Monday, June 5, 2017

Joan Jonas at Gavin Brown


(link)

Without a central theme like spine running down the diasporic artists work generally leaves them relegated to some periphery. We like our artists to be about something, always circling their core. It makes it easier to consume. It is an odd trait of humans that we like to know what we will see prior to seeing it, well documented in film trailers, foretold plots, and increased ticket sales. As much as we like our artists to be "independent spirits" we also want to know them, have them under control. Joan Jonas isn't really like that, people continuously wondering why she hasn't got her due.