‘Subversive Beauty: New Modes of Contestation‘, by bell hooks
In ‘Subversive Beauty: New Modes of Contestation’, bell hooks explores how the work of Felix Gonzales Torres asks us to redefine beauty away from the traditional, oppressive construct and see it as inherent in every experience of our ordinary, daily lives. She explains how Gonzales-Torres’ work makes those intimate moments public, challenging the viewer to engage empathically and compassionately with the experience of others, disrupting the separateness that governing ideologies feed upon, to build community that challenges societal norms. It is through her appreciation of Gonzales Torres work that hooks shows how beauty serves as a powerful form of resistance and empowerment. (102 words)
‘Bruce Nauman: Mapping the Studio I (Fat Chance John Cage) (2001)‘ by Lynne Cooke
In her respectful and informed review, Lynne Cooke describes how Nauman’s work ‘Mapping the Studio 1 (Fat Chance John Cage)’ continues his preoccupation with the relationship between the studio, the daily practice of making art and the role of the artist in that process. She discusses how his creative investigations are shaped by whatever materials are at hand – in the case of this work, the daily circumstances of his studio, and its live and static occupants – and his openness to chance, then explains how this approach to practice subtly ridicules society’s perceived notions of the ‘heroic artist’ imbued with inspiration and creativity. (102 words)
‘Mike Kelley: Death and Transfiguration‘ by George Baker
This article by George Baker reflects on artist Mike Kelley following his death, examining his unique artistic legacy. Baker emphasises Kelley’s complex relationship with death as a central theme in his work, particularly through his concept of art as “effigy” – a substitute or memorial for what is gone. The piece discusses Kelley’s distinctive approach to colour, his connection to his working-class origins, and his complex engagement with modernism, which he treated as a series of “dead things” to be reanimated. The article concludes with moving descriptions of spontaneous memorials that emerged after Kelley’s death, including performances by fellow artists Jim Shaw and Paul McCarthy. (105 words)
‘Neo-Archival and Textual Modes of Production: An Interview with Glenn Ligon‘ by Lauri Firstenberg
This 2001 interview with artist Glenn Ligon discusses his text-based and photographic works exploring race, identity, and representation. Ligon’s text paintings gradually progressed toward abstraction, with language becoming increasingly illegible and fragmented. He explains this as reflecting themes of loss and communication barriers in African American experience. The interview covers his use of archival materials, including his work with Mapplethorpe’s “Black Book” and vintage gay photography. Ligon discusses how his art addresses both blackness and whiteness, cultural translation, and the limitations of language. The piece concludes with discussion of his newer works involving 1970s colouring books. (96 words)
Bibliography
Baker, G (2012) ‘Mike Kelley: Death and Transfiguration’ In: October 139 (Winter 2012) pp.183-191
Cooke, L (2002) ‘Bruce Nauman: Mapping the Studio I (Fat Chance John Cage) (2001)’ In: Iverson, M (Ed.) Chance. Documents of Contemporary Art. London: Whitechapel Gallery
Firstenberg, L (2001) ‘Neo_Archival and Textual Modes of Production: An Interview with Glen Ligon’ In: Art Journal 60 (1) pp. 42-47
hooks, b (1995) ‘Subversive Beauty: New Modes of Contestation’ In: Rodríguez Muñoz, B (Ed) Health. Documents of Contemporary Art. London: Whitechapel Gallery