A study on the indirect correlation between art historical commentary and object art

Transcription

1 A study on the indirect correlation between art historical commentary and object art by Richard Paul Molander A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF APPLIED ART Montana State University Copyright by Richard Paul Molander (1974) Abstract: In the Spring of 1974, I completed the following body of work which was presented to the graduate faculty committee in thesis format for the degree of Master of Applied Arts. The object of the thesis was to present a visual as well as a literary documentation on the indirect correlation between art historical reviews and object art. it is my opinion that literary documentation written by an art history scholar should be considered as a separate work of art rather than as an extension of the work of art that it comments on. To make this point, I chose to write the art historical summations seen below before I executed the visual imagery. The summations thus served as a limitation for the visual imagery, causing a reversal of traditional roles as the visual imagery became an extension of the literary commentary. In this way of working, the artist is put in the unique position of ensuring his own posterity within the structure of art history.

2 Statement o f Permission to Copy in presenting th is thesis in p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t of the requirements for an advanced degree a t Montana State U niversity, I agree that the Library shall make i t fre e ly ava ilab le fo r Inspection. I fu rth er agree that permission fo r extensive copying of th is thesis fo r scholarly purposes may be granted by my major professor, or in his absence, by the Director o f L ib ra rie s. I t is understood that any copying or publication o f th is thesis fo r fin an cial gain shall not be allowed without my w ritte n permission. Signature c J Date / 7 % P d

3 "A STUDY ON THE INDIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN ART HISTORICAL COMMENTARY AND OBJECT ART" by Richard Paul Molander A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t o f.th e requirements fo r the degree MASTER OF APPLIED ART. Approved: Dl rector chool of Art Chairman, Ex, Committee Graduate tdean MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Bozeman, Montana May, 1974'

4 F ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would lik e to thank Herb Gardner who taught me that i f things a ren 't funny then they are exactly what they are. \

5 ARTIST'S STATEMENT In the Spring of 1974, I completed the follow ing body of work which was presented to the graduate fa c u lty committee in thesis format fo r the degree of Master of Applied Arts. The object of the thesis was to present a visual as well as a lite ra r y documentation on the indirect co rrelation between a rt h is to ric a l reviews and object a r t. i t is my opinion that lite ra r y documentation w ritte n by an a rt history scholar should be considered as a separate work, of a rt rather than as an extension o f the.work of a rt that i t comments on^ To make this point, I chose to w rite the a rt h is to ric a l summations seen below before I executed the visual imagery. The summations thus served as a lim ita tio n fo r the visual imagery, causing a reversal o f tra d itio n a l roles as the visual imagery became an extension of the lite ra r y commentary. In this way of working, the a r t is t is put in the unique position o f ensuring his own posterity w ithin the structure of a rt h isto ry.

6 I LETTUCE DISPLACEMENT 1974 pen, ink, and w atered or This marks the f i r s t attempt by Molander to put into visual form his mystical (although somewhat iro n ic) concept o f lettu ce displacement. According to the a r t i s t, "A fter hearing Walter Cronkite 's description of the recent Turkish A irlin es crash near Paris in wh&ch bodies were strewn over an area nine miles long I fo r the f i r s t time understood the d is tin c t p o s s ib ility o f lettuce d is placement from my kitchen a ll the way to my liv in g room flo o r. This drawing also marks a d is tin c t return towards the use of n a tu ra lis tic imagery. SUCKER SUCCESS lithography, tac-type and suckers In subject matter the drawing represents a s h ift of interest to a concern with structure. In order to' obtain precision Molander used suckers fo r the f i r s t time to represent the reward syndrome. The sensuous Baroque sky in this drawing also c le a rly demonstrates Molander's awareness as well as love fo r a rt h isto ry. 1 PEN, INK AND BELLYBUTTON LINT pen, ink and bellybuttoh lin t Molander developed a style of unnatural!s'ttc rendering fo r the series in th is show. I t was essential fo r him to reject the more tra d itio n a l s ty le of n a tu ra lis tic representation o f the image of what he wanted, as the demands of these drawings required something more; the sty le is the resolution of this problem. In response to c ritic is m that he was merely jumping on the bah&wagon o f the recent crazfe of bodyworks in his drawing "Pen, Irik and Bellybutton", the a r t is t replied: "I don't re a lly feel that th is drawing relates Very strongly to a bodywork. I feel that I t Is related more to the act of getting a h aircut; I t 's a way of staying clean". SEX OPENS HEAVENS GATES serigraphy, a c ry lic, and condoms *, v i. :* The vagueness o f the photographic Imagery is a d irec t comment on the difference between soft core and hard core pornography. The stains across the photos seems to re la te strongly to certain stains that can be seen in mens' rooms a ll over the world. When asked about the use of condoms In his drawings the a r tis t replied: "I was brought up in Sweden where Trojan machines are as p le n tifu l as c ig a re tte machines which caused me to develop a great sense of love and respect fo r Greek c iv iliz a tio n.

7 THAT'S NICE BUT THAT REALLY IS BLUE lithography, w atercolor, and q -tip s Here.Molander draws d ire c tly upon an actual event while having a class in painting from Paul Vonner. The drawing combines a representation of that event with the experimental findings of the tusche technological Tab. It also marks the beginning of the use o f q -tlp s by the a r t is t, which w ill be carried to its ultim ate in la te r drawings. Q-TIP MURDER PLAN 1974 pen, ink, and q -tip s This is one of several attempts by Molander to put into visual form his rather complex plan to help a good friend In her rather devious attempt to k i l l her daddy with a q -tip. I t also marks a s h ift away from representing objects In his drawing, in a purely Illu s io n T s tic matter to ju s t merely pasting the actual objept oh the paper, HOMAGE TO PRINTMAKERS, 1974 'V lithography and prismacolor This is again ones, of several^sattempts by Molander to make a statement of truth', a simple tru th but yet a tru th. There is a tension between the p rin t as drawing and the drawing as p rin t. ' MbTander, being a printmaker, usually s e ttle fo r the drawing as a p rin t.

8 SLIDES 1. Childhood Experience 2. Lettuce Displacement 3. Sucker Success 4. Pen and ink and Bellybutton Lin t 5. Sex Opens Heavens Gate 6. U n titled 7. Welcome Ed Ruscha 8. MSU Faculty Show 9. In s ta lla tio n View 10. Edition

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