Introductory Page; from the portfolio, 10: Artist as Catalyst

Inscriptions

Printed, in ink, upper to lower right: "AN ARTIST PAINTS SO THAT HE / WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK / AT; AT TIMES HE MUST WRITE SO / THAT HE WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO / READ." THAT'S WHAT BARNETT / NEWMAN SAID. ONE SHOULD ADD / THAT ARTISTS OF BOTH SEXES / ALSO BAND TOGETHER TO START / GALLERIES, COOPS, OR MUSEUMS / SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE / SOMEWHERE TO SHOW WHAT THEY / HAVE PAINTED, AND TALK ABOUT / WHAT THEY HAVE WRITTEN. / SOMEWHERE THEY CAN MEET ON / THEIR OWN GROUND. THEY'VE / BEEN DOING THIS SINCE MODERN [arrow symbol] / ISM BEGAN. IF WE HAVE INDEED / PASSED INTO A POST-MODERN ERA, / THEN THE DRIVE TO ESTABLISH / AND PRESERVE SUCH PLACES IS / ONE OF THE MANY THINGS WHICH / HAS NOT CHANGED. / THE TRADITION OF ARTIST RUN / SPACES ISN'T FUNDAMENTALLY / DEFINED BY PERIODS AND / MOVEMENTS. INSTEAD IT'S THE / EXPRESSION OF A CONSTANT WILL / TO RESIST NARROW CONCEPTIONS / OF WHAT ART CAN BE IN A GIVEN / TIME AS WELL AS A REFUTATION OF / THE NOTION THAT ARTISTS CAN'T / FEND FOR THEMSELVES OUTSIDE / THE STUDIO. INDIVIDUAL IN THEIR / FOCUS, THE MOTIVATION THEY / SHARE IN COMMEN IS DIS [arrow symbol] / SATISFACTION WITH THE SITUATION / AS IT STANDS. THEIR VERY / CONSTITUTION IS AN ACT OF / DISSENT. / ART THAT DOESN'T FIT - AND / DOESN'T WANT TO FIT - THE / PREVAILING TASTE IS ALWAYS / WELCOME IN THSE VENUES. THEY / INTRODUCE THE YOUNG, SUPPORT / ARTISTS IN MID AND LATE CAREER, / AND COMMIT SCARCE RESOURCES / TO DIFFICULT WORK AND TOTALLY / UNASSIMILATED TALENTS. AND, / WHEN THE ART WORLD HAS / GENERALLY SHUNNED "POLITICAL" / CONTENT, THEY HAVE PROVIDED A / HAVEN AND LABORATORY FOR / THOSE SEEKING TO EXAMINE / SOCIAL REALITIES AND CULTURAL / MYTHS. / IN SHORT THESE SMALL / INSTITUTIONS TAKE CARE OF / ARTISTS. AND ARTISTS TAKE / CARE OF THEM. / THIS PROJECT WAS INITIATED IN / THAT SPIRIT TO BENEFIT THE / ALTERNATIVE MUSEUM WHICH IS A / SURVIVOR AMONG ITS KIND. YOU / DON'T GO TO THE ALTERNATIVE / MUSEUM TO CHECK ON THE / MODERNIST MAINSTREAM. YOU / GO THERE TO SEE HOW THE / MAINSTREAM HAS SPILLED INTO A / DELTA THAT LIKE ALL DELTAS IS / CONSTANTLY RESHAPING ITSELF, / AND RECHANELLING THE MIXED / CURRENTSTHAT FLOW THROUGH / IT. IN TIMES LIKE THESE MAPPING / SUCH SHIFTING TERRAIN IS MORE / IMPORTANT THAN EVER, SINCE / NOBODY KNOWS WHERE ART IS / HEADED, BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS / THAT IT'S MOVING IN A LOT OF / DIRECTIONS AT ONCE - AND FAST. / THE ARTISTS WHO MADE THESE / PRINTS KNOW THIS BECAUSE THEY / HAVE COME FROM DIVERSE / BACKGROUNDS AND ARE FOLLOW [arrow symbol] / ING DISTINCT ESTHETIC AND / INTELLECTUAL COURSES. IT IS TO / PLACES SUCH AS THE ALTERNATIVE / MUSEUM THAT THEY PERIODICALLY / RETURN, HOWEVER, SINCE IT IS / PART OF A NETWORK THAT HAS / SUSTAINED THEM ALONG THE WAY. / THIS PORTFOLIO CONTAINS EVI [arrow symbol] / DENCE OF WHERE EACH OF THEM / HAS BEEN, AS WELL AS EVIDENCE / OF A LOYALTY TO THE COMMUNITY / THAT TRANSCENDS GENERATIONAL / OR STYLISTIC DIFFERENCES. IT / HAS BEEN PUBLISHED TO INSURE / THAT THE SPACES WHICH THEY AND / THEIR PEERSFOUNDED TO / PROVIDE FOR CREATIVE FREEDOM / WILL BE THERE WHENEVER THOSE / SPACES ARE NEEDED AGAIN. WE / NEED THEM NOW! / ROBERT STORR 1992 [each instance of ALTERNATIVE MUSEUM printed in black ink, rest of text in yellow ink]

Provenance

Charles M. Young Fine Prints & Drawings, Portland, Connecticut; sold to present collection, 2008.

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