Janine Antoni
Lecture: Tuesday, October 26 at 10:00 am at the VCU Student Commons Theater, 907 Floyd Ave.
VCU Student Commons Theater
Question 1:
Since much of your work is about the artist process, do you feel that art is created by an artist or found by an artist? For example, when you used your brain waves to weave a blanket.
Answer: “Art comes from the unconscious mind as if it is a weird automatic drawing.” –Janine Antoni
Question 2:
When working on a piece of art when does that project become art for you? For example your brain’s thoughts or the final representation of those ideas in a sculpture more tangible form?
Answer: “Anything can be art if you say it’s art, but it doesn’t mean it is good art.” –Janine Antoni
I think she believes that art begins in the unconscious mind and you must be open to letting that part of your mind speak. She practices five-rhythms dance to help let her unconscious mind speak.
In relation to that question she also commented on how she selects which projects to follow. She starts with wanting to give herself an experience and then tries to make an excuse for her to do it.
Question 3:
Your art often works with everyday tasks of humans. Do you work with this theme to reach a broader audience or is it for another purpose? Once you have connected with your audience what do you want them to take from your experience in creating the work and their experience in viewing it?
Answer: Her work deals more with circularity and mother child relations. She intends for her audience to imagine themselves doing the process to create the art rather than seeing it done by her, this creates their own interpretation.
Quotes:
“The line I balance is how much to show of my work and process and in what form to show it in. It’s more interesting to imagine it. It creates the power of the piece.” –Janine Antoni
“When you let go of your ego you can be creative.” –Janine Antoni
Three Words:
Process, Performance, Circular
Most Interesting:
I learned a lot about how she wants her viewers the experience her work. “I’m interested in if I can put the viewer in a position of empathy.” Also, she wants the viewer to imagine doing the activity she presents. The most important part of her process I learned in relation to my work is in what she removes from her art. She leaves clues or negative space for the viewer to fill in their own ideas and guesses. Examples of this can be seen in her work “Saddle” and “Coddle” where she removes the cow, herself and the baby from the image. This creates a dialogue with the viewer and gets them thinking about their relation to the work simply by creating an interest in what is missing or wrong with what she presents. I feel that this could be an important element in my photography to gain interest in my viewers and begin a discussion of political issues.
Another interesting topic I learned about Janine is how interested she is in the self-image and female beauty products. She has done work with lipstick and fake nails for example, she is interested in the relation of how one views themselves; the difference between the public image of person and the actual personality of one self.
I also enjoyed her change in process in letting go of controlling every aspect of her creation. “Having a child changed my work. I let it unravel on its own and be flexible. I’m now open to letting the work make itself.” –Janine Antoni
Most Compelling Image:
I could not find and image of her grad school work titled "Wein", where she made an impression of her breast, bottle nipples, and packaging. I found it very compelling when she said that this piece defined her work from there on and continues to influence her work today. I think it is important for an artist to define a topic of interest and stick with that theme even when they get burnt out on it, however I think it takes time to find that specific theme and it must be very personal for it to work.
I found it very helpful to see her work where she removed elements to create a conversation with the viewer and allow them to fill in their own dialouge.
Further Questions:
I am very interested in how she wants her viewers to feel empathy for her when seeing her work. I am curious as to why she wants to create that mood and what the relation of empathy is to her performance work and sculptures. Does she have a social agenda on wanting people to realize how connected everything is in the world and create a deeper appreciation or is it something else?
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