CAA News a Number of Artists Immerse Themselves in 21 Affiliated Society News Business Life to Revitalize the Idea of What Art Is and Might Be
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NEWS Newsletter of the College Art Association Volume 30, Number 1 January 2005 What Business Table of Contents Are You In? 2 From the Executive Director 3 Willie Cole and Lesley Dill he 2005 CAA Members’ Exhibition, at ARTspace entitled What Business Are You In?, 4 Bruce Cole is 2005 T takes place January 29–March 26 at Convocation Speaker the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, also 5 Richard Brilliant is 2005 known as the Contemporary. Organized by Distinguished Scholar Helena Reckitt, the exhibition explores the Annual Conference complex and contradictory relationships 6 Highlights between artists and the corporate and academ- ic worlds. Among the artists are: Michael 10 CAA Statement Regarding the Patriot Act and Threats Aurbach, Alex Bag, Andrea Fraser, Jason to Civil Liberties and Artistic Irwin, Gunilla Klingberg, Lucy Kimbell, Freedom Matthieu Laurette, Irene Moon, Christian Phillip Müller, Adrian Piper, John Salvest, and 12 Archiving Alternative Spaces Carey Young. 13 The Forgotten Era: Modern Despite the myth of the artist as romantic Art in Iraq outsider, artists often depend on the support of 14 Committee on Intellectual institutions and corporations, much as they Property Q&A once did on the aristocracy or church. As con- 16 Vote for 2005–9 Board temporary artists engage in self-promotion CAA Student Fellowships and branding and outsource the production of 17 Available their work, they redefine the ground shared by John Salvest, Paper Trail, 2002. Shredded Enron letterhead. 32 x 34 x art, higher education, and commerce. 78" 18 CAA News A number of artists immerse themselves in 21 Affiliated Society News business life to revitalize the idea of what art is and might be. Some use mimicry to insert them- 23 Solo Exhibitions by Artist selves in corporate or academic culture. Others take an anthropological approach, using the uni- Members versity or the corporation as subject matter. Books Published by CAA Unlike first-generation conceptualists, whose tactics developed in tandem with—and were often 24 Members absorbed by—mass media, artists today are not necessarily oppositional. Instead, by highlighting the interdependence of individuals and organizations, they explore the moral ambiguities and 24 Obituaries strategic identifications demanded in our ideologically impure times. 25 People in the News What Business Are You In? presents artists from Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and the 26 Grants, Awards, & Honors United States working in photography, sculpture, video, performance, and installation. Quizzical, Resources & Opportunities playful, and self-critical, they explore the slippery definitions of art, artist, and entrepreneur. A 27 publication with an essay by the art historian William Wood accompanies the show. 28 Classifieds Sponsored by the CAA, the exhibition coincides with the 2005 Annual Conference in Atlanta. 30 Datebook Additional support comes from the British Council and the International Artists Studio Programme in Sweden. The opening reception takes place Thursday, February 17, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM; direc- tions to the Contemporary can be found in your conference Program. years, CAA’s members and Board mem- From the Executive Director bers, especially those from southern states, have lobbied to correct this imbalance. Like several other academic associations, Atlanta 2005: Choosing a Conference Site CAA did not consider Atlanta as a poten- tial site until the state repealed its anti- n February bisexual, and transgendered artist and art- sodomy laws in 1998. More recently (sub- 16, CAA will historian community.” The newsletter for sequent to the Board’s choice of Atlanta), Oconvene the the Queer Caucus for Art, a CAA affiliated a question was raised about the presence 93rd Annual Confer- society, notes that the caucus is planning in the Georgia state flag of Confederate ence in Atlanta. It to have an open exhibition at a bookshop emblems; the issue was favorably resolved promises to be a very or other venue in Atlanta. We urge you to about a year ago. lively and exciting attend that exhibition as well, to show It is essential that we sign hotel and PHOTO: ANDREI RALKO event—a full pro- your support. other conference contracts as early as pos- Susan Ball gram of sessions and Another CAA Board member who has sible to secure affordable room rates and social events, book been active in planning the Atlanta confer- other benefits for attendees. Furthermore, it and trade show, and job fair. We hope to ence writes, “This is my home, my coun- is important to emphasize that no contracts see many of you there. Recently, concerns try, and the state I have lived in with my are signed without a thorough review and have been raised by some CAA members partner for fourteen years. Atlanta is home vetting by our legal counsel. Once signed, about our decision to hold the conference to one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, these contracts are binding; breach of con- in Georgia, given the recent passage of a and transgendered communities in the tract carries a huge financial liability. discriminatory amendment to the state country. It is a mecca in the South…. To You, the members, elect the Board to constitution banning same-sex marriages. those lesbian, gay, and transgendered peo- “do all lawful things which they may CAA’s Board of Directors takes seriously ple planning to come to the CAA confer- deem expedient to promote the business all such concerns from our members; in ence: I urge you to attend in large num- and interests of the Association…. The keeping with the spirit of CAA’s mission, bers. Leaving is not an option for most of Board of Directors shall have charge of we abhor discriminatory practices. The us who live, work, and raise children in the general interest of the Association, Board discussed this matter after the Georgia. I prefer to stay and become much being vested with the power to control and November federal and state elections and more politically active.” (For the complete manage the affairs, funds, and finances of determined not to cancel the 2005 confer- text, see www.collegeart.org/conference/ the Association.” When faced with a ence. 2005/letter.) request from a member to boycott a city Conference planning is a long-term The CAA process of conference selec- where contracts have been signed in good process. The selection of Atlanta for 2005 tion is rigorous and takes into considera- faith, a Board of Directors may face the was made in 2000, and the contracts were tion many factors, including political con- dreadful dilemma of having to exercise its signed in 2001. At present, no boycott of cerns that might affect CAA members. fiduciary responsibility for the fiscal sta- Georgia or other states that have passed (Other issues are accessibility by air and bility of the organization, rather than such laws is being enacted. The CAA rail; hotel accommodations and convention respond to political concerns that many of Board therefore urges our members to use facilities able to accommodate a meeting them personally share. CAA’s Board this opportunity to show support for the as large as ours; geographical diversity examined this issue at length, weighing local arts and scholarly community in and equity; and the participation of local our deep disappointment at the passage of Atlanta and, as one CAA Board member museums, galleries, and educational and the discriminatory law, our feelings of sol- writes, to “use our presence in Atlanta to cultural communities.) idarity with the Atlanta community, and support a more open-minded point of Standard CAA policy for conference site our fiduciary responsibilities as trustees of view. In addition, we could highlight our selection includes detailed research by CAA. We concluded that the present solidarity with the local lesbian, gay, CAA staff and presentations to the Board of description of our site-selection process several potential sites for each future year. should be presented to you, our members, Planning begins about eight or nine years in and posted on our website, together with a Volume 30, Number 1 advance. Staff members visit the communi- statement from an Atlanta-based Board CAA News is published six times per year by the College ties under consideration and make a com- member. Art Association, 275 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New parative analysis of all factors. Because our York, NY 10001; www.collegeart.org. See you in Atlanta! conference is so large, we can only go to —Susan Ball, Executive Director, and Editor-in-Chief Susan Ball big cities with substantial facilities. Ellen K. Levy, President Editor Christopher Howard Weighing heavily in our decision to go Material for inclusion should be sent via e-mail to to Atlanta was that CAA has never held a Christopher Howard at [email protected]. Photographs and slides may be submitted to the above conference in this region of the South, street and e-mail addresses for consideration. They cannot despite the fact that 20 percent of CAA be returned. All advertising and submission guidelines may be found at www.collegeart.org/news.html. members reside in southern states. (We were in New Orleans in 1980, Houston in Copyright © 2005 College Art Association 1988, and San Antonio in 1995.) For 2 CAA NEWS JANUARY 2005 and intelligent approach to synthesizing Anita Jung looks at ephemeral print, Willie Cole and the physical and spiritual worlds. design, and installation art. And to keep Lesley Dill at Represented by Alexander and Bonin our sense of humor, Victor Margolin will Gallery in New York, Cole has exhibited chair a mock-academic session on new ARTspace nationally and internationally. In fall 2004, directions in the study of popular culture. the University of Wyoming Art Museum Representatives from Creative Capital, organized and presented Afterburn: Willie the Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation he artists Willie Cole and Lesley Dill Cole: Selected Works 1997–2004, which and the Foundation Center will be on will participate in the Annual Artists’ will travel in 2005–6 to the California hand, and Joe Seipel will offer an T Interviews at the 2005 Annual African American Museum in Los overview of a professional practice course Conference in Atlanta.