art about art

I just did a show which I suppose would be classed as 'art about art'; a controversial (or not) method of reminding everyone that artists are fucked, no matter what they do. we are poor (or are we) and we are most definitely in a constant dichotomy of some sort, reaching deeper into emo-dom than your average teenager. I'm aware of the sometimes cringe-worthiness of making and presenting art about art. I hate artists stating the obvious, nevermind hipster irony and satire that's meant to be the shit right now. the struggles of an artist to 'find ourselves' or suddenly climax to one amazing piece of work, are just ridiculous and unattainable plights, let alone expectations. we'll never find ourselves, and why the fuck would we want to, or even know what that is. just say 'I want to go on a holiday', 'I'm tired', not some wank like 'I need to find myself'. fuck off. and how sad if one piece of work we have made identifies us as an artist. so yeah, I thought why not make art about art, maybe even this once? we make what's important for us to make at the time and yes, I have questioned how an art career is meant to work, but more so when those questions arise, where the fuck do they come from? art isn't the bastard here, but we're lucky that it's resilient enough to take blow after blow of our angst against the backward world we find ourselves living in

ASK ME ABOUT ART THE JOY OF ART

you know, for this show, I was going to do an interview on film. it would feature interesting and probing questions revealing background info and chat about my current work and nice cutaways to me in my studio making stuff.  then, I didn't want to. thank fuck. I made an actual piece of art instead. funny thing is, that film I made in the last couple of days before the show, pulled it together.




so, art about art. bear in mind I like to employ opposites a lot. sometimes I can't think of the thing but I can think of the opposite, or something more opposing than the original. so to me, that can equate to the thing. confused? sorry. I think there's always a wee bit of this tool used in all my work, where is totally unidentified. sorry again for being a tricky bastard. not sorry at all though

 I used the word 'art' in a lot of the paintings in this show and so it's about art, right? I don't see how it's any more about art than any other art I make. that's about art too. I'm not taking the piss. I'm serious. I am taking the piss some, but not of shit art, maybe the word 'art'. I'm not trying to satarise anything. art is a complete headfuck and 'art' is a weird word. I don't give a shit about 'art' just as I don't give a shit whether you think my work is 'abstract' or 'landscape' or 'portraiture'. those are not terms that describe what we do as artists. if art is it all, then we're neglecting our specialisms. I am inclined to think, nowadays, shit art is not the product, it's the artist. you can be a right shit artist. I've met some. I'm trying to avoid being one

go see the show HERE

new show in progress

so, I decided to put on a show at my new studio in glasgow. project slogan has made me used to the DIY approach so here goes another idea. I'm showing a series of paintings and maybe a film (if I get it done in time). there's 10 really shitely made screen prints free to the first takers and I also screen printed all the invites and posters. this was more out of necessity than anything. shame most of the work in this show is probably really unsellable because I could do with some money. ah well, here's a sneak preview of some working leading up to it. also come along and see the actual work

 free prints for the preview

invite bags being printed. to be honest, I had heaps of bags and couldn't afford paper, hence the bags. I put project slogan badges in so let's hope it looked deliberate

 qeren modeling my invite ridden poster prints

 the boy upstaging me as usual