Advice to students when struggling to develop work that isn’t derivative of other artists…and knowledge of photographic history. So what is your inquiry? About what are you in doubt? You have chosen a particular tool with which to work and it will not prove to be
Advice on the Creative Process for a student when struggling with perceptions of “good” and when relating her own work to her knowledge of art history. Stop trying to exercise certain control (that is, constant comparison with the past and judgments of “good work” you recognize
The Deflationary Posture — by Jere Williams
A version of this paper was presented at the College Art Association annual convention in NY City in 2007
Many students of art today are being described as disaffected, disengaged, and indifferent to critical commentary. These students can be said to have adopted a “deflationary posture.” But this posture is more than merely an attitude towards criticism, it incorporates cultural practices and philosophical positions. While as a symptom reluctance towards criticism is both comprehendible and common, the deflationary posture is a consequence of the attempt to resolve conflicting positions concerning identity, epistemology, and the practice of art. This essay is an analysis of the engendering conditions and consequences of such a posture. In general, the deflationary posture will not be productive in sustaining the discipline of art making.