I just asked ChatGPT to create an artist statement for a photo of the Statue of Liberty. :)
"Artist Statement
Title: “Liberty in Light”
Photograph on Archival Paper
This image captures the enduring presence of the Statue of Liberty—a universal symbol of freedom, hope, and resilience—rising against a bright sky scattered with soft clouds. Taken from a low angle, the photograph emphasizes the monument’s grandeur and the human ideals it represents, offering a moment of quiet reflection within the fast-paced rhythm of modern life.
The interplay between light, shadow, and sky highlights the statue's details in a way that evokes both strength and serenity. Framed beneath a vivid blue expanse, Lady Liberty does not just stand as a relic of history but as an active, living emblem of aspiration and unity in the present moment.
This work invites the viewer to not only witness a national icon but to reimagine it as a deeply personal encounter—with freedom, with heritage, and with possibility."
Amen! Having also graduated from SVA’s MFA photo department the statement has and always will be the bane of my existence and every cell in my body fights against it. Lol
Reading this made me think of an interview I saw of Neil Young and around that same time, I read an interview with Bob Dylan and they both mentioned that they don't like to explain the lyrics in their songs because they'd much rather have the person listening, interpret the lyrics on their own. They both intimated that there's no right or wrong. The song should make the person listening feel something and what they feel should be personal. The feeling would be muted if they were given too much information. I feel the same way about artist statements and to some extent captions. Let me feel your image on a personal level.
And by sheer coincidence I've just received an invitation to a show opening soon here in my town.
" intersecting narratives reveal the myths, histories, images and objects unique to these environments while also evoking universal phenomenological experiences of the coast. Through the artists’ vision, we witness the rapture of light and atmosphere, the pull of liminality and immersion, and moments of communion with non-human entities, as well as the foreboding shadows of our shared ecological future. Crosscurrents unfolds as a richly layered schema of place where speculative sculpture, reimagined cultural practice, and collaborations with marine ecologies converge"
As you would expect, I have no idea what this show is about.
Of course you know what the show is about - beach -sky -sand dunes - seagrass and seagulls. Occasional dune shacks probably in black and white at sunrise or twilight except for those boldly taken at 2 pm
I feel seen. Thank you for writing about this. It's refreshing to know I am not alone. I recently visited MoMA. Half way through my time there I had to stop and reflect. I realized that I am not feeling anything.Not connecting with anything. I am seeing the mastery of the artists sure. There is that ah ha moment here and there as I recognized what the artist did. But that's about it. I thought art was supposed to move people. And here I was, at one of the best places that celebrates art, and I felt very little. And the statements increased the gap even further. Of course, I blamed my own inability to read the artwork. I am not cultured enough. I am not well versed with this...
My understanding is, artist statement in nessescery to establish context for the art work, and little help for the audience to navigate through it. But if the artists statement is the tool to make the art more abstract, why bother? Isn't art there to express what we can not express in simple sentences, language we speak everyday in the first place!
Decades ago when I was beginning to build furniture, I imagined myself one day showing at crafts fairs, and having seen artist statements that seemed to have required a special creative writing course, I thought I would have a framed statement (18X24) with one line in the middle: "I Make Stuff".
Really interesting analysis of your experience with artist statements. Experience something similar when I go to shows - the latest example would be the majority of the work on display at AIPAD. Noticed that the majority of booths didn’t have info on the artists featured and if they did it was usually a summary of their life, not much about individual photos. Coming from a literary background, I tend to zone out when I read artist’s statements that “blubber” as I like to describe it, it’s basically just stringing along words that sound good together and overanalyze content until it reads like mush. You mentioned how it’s about feeling like you belong and I honestly think it could be that or it could be that a lot of artists aren’t great communicators, they’re great at fluff and banter but to reflect on the work would make many cynical and discourage them because the goal is to create, not to critique. But I like being critical of work and trying to tap into the human psyche to understand work and the importance of it to the person who created it. My rule is if I can’t discuss my work it’s not good enough so I don’t share it, if I can talk about it then I will. As for why artist statements have become what they are today, I think it has a lot to do with collectors and the clientele galleries are selling to, an air of elitism to make the viewer feel superior or inferior, depending on whether they get it or not.
I'd like to recommend books by Aude de Kerros on Contemporary Art (although she writes in French and there may not be translations) for a very convincing analysis of what goes on behind the scenes in the "art world" like financial manipulation, controlling potentially troublesome artists, a sort of pact between the ultra wealthy and the State with certain art critics cementing the whole farce as expressed in these "artist statements" and why conceptual and Contemporary Art has not faded away, as boring and insulting as it usually is. One example: at the School of Fine Arts in Paris, the most prestigious in the country, the director is a philosopher, there are no drawing classes and new students are not accepted if they show any inclination toward pictorial qualities or something pleasing to look at.
As someone who spent months writing a new Artist's Statement -- a period so extreme that by the time I was done, my practice had shifted, prompting a revised Artist's Statement... I really appreciate this perspective. Artists should let their work speak for them as much as possible. This isn't to say ignore the statements, bios, etc. But don't forget what's most important. Write statements that allow for new work, new ideas, and new approaches.
I read this just after having finished writing an Artist Statement for my first year MFA project. I wrote and rewrote until it was condensed into 68 words. One aspect that I worked hard on was to not tell people what they were going to see or what I wanted them to interpret. Instead I focused on intent, context, and subject/subject matter. While I agree with much of your essay, I do find them useful at times to provide context that helps me interpret intent.
I just asked ChatGPT to create an artist statement for a photo of the Statue of Liberty. :)
"Artist Statement
Title: “Liberty in Light”
Photograph on Archival Paper
This image captures the enduring presence of the Statue of Liberty—a universal symbol of freedom, hope, and resilience—rising against a bright sky scattered with soft clouds. Taken from a low angle, the photograph emphasizes the monument’s grandeur and the human ideals it represents, offering a moment of quiet reflection within the fast-paced rhythm of modern life.
The interplay between light, shadow, and sky highlights the statue's details in a way that evokes both strength and serenity. Framed beneath a vivid blue expanse, Lady Liberty does not just stand as a relic of history but as an active, living emblem of aspiration and unity in the present moment.
This work invites the viewer to not only witness a national icon but to reimagine it as a deeply personal encounter—with freedom, with heritage, and with possibility."
That's funny and not terrible.
I’m sure most of the artists’ statements moving forward will be written by AI, and maybe that will be a good thing? 🥹
Amen! Having also graduated from SVA’s MFA photo department the statement has and always will be the bane of my existence and every cell in my body fights against it. Lol
Amen!
Reading this made me think of an interview I saw of Neil Young and around that same time, I read an interview with Bob Dylan and they both mentioned that they don't like to explain the lyrics in their songs because they'd much rather have the person listening, interpret the lyrics on their own. They both intimated that there's no right or wrong. The song should make the person listening feel something and what they feel should be personal. The feeling would be muted if they were given too much information. I feel the same way about artist statements and to some extent captions. Let me feel your image on a personal level.
Thanks! I don’t feel so stupid now.
And by sheer coincidence I've just received an invitation to a show opening soon here in my town.
" intersecting narratives reveal the myths, histories, images and objects unique to these environments while also evoking universal phenomenological experiences of the coast. Through the artists’ vision, we witness the rapture of light and atmosphere, the pull of liminality and immersion, and moments of communion with non-human entities, as well as the foreboding shadows of our shared ecological future. Crosscurrents unfolds as a richly layered schema of place where speculative sculpture, reimagined cultural practice, and collaborations with marine ecologies converge"
As you would expect, I have no idea what this show is about.
Oh, this is a good one. I have no idea what I just read.
"liminality" Ugh
That’s my trigger word.
Of course you know what the show is about - beach -sky -sand dunes - seagrass and seagulls. Occasional dune shacks probably in black and white at sunrise or twilight except for those boldly taken at 2 pm
Now I'm going to have to go along, just to see if you're correct 😊
I’m pretty sure it’s a bunch of statues of fish.
Bravo, Dina! Bravo!
Thank you, Jamey!
I feel seen. Thank you for writing about this. It's refreshing to know I am not alone. I recently visited MoMA. Half way through my time there I had to stop and reflect. I realized that I am not feeling anything.Not connecting with anything. I am seeing the mastery of the artists sure. There is that ah ha moment here and there as I recognized what the artist did. But that's about it. I thought art was supposed to move people. And here I was, at one of the best places that celebrates art, and I felt very little. And the statements increased the gap even further. Of course, I blamed my own inability to read the artwork. I am not cultured enough. I am not well versed with this...
My understanding is, artist statement in nessescery to establish context for the art work, and little help for the audience to navigate through it. But if the artists statement is the tool to make the art more abstract, why bother? Isn't art there to express what we can not express in simple sentences, language we speak everyday in the first place!
Decades ago when I was beginning to build furniture, I imagined myself one day showing at crafts fairs, and having seen artist statements that seemed to have required a special creative writing course, I thought I would have a framed statement (18X24) with one line in the middle: "I Make Stuff".
Really interesting analysis of your experience with artist statements. Experience something similar when I go to shows - the latest example would be the majority of the work on display at AIPAD. Noticed that the majority of booths didn’t have info on the artists featured and if they did it was usually a summary of their life, not much about individual photos. Coming from a literary background, I tend to zone out when I read artist’s statements that “blubber” as I like to describe it, it’s basically just stringing along words that sound good together and overanalyze content until it reads like mush. You mentioned how it’s about feeling like you belong and I honestly think it could be that or it could be that a lot of artists aren’t great communicators, they’re great at fluff and banter but to reflect on the work would make many cynical and discourage them because the goal is to create, not to critique. But I like being critical of work and trying to tap into the human psyche to understand work and the importance of it to the person who created it. My rule is if I can’t discuss my work it’s not good enough so I don’t share it, if I can talk about it then I will. As for why artist statements have become what they are today, I think it has a lot to do with collectors and the clientele galleries are selling to, an air of elitism to make the viewer feel superior or inferior, depending on whether they get it or not.
I'd like to recommend books by Aude de Kerros on Contemporary Art (although she writes in French and there may not be translations) for a very convincing analysis of what goes on behind the scenes in the "art world" like financial manipulation, controlling potentially troublesome artists, a sort of pact between the ultra wealthy and the State with certain art critics cementing the whole farce as expressed in these "artist statements" and why conceptual and Contemporary Art has not faded away, as boring and insulting as it usually is. One example: at the School of Fine Arts in Paris, the most prestigious in the country, the director is a philosopher, there are no drawing classes and new students are not accepted if they show any inclination toward pictorial qualities or something pleasing to look at.
The way this aligned everything in my brain.
I love this so much ❤️
Brilliant.
Completely agree, thanks for thinking through this
As someone who spent months writing a new Artist's Statement -- a period so extreme that by the time I was done, my practice had shifted, prompting a revised Artist's Statement... I really appreciate this perspective. Artists should let their work speak for them as much as possible. This isn't to say ignore the statements, bios, etc. But don't forget what's most important. Write statements that allow for new work, new ideas, and new approaches.
I read this just after having finished writing an Artist Statement for my first year MFA project. I wrote and rewrote until it was condensed into 68 words. One aspect that I worked hard on was to not tell people what they were going to see or what I wanted them to interpret. Instead I focused on intent, context, and subject/subject matter. While I agree with much of your essay, I do find them useful at times to provide context that helps me interpret intent.
Context is great! As long as I can understand what I’m reading. Curious what MFA program are you in?
Academy of Art University San Francisco