When Craft Gets Sloppy

Pedagogical=of or relating to teaching.

I really like the idea of making something sloppy on purpose.  I think about doing that myself because usually, the projects I do are really perfect.  Sloppy is hard for me.  But I have a feeling if I tried to make something sloppy it would look, planned out sloppy.  

Abject=extremely bad, unpleasant, and degrading.

Prodigious=remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree.

"The lack of evident skill somehow implies the presence of concept." - this may be true sometimes, but I really don't think that is the case always.  I know that when I see something well made, I do think about the smarts that it takes to build it.  I know that doesn't touch on the conceptual aspect of it...  A piece of art that is well made would probably have to be in a museum/gallery type setting for there the be a conceptual aspect expected.  

Celerity=swiftness of movement.

Investing in the Object

Pejorative=expressing contempt or disapproval.

I really don't think there will ever be a definite way to define art, craft, or the mix of the two.  I think every one has their own style.  Their work may be easy to define but it may cross the art or craft line either way.  I think it is a compliment to say that something is well made.  I don't think in any way that it takes away from the concept behind it.  I do think it can be both.  

Atrophy=wasting away.

Spectatorship, Power, and Knowledge

Interpellation = bring into being or give meaning to.

"He (Lacan) was most concerned with how human beings come to imagine themselves as unique individuals even as they are given identity within the social structures of Western capitalism."

• This is funny.  Is it saying that we are ridiculous to think we are unique?  In some ways, I think so.  There are so many of us, is it really possible to be truly unique, probably in very slim amount of cases.

"Docile bodies of the modern state - citizens who participate in the ideologies of the society through cooperation and desire to fit in and conform."

• I have to face it, I am a docile body...

"Photography has been used to document foreign cultures since its beginnings, and hence to provide visual codes of difference between the anthropologists and their subjects."

• Is this a bad thing?  Yes, there is a certain amount of power in saying that what you do is different, so then you automatically compare what you do to what others do and then decide which is better.  But I think there is more power in looking at another culture and just simply thinking that, well we all do things differently, so what?

"We believe we know what culture is because we can identify  its opposite (nature), thus difference is essential to its meaning."

• I like this definition.  It is very true that we identify the differences between each other.  So that is how we identify what we do differently.

Clearing the Ground

"Do you think that basic physiological demands - organic functions, as you call them - are external to social life, to culture, to civilization, and are thus unchangeable, or relatively so?  Such a postulate would be highly debatable and highly dangerous."

• Basic physiological demands are separate from those things, only in the thought that they are necessary functions in order to survive.  But they are also fully engrained into social life, culture etc.  I don't think they can ever be completely taken out of those social aspects.  For example, what we eat is part of culture.  Why is it dangerous though?

"Everyday life is an aspect of history, an interesting one, maybe, but minor.  To study it in itself and for itself entails certain dangers."

• Why does he like that world, danger, so much?  Why is that dangerous.  "Everyday" life is part of culture and life.  It can't be taken out of that.  It may not be newsworthy, but it is part of us.  It is there, so why not study it?  I find little quirks that people have to be extremely interesting.

Praxis = practice, accepted practice or custom.

"Critique of unfulfilment and alienation should not be reduced to a bleak picture of pain and despair.  It implies an endless appeal to what is possible in order to judge the present and what has been accomplished."

• I really like this explanation.  I have often worried about what I haven't done with my life so far, I guess it just shows that I am willing to change my situation.  

Response to the article by Herrell Fletcher

I really liked this little excerpt.  I love that he chose people for his inspiration in art.  I always want to talk to people more.  I have always been a shy person so it is really hard for me to open up.  I have been trying to force myself to do so a lot lately.  I think people are the best inspiration.  We all are so very amazing and you should open yourself up to meeting everyone you can.  I feel that every person has something to offer, good or bad.

"For What and For Whom?"

More definitions...

Ubiquity = present, appearing, or found everywhere.

Tonnage = weights in tons. (I like this word, anything with 'age' on the end it great)

Deputisation = 

Skulduggery = underhanded behavior (this word is just fun to say)

This article is about the expansion of the duties of the curator to the general public.  But that is only a new developing form of curating.  And that it can never replace the actual profession of curator.  

I really like the idea of the every day person participating in curating.  But it definitely should not take away from the education and knowledge required to be a professional curator.

"Curating doubt"

This is one I had to read twice, so I will mostly just have definitions...

Neologism = a newly coined word or expression.  (Good to know, I make up words all the time...)

Demarcation = the act of fixing the boundary or limits of something.

Hypertrophied = become enlarged (I don't know why the author used this word, the author already used 'expanding' right before it...)

Antecedent = a thing or event that existed before or logically proceeds another.

Segue = a uninterrupted transition.

Cadre = a small group of people specially trained for a particular purpose or profession.

Elision = the omission of a sound or syllable when speaking.  

Hegemony = leadership or dominance.

This article is of course about the uncertainty of the definition of a curator or curating.  I don't particularly identify with this topic; I guess I just have never thought about it.  I didn't realize there was such ambiguity within the profession.  I guess if I was ever put into the position of a curator, I would probably have a lot of self doubt too.  Will people like this?  Do I like this?  Does that matter?  It could go on like that forever.  I don't think there will ever be a real definition for this though.  Art changes all the time.  Every artist is so different as well, that how are you really supposed to know what will sell?  There should be a prerequisite to be an Anthropologist to be a curator.  This is all related to our next assignment!  Oh wait, I have an Anthropology degree....