WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO?

as i've created my art over the years i've seen many changes in my media, styles, and visual language. there have also been many consistent elements as well. over this time a question has resurfaced repeatedly either in my questioning of myself, or through questions from audiences and interviewers. it is the question of identity: how do you identify yourself, how do others identify you and what effect does this have on what art you create and how you create it? so i pose this question to the artists, who are you and what do you do? i'd love to hear from you, and if you are willing, to see at least one sample image of your work with your response, or a link to your website, blog, myspace, etc. i'm sharing this information with my students and hope to get them to think about this issue for a moment as they move toward developing their own forms of expression... their own voices through their work.

i've included a link to the exhibition "ethiopian passages" from the smithsonian national museum of african art. the essay is informative. there is also an interesting set of interviews with the artists discussing their perceptions on identity. enjoy.

welcome to artropspectives

welcome to artrospectives. this blog is a forum for the exhibition and discussion of art: 2-D, 3-D, mixed media, digital, installation..... through this blog i will try to connect readers with a number of interactive resources that are available online. the subsequent discussions will range from personal response to professional art critique. i look forward to sharing a vigorous dialogue with you.