Simplicity is Daunting Enough

I'm in the process of updating my website, and what pains me the most is coming up with a brief "artist statement" to put up on my "About" page. I am taking great lengths to avoid the waffle and pseudo intellectualism that seems to dominate most artist websites. I don't blame the artist; I'm guilty of this transgression too at times--but I acknowledge the need for something different. And I'm trying.

When it comes to web 2.0 I'd rather lay it down in plain and simple language - if I can help it. I'm not hinting that I'm some secret genius who finds the need to "dumb down" for the internet - quite the contrary. I find that narrowing down what to say and simplifying how one communicates online does in fact require a sharp writing acumen. It's not easy to do!!! My objective just happens to be less about proving my knowledge of the dictionary from A-Z, and more about deconstructing thought in its simplest form (though an excellent grasp of English can't hurt in this endeavor).

I try to avoid the look and feel of a thesis. Afterall, I'm not doing a Phd. And I would rather be accessible to the majority of people that are simply browsing the internet for something interesting. Now, of course, I do want to be thought-provoking; but who says only big words can achieve this? Words with 7-9 syllables are more overwhelming than they are revealing. Language has the power to dress up the mundane in art, and to serve it in a silver platter. Just because someone's a whiz at describing ideological dichotomies or dialectics, doesn't mean that they are with the paint brush or pen as well.

Most work can speak for itself, and I'd prefer to have a statement that compliments rather than overwhelms a piece of work. It's not rocket science thank god. Good art can be felt instantly, and this feeling can be sustained by the art alone. But articulation is crucial, in my books. Taking that further step to understanding the motivation behind the piece completes the artwork I think.

This is what makes the language all the more important than text that accompanies the art just because you were told you needed to write something smart about your art. And this is why it's taking me bloody ages.

So I've come up with my own personal rules, and they are as follows:

1. I think I am going to write in the first person. It makes sense, considering I am the artist. The third person can seem a bit too formal for my liking (which is how I have it right now).

2. No big sweeping philosophical statements that can make the reader (and myself) cringe to the highest heavens and roll their eyes until their eye balls hurt.

3. Keep it short and simple.

4. Avoid too much description of the art itself as the writing should be more about motivation - focus on the "here and now". Don't dabble too much in the past or the future....

5. Having said #4, the "here and now" should involve a personal narrative that is uniquely your story. The magic of story telling has a lot to do with effectively communicating your art.

As I said, these are personal rules. I don't really believe that there's a wrong or a right with this activity. Personally, a good conversation over some wine or beer can be just as effective, if not more, in pulling someone into the zone of your work. But I was talking about web 2.0 after all.