File spoon-archives/surrealist.archive/surrealist_1996/96-06-28.151, message 7


From: STUART INMAN <S.Inman-AT-greenwich.ac.uk>
Date:          Wed, 12 Jun 1996 13:17:50 GMT
Subject:       Re: exhibition


While writing my last posting I got the most recent one from Frank. I 
think that what he says overlaps with what I was saying and is quite 
sensible. I am glad he says that his negative feelings towards being 
thought an artist are not fair or rational, because I DO regard 
myself as an artist, at least in as much as it has been at the centre 
of my life for many years and I have gone to the trouble of 4 years 
at art school and some hardships - all for art.

I hope though that I betray no pretentiousness or snobbishness in my 
contributions to this forum. Although, having trained as an artist I 
can lay claim to that title, any sense that I can only appreciate 
"professional" art or very "fine" art would be anathema.

Surrealism has always understood that the value of art lies 
elsewhere. Not in its "aesthetic" value (at least in the conventional 
sense of the term) but in its ability to REVEAL THE UNKNOWN. Although 
trained artists are likely to have a better grasp of visual language 
than the self-taught, or at very least can accelaerate their growth 
of understanding, they very definitely do not have any copyright on 
visual language. 

I think if Frank sees his work in the very different context of an 
exhibition he might well understand what William is getting at there. 
I have been able to approach my own work as if a stranger in such 
circumstances. You also get a lot of feedback in an exhibition. The 
question becomes who is exhibiting and why.

If we are going to talk about points of agreement, a preliminary 
platform for later discussions and activities - even maybe that 
group, then let us do so. I would be in favour of such discussion. 
Something of the sort is, for me, the point of the discussion group.

Could we then try to formulate these basic principles to which we 
might be expected to subscribe in order to make our use of the word 
"surrealist" meaningful? I for one am happy to go away and think 
about it.

I also rang Kenneth last night. I did not understand that the 
purchase of a scanner was imminent, they are very poor just now. But 
his fellow member Bill Howe has told him that at his work they now 
have a very good scanner which he should have access to.

Stuart 



   

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