Artfilter: Researching the relationship between artist-as-maker and artist-as-character. Little help?
April 14, 2010 1:40 PM   Subscribe

Artfilter: Researching the relationship between artist-as-maker and artist-as-character. Little help?

I'm right in the middle of writing an essay on the creation/negotiation of the artist persona in contemporary photographic art (that is, the relationship between the artist-as-maker, the artist-as-character, and the viewer/reader).

Can anyone think of any artists I should know about or any key (brief) texts or articles? My essay doesn't have to be exhaustive or particularly brilliant, but it's a topic that interests me and my curiosity will surely outlast this particular assignment. My essay is already is pretty good shape but I figured it couldn't hurt to crowdsource.

Main characters thus far:
Sophie Calle (a favourite of mine) - artist
Marcel Duchamp (still researching) - artist
William Burroughs (maybe) - writer

Bit of an odd question I know, but I figured it was worth a try.
posted by SebastianKnight to Media & Arts (14 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
You should absolutely see the upcoming film, Exit Through The Gift Shop, which addresses exactly this topic brilliantly (with graffiti artists and filmmakers). It hasn't been released yet; my review here.
posted by bingo at 1:43 PM on April 14, 2010


You kind of narrowed it down excessively by the category contemporary Photographers. That kind of eliminates Duchamp on both counts (not a photographer, not contemporary since he's dead) and Burroughs (same reasons). If you're really going to use this sort of source, I'd suggest looking into Dadaist Arthur Cravan.

Of your picks, Sophie Calle seems to be the only relevant choice here. Let me add the obvious, Cindy Sherman. Lucas Samaras might be worth looking into.
posted by charlie don't surf at 1:49 PM on April 14, 2010


Oh hell, you need to pick up Cindy Sherman in this. She's tailor made for this line of discourse... and might even answer you if you write a letter.
posted by eatdonuts at 2:06 PM on April 14, 2010


Upon reflection, I would even tie in a bit of Diane Arbus and Robert Mapplethorpe.
posted by eatdonuts at 2:09 PM on April 14, 2010


First off, you need to check out this FPP.
posted by newmoistness at 2:30 PM on April 14, 2010


Yasumasa Morimura might also fit the bill.
posted by newmoistness at 2:36 PM on April 14, 2010


2nding Cindy Sherman. She is the absolute person you should be writing about.

Mapplethorpe is another good one...

I'm not super fluent in photographers, but Cindy Sherman is the first one I thought of, and she is the embodiment of this question.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 2:43 PM on April 14, 2010


Definitely Joseph Beuys.
posted by scody at 2:56 PM on April 14, 2010


Claude Cahun without a doubt.
posted by fire&wings at 3:38 PM on April 14, 2010


Oh..contemporary. Still worth a look.
posted by fire&wings at 3:40 PM on April 14, 2010


Look at Nan Goldin, who photographed her life, and Ryan McGinley, who creates for photos something that looks like an interesting life. There should be no shortage of critical analysis of either.

Also, check out Antoine D'Agata, who recently took up with a Cambodian prostitute for a project, the process of which is documented in the film The Cambodian Room (haven't seen it, but can't wait). Also, for a less-mainstream view, look at Mike Brodie, aka The Polaroid Kidd, who did amazing work photographing transient Americans when, I believe, he was one of them.
posted by msbrauer at 6:26 PM on April 14, 2010


Oh, and also maybe look at Dash Snow, who recently died and had a Mefi obit thread. Photography was part of his art, but not the whole.
posted by msbrauer at 6:39 PM on April 14, 2010


Mauruzui Cattelan uses "stand-ins" for himself in media interviews.
posted by bonsai forest at 7:51 PM on April 14, 2010


You should probably look at Nikki S. Lee, who photographs herself as part of different cultural groups. In the individual photographs, she's almost erasing the figure of the artist, but when you look at her body of work as a whole, that figure is eerily apparent.
posted by dizziest at 11:32 AM on April 17, 2010


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