Comments on: Episode 149: Elkins on the Stone Summer Theory Institute

By: Stone Summer Theory Institute Starts This Sunday : Bad at Sports

Stone Summer Theory Institute Starts This Sunday : Bad at Sports — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:54:02 +0000

[...] Institute, check out Duncan’s interview with James Elkins on Episode 149 of the podcast here. What Do Artists Know? Co-organized by James Elkins and Frances Whitehead Thinking on the education [...]

By: ben

ben — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:06:18 +0000

counter image not anti image

By: ben

ben — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:53:40 +0000

kudos to elkins for assembling such a multifaceted team. i am reminded of godard’s film notre musique which plays with the idea of image and anti-image. godard illustrates these both to be transitory and interrelated. the film exists as both as well. still images often exist within the same frozen purgatory. i am drawn (maybe other people too) to things that are caught between states of being. to becoming. maybe this has to do with the aesthetics of an image. the anti-image may resound with the honesty of the experience. the two quarrel, whether through iconography or manipulation. for me, an image is not fixed. a worthwhile visual/intellectual experience nags.

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:09:52 +0000

I’m rioting if they create a Phd. for studio.

By: Mark Staff Brandl

Mark Staff Brandl — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:55:54 +0000

Great interview. Elkins is really a treasure — always so interesting and he can sum up extremely complex issues and philosophies, even by others, in a few, highly understandable words! Amazing. It is great that you have Boehm coming. As a fellow Gadamerian I’m happy he’s appearing. He’s a truly unique and intriguing thinker. I wish I was there to join in the fun. I should have my PhD finished before you, James, do the “What do artists know” themed Institute, which also speaks directly to my (Lakoffian/Bloomian) dissertation topic, so I’ll try to apply as a fellow or something.

Although I’ve been in school forever and am doing that dang art history/linguistics PhD, this diploma inflation idea of a studio PhD (as well as the forced and misunderstood Euro versions of the BFA and MFA now coming here) really scare me. I think it is immense over academization in the pejorative sense. James’s quotation from the “methodology” woman was spot on. Duncan, you really did a great job once again. I like it when your sceptical yet knowledgeable side appears (more than your cheerleading for questionable CC art like the Chapman’s ?!!!). Your questions and responses were concise and help shape the whole thing. I’m impressed. I get so excited listening to Elkins that I think I would be all over the board and less understandable by far! I have trouble reading his books because they inspire me to put them down and rush off to the studio. A great sign!

Good job botha ya!

By: Bill Dolan

Bill Dolan — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:02:43 +0000

My initial reaction to this is that it’s not a lot of stuff the artist doesn’t really need to know to create art. I hope this isn’t the direction things are going (with the PHDs). It was a lot of the “Why” people respond to art, why art expresses, etc. Most visual artists, I feel are more concerned with the “how” and “what,” most of which comes from within. It’s interesting, but not important to making art, and may be detrimental, as it takes the life and soul right out of art making.

I guess I can compare it to a baseball player having to know the nature and history of human competition and athletics in order to be fully engaged in the game.

It’s all great for a broader understanding of why art exists, but it’s not really necessary for it the propagation of art by artists.