Lawrence Weiner

CSArt Lincoln

MockUp_RussellAlexI just applied for the Community Supported Art commission here in Lincoln which (if accepted) requires each artist to produce 50 original pieces of art. In continuing some of my most recent conceptual pieces, I proposed to make a sort of homage to some of my conceptual art idols – Joseph Kosuth, Sol LeWitt, et al. The idea of the piece is to create a message explaining the meaning of the work and then obscure the message to the point where it becomes considerably difficult but not yet impossible to read. This forces the viewer to quite literally strain their eyes and minds in order to read the meaning. Revelation isn’t instantaneous, it takes time to develop within oneself. In the same way, Art requires rumination to understand and derive true meaning from. 

Regardless of if I get commissioned or not, I’ll eventually make these pieces. Money will definitely be a factor so becoming a CSA artist and receiving a stipend would be more than excellent. I’d love to be invited further into the art community of my hometown, I’d love to give people a piece of myself.

This idea stemmed from Entropy of Thought, 2013 which was shown at the Eistentrager Howard Gallery in December.

EntropyofThoughtShow_RussellAlex

This piece is significantly similar conceptually to the proposed work above. It can be looked at two ways: left to right in which you are reading the text and understanding the meaning, however, as you progress it becomes more and more obscured to the point the words disappear completely. You can move in the opposite direction as well, in which the difficulty  to read the work dissolves and finally becomes clear.

DetailfromShow_RussellAlex

For the sake of saying too much I’ll let you ponder at your screens. I’ll be making a more lengthy post about this work and it’s humble beginnings soon.

Read more about conceptual art here. (via kirkbrideplan.wordpress.com)