[Art-is INDEX]  [Syllabus]
Art-is: Content & Context
See also:  [Art Materials]
           [Art Technique]
           [Art Terms]
           [Art THINGS] (sort of a catch-all)
 

On this page:  {Content/Context -- thingness}
                                             

Content/Context -- Thingness

As the philosopher Umberto Ecco sez:

    Context is king.

That is, if we have the SAME object in differing contexts
it changes what the object says to us. For example, a 
candle is a candle is a candle. But, if the candle is
lit because the lights went out, this is different than
if we light a candle to remember a deceased relative or
friend.

The context alters the content's meaning.

We can *force* the context to be strong by creating a 
narrative as part of the artwork. For example, let's
look at a story that is CALLED "The Nanny". The 
basic CONTENT of the STORY is:

   There's this girl who misbehaves all
   of the time -- probably out of being 
   jealous of her new baby sister who is
   getting all of the attention. Finally 
   after several nannies, the father asks
   a doctor friend and he brings an young 
   girl (barely older than the father's 
   daughter) to help settle her down. After 
   a long time, the girl finally learns to
   trust the Nanny. And there's a happy 
   ending.

Now for the NARRATIVE that contains the CONTEXT
of the story (i changed a "few" things and sort
of a few words). The "Nanny" is a teacher who
is brought in because the girl (Helen) is blind
and deaf. The teacher's name is Anne Sullivan
and the TITLE of the story is "The Miracle Worker".
Helen Keller wrote her own story (narrative) as a
biographys of Anne Sullivan entitled "Teacher".

Now that we know how the content of things works (sort of)....

Experiment:  Create an artwork with the same CONTENT 
             at least three times.

Write: For each art work write a statement that creates a
       STORY by varying the CONTEXT into which each art 
       work is placed. Present your artwork and the 
       statements.

Note: Your story/narrative can be fiction or non-fiction.

Note: Technically, we refer to the artwork as "authentic"
      or "autographic" since it is genuine. If someone
      makes a copy of the artwork, we refer to it as a
      "copy" or as "allographic" or "in-authentic". Also,
      note that if the story/narrative (artist's statement)
      is "lost", the artwork itself must "stand alone".

For example, let's say we might look at a sock. 

The first story (as part of the NARRATIVE of the sock) goes
like this:

   (artwork: a sock glued to a piece of backer board)


   This a sock that i've lost the other one to.
   But, i've had this sock for a long time.

   (next sock: possibly a drawing of several socks
    on a MAP OF THE UNITED STATES)

   This is a picture of where the sock might be right
   now. These are cities we've visited. (talks about each
   city and things that occured there)

   (next a nice new package of socks -- artist simply
   holds them up)

   This is a pair of socks that my Aunt Frisbe sent me 
   for Xmas, while she was visiting Italy. She was the
   one who really encouraged me to study art. I really
   miss her.

Remember: "CONTEXT IS KING" !!!

Critique!!!
     Show
     Talk
     Ask
  (or not)

An important part of the critique will be:

  How well did the story/narrative help/hinder the artwork?

  How well does the artwork represent the story/narrative?