FALL 2013 APPLICANTS!

[fullofpink]

I was hoping someone would offer a change to the recent unpleasantness of this thread. I was working during the decorative arts "Treasures of the Louvre" show at the Legion of Honor and it was absolutely gorgeous. Louix XIII and XIV's precious stone cups blew me away.

 

Also, the "Degas et le nu" show that was at the d'Orsay this spring left a lasting impression. Seeing those early history paintings was a dream!

 

Soooooo jealous about the Treasures of the Louvre, sounds awesome. 

[auvers-sur-oise]

I saw the Degas show at Boston, and it was to die for... I can only imagine at Orsay! The Manet: Portraying Life show was great - it's at the Royal Academy now, so if anyone's in London...!

[runaway]

I saw the Degas show at Boston, and it was to die for... I can only imagine at Orsay! The Manet: Portraying Life show was great - it's at the Royal Academy now, so if anyone's in London...!

 

I also saw Degas in Paris-- it was fantastic, for sure! I'm looking forward to seeing that Manet show soon, as well as Schwitters in Britain at Tate. 

 

There's some fantastic stuff at MoMA right now. I really enjoyed Inventing Abstraction. Tokyo was great, too. Wish I could have seen it alongside the Gutai show at Guggenheim.

[raisinbrancusi]

@Runaway: Sure Chicago is not for everyone. Seems like you are applying to the big name brand schools in the field anyway.

 

I doubt anyone on Grad Cafe is sharing their deepest passions for art history discourse. Seems like most of the chatter is about impatience, hopes, desires, and dreams of getting in. I doubt you'll get a real feel for what anyone actually wants to study and what they hope to contribute to the field, but if you are asking--here goes: 

 

I am interested in new approaches to art criticism and art writing looking primarily at Hal Foster, Alexander Nemerov, and Matthew Jesse Jackson. I love this quote from Ryan Wong's recent essay on Artificial Hells-"But the agitation around Bishop can also be credited to the dullness of the contemporary art discourse, where boosterism is the only form of dialogue and lack of hype around an artist suffices for criticism. Museums, biennials, art fairs and galleries proliferate constantly and seemingly ad infinitum; the expanded field of the curator is discussed everywhere, but without an accompanying rise of the critic."

 

As far as a dissertation, I am looking at social practice, community art, critical political art, and my current field of art education. I am loosely asking: Can art (or should art even try to) provide a way out of life under authoritative capitalism (and the current art world that depends so heavily upon it)? What is the role of art today? What should the role of art, artists, and the art critic be today? Are art practices and art world trends researchable, if so, how might it look? I am also aligned with Craig Harshaw in that: "I feel disinclined to divide discussions like this from class and race. What I mean by this is that so many power positions in US art schools, museums, galleries are held by people who are power evasive around these issues--color-blind racists, pro-capitalist exploitation (without admitting this) etc. Why would we expect this to be different in a country like the US with such an incredibly reductive electoral political system and such weak working class/racial justice/economic justice social movements?" Art as a social movement must look squarely at this with honest eyes.

 

I feel that contemporary art wants to be an agent of social change (recently Tania Bruguera and Nato Thompson), but it does not yet know how to articulate its point of view. Citing the above from Craig Harshaw I add that it might be helpful to radicalize the institutions of art first, the art world second, and the larger culture third. I feel connected to Ad Reeinhardt and his comments on revolutions in art: “The next revolution will see the emancipation of the university academy of art from its market-place fantasies and its emergence as a center of consciousness and conscience.” 

 

Best,

this is very interesting. you gave a very full response, but i'm wondering what about art history, and the methodologies that for better or worse come with it, appeal to you?

edit: are Northwestern and Chicago not brand name schools? do you know something i don't?

Edited January 28, 2013 by raisinbrancusi

[HalFoster]

this is very interesting. you gave a very full response, but i'm wondering what about art history, and the methodologies that for better or worse come with it, appeal to you?

edit: are Northwestern and Chicago not brand name schools? do you know something i don't?

 

@Raisinbrancusi--I knew someone would bring that up! Yes, Northwestern and UofC are brand names, but they are not as famous in popular culture as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. I use my mom as a cultural barometer, a woman who never finished high school has heard of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. However, my mom could not tell you the difference between Northern Illinois University and Northwestern or the difference between Chicago State University and the University of Chicago--that's what I use.

 

I fell in love with art history in undergrad and accessed art historians and art history throughout both masters degrees. Much of my art education practice is informed by contemporary art theory (among so many neighboring fields). As for methodologies, I enjoy writing, arguing, viewing, researching, and teaching visual art. Before my current work, I designed and taught a Modern and Postmodern survey for high school sophomores for two years and a Renaissance to Enlightenment course for juniors. It was in those classes where I was able to take my teaching practice and art history knowledge to new areas. It was seeing my student artists begin accessing art theory for their investigations that really pushed me to consider the PhD more. As a contemporary art writer, art educator, and researcher, art history just feels like the right home for my ideas. I think it's been there all along and at this point in my career, I feel ready. I left teaching for a more service oriented role in the visual arts. Schools have never been my passion the way community has. Much of my early field work was in the community-based art education world--working in communities across Chicago and engaging the public was the center of my masters thesis. 

 

I want to use a PhD to explore The Educational Turn, Social Practice, and Arts Research, I really feel this is where we are right now. So much to think about!

 

To answer an earlier question: I most recently saw the Steve McQueen show at the Art Institute--likely one of the best installations the curatorial staff as ever done. This week I am going to see a small installation of works by Sharon Hayes and the John Cage at MCA. So much good stuff, the art season is really heating up.

[runaway]

@Raisinbrancusi--I knew someone would bring that up! Yes, Northwestern and UofC are brand names, but they are not as famous in popular culture as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. I use my mom as a cultural barometer, a woman who never finished high school has heard of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. However, my mom could not tell you the difference between Northern Illinois University and Northwestern or the difference between Chicago State University and the University of Chicago--that's what I use.

 

I fell in love with art history in undergrad and accessed art historians and art history throughout both masters degrees. Much of my art education practice is informed by contemporary art theory (among so many neighboring fields). As for methodologies, I enjoy writing, arguing, viewing, researching, and teaching visual art. Before my current work, I designed and taught a Modern and Postmodern survey for high school sophomores for two years and a Renaissance to Enlightenment course for juniors. It was in those classes where I was able to take my teaching practice and art history knowledge to new areas. It was seeing my student artists begin accessing art theory for their investigations that really pushed me to consider the PhD more. As a contemporary art writer, art educator, and researcher, art history just feels like the right home for my ideas. I think it's been there all along and at this point in my career, I feel ready. I left teaching for a more service oriented role in the visual arts. Schools have never been my passion the way community has. Much of my early field work was in the community-based art education world--working in communities across Chicago and engaging the public was the center of my masters thesis. 

 

I want to use a PhD to explore The Educational Turn, Social Practice, and Arts Research, I really feel this is where we are right now. So much to think about!

 

To answer an earlier question: I most recently saw the Steve McQueen show at the Art Institute--likely one of the best installations the curatorial staff as ever done. This week I am going to see a small installation of works by Sharon Hayes and the John Cage at MCA. So much good stuff, the art season is really heating up.

 

Look, Hal (may I call you Hal?), I think I'll just be blunt here because a. this is the internet and b. we have no chance of being in the same cohort.

 

I want to think the best of people here on GradCafe, because I like this place and I've met some super people here. So I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you don't realize the tone that your posts convey. You keep getting downvotes, though, so maybe you have a clue.

 

Here it is: you're coming across like a condescending asshole and lecturing us like we're two year olds about things we already know. Please refrain.

 

Also, I realize we're in the humanities and not the social sciences, but your mom is a pretty shitty sample size.

Edited January 28, 2013 by runaway

[HalFoster]

I thought we all liked this subject, so I was sharing what I like. I guess I do not get the tone of these forums. I just like sharing ideas and interests. I also tend to share my background and context openly, so that others know a bit of where I coming from. This is feeling less like a space of freedom and more like a secret club with unwritten codes and norms. I was wondering why no one else was doing the same.

 

So thanks, I really had no clue. I didn't know what down votes were until just now. I started posting just this weekend. I thought this was kind of like an online community where we might share things like this. I was asked about art historical methodologies as well, was I not to answer?

 

My mom being a pop culture sample size was kind of a lighthearted response on my part, because she's kind of a mass market gal and does not care much for academia or knowing about schools--which goes to my point that she knows Harvard.

 

I'm an honest person and if you read me one way, I don't really see how I can be blamed for your interpretation.

 

Good luck with your applications. I hope you all get what you want.

[runaway]

OK, I know the forums have a bit of a learning curve, and I'm sorry for being harsh. I guess we're all a bit on edge while we wait for results.

 

If you read through the earlier pages in this thread you'll notice we actually don't talk a whole lot about the nitty-gritty of our interests. It's really just about our applications. Mostly for anonymity's sake, partly because I think we all have other outlets for that.

 

All of us posting now have submitted our apps (maybe with a couple exceptions?) and we've done our legwork and devoted ourselves to this for quite some time. You can assume we know basic things like what CAA is, the latest work in our field, the fact that Harvard gets more pop cultural references than Northwestern does, etc. The forum is about back and forth, but your posts have come off a bit like lectures. I think that's the one point where you've come off a bit abrasive, maybe without realizing it.

 

Cool?

 

btw, has your mom never seen When Harry Met Sally  (!!?!)

Edited January 28, 2013 by runaway

[Guy Vlad]

I am new to these forums too. Most forums that I have contributed posts are really like online learning communities--places where people openly share and dialogue about the topics they enjoy. This section of the forum for art history seems a bit prickly. It's as though the only welcome dialogue is based on anxiety and waiting. I am not sure that's very healthy. You submitted your apps, they will accept you or not. Life goes on. Who says you need a PhD to study what you love anyway? 

 

Keep positive and keep busy.

[auvers-sur-oise]

A suggestion for the group: if/when the results start to come in, can we agree to list our field in the comments section of each acceptance/rejection post? This will offer a better data set for future applicants, and might be helpful for current applicants, too!

[Bearcat1]

Agreed. POI, too? (The main one...)

[BuddingScholar]

I also saw Degas in Paris-- it was fantastic, for sure! I'm looking forward to seeing that Manet show soon, as well as Schwitters in Britain at Tate. 

 

There's some fantastic stuff at MoMA right now. I really enjoyed Inventing Abstraction. Tokyo was great, too. Wish I could have seen it alongside the Gutai show at Guggenheim.

 

I saw the Manet exhibition at d'Orsay in 2011 and it was amazing.  I am looking forward to seeing Felix Thiollier's photographs next week. But above all, I am super excited that I will be able to catch "The Angel of the Odd. Dark Romanticism from Goya to Max Ernst," which opens two days before I come home.  Though I prefer to spend a few days on something like that, one day is better than nothing, right?  Well... I guess I will be able to get a copy of the exhibition catalogue at least.

 

By the way, I am leaving to Paris in seven days and will be there for a little over a month...    I hope that by the time I come back we will all have gotten some great news!!

[apotheosis]

I'm jealous! Post about your adventures in the museums of Paris so we can vicariously live through you. Hope you have fun!

[Bearcat1]

The Frans Hals exhibit at the Met two summers ago was so great. I'm also quite smitten with the Wunderkammer at the Walters. And, although very small, the ongoing Life of Art: Context, Collecting, and Display at the Getty is really well done and, dare I say, innovative. That's my early modern two cents.

[BuddingScholar]

I'm jealous! Post about your adventures in the museums of Paris so we can vicariously live through you. Hope you have fun!

 

Thank you so much, apotheosis!

 

[runaway]

@brazilianbuddy: would love to hear your report on what's good in Paris right now! I want to make a weekend trip sometime this spring, but that means so much to do, so little time...

[BuddingScholar]

Sure thing, @runaway!  I will keep you posted.

[Sogni]

How I feel about everything that's said in these forums/every time I check my application status...

 

[Bearcat1]

How I feel about everything that's said in these forums/every time I check my application status...

That's how I feel on my good days. I'll have to find some Toddlers and Tiaras temper tantrum video that better describes my bad days. Of which their seem to be more and more lately...

[Bearcat1]

I think I've seen this posted on GC elsewhere, but never watched. A friend just sent it to me, so I'm sharing it, 'cause you guys are my peeps, and we need a pep talk about now.

[BuddingScholar]

I think I've seen this posted on GC elsewhere, but never watched. A friend just sent it to me, so I'm sharing it, 'cause you guys are my peeps, and we need a pep talk about now.

 

 

This is absolutely PRICELESS!

[anonymousbequest]

I'll be in Paris and London soon and am looking forward to Angel of the Odd as well.  Although curators there can have a tough time with layout due to space, crowds, and budget constraints, so we'll see how it looks. The Aesthetic Movement exhibition last year had great objects but the presentation took away from them. Not my favorite museum, but it was probably a glorious train station.  At the Louvre there is a little exhibition of American genre painting including something by Bingham of the famous "bearcat".  I'm also excited to see the new Islamic wing, which is one of outgoing director Henri Loyrette's great accomplishments.  And thanks to whoever mentioned Manet at the RA, I wasn't aware of that one but I'll put it on my agenda.

 

I find that when people learn something for the first time they can be very eager to take ownership of that new knowledge by explaining it in a pedantic way.  It's new to them, so could be new to you.  As much as they read as patronizing, Hal's comments probably came from the right place.  And what a small world, he's just been in touch with me about a student.  Maybe people should be paranoid on grad cafe.

[Bearcat1]

Paranoid about what?

Edited January 29, 2013 by Bearcat1

[HalFoster]

@this fun forum:

 

Yesterday I was accused of being pompous and condescending on the forum because I posted about my field interests, interacted in an apparently not so smooth fashion, and shared a video of Hal Foster at the Clark (which is really great by the way--I did it because I thought people might like it!). Sorry to offend.

I was accused of and interpreted as a condescending a--hole, which seems strange because you are all my contemporaries, peers, and worldwide colleagues. We are all PhD applicants, why would I be trying to talk down to you or anger you? I thought I was preaching to the choir (solidarity anyone?)--an online group who is just as nerdy about art as I am! It was really strange to see the responses and unpopularity of what I shared. There was a series of childish "down voting" and popularity scoring. I could not help but feel like a child being scolded by a group of parents. If you do not like what someone posts either address them or move on, do not click a button in disapproval (lame and cowardly).

I am truly sorry for disrupting your community, but you folks might wake up and realize how you look to newcomers. You might also consider how you plan to handle the PhD. You will be in seminars with people who tout their experiences--people who have published more than you, taught more than you, curated more shows than you, made more art than you (some historians make art), and will probably say things you disagree with. You will not be able to attack them. You will not be able to down vote their comments and teach them how to interact with you.

I look forward to more down votes and my dwindling popularity. Art and art history are not new systems of knowledge--I've been at this since 1998.

[raisinbrancusi]

hal, there's a wonderful point tucked into all that (bolded!!! thank you!!!) text: this forum is not a seminar.

Edited January 29, 2013 by raisinbrancusi