven-hour connement. Its hard not to envy
them. They meet your gaze, but quickly avert their eyes. First class, on the other
hand, is sheer phantasmagoria, virtually invisible to those seated in coach, their
comforts left to be speculated upon, fantasized about, evidenced only in the
pages of the in-ight magazine and the shadows momentarily revealed when
a ight attendant passes through the dividing curtain. Business class is there
for us to ogle; visibility is the clearest separation between business and rst.
Business-class passengers are made comfortable but at the cost of being on
display; showiness is their concession. I imagine the march of the coach pas-
sengers serves as a telling reminder to those who had barely made it into the
business cabin, the ones who slid in with miles or complementary upgrades;
without the benevolent rewards for their brand loyalty, they could nd them-
selves back with the masses.
2
In coach everything is a monetary exchange; we
are internally divided. There is no brotherhood in our collective abjection; the
airline makes sure we are turned against one another, share a common loath-
ing, struggling for storage space, jostling for armrests, resenting each others
bodies. I nd myself noting the inrm in my head, the tall, the sweaty, the fat,
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the old. Boarding is broken down by numbers printed boldly on our tickets, I
cant resist glancing at other passengers boarding passes to make sure no
one usurps the benets bestowed by the 1 printed on my stub. I am proud
of my numeral and push past the 2s and 3s. Brave New World comes to mind,
and when I nally make it to my seat with my fellow Omegas, I take two Ativan
and consume a few Bloody Marys before descending into blackout. I wake up
as the plane is landing at JFK.
June 17, 2007
I head upstate to a small liberal arts college (the same one that gave me a BA),
where Ill be housed in a dorm, carless, just as it was when I was there as a
student. One of the current students picks me up from the train station and I
convince her to take me to Walmart to pick up essentials, as I know the oppor-
tunity to get a ride will be eeting. She is from Texas. I purchase three pounds
of Caf Bustello, a Braun coffee maker, Poland Spring bottled water, Ortega
beef jerky, Blue Valley blueberries, hangers, a 3M iron, a Norelco beard trim-
mer, Sudafed, and Walmart brand scissors, denim patches, and sewing kit. I
feel like Im camping. My companion tells me that it is in vogue in the business
world to refer to the arrangements of products in commercial environments
as exhibitions.
3
Walmart is ideal because their return policy is lenient, and their
employees are not invested in checking everything that comes in for return. It
feels as if there is a tacit agreement, shared by customers and employees, that
one can exploit any lapse in the stores workings without moral hesitation. Do-
ing so feels like stealing back a little of the autonomy that is stolen from you in
such places; it keeps me coming back.
While it was always rather clunky, the campus is now an even more extreme
pastiche of building types, from mid-nineteenth-century neoclassical to con-
temporary prefab (with some high architecture sprinkled about): it feels like
a full-scale miniature golf course, complete with manicured ora and paved
pathways. I am staying in a dorm complex called The Village. My dorm, num-
ber 3, has the look of a suburban tract home stretched to the scale of a man-
sion, and the surrounding complex feels like one of those outlet malls that is
forced to try to blend in because its in a residential area. The Village was
also the name of the island prison on the BBC serial The Prisoner, a quintes-
sentially 1970s paranoiac fantasy in which the main character, played by Pat-
rick McGoohan, is abducted by a faceless international conspiracy after he
quits the secret service. At The Villagewhich is disguised as a holiday re-
sort (it was shot in a real resort: Hotel Portmeirion, Penrhyndeudraeth, North
Wales)his name is replaced by a number, and he is subjected to psychologi-
cal manipulations of an imaginative yet harmless variety; a recurring scene has
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him being chased by a gurgling balloon when each episodes escape plan in-
evitably fails. Each episode begins with the following exchange, as McGoohan
(Number Six) confronts his new warden (the revolving role of Number Two):
Prisoner Where am I?
Number Two In The Village.
Prisoner What do you want?
Number Two Information.
Prisoner Which side are you on?
Number Two That would be telling. We want information, information,
information . . .
Prisoner You wont get it.
Number Two By hook or by crook we will.
Prisoner Who are you?
Number Two The new Number Two.
Prisoner Who is Number One?
Number Two You are Number Six.
Walead Beshty, The Village, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.
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Prisoner I am not a number. I am a free man.
Number Two Ha, ha, ha, ha . . .
The show is a rather obvious allegory for a certain type of postmodern alien-
ation: even though the conditions are comfortable, Number Six is under con-
stant surveillance and control. Evil plots lie beneath user-friendly architectural
regionalism. It makes going to Walmart feel like a heroic confrontation. I hope
I can get a ride back to return all this stuff. I couldnt help but reect on this
nightly, falling asleep to the hum of air conditioning and the residual stink of the
cigarettes I was feebly trying to conceal having smoked in the room.
July 7, 2007
Since I am stuck on campus all the time, I decide to try to make some work. I
want to develop the color lm I shot while traveling, but the nearest color lab
is forty-ve minutes away by car and takes three days to process lm. The lab
tech at the college allows me to experiment with their color processor, since
no one in the program is using it regularly. I process all the lm from Europe,
plus photographs of the machine itself and of the technician. The lm turns
odd colors in the processor, which wasnt designed for lm. My rough handling
causes a multitude of scars from uneven development. I am pleased with the
results. It is my rst time hand-processing color lm.
July 16, 2007
After a month of this, I manage to get another ride to Walmart, where I re-
turn all the goods I purchased except for the perishables (to my surprise they
take back even the used sewing kit and the half-used denim patches). I never
touched the jerky, and they accept that too.
July 17, 2008
I decide to check into the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, be-
cause the heat and disarray of my apartment became too distracting for me
to complete the two overdue essays I am working on. The three nights are a
birthday gift, accepted out of desperation and justied by the cheapness of the
reservations (a bargain procured via Priceline at $75 a night). It seems the Bo-
naventure has some difculty lling its enormous structure. The hotel is a thirty-
ve-story, glass-enclosed cylinder with four smaller cylindrical towers around
its periphery. The complex comprises 1,354 guest rooms, 94 suites, and 41
hospitality suites. Its entrances are scattered at several levels, and once one
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is inside, its unclear which is ground level. I keep confusing the name of the
Bonaventures mastermind, John Portman, with that of Joseph Paxton, who de-
livered an equally phantasmagorical piece of architecture to the inhabitants of
London in 1851, which itself spurred a global franchise that reached as far as
Portmans.
4
A mug in the shape of the hotel can be obtained from the rotating
bar on the top oor. While I imagine spending a couple evenings up there con-
suming drinks from the commemorative mug, I never make it. The whole place
feels like a 1980s furniture store: black and purple carpeting is accented by
gold-chromed ttings.
5
Events on this particular weekend include the Interna-
tional Youth Competition, and middle-aged parents can be seen shepherding
groups of children around the building with small national ags clipped to their
backpacks. When I check in, preteens are wandering around the lobby, wear-
ing ballerina outts, marching band uniforms, sequined tuxedos, and the like.
One child is dressed as a puffy metallic dinosaur; I try to imagine what com-
petition he might be a part of and what his chances are of winning.
Frederic Jameson famously used the Bonaventure as an example of the
cultural logic of late capitalism. I had read that Jameson essay while an under-
graduate at the aforementioned small liberal arts college. His descriptions of-
fered a mental respite from the humid, mosquito-infested, not air-conditioned,
gothic melancholia of upstate New York in the summertime. They made me
salivate. I dug up the book in preparation for my trip and found a passage un-
derlined in ballpoint pen:
The Bonaventure aspires to being a total space, a complete world, a kind of min-
iature city (and I would want to add that to this new total space corresponds a
new collective practice, a new mode in which individuals move and congregate,
something like the practice of a new and historically original kind of hyper-crowd).
In this sense, then, the mini-city of Portmans Bonaventure ideally ought not to
have entrances at all (since the entryway is always the seam that links the build-
ing to the rest of the city that surrounds it), for it does not wish to be part of the
city, but rather its equivalent and its replacement or substitute. . . . The Bonaven-
ture . . . is content to let the fallen city fabric continue to be in its being (to parody
Heidegger); no further effectsno larger protopolitical utopian transformation
are either expected or desired.
Rereading this passage prompted me to extend my stay. Moreover, I decided
to forego bringing any provisions and to avoid setting foot outside of the hotel.
6
July 18, 2008
The hotel towers are coded red, yellow, green, and blue, which makes me think
of Rodchenkos monochrome paintings, Pure Red Color, Pure Yellow Color,
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and Pure Blue Color of 1921. These were Rodchenkos last paintings, and
the building itself feels like the last of something.
7
There is a plaque in front of
the red elevator that informs the visitor that True Lies was lmed here, but it is
unclear whether or not it is referring to the lobby, the hotel, or this particular
elevator. True Lies was shot when Schwarzeneggers career had hit its pla-
teau; failures like Eraser and his transformation into a socially liberal Republi-
can governor were still years off. The hotel itself feels like this late version of
Schwarzenegger: overtanned, with overly taut skin whose plasticine quality
speaks to its age and a physique inappropriate for a sixty-year old.
I decide to try the tness track, which circles the main column of the hotel
and is fully visible (yet unreachable) from the decrepit lunch counters that in
turn surround it, at a distance of about fty feet. I didnt count on how alienat-
ing it would be to jog while ofce workers, eating their egg-and-cheese break-
fasts and deprived of anything else to look at, stared. On the way back to my
room, I take the wrong elevator and end up in the Blue Tower, in the midst of
a hospitality suite where gaggles of little girls in variously colored costumes
are waiting in line for something.
Later, I decide to go back downstairs to avoid the cost of room service. I get
off on a fourth-oor landing where I remember seeing a coffee shop. It looked
as though the shop was on this oor, but it turns out that it isnt. The elevators
stop only on odd-numbered oors below six. From my vantage point, the cof-
fee shop is only a short distance away, but getting there requires a counter-
intuitive walk through several zigzagging stairways. From one of the third-oor
landings, the coffee shop is again visible, and after some time I nd my way to
it. Again, I think of Jameson:
Here the narrative stroll has been underscored, symbolized, reied and replaced
by a transportation machine which becomes the allegorical signier of that older
promenade we are no longer allowed to conduct on our own.
Thinking of the building as a massive onanistic machine gives me some com-
fort. He goes on:
I am more at a loss when it comes to conveying the thing itself, the experience of
space you undergo when you step off such allegorical devices into the lobby or
atrium, with its great central column, surrounded by a miniature lake, the whole po-
sitioned between the four symmetrical residential towers with their elevators, and
surrounded by rising balconies capped by a kind of greenhouse roof at the sixth
level. I am tempted to say that such space makes it impossible for us to use the
language of volume or volumes any longer, since these last are impossible to seize.
I had thought I might write about the hotel, but I nd that Jameson was right
about its being indescribable. The building itself feels like watching an old
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movie about a future time that happens to be the time, or before the time,
youre watching it in. Feeling exhausted by the book, I leave it at the Italian Cof-
fee Express. The coffee is awful. When I return the next day, the book is still
on the table where I was sitting, as is my cup. The shops located on the third
and fourth oors feel half abandoned; the fourth is in better shape in part, I be-
lieve, because it has the only recognizable chain restaurant, a Subway sand-
wich shop. The majority of the other lunch places serve an odd mishmash of
foodfalafel, Chinese, pizzaand all have these strange cheese sandwiches
wrapped in cellophane. There is one lunch counter with a sign that says it of-
fers smoothies, but it never seems to be open.
July 19, 2008
Im glad my copy of the Jameson was still at the table. He writes:
This diagnosis is, to my mind, conrmed by the great reective glass skin of the
Bonaventure, whose function might rst be interpreted as developing a thematics
of reproductive technology. . . . The glass skin achieves a peculiar and placeless
dissociation of the Bonaventure from its neighbourhood: it is not even an exterior
inasmuch as when you seek to look at the hotels outer walls you cannot see the
hotel itself, but only the distorted images of everything that surrounds it.
I wonder if Jameson has seen the Gehrys Disney Music Hall, located just a
few blocks away. Instead of reecting its surroundings, Gehrys brushed-metal
surface reects only blinding light. This is why it has become so popular for
photo shoots; the building acts as an enormous reector, guaranteeing even
lighting to the models and cars positioned in front of it. It makes me think of
Batailles The Solar Anus, a blinding vortex, a massive pucker. Gehrys building
sits at the intersection of First and Grand, and people have complained that
it blinds drivers moving through the busy intersection and that cooling costs
have gone up in the adjacent ofce buildings. I return to the room and consider
one of the other books I brought: Patrick Beavers The Crystal Palace from
1973. There is a print of a Rothko painting on the wall of my room. I try to revise
a section of text that Ive repurposed several times, to start things going on my
overdue essay. I wonder if this is cheating. Its my third time rewriting it.
July 20, 2008
At about four in the morning, I wake up, startled by the noise of the televised
gunre in an episode of Star Trek, part of a twenty-four-hour marathon on TBS.
After checking imdb.com, I nd it aired just a year after Portmans rst space-
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ship-cum-hotel, the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, a sister structure to the 1976
Bonaventure.
8
Back to Jameson:
Towards the end of art, of course, and the abolition of the aesthetic by itself and
under its own internal momentum, the self-transcendence of the aesthetic to-
wards something else, something supposedly better than its own darkened and
gural mirrorthe splendour and transparency of Hegels utopian notion of phi-
losophy itself, the historical self-consciousness of an absolute present (which will
also turn out to be that selfsame allegedly prophetic notion of the so-called end
of history)in short, the shaping power of the human collectivity over its own
destiny, at which point it founders (for us here and now ) into an incomprehensible,
unimaginable, utopian temporality beyond what thought can reach.
. . . marching as they do from the only obscurely and unconsciously gural,
through the assumption of the sheer autopoeisis of the play of guration as such,
towards the sheer transparency of an end of guration in the philosophical and
the historically self-conscious, in a situation in which thought has expunged the
last remnants of gures and tropes from the fading and luminous categories of
abstraction itself.
My zero point would come at L.A. Prime, the steakhouse on the top oor of
the hotel. There a surprise party awaited me, a crown on the birthday excur-
sion.
9
I realize Ive gone days without having a face-to-face conversation last-
ing more than a minute.
1 SubjccLcd Lo a gcnLlc orm o posscssion, Lo which hc surrcndcrs himscl wiLh morc or
lcss LalcnL or convicLion, hc LasLcs or a whilclikc anyonc who is posscsscdLhc passivc
joys o idcnLiLy-loss, and Lhc morc acLivc plcasurc o rolc-playing. WhaL hc is conronLcd
wiLh, nally, is an imagc o himscl, buL in LruLh iL is a prcLLy sLrangc imagc. Tc only acc
Lo bc sccn, Lhc only voicc Lo bc hcard, in Lhc silcnL dialoguc hc holds wiLh Lhc lanscapc-LcxL
addrcsscd Lo him along wiLh oLhcrs, arc his own: Lhc acc and voicc o a soliLudc madc all Lhc
morc baing by Lhc acL LhaL iL cchocs millions o oLhcrs. Marc Augc, Non Places.
2 In Lhc airporL, Lhc airplanc, in cusLoms and sccuriLy qucucs, Lhc rclaLion bcLwccn Lhc
absLracL rulc o law and Lhc movcmcnL o bodics is rcalizcd wiLh vulgar immcdiacy. I am
noL spcaking in Lhc classic scnsc o absLracLion or maLcrialism wiLhin arL (cspccially noL
in Lhc scnsc LhaL Lhc Lcrm absLracL is misuscd Lo mcan nonguraLivc, or LhaL maLcri-
alism has comc Lo bc synonymous wiLh a claim or onLological puriLy) buL o how absLrac-
Lions arc manicsL in Lhc quoLidian, how Lhcy govcrn our cxpcricncc o Lhc rcal, or morc
cxacLly, how Lhcy bccomc concrcLc, and how Lhis bccoming produccs momcnLs o ricLion
and crror. ConccpLs as amorphous as subjccLhood (as consLiLuLcd in Lhc righL Lo privacy, o
pcrsonal propcrLy, rcc spccch, cLc.) arc rcndcrcd spccic and givcn cdgcs simply by Lhcir
bcing momcnLarily suspcndcd or amcndcd. In Lhcsc marginal connccLivc Lissucs, LaciL hi-
crarchics bccomc spaLial, physical: oncs bclongings arc inspccLcd, oncs body rclcgaLcd Lo
qucucs, numbcrs, comparLmcnLs, class. Normally, Lhc ragiliLy o Lhc sLaLcs guaranLccs
manicsL Lhcmsclvcs only in momcnLs o dirccL conicL and massivc collapsc (such as Lhc
329
rcccnL crcdiL crisis, or Lhc rcvclaLions rcgarding condiLions in Lhc Amcrican miliLary pris-
ons aL CuanLanamo Bay or Abu Chraib), buL in Lhc casc o air Lravcl, Lhc ragilc mallcabiliLy
o social ordcr is always closc aL hand, dclincaLcd by posL-and-ropc sLanchions, brackcLcd
by pavilions and kiosks in linolcum-Loppcd chipboard, by color-codcd wall-Lo-wall carpcL-
ing, by Lhc cyc o Lhc X-ray machinc. IL is common knowlcdgc LhaL onc is morc likcly Lo cry
whilc waLching a movic on an airplanc duc Lo Lhc impliciL Lrauma o air LravclLhc car o
dcaLh, o crashing, which lcavcs us cmoLionally vulncrablc. BuL Lhc Lrauma o air Lravcl is
quiLc liLcrally oncs conronLaLion wiLh oncs Lcnuous grasp on auLonomy, iLs liLLlc humili-
aLions cmphasizing Lhc condiLional naLurc o individual auLonomy: an alchcmical Lransor-
maLion LhaL allows inalicnablc righLs Lo bccomc suddcnly alicnablc, subjccL Lo rcvocaLion.
Tis suspcnsion is puL on display, and lisLlcssncss bccomcs cxhibiLablc.
3 From Lhc carly 15uus on, Lhc Lcrm cxhibiLion had only a spccializcd lcgal mcaning, rc-
crring Lo a giving o cvidcncc: iL mcanL liLcrally Lo hold ouL. WiLh Lhc CrcaL FxhibiLion o
1S51 and Lhc worlds airs LhaL ollowcd, Lhc anLiquarian mcaning and implicaLions o Lhc
Lcrm blossomcd. Born o Lhc nasccnL consumcr culLurc o VicLorian Fngland, worlds airs
wcrc a kcy disLillaLion o modcrniLy, uniLing Lcchnological innovaLion, immcrsivc spccLaclc,
naLionalisL idcology, and a orcwarning o Lhc bordcrlcss world o global capiLal. In shorL,
Lhcy wcrc an insLrumcnLal cxprcssion o modcrn lic by symbolic mcLonymy, a saari o
capiLalism sLagcd in an inLcrior.
4 Tc CrysLal Palacc was Lhc proLoLypc o modcrn sLccl and glass opcn-ramc, curLain-
wall archiLccLurc, providing Lhc LcmplaLc or whaL would bccomc Lhc modcrn muscum, Lhc
corporaLc complcx, and Lhc dcparLmcnL sLorc. Tc sLrucLurc Look Lhc indusLrial drcam o
cndlcss producLion and limiLlcss cxpansion as iLs dcning principlcs, cschcwing Lhc mono-
liLhic sLonc consLrucLion and rcvivalisL pasLichc LhaL was Lhcn popular, iL opLcd or a modu-
lar sLrucLurc o our-ooL-squarc wroughL-iron cclls. DcspiLc iLs immcnsc scalc (iL was ovcr
cighLccn hundrcd ccL in lcngLh and covcrcd nincLccn acrcs) and indusLrial consLrucLion, iL
had an ovcrall ccling o lighLncss, Lhc rcccLions in Lhc glass pancs alLcrnaLing bcLwccn
bluc sky and surrounding grccncry. As onc criLic obscrvcd, IL is, in my opinion, cxLraor-
dinarily diculL Lo arrivc aL a clcar pcrccpLion o Lhc cccL o orm and scalc in Lhis incor-
porcal spacc. AnoLhcr visiLor wroLc, Tcrc is no longcr any Lruc inLcrior or cxLcrior, Lhc
barricr crccLcd bcLwccn us and Lhc landscapc is almosL cLhcrcal. Hc conLinucd, I wc can
imaginc LhaL air can bc pourcd likc a liquid, Lhcn iL has, hcrc, achicvcd solid orm. Insidc and
ouLsidc, Lhc rcal and Lhc likcncss, Lhoroughly conaLcd, cmcrgcd as a shimmcring chimcra.
5 I 1oscph PaxLons CrysLal Palacc, which houscd Lhc CrcaL FxhibiLion o 1S51, was Lhc
rsL building Lo ully capiLalizc on Lhc LhcaLrical spccLaclc o cxhibiLion, Lurning archiLcc-
Lurc inLo purc display (a glass box) and Lhc objccLs iL conLaincd inLo imagcs, Lhc rcadymadc
was Lhc rsL arL objccL Lo bc consLiLuLcd solcly by LhcaLrical disLancc. WiLh Lhc rcadymadc
Lhc riLual acL o vicwing bccamc Lhc arLworks maLcrial, Lhc objccL iLscl a hollow shcll, a dc-
coy, an cgy o Lhc quoLidian. Ticrry dc Duvc puL iL succincLly whcn hc wroLc LhaL, in Lhc
wakc o Lhc rcadymadc, Lhc only LruLh Lo which Lhc arL objccL could aLLcsL was Lhc powcr
o iLs own namc, rcndcring palpablc Lhc pacL LhaL would uniLc Lhc spccLaLors o Lhc uLurc
around somc objccL . . . LhaL addcd noLhing Lo Lhc consLrucLcd cnvironmcnL and did noL
improvc on iL buL, quiLc Lhc conLrary, pullcd away rom iL, bcaring no oLhcr uncLion Lhan
LhaL o purc signicr.
330
W
a
l
c
a
d

B
c
s
h
t
y
6 IL sccms no coincidcncc LhaL jusL as Duchamp broughL Lhc oundaLional LhcaLricaliLy o
arL objccLs Lo Lhc orc, Lhc zcro poinL o painLcrly maLcrialism would suracc Lhousands
o milcs away as a LhcaLrical backdrop. In 1013 Kazimir Malcvich was askcd Lo conLribuLc
cosLumcs and scL dcsigns or Lhc Cubo-FuLurisL play Victory over the Sun. Asidc rom Lhc
almosL unwcarablc cosLumcs, Malcvich produccd a scrics o conccpL drawings or Lhc scLs
which, in sLark black and whiLc, appcar likc prcparaLory skcLchcs or Lhc SuprcmaLisL can-
vascs hc would bcgin producing jusL a ycar laLcr. Whcn askcd abouL his LauLologically LiLlcd
Black Square (1014/15) and iLs placcmcnL aL 45 dcgrccs in Lhc Lop corncr o Lhc room o Lhc
1015 cxhibiLion u.1u, Malcvich rccrrcd back Lo Lhcsc scL dcsigns as iLs origin. Tc mono-
chromc was, Lhus, siLuaLcd as boLh Lhc maLcrial ncgaLion o Lhc painLcrly imagc (an objccL
LhaL opcraLcd by picLorial rcscmblancc) and Lhc symbolic ncgaLion o Lhc vcry Lhing LhaL
madc vision possiblc.
7 Whilc Black Square is oLcn crcdiLcd wiLh bcing Lhc rsL monochromc, LhaL is noL Lhc casc
(noL LhaL bcing rsL maLLcrs). Tis milcsLonc o LoLal maLcrialisL rcusal was rcalizcd by Lhc
pocL Paul Bilhaud, in an cxhibiLion sLagcd in Lhc aparLmcnL o wriLcr 1ulcs Icvy somc LhirLy
ycars carlicr, in OcLobcr 1SS2. Such modcrnisL noLablcs as Fdouard MancL, Picrrc AugusLc
Rcnoir, Camillc Pissarro, and Richard Wagncr wcrc givcn a pcck aL whaL would bc ramcd
as Lhcir lcgacy. Bilhaud conLribuLcd a small black painLing LiLlcd Combat de ngres dans une
cave pendant la nuit (Negroes Fighting in a Cellar at Night), a jokc LhaL was sLolcn noL oncc buL
Lwicc: rsL by Alphonsc Allais, who produccd a book LiLlcd Album Primo-Avrilesque (1S07)
LhaL cxpandcd Lhc scrics Lo a rangc o color swaLchcs (and madc no mcnLion o Bilhaud, dc-
spiLc Lhcir acquainLancc), and laLcr by Malcvich, who in Lhc samc ycar as Black Square pro-
duccd Lhc painLing Red Square, which includcd a Bilhaudian parcnLhcLical addcndum in iLs
LiLlc (Painterly Realism of a Peasant Woman in Two Dimensions). Tc invisibiliLy o Lhc siLc o
work was hcrc maLchcd by Lhc invisibiliLy o Lhc marginalizcd, boLh rclcgaLcd Lo inrasLruc-
Lural obscuriLy. Tc abiliLy Lo rcprcscnL daily lic was again scaLhingly parodicd, Lhc quoLid-
ian again displaycd in abscnLia. Such misLrusL o imagcs has bccomc a sLaplc o modcrn lic
(LhaL is noL Lo say LhaL imagcs arcnL an ancicnL bugbcar, wiLh goldcn calvcs and Lhc likc
opcraLing as Lhc cxcmplar o socicLics on Lhcir downward spiral), alLhough or Lhc pasL hal
ccnLury, phoLography, noL painLing, has bccn Lhc primary rccipicnL o Lhis riLual dcrision.
SLoic dcconsLrucLivc criLiquc and hcdonisLic cclcbraLions o nihilism oLcn rcsulL in idcn-
Lical ouLcomcs, only Lhc capLions changc. Onc is prompLcd Lo wondcr how many Limcs wc
can rcsLagc Lhis anxious war on imagcs Lo saLisacLory cccL.
8 In Lhc 106S Star Trek cpisodc SpccLrc o Lhc Cun, CapLain Kirk and crcw scL ouL undcr
sLricL ordcrs Lo conLacL an advanccd ycL unknown racc callcd Lhc MclkoLians. Warncd o
by an auLomaLcd buoy, Lhcy procccd Lo Lhc suracc o Lhc plancL, sincc Lhcir supcriors had
sLipulaLcd LhaL Lhis mission o pcacc musL bc accomplishcd aL any cosL (pcacc aL any cosL
bcing an Amcrican hallmark). On Lhc plancL Lhc crcw mcmbcrs nd Lhcmsclvcs in a schc-
maLic vcrsion o Lhc Amcrican Old WcsL, spccically Lhc momcnL o Lhc shooL-ouL aL Lhc
O.K. Corral, and rcalizc LhaL Lhcy havc bccn givcn Lhc rolc o Lhc loscrs. AlLhough Lhc sccnc
is noLably cLiLious (cvcn Lo Lhc crcw), dcaLh is noL. As Dr. McCoy obscrvcs: In Lhc midsL
o whaL sccms so unrcal, a harsh rcaliLy. Tis is noL a drcam. (DcorcsL Kclly, who playcd Dr.
McCoy, had prcviously acLcd in a lm abouL Lhc gunghL aL Lhc O.K. Corral or Lhc samc sLu-
dio, prcsumably on Lhc samc loL.) No maLLcr whaL cxplanaLions Lhcy ocr Lo Lhc in habiLanLs
331
o Lhis virLual world, no onc bclicvcs Lhcy arc who Lhcy say Lhcy arc, insLcad rccrring Lo
Lhcm by Lhc namcs o Lhc mcn LhaL Lhc Farp broLhcrs and Doc Holliday vanquishcd on LhaL
day. InsLcad o bcing sccn as purvcyors o pcacc, Lhcy arc sccn as amiliar cncmics who rc-
usc Lo lcavc dcspiLc Lhc Lownspcoplcs warnings (a nod, pcrhaps, Lo VicLnam, which now
makcs mc Lhink o Lhc war in AghanisLan). Tc world was wrcsLcd rom Kirks mind, rc-
lcascd whcn Lhc alicns scanncd his brain, and Kirk gocs on Lo cxplain LhaL Lhc hisLory inLo
which Lhcy had bccn LhrusL was a characLcr-dcning momcnL in his anccsLral linc. Tc Old
WcsL Lown is parLial (missing walls, acadcs, and oLhcr archiLccLonic ncccssiLics), and wiLhin
Lhc narraLivc Lhis is aLLribuLcd Lo gaps in Kirks knowlcdgc o Lhc siLc and his own hisLory,
ycL Lhc oLhcr, morc pragmaLic cxplanaLion is LhaL Lhc shows budgcLary rcsLricLions orccd
Lhc produccrs Lo rccyclc parLs o Old WcsL scLs on ParamounLs sLudio back loL, cobbling Lo-
gcLhcr hal-builL saloons, and rccsLanding aadcs. Tc sccnc o Lhc crcws conronLaLion
wiLh iLs own hisLorical myLhology (Lhcy wcrc aLcr all, spacc cowboys, colonizing Lhc nal
ronLicr) is cnacLcd in rcmnanLs o pasL Hollywood narraLivcs, a bricolagc o pasL anLasics,
pasL sccncs, pasL vicwpoinLs. As Lhc crcw waiLs or Lhc impcnding showdown, iL is rcasoncd
LhaL Lhc only way Lo Lransccnd Lhis prison is Lo rcjccL Lhc cLion all LogcLhcr, an insighL LhaL
comcs rom Lhcir condcsccnding supcrcgo in rcsidcncc, scicncc occr Spock. As Spock gocs
on Lo warn, Tc bullcLs arc unrcal, wiLhouL body, Lhcy arc illusions only, shadows wiLhouL
subsLancc. Tcy will noL pass Lhrough your body or Lhcy do noL cxisL. Unrcal, appcaranccs
only, Lhcy arc shadows, illusions, noLhing buL ghosLs o rcaliLy. Tcy arc lics, alschoods,
spccLrcs, wiLhouL body. Tcy arc Lo bc ignorcd. Tc slighLcsL doubL, and Lhc bullcLs will kill
you . . . BuL rcalizing Lhis is noL cnough, or Lhc crcw mcmbcrs cannoL climinaLc Lhc lasL kcr-
ncl o doubL abouL Lhc rcaliLy o whaL Lhcy scc, and Lhis doubL, or morc cxacLly, Lhis bclic in
Lhc acLiciLy o imagcs, is cxacLly whaL will kill Lhcm. Only aLcr a mind-mcld wiLh Spock
docs Lhc crcw bccomc immunc Lo Lhc wcapons uscd againsL Lhcm. Having Lransccndcd Lhc
alsc consciousncss o Lhc world o imagcs, Lhcy arc nally allowcd audicncc wiLh Lhc Limid
ycL advanccd alicns, an audicncc wc ncvcr scc on-scrccn, or wc arc sLill in Lhc world o scLs
and allcgorics, capablc pcrhaps o undcrsLanding cLions, buL noL ablc Lo ignorc Lhcm. An
alicn world LhaL is bcyond imagcs is also bcyond rcprcscnLaLion, a zcro poinL LhaL Lhc crcw
o Lhc Enterprise has provcd iLscl worLhy o, buL LhaL wc, as vicwcrs, havc ycL Lo aLLain. Pcr-
haps Lhc commonplacc undcrsLanding o Lhc poliLics o an arL objccL is akin Lo Lhc phanLom
bullcLs, Lhosc who bclicvc in Lhcm arc subjccL Lo Lhc alsc LransormaLion o Lhc poliLics of
rcprcscnLaLion inLo Lhc absurdiLy LhaL poliLics is rcprcscnLaLion.
9 BuL whaL o Malcvichs zcro poinL, and iLs proposcd Lransccndcncc` WiLh Lhc climaLc
in posLrcvoluLionary Russia progrcssing inLo SLalinism, Lhc proposiLion o maLcrialisL ab-
sLracLion (and Lhc collccLivc ailurc Lo livc up Lo Lhc uLopian proposal o Unism) had bc-
comc a symbol o bourgcois cliLism. Malcvich rcLurncd Lo his prc-SuprcmaLisL oundaLions,
producing canvascs LhaL apcd his anLcccdcnLs, rsL Cubo-FuLurism and, aL iLs mosL cx-
Lrcmc, imprcssionism. SLrangcr sLill, Malcvich backdaLcd Lhcsc works, so LhaL his Suprc-
maLisL works rcmaincd Lhc orgonc conclusion o Lhcsc sLylcs, Lurning his own progrcs-
sion inLo an cllipsc, doubling back on iLscl. Hc was Lrappcd in his own Wild WcsL origin
sLory o alsc sLarLs and primordial violcncc. Sincc hc hcld Lo Lhc convicLion LhaL hc had
rcachcd Lhc cndpoinL o painLing, Lhc hcighL o purism in orm, Lhcrc was nowhcrc Lo go
buL backward.
332
Andrea Bowers
I can spend three hundred to four hundred hours making one drawing. I draw
by sitting on the oor with my paper attached to the wall. Its pretty cramped
quarters and a lonely process of endurance. The loneliness becomes height-
ened late at night. I often nd company in Skype conversations with an artist
friend of mine, Tucker Stilley. These conversations seem like the perfect for-
mat for a discussion about the artists studio. Tucker is a multimedia artist liv-
ing and working in Los Angeles. He is now almost completely paralyzed with
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrigs disease). He
uses his computer to create his ongoing hyper-sigil artwork called The Per-
manent Record of Newjack Rasputin.
Andrea Bowers Most people think about the studio in terms of a physical
space.
Tucker Stilley Its really more a question of the creative space, the skeleton
you hang stuff on.
AB Your denition seems to internalize the studio, removing any need for the
physical or architectural: the site of the studio isnt a location; its inside the
artist. Personally, Ive never really needed a classic studio except for studio
visits and storage. I sit on the oor and draw, sit in bed and research on my
computer, sit at your computer or Fil Rtings and edit. A curator once told me
that I didnt need a studio, just a hallway.
When I was at CalArts, I took this famous class called Post-studio Produc-
tion; its taught by the conceptual artist Michael Asher. The goal of the class
was to focus on idea development and minimize production of physical forms.
Your denition of the studio makes me think about the point of that class in an
entirely different way.
TS Now I have so much process invested in quirky modications that Im not
able to be very effective anywhere else.
333
AB Do you want to talk about those quirky modications?
TS Not here. They are constantly on the verge of spinning out of control. Its
all on my website.
AB Do you consider your computer, wheelchair, and other quirky modica-
tions as your studio, or are you completely uninterested in the physical as-
pect of a studio?
TS Yes to both: my studio is sort of an outgrowth of my broken nervous sys-
tem. Im like an anime character from Ghost in the Shell, where I sit in semi-
darkness hooked up to machines, tended by assistants, and eating through
a tube. So in the sense that an oyster shell is an oysters studio for making
pearls, thats what I have. I mean, you dont really nd oysters out and about,
making pearls on the run.
AB With the Asher class, it was about not using a traditional studio and pro-
moting the idea of the dematerialization of the art object, but your denition
makes that point moot.
TS Well, what is the difference between the studio and the ofce?
AB Conceptualists love the ofce as a workspace. But I hate ofces. Ive been
trying to avoid them my whole life. Why would you want an ofce? Cubicles!
Its like playing professional or capitalist.
TS And whos most responsible for thatthe Bauhaus or Silicon Valley?! I did
time in ofces. I was the tech-A/V-slave for HBJ [Harcourt Brace Jovanovich]
for ve long, glorious years. Had my own underground bunker/ofce. Bars on
the windowsvery nice view of the underside of my motorbike. I failed to thrive
in cubicles however. Seriously.
AB When did you begin to dene the site of the studio as a creative thought
process? Have you always thought of it this way?
TS When I realized how, much of the time, the physical studio was a crutch. I
would put off important momentswaiting for everything to line up just right. I
was supposedly all hot for the studio. Now that I spend all my time in the stu-
dio, I realize that the nonstudio time was very productive.
AB Are you talking about procrastination or the desire for perfection when
you say waiting for everything to line up just right? I seem to use my stu-
dio only for studio visits with museum groups. Its a performance space for a
magic trick, an illusion.
334
TS Ah, studio as . . . theater! There we are.
AB How does the studio function for you these days? Are you more ad-
justed about your studio practice than I am?
TS Its starker.
AB Is that starkness functioning well? Or is it a drag? Honestly Tucker, its
got to suck but there must be some unexpected revelations or at least inven-
tions?
TS Yes, denitely. Be careful what you wish for! Im learning what the actual
limit of my creativity isdivided by time. It turns out to be a very different mix
than I thought. I always just assumed that, given the correct circumstances,
there would be no limit to my creative capacity. Its silly, I know. And wrong. I
guess my thinking went something like this: When I nally get to the studio,
I will magically be able to think. All the restrictions I felt because I didnt have
access to my physical tools will melt away, and I will join the superow . . .
WellI was rightthats what happens, but then you have to wrestle with your
real limitations, and they are crushingI dont care who you are. To that extent,
the studio is inside you. Its a stark edge if you push it far enoughwhat can
be done. Not just time, but who you are.
AB My creativity is driven by what Im afraid of. I can stretch out an idea or
project because it takes me so long to confront my fears.
TS Maybe you are a process artist after all! But I second thatalthough my
fears tend to turn out to be boring.
AB Well my fears are about voice. Do I have the guts to say this or that or be-
lieve in more radical ideas? Its tough for me to get past self-censorship. For
Andrea Bowers, 2009.
Tucker Stilley, Sunset
Boulevard, 2008.
335
example, I had a hard time accepting that women were teaching a digit (nger)
method for self-induced abortions prior to Roe v. Wade. When I rst found out,
I buried the info. Later I made work about it.
TS I take it backconquering fear is interesting. . . . Supposedly I dont have
the luxury of fear. I tell myself that.
AB So, if your fears are boring to you, what drives your own work?
TS Curiositythings calling out to bethe opposite of fear, I suppose. You
know ideas have their own lives in information space!
AB But Tucker, if an idea falls in the woods does anyone hear it? I know Im
making a seventies feminist point that might sound retrograde, but I dont be-
lieve ideas can be autonomous from the body, emotions, sensations, etc.
TS I think we have proof that everything we touch is an idea.
AB Thats phenomenology. The minute we touch something it is also a feel-
ing, emotion, sensation, etc.
TS Our brains are ideas. I bet ideas were our best ideas! Ideas replicate, they
mutate, they have a self-preservation drive.
AB But what about emotions? Are they different?
TS I think emotions are very biochemical ideas, like an idea from the dawn of
time. I take them very seriouslyideas that dont use words.
AB Beautiful, I agree with you. Hey, are we in our studios now?
TS Figurativelydenitely. Right now, Im in my living room.
AB Well, thats a place to start tomorrow: metaphor, gures of speech, forms
of artwork. Im in my living room, too.
TS . . . wishing that somebody would happen along with some wine.
AB I can come over with some wine.
Te author would like to thank Susan Morgan for her assistance in editing this interview.
336
Judith Rodenbeck
Studio Visit
O all Lhc ramcs, cnvclopcs, and limiLsusually noL pcrccivcd and ccrLainly
ncvcr qucsLioncdwhich cnclosc and consLiLuLc Lhc work o arL (picLurc
ramc, nichc, pcdcsLal, palacc, church, gallcry, muscum, arL hisLory, cconom-
ics, powcr, cLc.) Lhcrc is onc rarcly cvcn mcnLioncd Loday LhaL rcmains o
primary imporLancc: the artists studio. Tis rcmark, pcnncd in 1071 by Lhc
Frcnch ConccpLualisL Danicl Burcn, Lhrows ncw lighL on LhaL complcx rcugc,
Lhc sLudio. For i Lhc aLclicr has bccn boLh Lhc siLc and Lhc subjccL o rcp-
rcscnLaLion, Lhc spacc o world-making, Lhcn an undcrcurrcnL in rcccnL arL
providcs a ncw addrcss boLh Lo whaL SvcLlana Alpcrs has callcd Lhc orward,
probing lcan o LradiLional sLudio pracLiccsLhaL is, Lhcir uLurc-oricnLcd
crcaLivc LilLand Lo Lhc sLaLic raming o Lhcir rcsulLs by Lhc muscum.
A projccL aL Lhc WhiLncy Muscum o Amcrican ArL in Ncw York Lhis pasL
all poscd an cxLraordinary mcdiLaLion on Lhc sLudios ccundiLy, whilc prc-
scrving somc o iLs anLic, muLablc pocLics. Corin HcwiLLs Seed Stage, in Lhc
muscums lobby-lcvcl gallcry, prcscnLcd vicwcrs wiLh an unusual rccongu-
raLion o Lhc rclaLion bcLwccn Lhc sLudio arLisL and Lhc spacc o display. Tc
ccnLral volumc o Lhc gallcry was Lakcn up wiLh a largc whiLc sLrucLurc, a
uncLionalisL shack roughly Lwicc as long as iL was widc, Lhc prisLinc cxLc-
rior walls o Lhis sLudio lcL only a narrow corridor around Lhc gallcrys pc-
rimcLcr in which visiLors could circulaLc. Tc corncrs o Lhc sLudio had bccn
cuL away, lcaving shouldcr-widLh gaps Lhrough which Lhc inLcrior could bc
sccn. Insidc whaL mighL bc LhoughL o as Lhc archiLccLural corc o Lhc proj-
ccL, Lhc arLisL carricd on his daily acLiviLics, caLing, rcading, cooking, moving
objccLs abouL, sLoring Lhcm or rcLricving Lhcm, arranging and phoLograph-
ing Lhcm in a kind o conLinuous puLLcring. Hc also Lcndcd boxcs o worm-
llcd composL, grcw vcgcLablcs rom Lhc sccds o Lhosc hcd caLcn, and rc-
Lurncd lcavings (ruiL skins as wcll as phoLographs) Lo Lhc boxcs o mulch.
Tcsc acLiviLics in Lurn yicldcd phoLographs o maqucLLcs madc wiLh ood-
sLus and modcling puLLy and anyLhing clsc aL hand. Tc laLLcr imagcs, aL
lcasL Lhosc LhaL survivc, scrvc as Lhc documcnLary rcsiduc o Lhc piccc iLscl.
337
ScaLLcrcd around Lhc pcriphcry o Lhc gallcry, Lhc phoLographs uncLioncd
boLh as Lhc ruiL o Lhc labors Laking placc insidc Lhc sLudio and as sccds,
inasmuch as Lhcy wcrc as oLcn as noL rcLurncd Lo LhaL spacc Lo bc rcphoLo-
graphcd or boLLlcd or mulchcd, scrving, by implicaLion, as Lhc visual ground
or ncw clcmcnLs.
Tc sLudio iLscl was cappcd by a riczc o color swaLchcs, whilc Lhc walls
and oor o Lhc spacc wcrc LinLcd gray. A largc, Lhrcc-dimcnsional color
whccl madc o modcling puLLy providcd Lhc maLcrial rom which copics o
ood wcrc madc, boLh palcLLc and sLoragc dump, Lhis objccL LcsLicd Lo Lhc
muLabiliLy o maLcrialsnoLhing wcnL unuscd, cvcryLhing providcd od-
dcr. I kccp rcmaking Lhings and caLing Lhings, HcwiLL cxplaincd during an
inLcrvicw. Bcorc I cook a squash I makc a sculpLurc o iL ouL o PlasLicinc
and Lhcn I caL Lhc squash and Im lcL wiLh Lhc sculpLurc, which I Lhcn boil
down and rcusc by puLLing iL back on my color whccl, so LhaL my color whccl
kccps gcLLing cd.
On wcckcnds, Lhc arLisL was visually acccssiblc Lo vicwcrs Lhrough Lhc
sliLs aL cach corncr o his sLudio, cach o which providcd a limiLcd i widc-
anglc vicw onLo Lhc scL. Tc sliL was a soluLion Lo nding an imagc-bascd
rclaLionship Lo a physical spacc, HcwiLL cxplains. Tis undcrsLanding o Lhc
sLudio-laboraLory Lhrough phoLography rcndcrs Lhc chambcr iLscl as a cam-
cra, LhaL is, a small room wiLh a limiLcd vicw. Im Lrying Lo crcaLc a languagc
o phoLography whcrc iL can bc rcdigcsLcd vcry quickly, says HcwiLL, so
phoLographs LhaL now go up comc back in and you ncvcr know as a vicwcr
how long Lhcyvc bccn Lhcrc, how long Lhcy will bc Lhcrc, whaL ordcr Lhcy
wcrc Lakcn in, only LhaL Lhcy havc a rclaLion Lo Lhc siLc.
Indccd, HcwiLL conccivcd o Seed Stage in quasi-LhcaLrical Lcrms. Tc rccL-
angular cnclosurc conLaincd abouL Lcn ccL o workshop spacc, aL Lhc cnd o
which was a kiLchcn counLcr LhaL also markcd Lhc bcginning o Lhc sLagc,
Lhc clcvaLcd plaLorm undcr, bchind, and in ronL o which various acLiviLics
Lakc placc. UndcrncaLh Lhc sLagc was a rooL ccllar and waLcr sysLcm, abovc,
a scL o rolling shclvcs wiLh canncd and dricd goods. As wiLh ncarly cvcry
dimcnsion o Lhc WhiLncy insLallaLion, Lhcsc builL clcmcnLs wcrc gcncraLcd
Lhrough a orm o rcLooling, Laking Lhc Brcucr prolc o Lhc WhiLncys build-
ing, muLaLing iL aL Lhc scalar and planar lcvcls, and rcndcring iL horizonLally
(as ooring-sLagc) and vcrLically (as shclving).
Tc pcrormcd dimcnsion o Seed Stage mosL immcdiaLcly sccms Lo rc-
ward noLions o soliLary arLisLic mysLcry and Lhc inacccssibiliLy o Lhc crc-
aLivc impulsc. BuL whilc HcwiLL is inLcrcsLcd in Lhc work o Caspar David
Fricdrich (among many oLhcrs), raLhcr Lhan arguing or a rcLurn Lo Lhc ro-
manLic modcl o Lhc isolaLcd arLisL, his work Lhrows LhaL noLion inLo Lhc Lub
along wiLh signicanL doscs o KurL SchwiLLcrss Mcrzbau. I anyLhing, hc
338
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h

R
o
d
c
n
b
c
c
kdisLills an alLcrnaLivc, possibly cvcn dialccLical, way o Lhinking abouL Lhc
arLisLs maLcrial working spacc. I wanL iL Lo bc a scnsc o agcncy boLh in Lhc
pcrccpLion o whaLs happcning [and] in Lhc acLion LhaLs bcing Lakcn, hc
says. Seed Stage is, Lhcn, a placc o producLivc and pcrccpLual mobiliLy, ad-
drcsscd Lo Lhc vcry opcn rclaLional possibiliLics bcLwccn Lhings, buL also Lo
Lhc limiLs o rcproducLion and Lhc anxicLics o rcproducLion.
Tis cvocaLion o limiLs and anxicLics, as wcll as Lhc rccasLing o Lhc arL-
isL in Lcrms o agcncy raLhcr Lhan purc crcaLiviLy, is cmblcmaLic o a sca
changc in Lhc conccpLion o whaL Lakcs placc in an arLisLs sLudio. Whcrc
CusLavc CourbcLs 1S55 painLing Te Artists Studio showcd, as Lhc painLcr
puL iL, Lhc wholc world coming Lo mc Lo bc painLcd, a liLLlc ovcr a hundrcd
ycars laLcr CourbcLs cquaLion bcLwccn Lhc world and iLs rcprcscnLaLion was
rcvisiLcd and Lhoroughly Lransormcd in scvcral signal picccs o whaL would
comc Lo bc known as insLiLuLional criLiquc. Pcrhaps mosL inucnLial among
Lhcsc is Marccl BroodLhacrss 106S sLaging, in his Brusscls aparLmcnL, o his
Muse dArt Moderne, Dpartment des Aigles, Section XIXe Sicle, an cxLcndcd
Longuc-in-chcck display o arL-packing craLcs, posLcards, and muscum sig-
nagc, all inauguraLcd by a prcss concrcncc. In 1075 BroodLhacrs duplicaLcd
Lhc aparLmcnL rom mcmory in plywood aL a onc-Lo-onc scalc, inscribing iL
wiLh words in placc o objccLs. (Tis rcsLagcd muscum cLion, cnLiLlcd La
salle blanche, would bccomc Lhc LcmplaLc or, among many oLhcr conLcmpo-
rary projccLs, RirkriL Tiravanijas various rcsLagcd livc/work spaccs.) Tc Bcl-
gian was noL alonc in Lhis rcconccpLion o Lhc sLudio. In 1062 Lhc Swiss arLisL
Danicl Spocrri had produccd his Topographie ancdote du hasard, a mcLicu-
lous documcnLaLion o all Lhc clcmcnLs Lo bc ound on a Lablc in room 13 o
Lhc HoLcl Carcassonnc in Paris, whcrc hc was Lhcn sLaying. Iikc BroodLhacrs,
Spocrri rcvisiLcd and rcviscd Lhis projccL in 1064 on a visiL Lo Ncw York,
whcn hc opcncd his room aL Lhc Chclsca HoLcl Lo gallcrygocrs, who would
nd Lhcrcin Lhc cluLLcr o cvcryday living alongsidc various o his signa-
Lurc snarc picLurcs and asscmblagcs. Tc conccpLualisL Fdward Krasinski,
whosc signaLurc mark o sLandard bluc adhcsivc Lapc placcd aL a hcighL o
13u ccnLimcLcrs clidcd ConsLrucLivism and Surrcalism, workcd on convcrL-
ing his Warsaw sLudio inLo a complcx and living arLwork rom 10SS unLil his
dcaLh in 2uu4, circumscribing Lhc cnLircLy o iLs spacc (savc onc small room)
wiLh bluc Lapc. Tis acL combincd Lhc ordcr o high-cnd and cvcn mcLaphysi-
cal gcomcLric absLracLion wiLh Lhc cluLLcr o Lhc cvcryday, rom lcLovcrs Lo
scnLimcnLal LchoLchkcs Lo oLhcr works in progrcss. Iikc Spocrris scaming o
Lhc livcd, including lcLovcr mcals, and Lhc displaycd, or BroodLhacrss vari-
ous domcsLicaLions o Lhc muscum, Krasinskis proccdurc linkcd his sLu-
dio Lo his cxhibiLions by liLcrally Laping Lhcm LogcLhcr, via Lhc bluc sLrip o
339
lcngLh unknown, as hc puL iL, in a conLinuous linc LhaL bcgan in Lhc 106us.
His sLudio, on Lhc clcvcnLh oor o an Iron CurLaincra aparLmcnL block,
has bccn prcscrvcd as Lhc AvanL-Cardc InsLiLuLc.
Whilc Lhc dominanL lcgacy o Lhcsc conccpLual projccLs has bccn Lhc
posL-sLudio cxploraLions o arLisLs likc Rcncc Crccnc or Andrca Frascr,
which Lakc up Lhc muscum as a discursivc siLc or, as wiLh Lhc aLclicrs o
Olaur Fliasson or Frik van IicshouL, rcconccivc a sLudio pracLicc in Lcrms
morc akin Lo a Lhink Lank or dcsign workshop, anoLhcr dirccLion, which is
gaining momcnLum o laLc, is Lhc cxploiLaLion o Lhc sLudio as a gcncraLivc
spacc. Tcsc ncw and mosLly proccss-bascd projccLs (such as HcwiLLs) ad-
drcss wiLh poinLcd obliquiLy Lhc privaLc cxcrLions, Lhc obscuriLy, and Lhc
shccr doggcdncss o crcaLivc work LhaL Lhosc posL-sLudio works havc Lcndcd
Lo skirL. 1can SilvcrLhorncs 1000 insLallaLion aL Lhc WhiLncy AlLria, Te Stu-
dio Stripped Bare, Again, prcscnLcd a onc-Lo-onc casL-rubbcr rcndcring o hcr
sLudio spacc. In a 2uu0 show aL Lhc SculpLurcCcnLcr in Quccns, Ncw York,
arLisL Mclanic Cilligans Prison for Objects, a Lwo-pcrson pcrormancc LhaL
Lakcs placc bcLwccn Lhc scrap hcap o a cLional arLisLs workspacc and a c-
Lional arL criLics lapLop asks dirccLly and mcLaphorically abouL Lhc dynamic
o crcaLivc rcproducLion.
InsLallaLion is onc way o bringing Lhc sLudio inLo Lhc muscum, buL largc-
scrccn projccLion and phoLography Lcnd Lo bc Lhc mcdiums o choicc. Tc
ccology o Lhc sLudio has bccn a Lopos in scvcral sLunning vidco projccLs.
Brucc Naumans Mapping the Studio I (Fat Chance John Cage) (2uuu) caLurcs
an immcrsivc our-scrccn projccLion o survcillancc vidco o his rural sLu-
dio in Ncw Mcxico, in which Lhc nighLLimc prcdaLion o his sLudio caL, along
wiLh ccLing vicws o scurrying micc, pcrvcrscly rciLcraLcs LhaL primordial
scnsc o Lhings bcing cxpcricnccdin Lhis casc, Lhc cxpcricncc bcing Lhc
vcry Lcnsion o aLLcnLion. Cillian Wcarings work wiLh Lhc vagranLs who pass
Lhcir days ouLsidc, and somcLimcs in, hcr working spacc, has yicldcd a num-
bcr o monumcnLal and dcspcraLc works, mosL imporLanLly Lhc raLhcr hor-
riying largc-scrccn LripLych projccLion Drunk (2uuu), as wcll as a pcndanL
phoLographic scrics. Hilary Iloyds Studio (2uu7), Lakcs up whcrc Wcarings
oddly wrcnching criLiquc o cxprcssionism lcavcs o in cxploring Lhc sLray
marks lcL bchind by Lhc unknown absLracL painLcr who prcviously inhab-
iLcd hcr working spacc. Tis wall-scalc vidco dipLych liLcrally Lracks Lhc crc-
aLivc rcsiduc o Lhc abscnL arLisL, using Lhc rcmnanLs o his proccss as visual
scaolding, whilc iLs cxhausLivc documcnLaLion o Lhcsc cxprcssivc marks
unravcls Lhc vcry prcmisc o vidco documcnLary.
As spccLacular as Lhcsc projccLs arc, and as voycurisLic Lhcir iniLial prop-
osiLions, Lhc survcillancc sLraLcgics on which Lhcy rcsL prcscnL Lhc promisc
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ko a lapsc inLo chaoshcncc Lhc nccd or Lhc apparaLus o disciplinc and
conLrol. Tc crccpy banaliLy o Lhcir ascinaLion wiLh Lhc poLcnLially disobc-
dicnL oLhcr mcrcly hcighLcns, o coursc, our awarcncss o our own aLLrac-
Lions Lo, liaLions wiLh, and rcjccLions o disordcr. Bringing Lhcsc privaLc
and obscssivc workspaccs inLo Lhc muscum, i anyLhing, posiLs a dysunc-
Lional collaboraLion wiLh Lhc audicncc: wc arc voycurs raLhcr Lhan rclaLional
parLicipanLs, and Lhc sLudio, whcLhcr Lhc arLisLs or LhaL o a cLional pcr-
sona, is a gcncraLivc buL undamcnLally opaquc siLc. And ycLCourbcL was
righL, somchowwc arc implicaLcd wiLhin iL.
Tis makcs or an inLcrcsLing scL o Lcnsilc gray arcas, as Lhc vicwcrs po-
siLion oscillaLcs bcLwccn idcnLicaLion wiLh and rcjccLion o boLh arLisL and
objccL. Tis is onc o Lhc mosL compclling issucs raiscd by Corin HcwiLLs
projccL: Which ruiL Lo caL, Lhc luscious onc madc o PlasLicinc or Lhc juicy
organic onc` Fach Limc a lump o colorcd puLLy is rcLurncd Lo Lhc color whccl,
Lhc basc color movcs urLhcr Loward gray. YcL HcwiLL dcmurs LhaL his proj-
ccL is abjccLly cnLropic: Vcry cw Lhings Lo mc sccm abjccL. Tc opcraLivc
Lcrm, morc prcciscly, is composLing, Lhc mosL alchcmically pocLic o bio-
inLcnsivc proccsscs. Indccd, Lhc gray o Seed Stages inLcrior was dcrivcd
rom a vasL mixology o annual colors (MarLha SLcwarL pinks, Ralph Iau-
rcn bcigcs) composLcd inLo a crLilc gray, whilc oLhcr clcmcnLs wcrc pig-
mcnLcd in Lonal rangcs raLhcr Lhan in cxLrcmcs. I Lricd Lo gcL rid o polari-
Lics, HcwiLL cxplains. I was inLcrcsLcd in Lhc ways LhaL grays and browns
can bc composL. Seed Stage, Lhcn, is an cnvironmcnL LhaL curvcs back on
iLscl, rom Lhc inLcgraLion o Lhc WhiLncys Brcucr prolc Lo Lhc absorpLion
o phoLographic subjccL maLLcr. Pcrhaps Lhis noLion o Lhc sLudio as ragilc
ccosysLcm is onc LhaL cncompasscs Lhc vicwcr also, so LhaL, whcn cncoun-
Lcring a work LhaL closcly approximaLcs an arLisLs sLudio, hc or shc bccomcs
acLivaLcd by Lhc crcaLivc proccss.
PcrccpLion is a choicc, says HcwiLL.
Modcrn PainLcrs 21, no. 2 (March 2009): 5357.
341
Lane Relyea
Studio Unbound
Ncarly losL wiLhin Lhc sprawling vc-hundrcd-pagc caLalog or Lhc similarly
sprawling 1000 cxhibiLion IaboraLorium (which dcclarcd Lhc wholc ciLy
o AnLwcrp a lab) arc a cw pagcs dcvoLcd Lo a rcprinL o Danicl Burcns
1071 cssay Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLudio. IL would sLand Lo rcason LhaL cu-
raLors Hans Ulrich ObrisL and Barbara Vandcrlindcn includcd iL or hisLori-
cal conLrasL, Lo dicrcnLiaLc bcLwccn arL world aLLiLudcs Loward Lhc sLu-
dio Lhcn and now, cxccpL LhaL conLrasLs, opposiLions, disLincLions, and any
oLhcr mcans by which Lo ordcr and dcLcrminc LhoughL wcrc prcciscly whaL
was annihilaLcd by IaboraLorium s inclusivc onslaughL o inormaLion
and programming. Whcrcas Burcn hclpcd shapc Lhc prcmiscs o insLiLu-
Lional criLiquc by spcaking o arLisLs sLudios and cxhibiLion siLcs as bclong-
ing Lo a sysLcm o ramcs, cnvclopcs, and limiLs, ObrisL and Vandcrlindcn
Lalkcd abouL csLablishing . . . ncLworks, ucLuaLing bcLwccn highly spccial-
izcd work by scicnLisLs, arLisLs, danccrs and wriLcrs, abouL Lhc laboraLory
wiLhin Lhc muscum, buL also Lhc qucsLion o Lhc muscum as a laboraLory,
abouL Lhc muscum having mulLiplc idcnLiLics, and ulLimaLcly abouL a crc-
aLivc blur bcLwccn Lhc making and Lhc cxhibiLing o work.
Burcns cssay has conLinucd on somcLhing likc a rcvival Lour up Lo Lhc
prcscnL, alLhough morc oLcn Lhan noL iLs ciLcd prcciscly or Lhc scnsc o
hisLorical irony iL now providcs. For cxamplc, in a rcccnL issuc o Modern
Painters dcvoLcd Lo Lhc sLudio, 1udiLh Rodcnbcck piLLcd Burcns characLcr-
izaLion againsL Lhc updaLcd sLudio Corin HcwiLL advanccd in his WhiLncy
Muscum o Amcrican ArL insLallaLion Seed Stage (2uu0). In Lhc muscums
lobby gallcry HcwiLL consLrucLcd a ully uncLioning workspacc, in which hc
spcnL his days noL only craLing arL buL also cooking ood, somcLimcs mak-
ing sculpLural rcplicas o his ood, and phoLographing boLh ood and arL bc-
orc sorLing Lhc Lwo inLo conLaincrs Lo which wcrc axcd Lhc prinLcd-ouL
phoLos, cvcn mainLaining a composL bin in which worms and microbcs di-
gcsLcd boLh lcLovcr mcals and discardcd prinLouLs. BuilL as a room wiLhin
a room, Seed Stage lcL a Lhin corridor or visiLors Lo circumnavigaLc iLs
OV E R L E A F
Corin Hewitt,
Seed Stage, 2008.
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pcrimcLcr, rom which Lhcy could ciLhcr pccr inward Lhrough narrow vcr-
Lical opcnings aL HcwiLL busying himscl or Lurn Lhcir gazc insLcad Loward
Lhc cw phoLographs hc had sclccLcd Lo maL and ramc and havc hung on Lhc
ouLcr gallcry walls. SLudio and muscum, insidc and ouLsidc, public and pri-
vaLc, organic and inorganic, original and rcproducLion, producLion and con-
sumpLion, arL and licall Lhcsc ormcr opposiLions wcrc crodcd, madc con-
Linuous, as i so many conjoincd and provisional sLaLcs Lravclcd Lhrough in
a proccss o rclcnLlcss convcrsion and LranscripLion, onc sLop aLcr anoLhcr
on a dirccLionlcss proccdural iLincrary, an cndlcss circuiLry wiLhin which any
scnsc o ulLimaLc rccrcncc, o a nal rclay or dcsLinaLionlikc an answcr
Lo Lhc qucsLion WhaLs Lhc poinL`rcmaincd obscurc aL bcsL. Iikc 1aspcr
1ohnss amous dicLumTakc an objccL. Do somcLhing Lo iL. Do somcLhing
clsc Lo iLloopcd Lo inniLy.
Clairc Bishop has rcccnLly rcmarkcd on Lhc channcling o rcsourccs inLo
ncw projccL spaccs and kunsthallen so as Lo accommodaLc jusL Lhis kind
o work, projccLs LhaL arc Limc-bascd, opcn-cndcd, and inLcracLivc, which
Bishop claims is csscnLially insLiLuLionalizcd sLudio acLiviLyLhc sLudio
madc inLo a showroom display, a Lablcau vivanL. Conc arc Lhc days o anLag-
onism and sLalcmaLc bcLwccn Lhc arLisLs sLudio, wiLh iLs prcsumcd auLon-
omy, and Lhc rccupcraLing muscum, wiLh iLs pcrmancnL collccLion rcprcscnL-
ing ocial or canonical culLurc. Today sLudio and muscum arc supcrccdcd
by morc Lcmporal, LransicnL cvcnLs, spaccs o uid inLcrchangc bcLwccn ob-
jccLs, acLiviLics, and pcoplc. FxhibiLion vcnucs incrcasingly rcly on rcsidcn-
cics and commissions, on morc cxiblc approachcs Lo display (ObrisL, or cx-
amplc, has advanccd Lhc noLion o Lhc cvoluLionary cxhibiLion) and placc
grcaLcr cmphasis on inormaLion, discussion, and gaLhcrings (rom Lhc au-
dio-Lours, inLcracLivc daLa kiosks, and loungclikc rcading rooms LhaL havc
bccomc sLandard muscum arc Lo Lhc morc claboraLcly arraycd assorLmcnLs
o publicaLions and symposia LhaL accompany Lhc largcr bicnnials and airs).
Commcrcial gallcrics arc also known Lo hosL rc-crcaLcd arLisLs workspaccs,
Lhink o RirkriL Tiravanijas projccLs wiLh 3u3 Callcry and Cavin Brown. In
Lhc March 2uu3 issuc o Text zur Kunst, anoLhcr Lhcmc issuc abouL Lhc sLu-
dio, BcnncLL Simpson rcvicwcd CarcLh 1amcss 1000 show aL MWMWM
Callcry in Williamsburg, in which Lhc arLisL crccLcd a makcshiL bar ouL o
somc drywall and lumbcr and ornamcnLcd Lhc rcsulLs wiLh bccr boLLlcs, arL
magazincs, and unnishcd or crumplcd-up ink-on-papcr drawings. VisiLors
drank, socializcd, and graLicd Lhc walls. Tis hal-pub, hal-sLudio was
likc a Lhrcshold bcLwccn privaLc and public, acLualiLy and poLcnLialiLy, Lhc
individual and Lhc social, Simpson wriLcs, a placc whcrc mcanings, propcr-
Lics and bchaviors ucLuaLc radically.`
So whaL is Lhc uncLion o Lhis ncw kind o spacc` Much likc whcn Burcn
345
pcnncd his cssay, inLcrcsL Loday ocuscs noL only on Lhc sLudio buL on Lhc arL
school and Lhc inLcrnaLional cxhibiLion, all lookcd aL in Lcrms o Lhcir rolcs
wiLhin a largcr array o inLcrlocking uncLions, cach wiLh iLs own scalc and
modaliLy or acLiviLy and producLion and wiLh iLs own capaciLics or inpuL
and ouLpuL (somc largcr and morc ormal, somc morc inLimaLc and cvcry-
day, all wiLh dicrcnL placcmcnL possibiliLics wiLhin Lhc ciLy). BuL Lhis arL
world map or iLincrary Lo which Lhc sLudio bclongs, braidcd wiLhin chan-
ncls o connccLion, disLribuLion, and circulaLion, now sccms purcly pracLi-
cal or Lcchnological, as i wiLhouL poliLical conLcnL. No longcr docs Lhc sLu-
dio appcar as an idcological ramc LhaL mysLics producLion, a spacc whcrc
Lhc rcaliLics o social or mass producLion arc supposcdly hcld aL bay in avor
o an anLiquaLcd craL modcl LhaL showcascs Lhc individual arLisLs crcaLivc
gcnius. And no longcr is Lhc sLudio sccn as bclonging Lo a sysLcm such as
Burcn dcscribcd, as a spacc characLcrizcd by boxlikc cnclosurcs, o ramcs
and limiLs, cach assigncd a discrccL placc in somc rigid, sLablc, and all-
dcLcrmining sLrucLurc or ordcr. WhaL sysLcm or sLrucLurc docs cxisL Loday
is morc propcrly dcscribcd as a network.
In conLrasL Lo cnclosurcs, ncLworks arc characLcrizcd by whaL Cillcs
Dclcuzc has callcd modulaLion, likc a scl-dcorming casL LhaL will conLinu-
ously changc rom onc momcnL Lo Lhc oLhcr, or likc a sicvc whosc mcsh will
LransmuLc rom poinL Lo poinL. Along wiLh Lhc risc o ncLworks comcs a
ncw idcology, onc LhaL advcrLiscs agcncy, pracLicc, and cvcryday lic. NcL-
works arc said Lo bc inhcrcnLly dcmocraLic and cgaliLarian, Lhis bccausc
o Lhcir horizonLal, mulLidirccLional, and rcciprocal capaciLy, Lhc acL LhaL,
comparcd Lo morc hicrarchical orms o organizaLion, in Lhc ncLwork, iLs
rclaLivcly casy or any onc nodc Lo communicaLc wiLh any oLhcr. Tis mcans
LhaL Lhc orccs govcrning ncLworks appcar morc quoLidian, immancnL, and
dispcrscd, raLhcr Lhan conccnLraLcd in LransccndcnL cxccuLivc posiLions.
By Lhc samc Lokcn, Lhc characLcrisLic cxibiliLy and inormaliLy o ncLwork
sLrucLurcs, Lhc way Lhcy dcpcnd on Lhc consLanL, rclaLivcly indcpcndcnL
movcmcnL o Lhcir parLicipaLing acLors, is Lakcn as cvidcncc o diminishcd
sLrucLurc and grcaLcr agcncy. Tus ncLworks arc oLcn championcd or how
Lhcy accommodaLc scl-sLylcd indcpcndcnL acLors who, bccausc Lhcir movc-
mcnLs and dccision-making arc supposcdly lcss cmbcddcd in and dicLaLcd
by govcrning sLrucLurc and conLcxL, arc morc looscly aliaLcd wiLhin a dis-
pcrscd cld. ILs bccausc o Lhis kind o cosmopoliLan characLcr or cccL o
Lhc ncLwork LhaL pcoplc Loday can boasL o bcing boLh insidcrs and do-iL-
yoursclcrs aL Lhc samc Limc.
As wiLh Lhc largcr ncLwork iLscl, whaL is LhoughL Lo ll Lhc sLudio Loday
is Lcchnical or pragmaLic, simply an arLisLs cvcryday pracLicc. Hcncc Lhc
populariLy o pracLical dcsign, or olksy sculpLural craL, or painLing rccon-
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ccivcd as a daily sLudio pracLicc. Tis Lurn Lo pracLicc can bc considcrcd parL
o an ongoing rcpudiaLion o Lhcory sincc Lhc laLc 10Sus, whcn arL and
criLicism wcrc supposcdly prcoccupicd wiLh consumcr culLurc or spccLaclc
or idcologyLhaL is, wiLh rigid, all-cncompassing sLrucLurc. Fmploycd as
Lhcorys opposiLc Lcrm, pracLicc is said Lo cmphasizc individual, concrcLc
acLs, Lhcir spccic maLcrialiLy and LcmporaliLy, all o which arc said Lo dcy
Lhc swccping, absLracL, and sLaLic LoLalizaLions o dominanL sLrucLurcs. A
good cxamplc o Lhis shiL can bc ound in a rcccnL sLring o sculpLurc sur-
vcys LhaL sharcd scvcral o Lhc samc arLisLsarLisLs likc Isa Ccnzkcn, Rachcl
Harrison, and Iara SchniLgcr. In hcr caLalog cssay or onc o Lhcsc shows,
Tc UnccrLainLy o ObjccLs and Idcas, mounLcd by Lhc Hirshhorn in 2uu6,
curaLor Annc Fllcgood wriLcs LhaL Lhc rcason such sculpLurc appcars so aL-
LracLivc Loday is LhaL iL caLurcs a modc o producLion rooLcd in Lhc maLc-
rial and Lhc physical, iL givc[s] us somcLhing Langiblc raLhcr Lhan sLrcams
o daLa. Such works cmbody physical cxcrLion and dirLy hands, Lhcy arc
Lhc cvidcncc o acLionscomposing, building, consLrucLing, sLacking, bcnd-
ing, connccLing and adorning.' Tc vcry LiLlc o a similar show mounLcd by
Lhc Hammcr Muscum a ycar carlicrTingmakcs obvious Lhis prccr-
cncc or indcxicaliLy ovcr lcxicaliLy. Tc caLalog or Ting also includcd
phoLographs o Lhc parLicipaLing arLisLs sLudios, as wcll as rccrcnccs Lo
criLic Iibby Iumpkins 1007 cssay Tc RcdcmpLion o PracLicc. And in Lhc
caLalog or UnmonumcnLal, ycL anoLhcr look-alikc cxhibiLion, which Lhc
Ncw Muscum opcncd in 2uu7, cocuraLor Massimiliano Cioni rccrs Lo Lhc
lasL cw ycars o arL-making as inauguraLing a hcadlcss ccnLuryanoLhcr
mcLaphor or Lodays scnsc o incrcasingly dcccnLralizcd acLiviLy in Lhc wakc
o cbbing dominanL sLrucLurc.' Tc Hirshhorns Fllcgood noddcd in agrcc-
mcnL: Tcsc arLisLs havc ound sculpLurc Lo bc Lhc mosL mcaningul mc-
dium in which Lo cxplorc and rcprcscnL Lhc complcxiLy, rapidiLy, and ulLi-
maLcly Lhc conusion o conLcmporary lic . . . Lhc ccling LhaL bclics and
mcanings arc conLinuously unmoorcd and in ux.
And ycL whaL was puL orward by Lhcsc sculpLurc shows, dcspiLc Lhcir
cmphasis on Lhc sLudio and on Lhc individual abricaLion o physical Lhings,
wcrc noL auLonomous objccLs. Tc bricolagcd cvcryday maLcrials LhaL con-
sLiLuLc Lhc work o Ccnzkcn, Harrison, cL al., Lhough pcrsonalizcd Lhrough
hands-on arLisLic inLcrvcnLion, sLill rcmain opcncd ouL and availablc Lo
largcr communiLics and culLurcs, conLinuous and inLcrwovcn wiLh largcr
sysLcms o cxchangc. Tcir consLiLucnL parLs arc ncvcr so Lransormcd as Lo
losc Lhcir prior, indcpcndcnL idcnLiLics, Lhc rcsulLs arc conglomcraLions o
hcLcrogcncous, looscly rclaLcd iLcmsin shorL, objccL ncLworks. BuL such
work also ncvcr gocs so ar as Lo suggcsL insLallaLion. InsLcad cach sculpLurc
rcmains cnough o an indcpcndcnL, mobilc uniL Lo dissociaLc iLscl rom Lhc
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cLLcrs o conLcxLualizing siLc and circumsLancc. Tc work is Loo inLcrnally
divcrsc and inLcrsccLcd Lo bc characLcrizcd as unicd and consisLcnL, and in
iLs hcLcrogcnciLy and cxibiliLy iL rcuscs Lo commiL Lo jusL onc idcnLiLy. Nor,
in iLs mobiliLy, will iL commiL Lo sLaying in only onc placc.
In Lhis way Lhc ncw bricolagcd sculpLurc dcmonsLraLcs a sLriking con-
LinuiLy bcLwccn sLudio and posL-sLudio approachcs, as boLh incrcasingly
manicsL Lhcmsclvcs as pracLiccs LhaL rcpurposc alrcady cxisLing objccLs,
Rachel Harrison, Nice Rack, 2006.
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siLcs, and discourscs, Lhc aim bcing Lo acccss and link various daLabascs and
plaLormsmaybc immaLcrial social acquainLanccs or inormaLion, maybc
morc maLcrial pop-culLurc invcnLorics likc old rccord collccLions or Lhc in-
LimaLcly biographicd ycL anonymous casL-os accumulaLcd in LhriL sLorcs.
1usL as no singlc TV show or pop song is as hoL Loday as Lhc TiVo boxcs and
iPods LhaL managc Lhcir organizaLion, so Loo wiLh arL iL is Lhc casc and agiliLy
o acccss and navigaLion Lhrough and across daLa clds, siLcs, and projccLs
LhaL Lakcs prcccdcncc ovcr any singular, lonc objet. And Lhc ncw sculpLurc
cclcbraLcd in shows likc Ting, UnmonumcnLal, and Tc UnccrLainLy
o ObjccLs and Idcas docsnL conLradicL Lhis. IL docsnL sLand in dcancc o
ncLwork orccs buL raLhcr provcs Lhcir urLhcr cxLcnsion by mcasuring how
Lhcsc orccs havc subsumcd and changcd Lhc way wc Lhink abouL objccLs,
havc subsumcd Lhc vcry opposiLion bcLwccn Lhc singlc and mulLiplc, Lhc
cncloscd and inLcrpcncLraLcd.
Similarly changcd arc our noLions o Lhc soliLary sLudio and Lhc lonc arL-
isL. Bcing parL o a ncLwork LhaL privilcgcs iLincrancy and circulaLion ovcr
xiLy, LhaL diminishcs hicrarchics and boundarics in avor o mobiliLy and
cxibiliLy across a morc opcn, cxLcnsivc cnvironmcnL, also subordinaLcs
Lhc sLudio and Lhc individual pracLiLioncr Lo a gcncral communicaLional dc-
mand, a dcccnLralizing and inLcgraLivc logic o inLcracc and commcnsura-
biliLy. NcLworks arc boLh inLcgraLivc and dcccnLralizing in LhaL Lhcy privi-
lcgc casual or wcak Lics ovcr ormal commiLmcnLs so as Lo hcighLcn Lhc
possibiliLy o chanccd-upon links LhaL lcad ouLward rom any onc communi-
caLional ncxus or group. Undcr such condiLions boLh subjccLs and objccLs arc
obligcd Lo shcd noL only prcLcnccs Lo auLonomy buL also long-Lcrm loyalLics
and idcnLicaLions, and insLcad Lo bccomc morc mobilc, promiscuous op-
craLors LhaL mcsh scamlcssly wiLh Lhc sysLcms mobilc, promiscuous opcra-
Lions. Dclcuzc calls Lhc ncw mobilc crcaLor who cmcrgcs in Lhis LransiLion
rom an indusLrial Lo inormaLion-bascd socicLy a dividual, somconc who
is noL a disconLinuous produccr (making discrccL objccLs onc aL a Limc) buL
is undulaLory, in orbiL, in a conLinuous ncLwork. ArLisLs who arc morc di-
vidualisLic discovcr Lhcmsclvcs noL by sccuring a rolc wiLhin Lhc hisLorical
narraLivc o a choscn mcdium buL by inLcgraLing inLo a morc diusc ccol-
ogy LhaL involvcs noL only making arL buL also puLLing on shows, publish-
ing, and organizing cvcnLs, Lcaching, ncLworking, maybc bclonging Lo onc
or morc scmicollccLivcs, cvcn adopLing onc or morc pscudonyms. As Lhc laLc
1ason Rhoadcs, an carly public cxhibiLor o Lhc privaLc sLudio, rcmarkcd in
100S, Muscum dirccLor, curaLor, collccLor, arLisLnonc o LhaL mcans any-
Lhing anymorc.
Much Lhc samc gocs or Lhc sLudio. IL no longcr ocrs rcLrcaL. ILs no lon-
gcr, as in Burcns carlicr analysis, an ivory Lowcr, no longcr uniquc, or
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privaLc. Tc sLudio now inLcgraLcs. IL no longcr dccrs or rcsisLs insLrumcn-
LalizaLion, no longcr disLanccs Lhc arLisL rom socicLy, no longcr holds ouL
LhaL kind o scparaLc idcnLiLy Lo Lhc arLisL, onc supposcdly disLillcd rom
Lhc privacy and dcpLh o Lhc sovcrcign individual who occupics iL, jusL as
Lhc sLudio no longcr idcnLics as scparaLc and rcsisLanL or scl-dcLcrmining
Lhc arLisLs maLcrials or mcdium or labor. RaLhcr Lhc sLudio is all cxLcrior. IL
ocrs a purcly ncgaLivc dicrcncc prcmiscd on samcncss, placcs Lhc arLisL
as a likc iLcm wiLhin an inLcgraLivc invcnLory or daLabasc, givcs Lhc arLisL a
mailing addrcss and a doorsLcp, Lhus providing Lhc mcans or onc Lo show
up wiLhin Lhc ncLwork. Tc sLudio is now LhaL placc whcrc wc know wc can
always nd Lhc arLisL whcn wc nccd Lo, whcrc shc or hc is always pluggcd
in and onlinc, always acccssiblc Lo and by an cvcr morc inLcgraLcd and cvcr
morc dispcrscd arL world.
1 A Rulc O Tc Camc: A Talk wiLh Hans Ulrich ObrisL, Edge (1unc 5, 2uuS), hLLp://www
.cdgc.org/3rd_culLurc/obrisLuS/obrisLuS_indcx.hLml.
2 Hans Ulrich ObrisL and Barbara Vandcrlindcn, cds., Laboratorium (AnLwcrp: DuMonL,
2uu1), 1721. Tis caLalog conLains a ncw LranslaLion o Burcns cssay, or Lhc rsL Fnglish
LranslaLion o Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLudio, scc October 1u (Fall 1070): 515S.
3 1udiLh Rodcnbcck, SLudio VisiL, Modern Painters 21, no. 2 (March 2uu0): 52.
4 Clairc Bishop, AnLagonism and RclaLional AcsLhcLics, October 11u (Fall 2uu4).
5 BcnncLL Simpson, Can You Work as FasL as You Iikc Lo Tink` Text zur Kunst 40 (March
2uu3).
6 Cillcs Dclcuzc, PosLscripL on Lhc SocicLics o ConLrol, October 50 (WinLcr 1002): 4.
7 Annc Fllcgood, The Uncertainty of Objects and Ideas (WashingLon, DC: Hirshhorn Mu-
scum and SculpLurc Cardcn, 2uu6), 10.
8 Massimiliano Cioni, Ask Lhc DusL, in Unmonumental: Te Object in the 21st Century, cd.
Richard Flood, Iaura HopLman, and Massimiliano Cioni (Iondon: Phaidon, 2uu7), 65.
9 Dclcuzc, PosLscripL, 56.
10 A Tousand Words: 1ason Rhoadcs Talks abouL His Impala ProjccL, Artforum 37, no. 1
(ScpLcmbcr 100S): 135.
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coN1ri su1ors
Glenn Adamson is dcpuLy hcad o rcscarch and hcad o graduaLc sLudics aL Lhc Vic-
Loria and AlbcrL Muscum, whcrc hc lcads a graduaLc program in Lhc hisLory o dc-
sign. Hc is cocdiLor o Lhc Lriannual Journal of Modern Craft and Lhc auLhor o Tinking
through Craft and Te Craft Reader. His oLhcr publicaLions includc Industrial Strength
Design: How Brooks Stevens Shaped Your World and Gord Peteran: Furniture Meets Its
Maker. PrcscnLly hc is working on an cxhibiLion abouL posLmodcrnism, Lo bc hcld aL
Lhc VicLoria and AlbcrL in 2u11.
Svetlana Alpers is procssor cmcriLa o Lhc hisLory o arL, UnivcrsiLy o Caliornia,
Bcrkclcy, and visiLing scholar in Lhc DcparLmcnL o Finc ArLs, Ncw York UnivcrsiLy.
Hcr books includc Te Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century, Rem-
brandts Enterprise: the Studio and the Market, Te Making of Rubens, Te Vexations of Art:
Velzquez and Others, and, wiLh Michacl Baxandall, Tiepolo and the Pictorial Intelligence.
As an arLisL, shc collaboraLcd wiLh 1amcs Hydc and Barncy Kulok on a scrics o phoLo-
graphic prinLs cnLiLlcd Painting Ten for Now.
Art & Language, a collccLivc o conccpLual arLisLs wiLh shiLing mcmbcrship, was
oundcd in Lhc laLc 106us and in 106S launchcd Lhc journal Art-Language. CurrcnLly
Lhc group compriscs Michacl Baldwin, Mcl Ramsdcn, and Charlcs Harrison. ArL &
Ianguagc has cxhibiLcd in Lhrcc insLallmcnLs o DocumcnLa, Lhc 1076 Vcnicc Bicnnalc,
and many oLhcr solo and group cxhibiLions. Books on ArL & Ianguagc includc Charlcs
Harrisons Essays on Art & Language and Conceptual Art and Painting: Further Essays on
Art & Language, Michacl Corriss Conceptual Art, and Annc Rorimcrs New Art in the 60s
and 70s: Redening Reality.
John Baldessari was born in NaLional CiLy, Caliornia, sLudicd aL San Dicgo SLaLc Uni-
vcrsiLy, OLis ArL InsLiLuLc, Chouinard ArL InsLiLuLc, and Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Caliornia,
Bcrkclcy, and LaughL aL Lhc Caliornia InsLiLuLc o Lhc ArLs (107u10SS) and Lhc Uni-
vcrsiLy o Caliornia, Ios Angclcs (10062uu7). His arLwork has bccn caLurcd in morc
Lhan Lwo hundrcd solo cxhibiLions and ninc hundrcd group cxhibiLions in Lhc UniLcd
SLaLcs and Furopc. RcccnL projccLs includc books, lms, and a curaLorial projccL aL Lhc
SmiLhsonian Hirshhorn Muscum, WashingLon, DC. Tc laLcsL o many rcLrospccLivcs
opcncd aL Lhc TaLc Modcrn, Iondon, in 2uu0 and Lravcls Lo Lhc Muscu dArL ConLcm-
porani dc Barcclona, Lhc Ios Angclcs CounLy Muscum o ArL, and Lhc McLropoliLan
Muscum o ArL, Ncw York, in 2u1u2u11.
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Alice Bellony-Rewald, born in WcsL Arica, was raiscd and sLudicd in Francc. Whilc
living in Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs wiLh hcr husband, Lhc Amcrican arL hisLorian 1ohn Rcwald,
shc LranslaLcd Rcwalds book Te Post-Impressionism and was a corrcspondcnL or
Frcnch-languagc ncwspapcrs in Francc and SwiLzcrland. During Lhc laLc 106us and
carly 107us, shc inLcrvicwcd many noLablc Amcrican arLisLs, rom Duchamp Lo War-
hol, or Lhc Voicc o Amcrica. Back in Francc, Bcllony-Rcwald publishcd Te Lost World
of the Impressionists, cowriLLcn wiLh Michacl PcppiaLL, and scvcral mcmoirs, including
Une soire avec Giacometti et Avec Balthus la villa Medicis.
Mary Bergstein is procssor and chair o Lhc HisLory o ArL + Visual CulLurc DcparL-
mcnL aL Lhc Rhodc Island School o Dcsign. Hcr publicaLions on Rcnaissancc sculp-
Lurc and FlorcnLinc hisLory includc Te Sculpture of Nanni di Banco. BcrgsLcins cross-
disciplinary wriLings on phoLography, psychoanalysis, and Lhc arLs arc also publishcd
widcly. Hcr mosL rcccnL book is Mirrors of Memory: Freud, Photography, and the History
of Art.
Walead Beshty, born in 1076 in Iondon, is an arLisL and wriLcr living in Ios Angclcs
and associaLc procssor aL ArL CcnLcr Collcgc o Dcsign. Hc is a rcgular conLribuLor Lo
Texte zur Kunst and Afterall. BcshLys work has bccn cxhibiLcd inLcrnaLionally, wiLh
solo cxhibiLions aL Tomas Danc Callcry, Iondon, Lhc Hirshhorn Muscum and Sculp-
Lurc Cardcn, WashingLon, DC, Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Michigan Muscum o ArL, Ann Arbor,
Wallspacc, Ncw York, Calcric Rodolphc 1ansscn, Brusscls, Lhc Hammcr Muscum, Ios
Angclcs, and P.S.1/MoMA ConLcmporary ArL CcnLcr, Ncw York. His work is includcd
in many public collccLions including Lhc Muscum o Modcrn ArL, Solomon R. Cuggcn-
hcim Muscum, and WhiLncy Muscum o Amcrican ArL, Ncw York, Lhc Muscum o
ConLcmporary ArL, Chicago, Lhc Hammcr Muscum, Ios Angclcs, and Lhc VicLoria and
AlbcrL Muscum, Iondon.
Andrea Bowers is an arLisL who livcs, works, and Lcachcs in Ios Angclcs. Shc carncd
hcr MFA rom Lhc Caliornia InsLiLuLc o Lhc ArLs and is a 2uuS UniLcd SLaLcs Broad Fcl-
low and a 2uu0 Iouis ComorL Tiany FoundaLion granL rccipicnL. Shc is rcprcscnLcd
by Susannc ViclmcLLcr Ios Angclcs ProjccLs, Andrca Krcps Callcry, Ncw York, Calcric
Mchdi Chouakri, Bcrlin, Calcric Praz Dclavalladc, Paris, and Van Horn, Dusscldor.
Daniel Buren was born in 103S, in Boulognc-BillancourL, Francc. Hc livcs and works
in siLu.
Rochelle Feinstein livcs and works in Ncw York and has cxhibiLcd hcr works inLcr-
naLionally. A painLcr whosc work is known Lo cross mcdia, shc has bccn procssor o
painLing and prinLmaking aL Lhc School o ArL, Yalc UnivcrsiLy sincc 1005. In 2uuS,
shc had solo cxhibiLions aL ArL ProducLion Fund IAB Spacc, Ncw York, MomcnLa ArL,
Brooklyn, and Tc Suburban, Oak Park, Illinois.
David J. Getsy is Lhc Coldabcllc McComb Finn DisLinguishcd Chair in ArL HisLory and
associaLc procssor aL Lhc School o Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc o Chicago. His rcscarch ocuscs
on Furopcan and Amcrican arL rom Lhc laLc nincLccnLh ccnLury Lo Lhc prcscnL. Hc is
Lhc auLhor o Body Doubles: Sculpture in Britain, 18771905 and Lhc orLhcoming Rodin:
Sex and the Making of Modern Sculpture, and Lhc cdiLor o Sculpture and the Pursuit of
a Modern Ideal in Britain, c. 18801930 and Lhc orLhcoming anLhology From Diversion
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to Subversion: Games, Play, and Twentieth-Century Art. OLhcr publicaLions includc cs-
says on Harry BaLcs, 1ohn Chambcrlain, Hcnri Caudicr-Brzcska, AlbcrLo CiacomcLLi,
FrncsLo Pujol, and David SmiLh.
Michelle Grabner is an arLisL who has cxhibiLcd widcly in Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs and Fu-
ropc, a wriLcr whosc work has appcarcd in Artforum, Modern Painters, Frieze, X-tra, Art
Press, Teme Celeste, and oLhcr journals, and Lhc oundcr and dirccLor o Tc Suburban,
an arLisL-run projccL spacc in Oak Park, Illinois. Can I Come Over to Your House, a caLa-
log wiLh cssays by Crabncr and Michacl Ncwman, marks Lhc gallcrys LcnLh annivcr-
sary. Shc has LaughL aL Lhc UnivcrsiLy o WisconsinMadison, Cranbrook Acadcmy o
ArL, and Lhc Yalc Norolk Program. Shc is currcnLly procssor and chair o Lhc PainLing
and Drawing DcparLmcnL aL Lhc School o Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc o Chicago.
Rodney Graham was born in 1040 in Vancouvcr, whcrc hc conLinucs Lo livc and work.
As a conccpLual arLisL cxploring Lhc human cxpcricncc, hc has workcd in many mc-
diums and is parLicularly ascinaLcd by Lhc opLics o lighL and sccing. Tc camcra ob-
scura has bccomc Lhc ocus o much o his work in phoLography, wiLh iLs invcrLcd im-
agcry scrving as a pcrsonal mcLaphor or Lhc modcrn world. Crahams work can bc
ound in major privaLc and public collccLions, including Lhc Muscum o Modcrn ArL,
Ncw York, Lhc NaLional Callcry o Canada, and Lhc Van Abbc Muscum, Lhc NcLhcr-
lands. Among his many honors was bcing sclccLcd Lo rcprcscnL Canada in Lhc Vcnicc
Bicnnalc in 1007.
Amy Granat makcs work LhaL combincs lm, sound, pcrormancc, phoLography, and
insLallaLion Lhrough disLincLly pocLic and ormal juxLaposiLions. Drawing inspiraLion
rom carly cincma, noisc music, absLracL painLing, and bcaL liLcraLurc, shc simulLanc-
ously cmbraccs and rcccLs on Lhc culLurc o Lhc avanL gardc. Solo cxhibiLions o hcr
work havc bccn hcld aL P.S.1 Muscum o ConLcmporary ArL, Ncw York, Lhc KiLchcn,
Ncw York, Fva Prcscnhubcr Calcric, Zurich, and Ic ConorL Modcrnc, PoiLicrs. Shc has
also bccn caLurcd in numcrous group cxhibiLions. Shc livcs and works in Ncw York.
Karl Haendel rcccivcd a BA rom Brown UnivcrsiLy in 100S and a MFA rom Lhc Uni-
vcrsiLy o Caliornia, Ios Angclcs in 2uu3. Hc also sLudicd aL Lhc WhiLncy Muscum
IndcpcndcnL SLudy Program and Lhc Skowhcgan School o PainLing and SculpLurc.
His work has bccn includcd in group cxhibiLions aL Lhc Muscum o Modcrn ArL, Ncw
York, Lhc WhiLncy Muscum o Amcrican ArL, Ncw York, Lhc AsLrup Fcarnlcy Muscum
o Modcrn ArL, Oslo, and ScrpcnLinc Callcry, Iondon. In 2uu6 hc was Lhc subjccL o a
solo cxhibiLion aL Lhc Muscum o ConLcmporary ArL, Ios Angclcs. Hc is rcprcscnLcd by
Susannc ViclmcLLcr Ios Angclcs ProjccLs and Harris Iicbcrman, Ncw York.
Rachel Harrison was born in 1066 in Ncw York, whcrc shc currcnLly livcs and works.
RcccnL solo cxhibiLions havc Lakcn placc aL PorLikus, FrankurL, Lhc Hcsscl Muscum
o ArL, Bard Collcgc, Calcric Mcycr Kaincr, Vicnna, Ic ConsorLium, Dijon, Migros
Muscum ur CcgcnwarLskunsL, Zurich, KunsLhallc Nurnbcrg, and Crccnc NaLali Cal-
lcry, Ncw York. Shc parLicipaLcd in Lhc Vcnicc Bicnnalc (2uu3, 2uu0), Lhc TaLc Tricn-
nial, Iondon (2uu0), and Lhc WhiLncy Bicnnial, Ncw York (2uu2, 2uuS), among oLhcr
group cxhibiLions.
Lynn Lester Hershman is an arLisL and lmmakcr who pionccrcd Lhc usc o ncw Lcch-
nologics in hcr invcsLigaLions o idcnLiLy in a Limc o consumcrism and privacy in an
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cra o survcillancc, inLcracing o humans and machincs, and Lhc rclaLion bcLwccn rcal
and virLual worlds. Hcr Lhrcc caLurc lmsStrange Culture, Teknolust, and Conceiv-
ing Adahavc bccn parL o Lhc Sundancc and Bcrlin InLcrnaLional Film FcsLivals. A
Cuggcnhcim Fcllow ship is supporLing hcr orLhcoming documcnLary Women Art Rev-
olution: Te Turbulent and (Formerly) Secret History of the Feminist Art Movement, 1968-
2009. In 2uu4 SLanord UnivcrsiLy Iibrarics acquircd hcr working archivc, and Secret
Agents Private I: Te Art and Films of Lynn Hershman Leeson was publishcd by Lhc Uni-
vcrsiLy o Caliornia Prcss (2uu5). Shc livcs and works in San Francisco, whcrc shc is
chair o Lhc Film DcparLmcnL aL Lhc San Francisco ArL InsLiLuLc.
Mary Jane Jacob is a procssor in Lhc DcparLmcnL o SculpLurc and cxccuLivc dircc-
Lor o FxhibiLions and FxhibiLion SLudics aL Lhc School o Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc o Chicago.
Oncc chic curaLor o Lhc Muscums o ConLcmporary ArL in Chicago and Ios Angclcs,
shc has shiLcd hcr workplacc rom Lhc muscum Lo Lhc sLrccL, criLically cngaging Lhc
discoursc around public spacc, organizing such siLc and communiLy-bascd programs as
Placcs wiLh a PasL in CharlcsLon, CulLurc in AcLion in Chicago, and ConvcrsaLions
aL Lhc CasLlc in ALlanLa. Hcr books includc Buddha Mind in Contemporary Art (2uu4)
and Learning Mind: Experience into Art (2uu0), boLh cocdiLcd wiLh 1acquclynn Baas. In
2u1u shc was awardcd Lhc Womcns Caucus or ArL IicLimc AchicvcmcnL Award and
Lhc Award or AchicvcmcnL in Lhc Ficld o Public ArL rom Public ArL Dialoguc.
Caroline A. Jones sLudics modcrn and conLcmporary arL, wiLh a ocus on iLs Lcchno-
logical modcs o producLion, disLribuLion, and rcccpLion. Procssor o arL hisLory and
dirccLor o Lhc HisLory, Tcory, CriLicism program in Lhc DcparLmcnL o ArchiLccLurc
aL Lhc MassachuscLLcs InsLiLuLc o Tcchnology, shc has also workcd as an cssayisL and
curaLor, mosL rcccnLly wiLh MITs IisL Visual ArL CcnLcr on Video Trajectories (2uu7)
and Hans Haacke 1967 (2u11). Hcr cxhibiLions and lms havc bccn shown aL Lhc Mu-
scum o Modcrn ArL, Ncw York, Lhc San Francisco Muscum o Modcrn ArL, Lhc Hirsh-
horn Muscum and SculpLurc Cardcn, WashingLon, DC, and Lhc Hara Muscum, Tokyo,
among oLhcr vcnucs. Shc is Lhc auLhor o Eyesight Alone and Machine in the Studio, cdi-
Lor o Sensorium, and cocdiLor o Picturing Science, Producing Art. Hcr ncxL book, Desires
for the World Picture: Te Global Work of Art, invcsLigaLcs Lhc placc o arL in worlds airs,
naLional pavilions, and bicnnial culLurc.
Kimsooja is a Korcan-born arLisL bascd in Ncw York. Hcr work, incorporaLing mc-
diums ranging rom abric Lo vidco Lo pcrormancc, has bccn cxhibiLcd inLcrnaLion-
ally and caLurcd in numcrous solo and group shows, including bicnnalcs in Kwangju
(1005), So Paolo (100S), Ncw York (WhiLncy Bicnnial, 2uu2), Busan (2uu2), Sydncy
(100S), IsLanbul (1007), Iyon (2uuu), Valcncia (2uu3), and Vcnicc (1000, 2uu5). RcccnL
solo cxhibiLions havc bccn hcld aL Lhc CrysLal Palacc, Rcina Sophia, Madrid, Ia Fcnicc,
Vcnicc, KunsLhallc Wicn, P.S.1/MoMA ConLcmporary ArL CcnLcr, Ncw York, KunsL-
hallc Bcrn, Rodin Callcry, Scoul, and InLcrCommunicaLion CcnLcr, Tokyo.
Suzanne Lacy is an arLisL and wriLcr whosc work includcs largc-scalc public pcror-
manccs and insLallaLions, phoLos, vidcos, and LcxLs on issucs o social cquiLy and arL.
Shc cxhibiLs inLcrnaLionally and is Lhc subjccL o a ncw book by Sharon Irish, Suzanne
Lacy: Spaces Between. A proponcnL o audicncc cngagcmcnL and arLisLs rolcs in shap-
355
ing public agcndas, Iacys carly pracLicc orcshadowcd many Lhcmcs in currcnL dcbaLcs
on rclaLional, rcscarch-bascd, and publicly siLcd pracLiccs. In 1005 shc cdiLcd Mapping
the Terrain: New Genre Public Art, and somc o hcr many publishcd cssays will bc in-
cludcd in Lhc orLhcoming book Leaving Art: Performances, Politics and Publics, Te Col-
lected Essays of Suzanne Lacy. Iacy is chair o Lhc MasLcrs in Finc ArLs: Public PracLiccs
aL OLis Collcgc o ArL and Dcsign.
Thomas Lawson, an arLisL wiLh a divcrsc, projccL-drivcn ouLpuL, has bccn showing
painLings and dcvcloping Lcmporary public works inLcrnaLionally sincc Lhc laLc 107us.
From 1070 Lo 1002 hc publishcd and cdiLcd, wiLh Susan Morgan, REAL LIFE Maga-
zine. His cssays havc appcarcd in various journals and cxhibiLion caLalogs. A book o
sclccLcd wriLings, Mining for Gold, was publishcd by 1RP/Ringicr KunsLvcrlag (2uu4),
and Primary InormaLion rclcascd an anLhology o REAL LIFE Magazine (2uu7). Hc
rcccnLly mounLcd shows aL David Kordansky Callcry, Ios Angclcs, and ParLicipanL Inc.,
Ncw York, and has bccn includcd in survcys o Lhc 10Sus aL Lhc McLropoliLan Muscum,
Ncw York, and Magasin Crcnoblc.
Shana Lutker is a Ios Angclcsbascd arLisL who had solo cxhibiLions aL Susannc Vicl-
mcLLcr Ios Angclcs ProjccLs, Tc Suburban, Oak Park, Illinois, Room Callcry, Univcr-
siLy o Caliornia, Irvinc, ArLisLs Spacc, Ncw York, and WcLLcrling Callcry, SLockholm.
Hcr work was includcd in Lhc 2uuS and 2uu6 Caliornia Bicnnials and rcccnL group
cxhibiLions aL MassachuscLLs Muscum o ConLcmporary ArL, Lhc Tang Muscum, Sara-
Loga Springs, Ncw York, Lhc CCA WaLLis InsLiLuLc or ConLcmporary ArLs, San Fran-
cisco, and Harris Iicbcrman and DAmclio Tcrras gallcrics, Ncw York. Shc rcccivcd hcr
MFA rom Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Caliornia, Ios Angclcs, and is managing cdiLor o X-tra
magazinc.
Annika Marie is assisLanL procssor o arL hisLory in Lhc ArL + Dcsign DcparLmcnL
aL Columbia Collcgc Chicago. Shc has wriLLcn arL criLicism or publicaLions including
Art issues and X-tra and is working on a manuscripL LiLlcd Te Most Radical: Working
towards a Materialist Aesthetic in Harold Rosenberg, Barnett Newman, and Ad Reinhardt.
Courtney J. Martin, a Chanccllors PosLdocLoral Fcllow in Lhc HisLory o ArL aL Lhc
UnivcrsiLy o Caliornia aL Bcrkclcy, complcLcd hcr docLoraLc aL Yalc UnivcrsiLy in
LwcnLicLh-ccnLury BriLish arL. Prcviously, shc was a cllow aL Lhc CcLLy Rcscarch InsLi-
LuLc and aL Lhc Hcnry Moorc InsLiLuLc, bcorc cnLcring Yalc, shc scrvcd as inLcrim hcad
curaLor aL Lhc Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Muscum, Cold Spring Harbor, Ncw York,
and workcd in Lhc mcdia, arLs, and culLurc uniL o Lhc Ford FoundaLion on an inLcr-
naLional, susLainablc arLs porLolio. Shc has scrvcd as a consulLanL or Lhc Ford Foun-
daLion in Lhc arcas o arLs cducaLion and culLural rcorganizaLion in Lhc Cul rcgion.
MarLin has also wriLLcn or Art Asia Pacic, Art Papers, Contemporary, Flashart, Frieze,
and NKA and is a rcgular conLribuLor Lo ArLorum.com.
Carrie Moyer is a Brooklyn-bascd painLcr and wriLcr. Shc oundcd Lhc ongoing lcsbian
public arL projccL Dyke Action Machine! wiLh phoLographcr Suc Schancr in 1001. Hcr
painLings and public arL projccLs havc bccn widcly cxhibiLcd in muscums and gallcrics,
boLh naLionally and inLcrnaLionally. Hcr wriLings appcar rcgularly in Art in America,
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Modern Painters, and Brooklyn Rail, among oLhcr journals. In 2uu0 Moycr rcccivcd Lhc
Anonymous Was a Woman Award and Lhc 1oan MiLchcll CranL. Hcr work is rcprc-
scnLcd by Canada Callcry, Ncw York. Moycr is assisLanL procssor and graduaLc coor-
dinaLor o Lhc painLing dcparLmcnL aL Lhc Rhodc Island School o Dcsign.
Bruce Nauman was born in 1041 in ForL Waync, Indiana. His pracLicc spans a widc
rangc o mcdia, including sculpLurc, phoLography, ncon, sound insLallaLion, mulLi-
channcl vidco, pcrormancc, and drawing. Hc rsL garncrcd criLical aLLcnLion wiLh
cxhibiLions in Caliornia soon aLcr complcLing his MFA in 1066, in 106S hc madc his
solo dcbuL aL Ico CasLclli Callcry, Ncw York. His rsL major survcy was coorganizcd
by Lhc Ios Angclcs CounLy Muscum o ArL and Lhc WhiLncy Muscum o Amcrican ArL
in 1072. SubscqucnL muscum cxhibiLions havc conLinucd Lo map his pracLicc. In 2uu0
Nauman rcprcscnLcd Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs aL Lhc 53rd Vcnicc Bicnnalc. Hc rcsidcs in Ncw
Mcxico, whcrc hc works alongsidc his wic, Lhc painLcr Susan RoLhcnbcrg.
Michael Peppiatt graduaLcd rom Cambridgc UnivcrsiLy in 1064 and bccamc an arL
criLic or Lhc Observer in Iondon. Moving Lo Paris in 1066, hc workcd as arLs cdi-
Lor aL Le Monde and various oLhcr publicaLions bcorc rclaunching Art International
magazinc. ALcr rcLurning Lo Iondon wiLh his wic and childrcn in 1004, hc publishcd
Francis Bacon: Anatomy of an Enigma, which was namcd a New York Times Book o Lhc
Ycar. PcppiaLL has organizcd numcrous cxhibiLions, noLably o Bacon, CiacomcLLi, and
Tpics. Awardcd a docLoraLc by Cambridgc UnivcrsiLy or his publishcd work, PcppiaLL
conLinucs Lo wriLc and lccLurc widcly on modcrn arL.
David Reed is an arLisL, born in 1046 in San Dicgo, Caliornia. Hc movcd Lo Iowcr
ManhaLLan in 1071, whcrc hc conLinucs Lo livc and work. Sincc 1076 hc has bccn rcp-
rcscnLcd by Max ProLcLch Callcry, Ncw York. RcccnLly hc has also cxhibiLcd works on
papcr aL PcLcr Blum Callcry, Ncw York. His work has bccn shown naLionally and inLcr-
naLionally in muscums and gallcrics. RcccnL publicaLions includc Rock Paper Scissors
(Kicnbaum ArLisLs Books) and Lhc caLalog o Lhc cxhibiLion David Reed, Lives of Paint-
ings aL his alma maLcr, Rccd Collcgc.
Lane Relyea is associaLc procssor in Lhc DcparLmcnL o ArL Tcory and PracLicc aL
NorLhwcsLcrn UnivcrsiLy. His wriLing has appcarcd in Art Journal, Art in America, Art-
forum, Afterall, Frieze, and Parkett. Hc has publishcd monographs on Polly Apclbaum,
Richard ArLschwagcr, 1crcmy Blakc, Vija Cclmins, Toba Khcdoori, Moniquc PricLo, and
Wolgang Tillmans, among oLhcrs, and conLribuLcd Lo such cxhibiLion caLalogs as Hel-
ter Skelter and Public Oerings. Hc has dclivcrcd lccLurcs aL Ncw Yorks Muscum o
Modcrn ArL, Harvard UnivcrsiLy, and Lhc ArL InsLiLuLc o Chicago. His book D.I.Y. Cul-
ture Industry is orLhcoming rom MIT Prcss.
David Robbins has had Lhrcc dozcn solo cxhibiLions o his work in Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs
and Furopc. His work has bccn includcd in numcrous group cxhibiLions, mosL rcccnLly
aL Lhc TaLc Modcrn, Iondon. A book o his collccLcd cssays and inLcrvicws, Te Velvet
Grind, was publishcd by 1RP/Ringicr KunsLvcrlag (2uu6). Hc currcnLly livcs in Mil-
waukcc.
Judith Rodenbeck holds Lhc Noblc FoundaLion Chair in ArL and CulLural HisLory aL
Sarah Iawrcncc Collcgc, whcrc shc Lcachcs modcrn and conLcmporary arL. Hcr wriL-
357
ing on conLcmporary arL has appcarcd in magazincs such as Grey Room, Artforum, and
Modern Painters, and shc scrvcd as cdiLor in chic o Art Journal rom 2uu7 Lo 2uu0.
AuLhor o numcrous caLalog cssays on Lhc nco-avanL-gardc, shc is coauLhor (wiLh Bcn-
jamin Buchloh) o Experiments in the Everyday: Allan Kaprow and Robert Wattsevents,
objects, documents (2uuu). Hcr book Radical Prototypes: Allan Kaprow and the Invention
of Happenings will bc publishcd by MIT Prcss (2u1u).
Joe Scanlan is an arLisL and wriLcr living in Ncw York and dirccLor o Lhc Visual ArLs
Program aL PrinccLon UnivcrsiLy. Passing Trough, an cxhibiLion wiLh an accompany-
ing monograph, was mounLcd in 2uuS by Lhc KunsLsammlung Nordrhcin-WcsLalcn,
Dusscldor. Hc is rcprcscnLcd by Calcric MarLin 1anda, Vicnna, Calcric Michclinc
Szwajccr-Tob, AnLwcrp, and Chcz ValcnLin, Paris. Scanlan is a rcqucnL conLribuLor Lo
Artforum, Frieze, and Lhc wcbsiLc LhingsLhaLall.com. Hc is also Lhc publishcr o Com-
mcrcc Books, an ongoing scrics o books, mcdia, and InLcrncL publicaLions dcdicaLcd
Lo cconomically moLivaLcd works o arL.
Brenda Schmahmann is procssor o arL hisLory and visual culLurc aL Rhodcs Uni-
vcrsiLy in SouLh Arica. Hcr work rom Lhc lasL dccadc has addrcsscd issucs o gcndcr,
wiLh parLicular ocus on works by conLcmporary womcn arLisLs in SouLh Arica. In ad-
diLion Lo arLiclcs in various journals and cssays in cxhibiLion caLalogs, hcr publicaLions
includc Material Matters, Mapula: Embroidery and Empowerment in the Winterveld, and
Trough the Looking Glass: Representations of Self by South African Women Artists, or
which shc won Lhc Rhodcs Vicc Chanccllors Book Award. Shc and Marion Arnold co-
cdiLcd Between Union and Liberation: Women Artists in South Africa 1910-1994.
Carolee Schneemann is a mulLidisciplinary arLisL whosc vidco, lm, painLing, pho-
Lography, pcrormancc arL, and insLallaLion works havc bccn shown aL Lhc Ios Angc-
lcs Muscum o ConLcmporary ArL and Lhc Ncw Muscum o ConLcmporary ArL, Ncw
York, as wcll as in Furopc. A ncw mulLichanncl vidco was prcscnLcd aL Lhc TaLc Iivcr-
pools Abandon Normal Dcviccs csLival (2uu0). Imaging Her EroticsEssays, Inter-
views, Projects was publishcd by MIT Prcss (2uu2), Correspondence Course, cdiLcd by
KrisLinc SLilcs, will bc issucd by Dukc UnivcrsiLy Prcss (2u1u). Prcvious books includc
More Tan Meat Joy: Complete Performance Work and Selected Writing (1070, 1007).
Barry Schwabsky is an Amcrican arL criLic and pocL living in Iondon. Hc wriLcs rcgu-
larly or Te Nation and or Artforum, whcrc hc is also cocdiLor o inLcrnaLional rcvicws.
His books includc Te Widening Circle: Consequences of Modernism in Contemporary Art
and Vitamin P: New Perspectives in Painting, and hc has conLribuLcd Lo books and caL-
alogs on arLisLs, including Hcnri MaLissc, Alighicro BocLLi, 1cssica SLockholdcr, and
Cillian Wcaring.
Katy Siegel is associaLc procssor aL HunLcr Collcgc, CiLy UnivcrsiLy o Ncw York, cdi-
Lor in chic o Art Journal, and a conLribuLing cdiLor aL Artforum. Shc is a coauLhor o
Art Works: Money and Lhc auLhor o Since 45: Te American Condition and Contempo-
rary Art. Shc has wriLLcn cxLcnsivcly on conLcmporary arL, including arLisLs Richard
TuLLlc, 1c Koons, Dana SchuLz, Takashi Murakami, Rinckc DijksLra, David Rccd, Fa-
bian Marcaccio, Iisa Yuskavagc, Mark Bradord, and Bcrnard Frizc and subjccLs such
as Lhc collccLor, youLh, and Lhc public. In 2uu6, shc curaLcd High Times, Hard Times:
New York Painting, 19671975 and cdiLcd Lhc accompanying caLalog.
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Howard Singerman is Lhc auLhor o Art Subjects: Making Artists in the American Uni-
versity and Lhc orLhcoming Art History, After Sherrie Levine. Hc has conLribuLcd Lo
numcrous muscum caLalogs, including Public Oerings (2uu1), A Forest of Signs: Art in
the Crisis of Representation (10S0), and Allan Ruppersberg: Te Secret of Life and Death
(10S5), all rom Lhc Muscum o ConLcmporary ArL, Ios Angclcs, whcrc hc was mu-
scum cdiLor rom 10S5 Lo 10S0. Singcrman has publishcd criLicism in Artforum, Par-
kett, Emergences, La Part de lOeil, October, and Lhc Oxford Art Journal, and Lcachcs aL
Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Virginia.
Michael Smith is a pcrormancc/vidco/insLallaLion arLisL who has shown his work cx-
Lcnsivcly in Lhc UniLcd SLaLcs and Furopc aL muscums, gallcrics, univcrsiLics, csLivals,
and nighLclubs, on Lclcvision, and in Lhc sLrccLs. His awards includc Lhc Iouis Com-
orL Tiany FoundaLion CranL and cllowships rom Lhc Ncw York FoundaLion or Lhc
ArLs, Lhc NaLional FndowmcnL or Lhc ArLs, and Lhc Cuggcnhcim FoundaLion. SmiLh
rcccivcd his BA rom Colorado Collcgc and aLLcndcd Lhc WhiLncy Muscum Indcpcn-
dcnL SLudy Program. CurrcnLly hc is an associaLc procssor aL Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Tcxas,
AusLin, and spliLs his Limc bcLwccn AusLin and Brooklyn.
Buzz Spector is an arLisL and wriLcr whosc arL makcs rcqucnL usc o Lhc book, as
boLh subjccL and objccL, and who is conccrncd wiLh rclaLionships bcLwccn public his-
Lory, individual mcmory, and pcrccpLion. His arL criLicism has bccn publishcd in Art-
forum, Art Issues, Art on Paper, New Art Examiner, and oLhcr magazincs and journals. A
survcy o SpccLors rcccnL work wiLh handmadc papcr opcncd aL Lhc Urban InsLiLuLc
or ConLcmporary ArLs, Crand Rapids, Michigan, in Dcccmbcr 2uuS. SpccLor is dcan
o Lhc Collcgc and CraduaLc School o ArL in Lhc Sam Fox School o Dcsign and Visual
ArLs aL WashingLon UnivcrsiLy.
Frances Stark is an arLisL and wriLcr living in Ios Angclcs, whcrc shc is assisLanL pro-
cssor o painLing and drawing in Lhc Roski School o Finc ArL aL Lhc UnivcrsiLy o
SouLhcrn Caliornia. Shc is Lhc auLhor o Lhc shorL book Te Architect & Te Housewife
which cxplorcs, among oLhcr Lhings, Danicl Burcns cssay Tc FuncLion o Lhc SLu-
dio, and o Collected Writing: 19932003 and Frances Stark: Collected Works. Shc has
had survcy cxhibiLions aL NoLLingham ConLcmporary, CcnLcr or ConLcmporary ArL,
Clasgow, SLcdclijk Van Abbcmuscum, Findhovcn, Fonds Rcgional dArL ConLcmporain
(FRAC) Bourgonc, Dijon, and CulLurgcsL, Iisbon. Shc has also had solo cxhibiLions aL
Lhc Scccssion, Vicnna, PorLikus, FrankurL, Lhc Hammcr Muscum, Ios Angclcs, and
KunsLvcrcin, Munich.
Robert Storr is an arLisL, criLic, and curaLor who currcnLly scrvcs as Lhc dcan o Lhc
Yalc UnivcrsiLy School o ArL. Prcviously hc was a curaLor and Lhcn scnior curaLor in
Lhc DcparLmcnL o PainLing and SculpLurc aL Lhc Muscum o Modcrn ArL, Ncw York
(100u2uu2), and Lhc rsL Rosalic Solow Procssor o Modcrn ArL aL Lhc InsLiLuLc o
Finc ArLs, Ncw York UnivcrsiLy (2uu22uu6). Mr. SLorr has also LaughL aL Lhc Cradu-
aLc CcnLcr, CiLy UnivcrsiLy o Ncw York, Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Tcxas, AusLin, Harvard Uni-
vcrsiLy, Lhc Maryland InsLiLuLc Collcgc o ArL, Lhc Rhodc Island School o Dcsign, and
Lhc Ncw York SLudio School. In 2uu7 hc was dirccLor o Lhc Vcnicc Bicnnalc.
Charline von Heyl was born in 106u in Ccrmany and has bccn living and working in
Ncw York sincc 1006. Shc has LaughL as an adjuncL procssor aL Columbia UnivcrsiLy
359
and Yalc UnivcrsiLy. Shc has had solo shows aL Lhc Scccssion, Vicnna, Dallas Muscum
o ArL, and ConsorLium, Dijon, wiLh anoLhcr upcoming aL Lhc InsLiLuLc o ConLcmpo-
rary ArL, Philadclphia. From 100u Lo 1003 shc cxhibiLcd aL ChrisLian Nagcl Callcry and
subscqucnLly aL Borgmann/CapiLain Callcry, boLh in Colognc. CurrcnLly shc is rcprc-
scnLcd by 13u1PF, Ios Angclcs, Ciscla CapiLain Callcry, Colognc, and Fricdrich PcLzcl
Callcry, Ncw York.
Marjorie Welish has had rcccnL shows in Ncw York, Chicago, and Philadclphia, as wcll
as aL Lhc Miami UnivcrsiLy ArL Muscum, Oxord, Ohio. Shc was includcd in a group
show aL Lhc Musco dc ArLc ConLcmporanco FsLcban ViccnLc, Scgovia, Spain. Wclish
is Lhc rccipicnL o granLs and cllowships rom Lhc Adolph and FsLhcr CoLLlicb Foun-
daLion, Lhc TrusL or MuLual UndcrsLanding, and Lhc Pollock-Krasncr FoundaLion,
among oLhcrs, in 2uu7 shc rcccivcd a FulbrighL Scnior SpccialisL Fcllowship Lo Lcach
aL Lhc UnivcrsiLy o FrankurL, whcrc shc also workcd in collaboraLion wiLh 1amcs
Sicna on Oaths? Questions?, a limiLcd-cdiLion arL book. Of the Diagram: Te Work of
Marjorie Welish is a compilaLion o papcrs givcn aL a concrcncc hcld aL Lhc UnivcrsiLy
o Pcnnsylvania in 2uu2 dcvoLcd Lo hcr wriLing and arL. Hcr arL criLicism is collccLcd
in Signifying Art: Essays on Art after 1960, and Wclish wriLcs rcgularly or Art Monthly
and Bomb magazinc.
James Welling works in Lhc inLcrsccLion o phoLography and phoLographic Lcchnol-
ogy. Originally associaLcd wiLh Lhc PicLurcs CcncraLion in Lhc carly 10Sus in Ncw York,
Wclling workcd and cxhibiLcd cxLcnsivcly in Furopc in Lhc laLc 10Sus and carly 100us.
In 1005 hc joincd Lhc DcparLmcnL o ArL aL Lhc UnivcrsiLy o Caliornia, Ios Angclcs.
His rcccnL phoLographs invcsLigaLc archiLccLurc, color, sculpLurc, and landscapc. His
book Light Sources was rcccnLly publishcd by sLcidlMACK.
Brian Winkenweder is associaLc procssor o arL hisLory and chair o Lhc DcparLmcnL
o ArL and Visual CulLurc aL Iincld Collcgc. Hc has conLribuLcd cssays Lo such journals
as Art Criticism, Reconstructions, and Limina. Hc rcccnLly publishcd Reading Wittgen-
stein: Robert Morriss Art-as-Philosophy and is cocdiLor o Dialectical Conversions: Donald
Kuspits Art Criticism. Winkcnwcdcrs rcscarch ocuscs on inLcrsccLions bcLwccn phi-
losophy, liLcrary Lhcory, and arLisLic praxis wiLh an cmphasis on word/imagc inLcrac-
Lions. Hc is complcLing a manuscripL LhaL cxamincs Lhc myLh o AcLion PainLing by
discnLangling Lhc braid linking Harold Roscnbcrg Lo Hans NamuLhs phoLographs o
1ackson Pollocks sLudio acLiviLy.
Jon Wood is an arL hisLorian and curaLor spccializing in LwcnLicLh-ccnLury and con-
Lcmporary sculpLurc, wiLh a parLicular inLcrcsL in Lhc sculpLors sLudio. Hc has rcccnLly
publishcd cssays on Lhc sLudios o Brancusi, Moorc, Picasso, and CiacomcLLi. Hc sLud-
icd aL Lhc CourLauld InsLiLuLc o ArL and now works aL Lhc Hcnry Moorc InsLiLuLc,
Iccds, Fngland, whcrc hc coordinaLcs Lhc acadcmic rcscarch program and curaLcs cxhi-
biLions. Hc is also a lccLurcr aL Iccds UnivcrsiLy. RcccnL publicaLions includc Articulate
Objects: Voice, Sculpture, and Performance (wiLh Aura SaLz), Against Nature: Te Hybrid
Forms of Modern Sculpture, Modern Sculpture Reader (wiLh Alcx PoLLs and David Hulks),
With Hidden Noise: Sculpture, Video and Ventriloquism, and Close Encounters: Te Sculp-
tors Studio in the Age of the Camera.
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i iius1rt1ioN crcbi 1s
xii ScuraL, Models. Oil on canvas, 7S ~
0S in. (2uu ~ 240.0 cm). BFS11, Main Cal-
lcry. 2uu0. PhoLo rcproduccd wiLh pcr-
mission o Lhc Barncs FoundaLion.
xiv Kccgan, Work from Home. CourLcsy o
Lhc arLisL and DAmclio Tcrras, Ncw York.
3 CcricaulL, Portrait of an Artist in His Stu-
dio. Oil on canvas. CollccLion o Lhc Iouvrc,
Paris, Francc/Iauros/Ciraudon. CourLcsy o
Lhc Bridgcman ArL Iibrary.
3 WrighL Homc and SLudio, draLing room.
Frank Iloyd WrighL, archiLccL. CollccLion
o Frank Iloyd WrighL PrcscrvaLion TrusL.
PhoLo: 1on Millcr, Hcdrich-Blcssing.
9 Albcrs in his sLudio. 2uu0 FsLaLc o
Rudy BurckhardL/ArLisL RighLs SocicLy
(ARS), Ncw York.
10 Fischli/Wciss, In the Studio II. Hand-
carvcd polyurcLhanc and acrylic painL.
0 ~ 35 ~ 20 in. PcLcr Fischli/David
Wciss. CourLcsy MaLLhcw Marks Callcry,
Ncw York.
11, 1213 Ross-Ho, sLudio and Frauds for
an Inside Job. CourLcsy Chcrry and Mar-
Lin, Ios Angclcs, MiLchcll Inncs and Nash,
Ncw York. PhoLos: RobcrL Wcdcmcycr, Ios
Angclcs.
19, 20 SpccLor sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc arL-
isL. PhoLo: Iindscy Clovcr.
22 FcinsLcin, Before and After. CourLcsy o
Lhc arLisL.
25 IuLkcr sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL.
29 SmiLh, A Typical Day. CourLcsy o Lhc
arLisL. PhoLo and layouL: Iindscy Dorr-Niro.
3435 Baldcssari sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc
arLisL. PhoLo CauLicr Dcblondc.
41 Fvcrgood, Nude by the El. Oil on canvas.
CollccLion Hirshhorn Muscum and Sculp-
Lurc Cardcn, SmiLhsonian InsLiLuLion, CiL
o Lhc 1oscph H. Hirshhorn FoundaLion,
1066. PhoLo: Icc SLalsworLh.
44 Nauman, Failing to Levitate in My Stu-
dio. PhoLo, 2u ~ 24 in. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL,
Donald Young Callcry, Chicago, and Spcr-
onc WcsLwaLcr, Ncw York. 2uuS Brucc
Nauman/ArLisLs RighLs SocicLy (ARS), Ncw
York.
47 SLark in hcr sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc arL-
isL. PhoLo: Karin Culbran.
51 Dc Kooning in his sLudio. CourLcsy Ccn-
Lcr or CrcaLivc PhoLography, UnivcrsiLy o
Arizona, and Lhc Willcm dc Kooning Foun-
daLion/ArLisLs RighLs SocicLy (ARS), Ncw
York. 1001 Hans NamuLh FsLaLc.
54 Chambcrlain sLudio. CourLcsy Pacc-
WildcnsLcin, Ncw York. CourLcsy 1ohn
Chambcrlain/ArLisLs RighLs SocicLy (ARS),
Ncw York. PhoLo PcLcr Foc, FoLoworks.
57 MarLin. CourLcsy PaccWildcnsLcin, Ncw
York. 2uu0 Agncs MarLin/ArLisLs RighLs
SocicLy (ARS), Ncw York. PhoLo: Charlcs S.
RusLon.
6367 Nauman, Setting a Good Corner.
Vidco sLills, singlc-channcl vidco Lrans-
crrcd Lo DVD, 50:3u minuLcs. CourLcsy
361
Donald Young Callcry, Chicago. 2uu0
Brucc Nauman/ArLisL RighLs SocicLy (ARS),
Ncw York.
77 SmiLh aL work on Canopic Head.
FsLaLc o David SmiLh/Iiccnscd by VACA,
Ncw York, NY. PhoLo: David SmiLh.
82 SLcindor, In Action. Vidco sLill. Cour-
Lcsy o Lhc arLisL.
86 Kimsooja, An Album: Hudson Guild.
CourLcsy Kimsooja SLudio. Kimsooja
2uu0. PhoLo: 1acho Chong.
90 Hsich, One Year Performance. 10S1
Tchching Hsich, Ncw York.
92 CourbcL, Te Artists Studio. Oil on
canvas, 361 ~ 50S cm. CollccLion Muscc
dOrsay, Paris, Francc. RF2257. CourLcsy
o Lhc Rcunion dcs Musccs NaLionaux/ArL
Rcsourcc, Ncw York. PhoLo: Ccrard BloL/
Hcrvc Icwandowski.
93 PcarlsLcin, Two Models in a Window with
Cast Iron Toys. Oil on canvas, 72 ~ 72 in. CiL
o Lhc 1amcs F. Dickc Family, SmiLhsonian
Amcrican ArL Muscum, WashingLon, DC.
CourLcsy o Lhc SmiLhsonian Amcrican ArL
Muscum, WashingLon DC/ArL Rcsourcc,
Ncw York. Philip PcarlsLcin.
101 RcconsLrucLion o Lhc Bacon sLudio.
PhoLo: David CcLsy.
118 Rccd sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL.
PhoLo: Fli Ping Wcinbcrg.
12223 Iawson sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc
arLisL.
124 Von Hcyl sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL
and Fricdrich PcLzcl Callcry, Ncw York.
131 Vcrmccr, Te Art of Painting. CourLcsy
o Lhc KunsLhisLorischcs Muscum, Vicnna.
151 Craham, Te Gifted Amateur, Nov 10th,
1962. Trcc painLcd aluminum lighL boxcs
wiLh LransmounLcd chromogcnic Lranspar-
cncics, cach 112 ~ 72 ~ 7 inchcs. FdiLion o
our and onc arLisLs proo. CourLcsy o Lhc
arLisL, Donald Young Callcry, Chicago, and
Lhc Rcnnic CollccLion, Vancouvcr, Canada.
152 Woolord in hcr sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc
arLisL. PhoLo: Frank HcaLh.
155 Schnccman sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc arL-
isL. PhoLo: Maricllc NiLoslawska
167 Moycr sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL.
168 Wclish sLudio insLallaLion. CourLcsy o
Lhc arLisL. PhoLo: BcckcL Iogan.
203 Brassa, Lobjet invisible. Silvcr prinL.
A.234F FsLaLc BrassaRMN. PrivaLc
CollccLion. CourLcsy o Lhc Rcunion dcs
Musccs NaLionaux/ArL Rcsourcc, Ncw York.
PhoLo: Michclc BclloL.
216 Harrison, Untitled (studio view). Cour-
Lcsy o Lhc arLisL. PhoLo: Rachcl Harrison.
218 IcsLcr Hcrshmann, collagc. CourLcsy o
Lhc arLisL, biLorms gallcry, Ncw York, and
Paulc Anglim Callcry, San Francisco.
221 Scgal, Picassos Chair. PlasLcr, wood,
cloLh, rubbcr, and sLring, 73 ~ 6u ~ 36
inchcs (1S6.7 ~ 152.4 ~ 02.7 cm). Solomon
R. Cuggcnhcim Muscum, Ncw York. CiL
o Dr. MilLon D. RaLncr, 1076. 76.2270.
Tc Ccorgc and Hclcn Scgal FoundaLion.
Iiccnccd by VACA, Ncw York, NY.
238 Hacndcl, composiLc imagc: Karl-o-gram
#1, courLcsy o Lhc arLisL and Susannc Vicl-
mcLLcr Ios Angclcs ProjccLs, Pencil Stubs #1,
courLcsy o Lhc arLisL and Millikcn Callcry,
SLockholm, Blackhands, collccLion 1on Milcr,
Ncw York, courLcsy o Lhc arLisL and Harris
Iicbcrman, Ncw York.
24243 Kabakov, Kitchen 2, Voices. InsLalla-
Lion vicw. CourLcsy o Ilya and Fmilia Ka-
bakov.
245 Chcrnyshcva, Black and White Culinary
Book. InsLallaLion vicw, Callcry 1.u, Moscow.
CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL.
247 Roslcr, Semiotics of the Kitchen. Vidco
sLill. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL.
253 Cclmins, To Fix the Image in Memory.
SLoncs and painLcd bronzcs, clcvcn pairs.
CiL o Fdward R. Broida in honor o David
and Rcncc McKcc. (670.2uu5.a-v.vwl). Col-
lccLion o Lhc Muscum o Modcrn ArL, Ncw
York, NY. DigiLal imagc Tc Muscum o
Modcrn ArL. Iiccnscd by SCAIA/ArL Rc-
sourcc, Ncw York.
362
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s
t
r
a
t
i
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n

C
r
c
d
i
t
s
255 FaughL, Endless Night. CourLcsy o Lhc
arLisL and Iisa Coolcy Finc ArLs, Ncw York.
260 CranaL sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL.
262 Robbins sLudio. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL.
26566 Wclling, Polaroid Photographs.
CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL and Donald Young
Callcry, Chicago.
275 Duchamp, Why Not Sneeze Rrose
Slavy? Marblc, LhcrmomcLcr, cuLLlcbonc,
bird cagc, 11.4 ~ 22 ~ 16 cm. Philadclphia
Muscum o ArL. 2u1u ArLisL RighLs Soci-
cLy (ARS), Ncw York/ADACP, Paris/Succcs-
sion Marccl Duchamp.
284 Wclling, Paris. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL
and Donald Young Callcry, Chicago.
305 I SITF aL SL. KaLharinc Dock. Cour-
Lcsy o SPACF SLudios, Iondon.
307 Araccn, Chakras. CourLcsy o Lhc arLisL.
31819 Iacy, Reunin/Reunion. CourLcsy o
Lhc arLisL. PhoLo o Maria Accvcdo by Raul
Vcga.
323 BcshLy, Tc Villagc. CourLcsy o Lhc
arLisL.
334 Bowcrs: courLcsy o Lhc arLisL, phoLo
1crcmy Rall. SLillcy: courLcsy o Lhc arLisL,
phoLo Tuckcr SLillcy.
34243 HcwiLL, Seed Stage. InsLallaLion
vicw (OcLobcr 3, 2uuS1anuary 4, 2uu0)
aL Lhc WhiLncy Muscum o Amcrican ArL,
Ncw York, NY. PhoLo: Shcldan C. Collins.
347 Harrison, Nice Rack. CourLcsy o Lhc
arLisL and Crccnc NaLali Callcry, Ncw York.
363
Abramovic, Marina, SS
AcLion PainLing Fourold (Maric):
arcnas o Lhc acLion painLcr and Lhc
cLymol ogy o Lhing, S3, criLiqucs o
Roscnbcrg, S1S2, populariLy o AcLion
PainLing among Amcrican arLisLs, Su,
Lhc sLudio as an acLor-ncLwork, S4, Lhc
sLudio as cqual in imporLancc Lo Lhc
canvas, S1, Roscnbcrgs dcscripLion o
AcLion PainLing, S4, Roscnbcrgs inLro-
ducLion o Lcrm, S1, Roscnbcrgs Lhcory
o Lhc acL o arL, S3S4
acLor-ncLwork Lhcory (ANT), S3, S4
Adamson, Clcnn, S, 251. See also Analoguc
PracLicc (Adamson)
Adlcr, 1udiLh, 45n1u
Albcrs, 1osc, 9
Album Primo-Avrilesque (Allais), 33un7
Alord, Fdna, 247
Allais, Alphonsc, 33un7
Alloway, Iawrcncc, 4u, 20204
Alpcrs, SvcLlana, 2, 5, 126, 336. See also
Vicw rom Lhc SLudio, Tc (Alpcrs)
AlLhamcr, Pawcl, 153
Amcrican Lypc o sLudio. See under sLudios
Analoguc PracLicc (Adamson): analoguc
pracLicc Lhcory and craL, 25253, copy-
ing as craLsmanship, 251, 257, craL-
bascd rcinvcnLion o Lhc sLudio, 25556,
craLs unavoidablc divcrsiLy as a sLrcngLh,
252, handmadc work as a mcans o dc-
cnding Lhc sLudio spacc, 25354, impli-
caLions o copying vicwcd as a craL, 251
52, rclaLion bcLwccn casLing and copying,
256, sloppy craL and rcjccLion o Lhc
copy as an idcal, 25355, Lhc sLudio as
LhcaLcr o opcraLions, 25657
Anatomy, An (Picasso), 23u
Andcrson, MargarcL, 27u
ANT (acLor-ncLwork Lhcory), S3, S4
AnLoni, 1aninc, 257
Araccn, Rashccd, 3u5, 3u6S, 31un25
Armajani, Siah, 56
Ars magna lucis et umbrae (Kirchcr), 120
ArL & Ianguagc PainLs a PicLurc (ArL &
Ianguagc), S, 1u417
Art and the Industrial Revolution (Klin g-
cndcr), 56
Artist and Model Reected in Mirror
(MaLissc), 22425
ArLisL in His SLudio, Tc (BcrgsLcin):
arLisLic producLion cquaLcd wiLh viril-
iLy, 212, associaLion o masculiniLy wiLh
producLion and cmininiLy wiLh con-
sumpLion, 106, magazincs promoLion
o gcndcr rolcs, 21u11, masculinc scxu-
aliLy as a vchiclc Lo arLisLic cxprcssion,
2uu, ncgaLivc inucncc o dominanL
womcn on masculinc crcaLiviLy, 2uS,
phoLographs abiliLy Lo prcscnL Lhc pri-
vaLc

momcnL o arLisLic LransormaLion,
2u4, Lhc sLudio as arLisLs inncr sanc-
Lum, 10607. See also Brassa, Iibcrman,
Alcxandcr
Artist in His Studio, Te (Iibcrman), 211
Artists Model, Te (Ccrmc), 224
Artists of My Life, Te (Brassa), 106
Artists Studio, Te (CourbcL), 92, 03, 33S
Artists Studio, Te (Scgal), 22u. See also
CasL in a DicrcnL IighL (Schmahmann)
Art of Painting, Te (Vcrmccr), 13u, 131, 134
35, 13S
Ash Can School, 73
Ashcr, Michacl, 4u, 332
i Nbcx
Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.
364
I
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d
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x
AshLon, Dorc, 1S4, 1S5S6, 1SS, 1S0, 101
Astronomer (Vcrmccr), 130, 143
Bacon, Francis, 5, 62, 164. See also
RcconsLrucLion o Lhc Francis Bacon
SLudio in Dublin, Tc (CcLsy)
Bal, Mickc, 224
Baldcssari, 1ohn: sLudio spaccs, 3u36,
posL-sLudio arL coursc, 6u, program aL
Caliornia InsLiLuLc o Lhc ArLs, 4u
Bann, SLcphcn, 251
Barncy, MaLLhcw, 257
BarLhcs, Roland, 43
Battle of Chosroes (Picro dclla Franccsca),
13S
Baudclairc, Charlcs, 177
Bazillc, Frcdcric, 133
Before and After (FcinsLcin), 22
Bcllony-Rcwald, Alicc, 5, 6S. See also
SLudios o Amcrica (PcppiaLL/Bcllony-
Rcwald)
Bcrgcr, 1ohn, 232
BcrgsLcin, Mary, 6, 105. See also ArLisL in
His SLudio, Tc (BcrgsLcin)
BcshLy, Walcad, S, 321. See also SLudio
NarraLivcs (BcshLy)
BcLLcrLon, Roscmary, 234n17
Bcuys, 1oscph, 6, 230, 240n3, 2S6S7
Bidlo, Mikc, 207
BicrsLadL, AlbcrL, 7u71
Bihaud, Paul, 33un7
Bike at Night (Wclling), 264, 265
Bingham, Ccorgc Calcb, 71
Bishop, Clairc, 344
Black and White Culinary Book
(Chcrnyshcva), 245
Blackhands (Hacndcl), 238
Black Square (Malcvich), 33un6
Blakc, William, 56
Boccioni, UmbcrLo, 2S6
BonavcnLurc HoLcl, 3242S
Bonnard, MarLhc, 2u12
Bonnard, Picrrc, 2u67
Boo (Araccn), 3uS
Bookcr, Chakaia, 254
Book of Healthy and Wholesome Food (cook-
book), 24S
Book of Wholesome Food, Te (insLallaLion,
Chcrnyshcva), 24S
Booscnbarck, CranL, 203, 204
Bowcrs, Andrca, 33235,
Bragg, Mclvyn, 1uu
Brancusi, ConsLanLin, 6, 16162, 165
Brancusis whiLc sLudio (Wood), 6,
accounLs o Brancusis whiLc bcard, 271,
adhcrcncc Lo whiLcwashcd walls, 2SuS1,
advocacy o LruLh Lo maLcrials, 27S,
Bran cusis aLLcnLion Lo his arL, 260,
consLrucLion o an idcnLiLy or his work
and himscl, 272, 2S2nS, dog Polaircs
mcaning in rcgard Lo his craL, 27SSu,
2S2n2u, Duchamps homagc Lo Bran-
cusis sLudio, 274, 275, 2767S, impacL
o Lhc sLudio on visiLors, 2S1, myLh o
Lhc whiLc sLudio, 2607u, rc-crcaLion
o Lhc sLudio, 2607u, rclaLion Lo Dada,
273, scnsc o Limclcssncss convcycd by
whiLcncss, 27u71, sLaging o lighL in
sLudio phoLographs, 27273, visiLors
laLcr rccrcnccs Lo Lhc sLudios whiLcncss,
27374, Wcllings visiL Lo rcconsLrucLcd
sLudio, 2S5, whiLcncss sccn as coordinaL-
ing Brancusis arL and lic, 27u
Brassa, 6, alliancc wiLh arLisL as sccn in
CiacomcLLi phoLo, 2uu2u1, aLLiLudc
Loward his own work, 2uu, bclic LhaL
cmininc prcscncc sLimulaLcs arLisLic
producLion, 10S, characLcr o his work,
10S, coding o Lhc urban cnvironmcnL
as cmininc, 2uu, collccLion o sLudio
phoLographs, 106, dcpicLion o wom-
cns sLudio rolc as silcnL and submis-
sivc, 2u5, dcpicLions o CiacomcLLis sLu-
dio, 2u23, dc picLions o Hcnry Millcr,
1002uu, 214n17, cLion in his pho-
Lography, 2u5, MoMA cxhibiL, 10S00,
phoLos o MaLisscs homc and modcls,
2u4, rcinorccmcnL o dominanL malc
vicwcr in phoLographs, 2u4, rcprcscn-
LaLion o Lhc arLisLs sLudio as onc wiLh
his arL, 2u1, 214n22, rcprcscnLaLion o
womcn, 2u1, 2u2, Lhcmc o masculinc
scxualiLy as a vchiclc Lo arLisLic cxprcs-
sion, 2uu, Lhcsis o his work, 105, 212n1,
213n2, LrcaLmcnL o his subjccLs, 2uu,
usc o phoLographic pairings Lo convcy
mcaning, 100, usc o LcxL Lo corrobo-
raLc visual maLcrial, 2u12, voycurism
365
in dcpicLions o MaLisscs sLudio and
modcl, 2u56
Bridgman, Frcdcric A., 72
Bringing the War Back Home: House Beautiful
(Roslcr), 247
BroodLhacrs, Marccl, 33S
Budding Gourmet, A (Roslcr), 24446
BurckhardL, Rudy, 9
Burcn, Danicl, 2, 3, S, on Lhc uncLion o Lhc
sLudio, 41, 42, 16365 (see also FuncLion
o Lhc SLudio, Tc [Burcn], FuncLion o
Lhc SLudio RcvisiLcd, Tc [Burcn])
CAA. See Collcgc ArL AssociaLion (CAA)
Cagc, 1ohn, 6, 50, 24u
Caliornia InsLiLuLc o Lhc ArLs, 4u, 6u
Callon, Michcl, S3
Caravaggio, 13u, 132, 130
CarmcnciLa, 72
CarLcr, Malcolm, 227
CasL in a DicrcnL IighL (Schmahmann), 6,
associaLion o womcn wiLh naLurc and
mcn wiLh culLurc, 22223, criLiquc o
cmalc gurc in Te Artists Studio (Scgal),
22526, criLiquc o Self-Portrait with Head
and Body, 22S20, cmalc gurcs rcsis-
Lancc Lo conLrol in Scgals sculpLurc, 234,
cmalc painLcrs rcvcrsal o gcndcr rolcs,
23435n17, gcndcr hicrarchy as impliciL
in imagcs o sLudio, 22426, mcaning o
Scgals work, 22u, Lhc modcls rolc in
Scgals casLing proccss, 2272S, prcva-
lcncc o cmalc modcls in dcpicLions o
malc arLisLs sLudios, 222, rcprcscnLaLion
o a cmalc modcl by Picasso, 23u, Scgal
and Lhcmc o Lhc arLisLs sLudio, 22u, 222,
Scgals arL-making mcLhods and maLcri-
als, 225, Scgals bclic in Lhc physiological
consisLcncy o Lhc modcl, 22S, Scgals
prccrcncc or ricnds as modcls, 235n24,
Scgals Lakc on Rubcnss conLrapposLo
sLancc in Rubenss Women, 23133, Scgals
LranslaLion o Picassos cmalc modcl in
Picassos Chair, 23u31, Scgals usc o
body casLing, 226, scxual dominaLion
rcccLcd in Lhc proccss o body casLing,
226, vicw o womcn undcrlying cmalc
nudcs in WcsLcrn arL, 223
Ccdar Tavcrn, 76
Cclmins, Vija, 252, 253
Ccndrars, Blaisc, 273
CcrLcau, Michcl dc, 2, 4
Cczannc, Paul, 136, 142, 143
Chakras (Araccn), 3u6S, 307
Chambcrlain, 1ohn, 5355
Chardin, 1can-Simcon, 133, 142
Chasc, William McrriLL, 5, 40, 6S, 72
Chcrnyshcva, Olga, 245, 24S
Christ in the House of Mary and Martha
(Vcrmccr), 130
chroniclc o sLudio spaccs: Baldcssari, 3u
36, FcinsLcin, 2122, SpccLor, 172u
Church, Frcdcric Fdwin, 6S, 607u
Clark, KcnncLh, 223, 235n1S, 236n30
Closc, Chuck, 52
Colc, Tomas, 6S60
Collcgc ArL AssociaLion (CAA): conccrns
ovcr isolaLion inhcrcnL in a privaLc sLu-
dio, 4243, guidclincs or MFA programs
in sLudio arL, 304u
Collis, Susan, 257
Commissioned Paintings (Baldcssari), 04
copying and craL. See Analoguc PracLicc
(Adamson)
Corncll, 1oscph, 1S6
CoroL, 1can-BapLisLc-Camillc, 141
CourbcL, CusLavc, 0102, 03, 121, 14u, 141,
33S
craL vcrsus copying. See Analoguc PracLicc
(Adamson)
Cravan, ArLhur, 273
criLics and Lhc sLudio arLisL: Alloway on
Spiral Jetty, 20204, pcrccpLions o
SmiLhson as a posLmodcrn wriLcr,
2S00u, Roscnbcrg and AcLion PainL ing,
S1S4, SLorr on sLudio visiLs as a criLic,
1S5, 1S0, 101. See also ArLisL in His
SLudio, Tc (BcrgsLcin), SLudio
RcvisiLcd, Tc (Wclish), SLudio VisiL,
Tc (Wclish)
Croppcr, FlizabcLh, 140
CrysLal Palacc, 320nn45
David, 1acqucs Iouis, 17u
dcaLh o Lhc auLhor, 246, 2S0, 207
Dcgas, Fdgar, 133, 136
Dc Hooch, PicLcr, 1203u
Dc Kcyscr, Raoul, 61
366
I
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x
Dc Kooning, Flainc, 53, 76, S0, 01
Dc Kooning, Willcm, 51, arrangcmcnL o
sLudio by his wic, 5u52, discomorL
wiLh succcss, 52, rsL usc o a loL as a
sLudio, 7S70, prccrcncc or naLural
lighL, 70, sculpLurc sLudio, 7S, wics aL-
LcnLion Lo rcplcnishing his supplics, 53
Dclacroix, Fugcnc, 177
Dclcuzc, Cillcs, 345, 34S
Dclla Franccsca, Picro, 73, 1373S
Dcmpscy, Charlcs, 140
DcmuLh, Charlcs, 2S6
Dc Ncuvillc, Alphonsc, 15u
Dc Sausmarcz, Mauricc, 3u4
DcvaulL, Marjoric, 244
Dcwcy, 1ohn, 3
Diana and Nymphs (Vcrmccr), 135, 130
Dicicco, MarLin, 237
Dimc, MusLapha, 56
Discursivc SLudio, 160
Disncy Music Hall, 327
Docs RcaliLy Posscss PracLical CharacLcr
(Dcwcy), 3
Donovan, Tara, 253
Draughtsman Drawing Nude (Durcr), 224
drcam sLudio. See Indcx: Drcam SLudio
(IuLkcr)
Drcsdcn, 133
Drunk (Wcaring), 330
DubucL, 1can, 2u7
Duchamp, Marccl, 312, 315n2, 33un6, cx-
planaLion o arL, 01, 03, 05, on making
somcLhing, S0, rcsponsc Lo Brancusis
whiLc sLudio (scc Why Not Sneeze Rrose
Slavy? [Duchamp])
Dudlcy, DoroLhy, 27S
Duncan, Carol, 222
DuranL, Sam, 257
Durcr, AlbrcchL, 224
Durrcll, Iawrcncc, 10S
Dust Breeding (Duchamp), 277
DuLhuiL, Ccorgcs, 27u
Duvc, Ticrry dc, 320
Dynamism of a Figure in Space (Boccioni), 2S6
Fakins, Tomas, 72
FighLh SLrccL Club, 76
Fliasson, Olaur, 330
Fllcgood, Annc, 346
Endless Column (Brancusi), 260, 276
Endless Night (FaughL), 254, 255
FrnsL, Max, 16667
Furopcan Lypc o sLudio. See under sLudios
Fvcrgood, Philip, 41
Fxprcssivc SLudio, 160
Failing to Levitate in My Studio (Nauman),
4445
Fallico, ArLuro, 17S
FaughL, 1osh, 254, 255
Fcdc, Iucrczia dcl, 2uS
FcinsLcin, Rochcllc: chroniclc o sLudios,
2122
Female Nude (Ncad), 236n30
Finding of Moses (Vcrmccr), 130, 143
Fischli, PcLcr, 10, 11
Fish (Brancusi), 27677
Forge of Vulcan (Vclazqucz), 134
orms o Lhc sLudio. See Room o Oncs
Own, A (SLorr)
FosLcr, Hal, 2S0
FosLcr, 1cannc RobcrL, 27374
FourmcnL, Hclcnc, 236n30
Franckcn, Frans, 132
Frascr, Andrca, 330
Frascr, Kcnncdy, 21u, 211
Frauds (Ho), 11, 12, 13
Fricd, Michacl, 43
Fricdman, Tom, 254
Fricdrich, Caspar David, 132
Full Circle (Iacy), 317
uncLion o Lhc sLudio: ovcrcmphasis on
LradiLional arLisLs sLudio, 2S6S7, pro-
jccLion and phoLography uscd Lo bring
Lhc sLudio inLo Lhc muscum, 3304u,
rcguring Lhc sLudio Lhrough conccp-
Lual projccLs, 33S30, rclaLion bcLwccn
sLudio arLisL and display spacc, 3363S,
34u, romanLicizcd vicw o Lhc sLudio,
206, Lhc sLudio as a ragilc cco sysLcm,
34u, Lhc sLudio as gcncraLivc spacc, 330,
Lhc sLudio as inLcgral Lo Lhc mcaning o
arL crcaLcd Lhcrc, 2S7, Lcchnology and
arL, 20S, 3u1n20, union o Lhc iconic
and Lhc pcrormaLivc, 20607. See also
FuncLion o Lhc SLudio, Tc (Burcn),
FuncLion o Lhc SLudio RcvisiLcd, Tc
(Burcn), Possiblc ConLradicLion, A
(Singcrman), Room o Oncs Own, A
(SLorr), SLudio Unbound (Rclyca)
367
FuncLion o Lhc SLudio, Tc (Burcn), 2, 41,
Amcrican Lypc o sLudio, 157, 162n3,
arLworks privaLc origin vcrsus public
display, 15S50, 161, Brancusis rcusal
Lo allow muscum display o his works,
16162, 162n5, crcaLing arL Lo accom-
modaLc muscum display, 16u, Furopcan
Lypc o sLudio, 156, 162n2, prcvalcncc o
clccLric lighLs in Amcrican sLudios and
muscums, 157, 162n4, rclaLion bcLwccn
sLudio and muscum, 1506u, Lhc sLudio
as a convcnicncc or Lhc organizcr, 157,
Lhc sLudio dcncd, 156, 2S7, Lhc sLudio
as placc o mulLiplc acLiviLics, 157, Lhc
sLudio as placc whcrc arLwork is clos-
csL Lo iLs own rcaliLy, 15S, 2S7SS, Lhc
sLudio as uniquc spacc o producLion, 2
FuncLion o Lhc SLudio RcvisiLcd, Tc
(Burcn): arLisLic implicaLions o having
no sLudio, 165, consisLcncy in uncLion o
sLudios, 16465, modcrn arLisLs awarc-
ncss o Lhc arL markcL, 164, siLc arLisLs
opLion Lo inLcgraLc work inLo Lhc siLc,
163, sLudio arLisLs duLy Lo producc work
LhaL can bc shown anywhcrc, 163
Calison, PcLcr, 144, 145, 200n11, 3uun25
Cambrcll, 1amcy, 24S
CasqucL, 1oachim, 140
Cauguin, Paul, 2SuS1
Ccclhaar, ChrisLian, 22S
Cchry, Frank, 327
Genius and Lust (Mailcr), 100
Ccnzkcn, Isa, 346
CcricaulL, Tcodorc, 2, 3, 225
Ccrmc, 1can-Icon, 72, 224
CcLsy, David 1., 5, 00. See also RcconsLruc-
Lion o Lhc Francis Bacon SLudio in
Dublin, Tc (CcLsy)
CiacomcLLi, AlbcrLo, 134, 2u24
CiacomcLLi, AnncLLc, 2u01u
Ciord, SLanord, 71
Gifted Amateur, Te (Craham), 151
CilbcrL-Rolc, 1crcmy, 1S2S3, 1S7, 1SS, 101
Cilligan, Mclanic, 330
CiloL, Franois, 126
Cioni, Massimiliano, 346
Ciorgionc, 133
Girlfriends, Te (Scgal), 227
Clackcns, William, 73
Cobcr, RobcrL, 257
Colding, 1ohn, 27u
Combrich, F. H., 146
Conzalcz-Torrcs, Fclix, 61, 62, 110, 315
Coodman, Paul, S1
Corky, Arshilc, 5, 53, 7374
Crabncr, Michcllc, 1
Craham, Rodncy, 11, 15u51
CranaL, Amy, 2506u
Crccnc, Rcncc, 330
Guernica (Picasso), 2, 3, 132
CupLa, Subodh, 254
CusLon, Philip, 50, 155, 1S6
Hacndcl, Karl, 11, 2373S, 238
Haguc, Raoul, 5355
Hallcy, PcLcr, 20u
Harris, Clairc, 247, 24S
Harrison, Rachcl, 216, 346, 347
HawLhornc, NaLhanicl, 72, 7S
Hcadc, MarLin, 71
Head with a Lilac Nose (DubucL), 2u7
Heart of the Andes (Church), 7u
Hcda, Willcm Clacsz., 132, 133
Hcidcggcr, MarLin, S3
Hcld, Al, 04
Hlne Fourment in a Fur Wrap (Rubcns), 232
Hcnri, RobcrL, 73
Hcron, PaLrick, 4u
Hcrshmann, Iynn IcsLcr, 218, 210
HcrLcl, ChrisLianc, 14S
Hcssc, Fva, 61
HcwiLL, Corin, 6, 3363S, 341
Ho, Amanda Ross, 11
Hollandcr, FlizabcLh, 226
Homcr, Winslow, 71
Hsich, Tchching, 7, SSS0, 90, 01, 05
Hucblcr, Douglas, 4u
Hugh Ianc Callcry, 00. See also
RcconsLrucLion o Lhc Francis Bacon
SLudio in Dublin, Tc (CcLsy)
In Action (SLcindor), 82
Indcx: Drcam SLudio (IuLkcr): collccLions,
23, 25, Lhc ouLdoors and Lhc sLudio, 24,
sharing and Lhc sLudio, 2627, undcr-
ground sLudio, 24, visiLors, 26, working
in Lhc sLudio, 2324
Ingrcs, 1can AugusLc Dominiquc, 73
Inncss, Ccorgc, 71
368
I
n
d
c
x
Inncss, Shcrric, 241
Interpretation of Cubism, Te (Roskill), 102
In the Studio II (Fischli/Wciss), 10
Ion (PlaLo), 240n4
Isaak, 1o Anna, 24S
isolaLion vcrsus inLcrchangc. See Possiblc
ConLradicLion, A (Singcrman)
ILalian mural painLing, 1373S
1acob, Mary 1anc, 3u36
1amcs, CarcLh, 344
1amcson, Frcdric, 2S0, 20Sn0, 325, 3262S
1ansscns, PicLcr Fllinga, 120, 146
Jerusalem (Church), 7u
1ohns, 1aspcr, 344
1ohnson, 1ill, 227
1oncs, Carolinc, 4, 7, 126, 2S6, machincs,
Lhc sLudio, and posLmodcrn arL (see
PosL-SLudio/PosLmodcrn/PosLmorLcm
[1oncs])
1oncs, FrncsL, 2uS
1oncs, Tomas, 14142, 140
1udd, Donald, 313
Kabakov, Ilya, 24u, 241
Kaka, Franz, 317
Kapoor, Anish, 25Sn4
Karl-o-gram (Hacndcl), 238
Kcmp, MarLin, 30
Kim, Hcc-Young, S1
Kimsooja, S6, 87
Kirchcr, ALhanasius, 120
Kitchen 2 (Kabakov), 241, 242, 243
KiLchcn as ArL SLudio, Tc (Winkcnwcdcr),
6, culLural cxpccLaLion LhaL womcn bc-
long in kiLchcn, 241, 244, dcpicLions o
cmininiLy as domcsLic and arLisL as anLi-
domcsLic, 244, dcpicLions o kiLchcn as
siLc o conicL rcgarding gcndcr cxpcc-
LaLions, 247, 24S, dcpicLions o kiLchcn
as a womcns spacc chargcd wiLh socicLal
Lcnsion, 24446, 25un1S, diculLy o
avoiding gcndcrcd rolcs, 241, clcvaLion
o womcns placc in kiLchcn Lo arL, 245
46, Kabakovs usc o mundanc iLcms
and dialoguc, 24u41, linking o Lhc
Lcrms cvcry onc and arLisL, 24S40,
mcLaphor o gcndcr rolcs, 2304u, myLh
o malc dominancc in Lhc sLudio, 230,
Roslcrs vidco dcpicLion o houscwics
rcprcsscd ragc, 24647, womcn arL-
isLs qucsLioning o culLural assumpLions,
24S, womcn arLisLs vcrsus malc arLisLs
rccrcncing o kiLchcns, 2474S
Kitchen Series (Kabakov), 24u
Kitchen Talk (Harris and Alord), 247
Klcin, Mclanic, 136
Klcin, Yvcs, 2S6
Klingcndcr, F. D., 56
KnighL, Iaura, 23435n17
Koons, 1c, 164, 207
Kramcr, HilLon, S1
Krasinski, Fdward, 33S
Krauss, Rosalind, 256, 2S0
Kuhn, Richard, 17S
Lacemaker, Te (Vcrmccr), 13u
Iacy, Suzannc, 3172u
Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid
(Vcrmccr), 130, 143
landscapc and Lhc sLudio: acadcmic cmpha-
sis on painLing landscapcs insidc, 14142,
Cczannc and landscapc as sLill lic, 142,
landscapc painLing spliL bcLwccn ouLsidc
and in-sLudio work, 141, Lhc sLudio as in
or o Lhc mind, 143
Large Glass (Ray), 277, 27S
Large Nude in Red Armchair (Picasso), 126
Las Meninas (Vclazqucz), 135, 13S, 14u
IaLour, Bruno, S3, S4
Iaw, 1ohn, S3
Iawson, Tomas, 12122
IcDray, Charlcs, 254
Iconardo da Vinci, 13u
Le temps retrouv (ProusL), 137
IcLhcvc, 1acqucs, 03, 04
IcuLzc, Fmmanucl, 71
Icvinc, Shcrry, 207
IcWiLL, Sol, 65, 207
Iibcrman, Alcxandcr, 6, 20Sn2, inLcrvicwcd,
21112, invcsLigaLion o arLisLs inLcrior
mind, 2u7, phoLos o Bonnards sLudio
and his posing o cmalc bodics, 2u67,
phoLos o CiacomcLLis sLudio capLur-
ing his wics passiviLy, 2u01u, phoLos
o ULrillo dcpicLing malc dominancc rc-
linquishcd, 2u7S, populariLy o phoLo
cssays, 106, sLaLcd aim or collccLcd
369
phoLo graphs o arLisLs, 105, Lhcsis o his
work, 105, 212n1, 213n2, usc o phoLo-
graphcd dcLail Lo inLcrprcL an arLisLs
work, 2u6, vicw o ashion as displaycd
in Vogue, 10506
lighL and Lhc sLudio: arLisLs prccrcncc
or naLural lighL, 70, Brancusis sLaging
o lighL in sLudio phoLographs, 27273,
Caravaggios ccllarlikc dcpicLions, 13u,
132, dc Hoochs invcsLigaLions o lighL,
1203u, dcpicLions o windows and
wiLhdrawal rom Lhc world, 132, dis-
conLinuiLy o nudcs painLcd in sLudio
lighL buL shown in naLural lighL, 133,
1ansscnss dcpicLion o naLural lighL,
120, liL objccLs purposc as sLudio mark-
crs, 13334, in loLs, 7S70, prcvalcncc
o clccLric lighLs in Amcrican sLudios
and muscums, 157, 162n4, sLill lic and
sLudio lighL, 13233, Vcrmccrs sLudy o
lighL, 13u
Liseuse au Fond Noir (MaLissc), 2u5
Iivc/Work (Sicgcl): arLisLs cschcwing o
vacaLions, 313, 316nn45, consLrainLs on
arLisLs living condiLions, 315, inLc graLing
work and lic in Lhc sLudio spacc, 31213,
316n3, mcaning o working likc arLisLs,
31314, oLhcr workcrs crasurc o linc
bcLwccn work and lic, 313, Lhc sLudio
aparLmcnL, 31112, 315n2, Lhc sLudio
as livc-in workplacc, 312, Lhc sLudio as
swcaLshop or cubiclc, 314, 333
Iloyd, Hilary, 330
Lobject invisible (Brassa), 203
Looking On (BcLLcrLon), 234n17
Iord, 1amcs, 134
Iouis, Morris, 15u
Ioy, Mina, 273
Iumpkin, Iibby, 346
Luncheon in the Studio (MancL), 132
IuLkcr, Shana. See Indcx: Drcam SLudio
(IuLkcr)
Machine in the Studio (1oncs), 4
machincs, Lhc sLudio, and posLmodcrn
arL. See PosL-SLudio/PosLmodcrn/
PosLmorLcm (1oncs)
Mailcr, Norman, 100
Maillol, ArisLidc, 10607
Malcvich, Kazimir, 32S, 33un6, 33un7,
331n0
Malraux, Andrc, 10S
MancL, douard, 132, 133, 177
ManLcgna, Andrca, 73
Manzoni, Picro, 2S6
Mapping the Studio (Nauman), 45, 46n14,
6u, 253, 330
Marble Faun, Te (HawLhornc), 7S
Marck, 1an van dcr, 3uun10
Maric, Annika, 7, Su. See also AcLion
PainLing Fourold (Maric)
Marplc, Mickc, 237
MarLin, Agncs, 565S
MarLin, CourLncy 1., 7, 3u2. See also SLudio
and Lhc CiLy, Tc (MarLin)
Marx, Ico, 56
masculiniLy and arL. See ArLisL in His
SLudio, Tc (BcrgsLcin), Brassa, CasL
in a DicrcnL IighL (Schmahmann),
KiLchcn as ArL SLudio, Tc
(Winkcnwcdcr)
Mashcck, 1oscph, 1S3, 1S4, 1S7, 10u01
MaLissc, Amclic, 211
MaLissc, Hcnri, 132, 2u4, 2u5, 21u11,
22425
Matisse with Serpentine (SLcichcn), 2u4
McConaLhy, Dalc, 20u
McCoohan, PaLrick, 322
Mcissonicr, 1can-Iouis-FrncsL, 222
McurcnL, VicLorinc, 133
Millcr, Hcnry, 100
Millcr, Nancy, 241
Milncr, Marion, 14S
MimcLic SLudio, 160
MiLchcll, 1oan, 50
MiLchcll, W. 1. T., 200n16
Model and Surrealistic Sculpture (Picasso), 23u
MoMA (Muscum o Modcrn ArL), 10S
Mondrian, PicL, 175
MoncL, Claudc, 141
MonLaignc, Michcl dc, 130
Moorc, Hcnry, 56
MorLon, Rcc, 316n1u
MoLhcrwcll, RobcrL, 5u
MounL, William Sidncy, 71
Moycr, Carric, 16667
Muse dArt Moderne (BroodLhacrs), 33S
Muscum o Modcrn ArL (MoMA), 10S
370
I
n
d
c
x
muscums and Lhc sLudio: arLisLs crcaL-
ing Lo accommodaLc muscum display,
16u, Brancusis rcusal Lo allow muscum
display o his works, 16162, 162n5,
Brassas cxhibiL aL MoMA, 10S00,
HcwiLLs Seed Stage, 3363S, Hugh Ianc
Callcry, 00, prcvalcncc o clccLric lighLs
in Amcrican sLudios and muscums, 157,
162n4, projccLion and phoLography uscd
Lo bring Lhc sLudio inLo Lhc muscum,
3304u, rcconsLrucLion o Bacons sLudio,
1uu, rclaLion bcLwccn, 1506u, WhiLncy
Muscum o Amcrican ArL, 336
My Egypt (DcmuLh), 2S6
Nauman, Brucc: Mapping the Studio, 46n14,
253, 330, Ncw Mcxico sLudio, 5S, rccord-
ing o his cmpLy sLudio, 6u, 62, vicw
o himscl as an arLisL, 4445. See also
ScLLing a Cood Corncr (Nauman)
Ncad, Iynda, 223, 236n30
Negroes Fighting in a Cellar at Night (Bihaud),
33un7
Ncuhaus, 1cssamyn, 244
Ncwman, BarncLL, 204
Nice Rack (Harrison), 347
Nude by the El (Fvcrgood), 41
Nymphades (MoncL), 141
Oath of the Horatii, Te (David), 17u
ObjccLivisL SLudio, 160
OBricn, Flainc, S1
ObrisL, Hans Ulrich, 341, 344
occ vcrsus sLudio, 45n1u, Baldcssaris
sLudio spaccs, 33, 35, consLrainLs on arL-
isLs living condiLions, 315, SLarks occ
and sLudio, 47, 4S, Lhc sLudio as swcaL-
shop or cubiclc, 314, 333
Oli, Chris, 02
Ogdcn, Pcrry, 1uu
OKccc, Ccorgia, 277
Olana, 7u
OlmsLcd, Frcdcrick Iaw, 202
Olscn, Tillic, 317
100 (PcLcran), 25556
One Year Performance (Hsich), 90
OrLncr, Shcrry, 22223
OrLon, Frcd, S1
Owcns, Craig, 2S0, 20u
Painters Studio, Te (CourbcL), 14u, 141
Paris (Wclling), 284
PaxLon, 1oscph, 320n4/5
PcarlsLcin, Philip, 03
Pencil Stubs (Hacndcl), 238
PcppiaLL, Michacl, 5, 6S. See also SLudios o
Amcrica (PcppiaLL/Bcllony-Rcwald)
pcrormancc arL: in Iondons S.P.A.C.F.
ILd., 3u6S, Roslcrs vidco dcpicLion o
houscwics rcprcsscd ragc, 24647, Seed
Stage (HcwiLL), 3363S, 341, Spiral Jetty
(SmiLhson), 20205, 3uun10, union o
Lhc iconic and Lhc pcrormaLivc in Lhc
sLudio, 20607. See also RcconsLrucLion
o Lhc Francis Bacon SLudio in Dublin,
Tc (CcLsy)
Permanent Record of Newjack Rasputin, Te
(SLillcy), 332
PcLcran, Cord, 25556
Philip Golub Reclining (Slcigh), 235n17
phoLography and Lhc arLisLs sLudio: abiliLy
Lo makc public momcnL o arLisLic Lrans-
ormaLion, 2u4, Brancusis sLaging o
lighL in sLudio phoLographs, 27273, pro-
jccLion and phoLography uscd Lo bring
Lhc sLudio inLo Lhc muscum, 3304u,
Wcllings manipulaLion o Polaroids, 265.
See also Brassa, Iibcrman, Alcxandcr
Picasso, Pablo, 2, 126, 132, 107, 23u, 274
Picassos Chair (Scgal), 22u, 221, 23u31
PinnaulL, Franois, 62
PlaLo, 240n4
PoinLon, Marcia, 222, 224
Polairc, 27SSu, 2S2n2u
Polaroid Photographs (Wclling), 264
Pollock, Crisclda, 244
Pollock, 1ackson, 5, 7475, 253
Porbus, Franois, 1, 2
Portrait of an Artist and Lay Figure (Dcgas),
136
Portrait of an Artist in His Studio (CcricaulL),
2, 3, 225, 235n1S
Portrait of Jean Dubuet (Iibcrman), 2u7
Portrait of the Artist as Fountain (Nauman),
45
Possiblc ConLradicLion, A (Singcrman):
arLisLs nccd or boLh soliLudc and inLcr-
changc, 304u, CAA conccrns ovcr iso-
laLion o a privaLc sLudio, 4243, posL-
371
sLudio sysLcm, 4u41, Lhc sLudio as
ccnLral Lo Lhc pracLicc o arL, 45, Lhc
sLudio as boLh privaLc and sharcd spacc,
4u, Lhc sLudio as noL jusL a room, 43, Lhc
sLudio spacc and Lhc rcaliLy o Lhc arL-
isLs work, 41, Lhc sLudio vcrsus Lhc occ,
45n1u
posLmodcrn arL: inucncc o indusLrial scL-
Lings on Amcrican arLisLs, 205, pcrccp-
Lions o SmiLhson as a posLmodcrn wriLcr,
2S00u, posLmodcrnisms rolc in undcr-
sLanding modcrnism, 2S0, 200n11, posL-
modcrnisLs usc o LcxL Lo cnhancc Lhcir
producLions, 20506, SmiLhsons con-
ccpL o posLmodcrnism, 2SSS0. See also
PosL-SLudio/PosLmodcrn/PosLmorLcm
(1oncs)
posLposL-sLudio pracLicc, 153
PosL-SLudio/PosLmodcrn/PosLmorLcm
(1oncs), 45, Burcns call Lo cradicaLc
Lhc sLudio, 2SS, dispcrsal o Lhc sLudio
and appcarancc o Lcam arLisLs, 207
0S, inucncc o indusLrial scLLings on
Amcrican arLisLs, 205, ouL-o-Lhc-sLudio
arL in Lhc 106us, 2S6, ovcrcmphasis on
LradiLional arLisLs sLudio, 2S6S7, pcr-
ccpLions o SmiLhson as a posLmodcrn
wriLcr, 2S00u, posLmodcrnisms rolc in
undcrsLanding modcrnism, 2S0, 200n11,
posLmodcrnisLs usc o LcxL, 20506,
romanLicizcd vicw o Lhc sLudio, 206,
SmiLhsons crosion o human-machinc
boundary, 200n15, SmiLhsons challcngc
Lo Lhc sLudio, 201, SmiLhsons conccpL
o posLmodcrnism, 2SSS0, SmiLhsons
rccogniLion o Lhc imporLancc o maLc-
rializaLion Lo arLisLs, 20102, 200n17,
Spiral Jetty as manmadc arL-by- machinc,
20205, 3uun10, Lhc sLudio as inLc-
gral Lo Lhc mcaning o arL crcaLcd Lhcrc,
2S7, Lcchnology and arL, 20S, 3u1n20,
union o Lhc iconic and Lhc pcrorma-
Livc, 20607
Poussin, Nicolas, 13S, 130, 140
PragmaLic SLudio, 160
PrcndcrgasL broLhcrs (Mauricc and Charlcs),
73
Prisoner, Te (Lclcvision show), 32224
Prison for Objects (Cilligan), 330
ProusL, Marccl, 137, 14S
Pygmalion myLh, 224, 220
Ramljak, Suzannc, 211, 212
Ray, Man, 272, 277, 27S
Rcading SLudio, 160
Rccipc: PcrccL SLudio Day (SmiLh), 2S20
rcconccpLualizing o Lhc sLudio. See SLudio
VisiL (Rodcnbcck)
RcconsLrucLion o Lhc Francis Bacon SLudio
in Dublin, Tc (CcLsy), 5, abscncc o
arL in Lhc display, 1u23, caLaloging and
moving Lhc sLudio, 00, daLabascs valuc,
1u3, dcscripLion o muscum display, 1uu,
shorLall in prcscnLing a sLaLic momcnL,
1u3, sLudios conLribuLion Lo Bacons arL,
001uu, sLudios rolc in pcrpcLuaLing
sLcrco Lypc o Bacon, 1u2, vicwcrs cxpcri-
cncc, 1u12
Red Square (Malcvich), 33un7
Red Stripe Kitchen (Roslcr), 247
Rccd, David, 118, 1102u
rclaLion bcLwccn sLudio and arLisL. See
Vicw rom Lhc SLudio, Tc (Alpcrs)
Rclyca, Ianc, 1u, 341. See also SLudio
Unbound (Rclyca)
RcmbrandL van Rijn, 135, 13S, 130
Reunin/Reunion (Iacy), 318, 319
Rhoadcs, 1ason, 3uun27, 34S
Rhodc, Robin, Su
Riggins, Bill, 64
Rilcy, BridgcL, 3u3, 3uSn6, 3u0n13
Rimbaud, ArLhur, S0
Robbins, David, 26163
RobcrLs, 1ohn, 257
Rodcnbcck, 1udiLh, 6, 336, 341, 344. See
also SLudio VisiL (Rodcnbcck)
Rodin, AugusLc, 256, 271
Room o Oncs Own, A (SLorr): approachcs
Lo sLudio criLicism, 1S0, arLisLs as Lcach-
crs, 6u61, arLisLs discomorL wiLh suc-
ccss, 5253, arLisLs work as soliLary acLiv-
iLy, 50, Baldcssari on arL producLion, 6u,
Chambcrlains junk bccoming arL, 53
55, Closcs arrangcmcnL o his spacc, 52,
combincd work- and showrooms in Lhc
nincLccnLh ccnLury, 40, conLinucd bclic
in imporLancc o sLudio, 6162, dc Koon-
ings arrangcmcnL o his spacc, 5u52,
372
I
n
d
c
x
Room o Oncs Own, A (SLorr) (continued)
Flainc dc Koonings rcplcnishing o hus-
bands supplics, 53, orms o Lhc sLudio,
40, Hagucs work and iLs rural scLLing,
5556, MarLins dcparLurc rom Ncw
York, 565S, MoLhcrwclls rc-crcaLion o
his avoriLc sLudio, 5u, Naumans rccord-
ing o his cmpLy sLudio, 6u, ncw scLLings
and inspiraLion, 56, RoLhcnbcrgs and
Naumans Ncw Mcxico sLudios, 5S50,
SmiLhs sLudio-as-acLory, 56, sLoragc and
supplics issucs in sLudios, 53, sLudiolcss
pracLicc, 61, Lhc sLudio as salcs room, 5u,
on sLudio visiLs as a criLic, 1S5, surround-
ings avorcd by conccpLual arLisLs, 50
Roscnbcrg, Harold, 7, 313, 316n5, criLiqucs
o his criLical abiliLics, S1S2, dcscripLion
o AcLion PainLing, S4, inLroducLion o
Lhc Lcrm acLion painLing, S1, Lhcory o
Lhc acL o arL, S3S4
Roskill, Mark, 102
Roslcr, MarLha, 230, 241, 24447
RoLhcnbcrg, Susan, 5S
RoLhko, Mark, 70
Rubcns, 13S
Rubenss Women (Scgal), 22u, 23133
Ruskin, 1ohn, 251
Russcll, 1ohn, S1
Samaras, Iucas, 316n1u
Sandlcr, Irving, 52
SargcnL, 1ohn Singcr, 72
SarLo, Andrca dcl, 2uS
saLirizaLion o sLudio working proccss,
1u417
Saundcrs, Cill, 224
Scanlan, 1oc, 153
Scharan, Iynn, 3u5
Schapiro, Mcycr, 42, 134
Schmahmann, Brcnda, 22u. See also CasL in
a DicrcnL IighL (Schmahmann)
Schnccmann, Carolcc, 15455, 253
SchniLgcr, Iara, 346
Schwabsky, Barry, 7, SS. See also Symbolic
SLudio, Tc (Schwabsky)
Sculpture (magazinc), 212
sculpLurc sLudios, 767S, dc Koonings, 7S,
Lhc sLudio as Lhc arLisLs cvcryday prac-
Licc, 3454S, Wcllings phoLographs o
colorlcss sculpLurc, 2S5, Why Not Sneeze
Rrose Slavy?s rccrcncc Lo a sculpLurcs
sLudio dusL, 2777S. See also CasL in a
DicrcnL IighL (Schmahmann)
Scdglcy, PcLcr, 3u2, 3u3
Seed Stage (HcwiLL), 6, 3363S, 34u, 341,
342, 343
Scgal, Ccorgc, 6, 22u, 221. See also CasL in a
DicrcnL IighL (Schmahmann)
Schgal, Tino, 153
Self-Portrait (Poussin), 130
Self-Portrait (RcmbrandL), 135
Self-Portrait at the Age of Twenty-Four
(Ingrcs), 73
Self-Portrait with Bird-Cage (Picasso), 274
Self-Portrait with Head and Body (Scgal), 22u,
22S
Self-Portrait with Nude (KnighL), 23435n17
Semiotics of the Kitchen (Roslcr), 24647, 247
Scrra, Richard, 25Sn4
Service: A Trilogy on Colonization (Roslcr),
244
ScLLing a Cood Corncr (Nauman), 63,
approach Lo scLLing up lm shoL, 6465,
nding cnjoymcnL in a mundanc Lask,
66, ocus on gcLLing work donc wcll, 65,
procssionalism and asscssmcnL o qual-
iLy o work, 66, purposc o Lhc Lask, 64,
sLrucLuring Limc as aspccL o Lhc Lask,
6364
7 Reece Mews: Francis Bacons Studio (Ogdcn),
1uu
Sicgcl, KaLy, 31114. See also Iivc/Work
(Sicgcl)
SilvcrLhornc, 1can, 330
Simpson, BcnncLL, 344
Singcrman, Howard, 67, 30. See also
Possiblc ConLradicLion, A (Singcrman)
Siquciros, David Alaro, 75
Sleeping Venus (Drcsdcn), 133
Slcigh, Sylvia, 235n17
sloppy craL conccpL, 253, 25455
SmiLh, David, 56, 767S, 77
SmiLh, 1usLin, 237
SmiLh, Michacl, 2S20
SmiLh, Tony, 205, 20Sn2
SmiLhson, RobcrL: brcaking down o
human-machinc boundary, 200n15,
challcngc Lo Lhc sLudio as poinL o origin
373
or arL, 201, conccpL o posLmodcrn-
ism, 2SSS0, pcrccivcd as a posLmod-
crn wriLcr, 2S00u, rccogniLion o im-
porLancc o maLcrializaLion Lo arLisLs,
20102, 200n17, Spiral Jetty as manmadc
arL-by-machinc, 20205
Social SculpLurc (Bcuys), 230, 240n3
South Bank Show, 1uu
SovicL socicLys vicw o kiLchcns, 24u, 24S
S.P.A.C.F. ILd.: as communal workspacc,
3u4, immigranLs movc Lo Iondon and,
3u6, purposc and projccL proposal, 3u34,
3uSn2, 3u0nn013, succcss o, 3uS. See
also SLudio and Lhc CiLy, Tc (MarLin)
SpccLor, Buzz, 172u
Spiral Jetty (SmiLhson), 20205, 3uun10
Spocrri, Danicl, 33S
SLark, Franccs, 47, 48
Star Trek (Lclcvision show), 32S, 33u31nS
SLcichcn, Fdward, 2u4
SLcin, CcrLrudc, 73
SLcindor, Nicholas, Su, 82
SLclla, Frank, 2S6, 2S0, 205, 206, 207
SLillcy, Tuckcr, 33235
Still Life with Plaster Cast of Amor (Cczannc),
136
Stones of Venice (Ruskin), 251
SLorr, RobcrL, 40, orms o Lhc sLudio (see
Room o Oncs Own, A [SLorr]), rolc as a
criLic, 1S5, 1S0, 101
SLrccL as SLudio, Tc (Iacy), 3172u
sLudio: Amcrican Lypc, 157, 162n3, Furo-
pcan Lypc, 156, 162n2, modcrnisL modcl,
2, 34, placcs vcrsus spaccs and, 45,
posLmodcrn, 4, rclaLion Lo pracLicc, 5,
romanLic archcLypc, 2, as siLc o aLLcn-
Lion, 3, scvcnLccnLh-ccnLury dcpicLions
o, 12627, sLaLus as uniquc workplacc, 2.
See also specic essays, esp. FuncLion
o Lhc SLudio, Tc (Burcn), Possiblc
ConLradicLion, A (Singcrman), Room o
Oncs Own, A (SLorr)
Studio (Iloyd), 330
SLudio and Lhc CiLy, Tc (MarLin), 7,
Chakras as commcnLary on changcs in
BriLain, 3u6S, Scdglcys dcscripLion
o Iondons sLudio spacc, 3u2. See also
S.P.A.C.F. ILd.
sLudio as insLrumcnL: Cczanncs landscapcs
and cloud-chambcr cxpcrimcnL, 14445,
cloud cxpcrimcnL dcmonsLraLing imiLa-
Lion and analysis, 144, Lhc sLudio as cx-
pcrimcnLal insLrumcnL, 14546
sLudio as livcd-in spacc: Hacndcls ccl-
ing LhaL his sLudio is homc, 2373S,
Harrisons working cnvironmcnL, 217,
Hcrshman on crcaLing oncs own
rclics, 210, Robbins on working aL
homc, 26163, SpccLors sLudios, 17
2u, sLudios dcvclopmcnL inLo a mccL-
ing placc, 2506u, Wcllings sLudio
manipulaLion o Polaroids, 265. See also
Analoguc PracLicc (Adamson), ArLisL
in His SLudio, Tc (BcrgsLcin), CasL
in a DicrcnL IighL (Schmahmann),
KiLchcn as ArL SLudio, Tc (Winkcn-
wcdcr)
sLudio as rcsourcc: Baldcssaris sLudio
spaccs, 3u36, FcinsLcins childhood sLu-
dios, 2122, IuLkcrs drcam sLudio, 23
27, SmiLhs pcrccL sLudio day, 2S20
sLudio as rcLrcaL: arLisLs aLLcmpLs Lo lcsscn
isolaLion o Lhc sLudio, 1304u, bringing
hisLory painLing inLo Lhc sLudio, 13S30,
CourbcLs aLLcmpL Lo dcny sLudio limiLs,
14u, sLudio works vcrsus on-siLc murals,
13S, workplaccs uncLion as sLudio or
mural painLings, 1373S
sLudio as scL and scLLing: Kimsoojas con-
aLion o body and sLudio, S6, Roscnbcrg
and AcLion PainLing, SuS5, Singcrman
on isolaLion vcrsus inLcrchangc, 3045,
SLark on occ and sLudio, 47, 48,
SLorrs Lypology o sLudios, 4062. See
also ScLLing a Cood Corncr (Nauman),
SLudios o Amcrica (PcppiaLL/Bcllony-
Rcwald), Symbolic SLudio, Tc
(Schwabsky)
sLudio as spacc and non-spacc: Iacy on
Lhc sLrccL as sLudio, 3172u, Lhc sLu-
dio as nonphysical spacc, 33235,
Wcllings phoLo graphs o colorlcss sculp-
Lurc, 2S5. See also Brancusis whiLc
sLudio (Wood), Iivc/Work (Sicgcl),
PosL-SLudio/PosLmodcrn/PosLmorLcm
(1oncs), S.P.A.C.F. ILd., SLudio Narra-
Livcs (BcshLy), SLudio Unbound
(Rclyca), SLudio VisiL (Rodcnbcck)
374
I
n
d
c
x
sLudio as sLagc: Bowcrss vicw o Lhc sLudio
visiL, 333, conccpL o posLposL- sLudio
pracLicc, 153, uncLion o Lhc sLudio,
16365, Crahams amaLcur sLudio, 15u
51, Iawson on qualiLics o Lhc bcsL sLu-
dio, 12122, Rccd on sLudio as placc,
Limc spcnL, or ccling, 1102u, saLiriza-
Lion o sLudio working proccss, 1u4
17, Schnccmann on Lhc sLudio as boLh
sLaLic and in moLion, 15455, Seed Stage
(HcwiLL), 3363S, 341, 34243, sLudio
as a placc whcrc accumulaLcd imagcs arc
broughL orLh, 16667, Lhcorics o Lhc
sLudio, 160, von Hcyl on Lhc sLudio as
scparaLc rom crcaLivc work, 125. See also
FuncLion o Lhc SLudio, Tc (Burcn),
RcconsLrucLion o Lhc Francis Bacon
SLudio in Dublin, Tc (CcLsy), SLudio
RcvisiLcd, Tc (Wclish), SLudio VisiL,
Tc (Wclish), Vicw rom Lhc SLudio,
Tc (Alpcrs)
SLudio NarraLivcs (BcshLy): campus visiL
rcminisccnL o Te Prisoner, 32224,
1amcson on Lhc BonavcnLurc HoLcl, 325,
3262S, poliLics o Lhc arL objccL as illus-
LraLcd by Star Trek, 331nS, social rcaliLics
o airplanc scaLing, 32122, 32Sn2, sLay
aL Lhc BonavcnLurc, 3242S, WalmarL
and cxhibiLions, 322, 324, 320n3, 320n4,
zcro poinL, 32S, 331nS, 331n0
SLudio RcvisiLcd, Tc (Wclish), 7, ap-
proachcs Lo sLudio criLicism, 1S7S0,
arLisLs bclic LhaL sLudio visiL indicaLcs
criLical approval, 1S1S2, arLisLs rc-
sponsibiliLy Lo know criLics work, 1S4,
arLisLs rcsisLancc Lo criLiquc, 1SSS0,
conLracL impliciL in sLudio visiL, 1S0
0u, criLics dcsirc or rcciprocal lcarning,
1S3, criLics disdain or scl- promoLing
arLisLs, 1S4, criLics rcscnLmcnL i
LrcaLcd as arL LourisL, 1S4, cxpccLaLions
whcn arLisLs visiL cach oLhcr, 1S2S3,
rsL sLudio visiL dcncd by discussion,
1S7, inLcnLionaliLy o criLic, 102, mcan-
ing o criLicism, 1S6S7, pcrspccLivc
o a criLic/arLisL, 1S5, purposc o sLu-
dio visiL, 1S6, 10u01, rapporL, 1S5S6,
rcsponsibiliLy o criLic Lo commcnL on
somcLhing, 10u, SLorrs approach Lo sLu-
dio criLicism, 1S0, 101, 102, sLudio visiL
as occasion or sharing arL wiLh criLic,
1S5, sLudio visiLs by wriLcrs noL Lraincd
in arL, 1S4S5, Lalcs o sadisLic criLics,
10u, Lypc o arLisL LhaL gcLs Lhc mosL
rom a criLics visiL, 1S3, working dcni-
Lion o sLudio visiL, 1S2
SLudios o Amcrica (PcppiaLL/Bcllony-
Rcwald): Amcrican arLisLs rcliancc on
Furopc in laLc nincLccnLh ccnLury, 72
73, arLisLs corLs Lo crcaLc inspiraLional
sLudios, 7u71, arLisLs mccLing placcs
ouLsidc o sLudios, 76, Churchs abil-
iLy Lo crcaLc landscapcs rom mcmory
and rcscarch, 607u, Churchs Hudson
Rivcr sLudio, 7u, Colcs carly inspira-
Lion rom naLurc, 6S60, Colcs ailurc
Lo bc imprcsscd by Furopcan LradiLion,
60, conccpLions o Lhc Amcrican sLudio,
6S, 70, rsL usc o a loL as a sLudio, 7S
70, Corkys LransiLion Lo a spccically
Amcrican arL, 7374, movc away rom
Furopcan sLudio sLandards, 6S, Pollocks
barn sLudio as inLcgral Lo his mcLhod,
7475, porLablc sLudios uscd Lo capLurc
busincss, 71, prccrcncc or naLural lighL,
70, sculpLurc sLudios, 767S, WcsL TcnLh
SLrccL sLudio building, 7172
Studio Stripped Bare, Again (SilvcrLhornc),
330
SLudio Unbound (Rclyca): Burcns vicw o
uncLion o Lhc sLudio, 341, uncLion o
modcrn sLudio spacc, 34445, noLions
o soliLary sLudio and lonc arLisL, 34S,
Rodcnbccks challcngc Lo Burcns dcscrip-
Lion o Lhc sLudio, 341, 344, Lhc sLudio as
cvcryday pracLicc as cvidcnccd by mod-
crn sculpLurc, 3454S, Lhc sLudio as inLc-
graLing Lhc arLisL inLo a ncLwork, 34S
40, Lhc sLudio as showroom, 344, Lhc
sLudio as ncLwork, 345
SLudio VisiL (Rodcnbcck): projccLion and
phoLography uscd Lo bring Lhc sLudio
inLo Lhc muscum, 3304u, rcguring Lhc
sLudio Lhrough conccpLual projccLs, 33S
30, rclaLion bcLwccn sLudio arLisL and
display spacc, 3363S, 34u, Lhc sLudio as
ragilc ccosysLcm, 34u, Lhc sLudio as gcn-
craLivc spacc, 330
SLudio VisiL, Tc (Wclish), 7, arLisLs cx-
pccLaLions whcn inviLing a visiL, 17u71,
375
arLisLs posiLion Lo manipulaLc Lhc criLic,
17S70, arLisLs rcacLions govcrncd by
scnsc o cnLiLlcmcnL, 174, arLisLs usc o
social Lics Lo imprcss a criLic, 172, cclcb-
riLy arLisLs solipsism, 170, criLics and
arLisLs dcsirc Lo rcach an undcrsLanding,
171, criLics asscssmcnL o how much criL-
icism an arLisL can Lakc, 17172, criLics
posiLioning Lo providc an inormcd opin-
ion, 170Su, inLcllccLual cngagcmcnL bc-
Lwccn arLisL and criLic, 17577, narcis-
sism and Lhc arLisL, 17475, risk cnLailcd
in opcning sLudio Lo Lhc public, 17u,
qucsLioning arLisLs pcrccpLion o succcss
in rcalizing Lhcir inLcllccLual agcndas,
17273, succcss o visiL Licd Lo arLisLs
abiliLy Lo Lakc risks in dialoguc, 1777S,
LacLics o Lhc cccLivc criLic, 173, visiL
vicwcd as a privilcgc by arL criLic, 17u
Suda, Yoshihiro, 257
Swallow, Ricky, 257
Symbolic SLudio, Tc (Schwabsky), 7, arL
as simply indicaLing somcLhing rcal, 04,
arLisLs opcnncss Lo visiLors, 0203, dc
Koonings parody o arLisLs choiccs, S0,
01, Duchamps cxplanaLion o arL, 01,
05, Hsichs dccision Lo noL do arL, S0,
Hsichs sLudio spacc, S0, Hsichs usc o
sLudio in dcLcrminaLc ncgaLion o arL, 01,
Lhc sLudio as mccLing placc, 0304, Lhc
sLudio as symbol, 0102, 05, Limclinc o
Hsichs arL, SS
Tanscy, Mark, 20u
Tawncy, Icnorc, 254
Tcmkin, Ann, 270
Tcrminal Iron Works, 76
Taycr, AbboLL, 72
Ticbaud, Waync, 6u
Ticpolo, C. B., 13S
Tillim, Sidncy, S1
Tiravanija, RirkriL, 344
TiLian, 133
To Fix the Image in Memory (Cclmins), 252,
253
Topographie ancdote du hasard (Spocrri),
33S
Townscnd, PcLcr, 3u4
Tropic of Cancer (Millcr), 100
Tuymans, Iuc, 61
Two Models in a Window with Cast Iron Toys
(PcarlsLcin), 93
Typical Day, A (SmiLh), 29
Tzara, TrisLan, 273
Ucccllo, Paolo, 73
Untitled (Rhoadcs), 3uun27
Untitled (studio view) (Harrison), 216
Up to and Including Her Limits (Schnccmann),
253
ULrillo, Mauricc, 2u7
Vallorc, Iucic, 2uS
Vandcrlindcn, Barbara, 341
Van IicshouL, Frik, 330
Vasari, Ciorigio, 2uS
Vclazqucz, Dicgo, 134, 135, 13S, 14u
Vcrmccr, 1ohanncs, 127, 13u, 133, 13435,
137, 13S, 143
Vicw rom Lhc SLudio, Tc (Alpcrs): arLisLs
rcprcscnLaLions o Lhcir hands, 13435,
Caravaggios ccllarlikc dcpicLions, 13u,
132, connoLaLions o words uscd or arL-
isLs spaccs, 12627, dc Hoochs invcs-
LigaLions o lighL, 1203u, dcpicLions o
windows and wiLhdrawal rom Lhc world,
132, disconLinuiLy o nudcs painLcd in
sLudio lighL buL shown in naLural lighL,
133, human psychology rcprcscnLcd in
Lhc sLudio, 13637, 1ansscnss dcpic-
Lion o naLural lighL, 120, liL objccLs pur-
posc as sLudio markcrs, 13334, modcrn
dis saLisacLion wiLh Lhc arLisL in a sLu-
dio, 126, picLorial ambiguiLy in painLings,
13536, rclaLion bcLwccn Lhc arLisL and
objccLs/modcls in Lhc sLudio, 134, rcla-
Lion bcLwccn pracLicc o arL and o sci-
cncc in scvcnLccnLh ccnLury, 1272S,
social consLrucLion o Lhc sLudio, 12S,
sLill lic and uscs o sLudio lighL, 13233,
sLudio cxpcricncc likcncd Lo laboraLory
cxpcricncc, 12S, Vcrmccrs sLudy o lighL,
13u. See also landscapc and Lhc sLudio,
sLudio as insLrumcnL, sLudio as rcLrcaL
View of Delft (Vcrmccr), 127, 137
Vogue magazinc, 10506, 21u11
von Hcyl, Charlinc, 1, 125
Waldor CacLcria, 76
Walkcr, Chcryl, 240
376
I
n
d
c
x
Warhol, Andy, 126, 127, 2S0, 206, 207
Wark, 1aync, 241
Wcaring, Cillian, 330
Wcir, 1. Aldcn, 72
Wciss, David, 1u, 11
Wciss, Rachcl, 251
Wclish, Marjoric, 7, Lhcorics o Lhc sLu-
dio, 160. See also SLudio RcvisiLcd, Tc
(Wclish), SLudio VisiL, Tc (Wclish)
Wclling, 1amcs, 265, 284, 2S5
WcsL, W. A., 3u4
WcsL TcnLh SLrccL SLudio Building, 60, 7u,
7172
whiLc sLudio. See Brancusis whiLc sLudio
(Wood)
WhiLncy Muscum o Amcrican ArL, 336
Why Not Sneeze Rrose Slavy? (Duchamp),
275, birdcagc as mcLaphor or arLisLs sLu-
dio, 274, 276, dcscripLion, 274, mcan-
ing o marblc cubcs, 276, qucsLion poscd
by LhcrmomcLcr, 277, rclaLion bcLwccn
cuLLlc bonc and Brancusis Fish, 27677,
LiLlcs rccrcncc Lo sLudio dusL, 2777S
Wildc, Oscar, 5
Williams, Raymond, 240n4
Wilson, C. T. R., 144
Winkcnwcdcr, Brian, 6, S1, 23. See
also KiLchcn as ArL SLudio, Tc
(Winkcnwcdcr)
WinnicoLL, D. W., 135, 13637
womcn and Lhc sLudio: bclic LhaL cmininc
prcscncc sLimulaLcs arLisLic producLion,
10S, Brassas rcprcscnLaLion o womcn,
2u1, 2u2, coding o urban cnviron-
mcnL as cmininc, 2uu, masculinc scxu-
aliLy as a vchiclc Lo arLisLic cxprcssion,
2uu, phoLo o Bonnards sLudio and his
posing o cmalc bodics, 2u67, pho-
Los o CiacomcLLis sLudio capLuring
his wics passiviLy, 2u01u, phoLos o
ULrillo dcpicLing malc dominancc rclin-
quishcd, 2u7S, rcinorccmcnL o dom-
inanL malc vicwcr in Brassas phoLo-
graphs, 2u4, womcn dcpicLcd as csh
and arL gcnius as spiriL, 230, womcns
sLudio rolc as silcnL and submissivc,
2u5. See also ArLisL in His SLudio, Tc
(BcrgsLcin), CasL in a DicrcnL IighL
(Schmahmann), KiLchcn as ArL SLudio,
Tc (Winkcnwcdcr)
Wood, 1on, 260. See also Brancusis whiLc
sLudio (Wood)
Woolord, Doncllc, 152, 153
World of Sex, Te (Millcr), 100
WorLh, Ircnc, 3u4
WrighL, Frank Iloyd, 3
Zakon, Ronnic, 222
Zcislcr, Clairc, 254
Zmijcwski, ArLur, 153