February 2005, 22 posts, 565 lines
I'm surprised at the total lack of discussion and argument regarding "A Brief Rebuttal to Michael Workman" by Sterling Ruby. Surely someone has something to say about it...
MB
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Where can this article be found?
K
found it:
[http://www.newcitychicago.com/chicago/4075.html]
On Thu, 3 Feb 2005, Michael Beyer wrote:
Geese are heard tonight, on a nightflight North. Soon: Spring.
The lack of discussion stems from the fact that we dont know if Workman is listening in. He is not -- see May of 2004 archive. HTH /jno
The best way to deal with this conundrum is to realize what you want out of Chicago and it's press. Michael will continue writing poorly about you if you continue sending him information, thats his job. If you don't wish to be written about then don't send press info. Heres the rub Michael has nailed two substantial press spots. So my think is that we don't need those spots if shows aren't visited by him when they are reviewed or facts aren't checked. If the press isn't going to deal with shows critically they can be ignored. It's better then pandering to opinion and heresay. Perhaps his editors will take the drop off seriously then. Perhaps they will change their practices?
They probably won't as younger or less experienced spaces and artists continue to send him something to write about. So what do you want?
I've been perfectly willing to remove him from my lists. Are the rest of you willing to Boycott his venues. The man has no power if he has no information and even less if the artists of Chicago refuse to donate their resources to bridge. It's not much of a question and it's entirely up to you.
From: jno
On Tue, 15 Feb 2005, Dogmatic gallery wrote:
Bad press is better than no press -- Heineken once told me so after I
slammed a show of his. And he is right. But, are you still doing show,
Michael? I see the last listing as of June of 2004 (except for Butcher
Shop). But maybe you have gone into hiding?
/jno
I can understand the anger at a critic, but it seems to be amplied only because Chicago has so few critics that get published nationally and on a regular basis, or for that matter in an actual publication and not a blog or an obscure journal. A larger problem is that the Tribune still uses Artner, and only rarely at that. How many days have gone by without a single review in the Tribune? And what about the major magazines? Even Artnews and Art in America rarely review shows in CHicago. They have their usual fifteen reviews of NY shows, then review one show in Atlanta, one in Miami, maybe two in LA, another in Minneapolis or Kansas.....but very often skip Chicago entirely. I agree that bad press is better than no press. I'd rather see a boycott of the Tribune or Artnews.
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"...it seems to be amplied only because Chicago has so few critics that get
published nationally and on a regular basis, or for that matter in an actual
publication and not a blog or an obscure journal. "
Beginning in March Time Out Chicago will begin printing, as of now, the idea
is to have 4-5 art reviews a week. This will change the balance of things a
touch.
I guess I have a different take on the situation.
Michael Workman has started an ambitious and handsome publication in
Chicago. He has created the ArtBoat event, which has a distinctive
character and identity. He has co-sponsored an exhibition space. He
has put himself out there as a critic. He has held a variety of
fundraising events for all these projects. He has been able to operate
in many arenas -- business, publishing, art, media, etc., and has
ambitions to interweave visual art with literature, film and other
media; as well as juxtapose the likes of David Lynch with local
artists. His projects even integrate different groups within Chicago
fractious (is that a word?) visual art community!
I don't know many other people in Chicago who have set their sights
this high, with such success, and I applaud Michael Workman. No doubt
he is not perfect, and Mr. Ruby's dealings with him may be a case in
point for that. But jeez, get some perspective. The press often gets
stuff wrong, even when they are trying not to. If Michael gets it
wrong, correct him. If he still gets it wrong, contact his editors.
If you just don't like what he writes, write something yourself.
Boycotting him just cuts off your nose to spite your face, and deprives
other people of information about your exhibitions and projects. He's
not exploiting migrant laborers, he's trying to contribute to dialogue
and awareness of what y'all are doing. We need that.
Cool about the geese. I saw a red-tailed hawk this weekend on the
lakefront. Spring is good.
On Tuesday, February 15, 2005, at 12:52 AM, Dogmatic gallery wrote:
I meant to say "amplified" but thats what happens when you email at 5 AM. Terence Hannum posted a piece on Panel-House about his experience at Artnet.com, which is a reminder that there is much more to deride or attack rather than singling out Workman or Newcity.
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JNO, you have posted a listing for my current show at the butcher shop
on spaces. My current show is listed in the trib and the reader not to
mention, my site is updated.
Not all bad press is created equally.
From: jno
Barbara,
How often do you really walk out your own front door? Ambition isn't
always good. It's clear from your note that your perspective is little
skewed. Artboat was ambitiously put forward by David Roman and later
instituted by a team of which Bridge was a member. Bridge exists in
large part due to the charity of the chicago art community not the
other way around. Just ask any artist that's donated time and artwork
without compensation. Michael is the arts editor of new city. So who
do you suggest we appeal to? Furthermore have you read his writing?
Everyone has opinions and any monkey can use a typewriter. Just
because an opinionated monkey with a typewriter meet doesn't mean they
should be blessed with a steady writing gig.
From: Barbara Koenen
Michael beat me, but here it is anyways:
He did not create ArtBoat. I know because I was the one who
came up with the idea and a format that would actually be a
challenge to the formation of an art show. He asked if could
work on it with me. We co-sponsored the first one and he
basically destroyed the orginal idea of a curated show and it
made it a floating art fair. (I was out voted and out voiced
by others in this regard.) I will give Bridge credit for
handling logistic, but in the process destroyed the orginal
idea and intent. Similar to the example of the Stray Show.
The idea came from Melissa Schubeck (joymore) and was worked
on by all of the apartment galleries around at that time.
TBA was helping with logistic to make it a realized project.
However TBA took over and it lost its orginal flavor. I
understand things change, but give credit where credit is
due.
This was done to share rent cost and nothing more
I would call him a recompiler of Press Releases. When was
the last time you saw him at a show before he wrote his
article. He doesn't look at art...he is a editor who looks
at words...big difference.
He has abused the good nature of artists and has constantly
preyed on them, the poorest of us all, to fund his projects.
What do they get out of these auctions/benefit a line on
their resume? Maybe a spot on someone's wall? When was the
last time Bridge had a review online or a local review in
print. At the same time, he is hitting the donor base very
hard, multiple times a year. This makes it hard for other
non-profits to even think about having auctions. Luckly they
believe in grant writing....hmmm...grant writing.
Listen, I'll give credit to Michael for writing a weekly
column (no matter how poorly written)for it is hard work.
However, I think he needs to focus on a few things and do
them well instead of half assing everything he does.
David Roman
mega-dittos to mssrs Roman and Thomas.
A compiler of press releases is a profoundly apt description of Mr.
Workman's critical acuity. And even then, when he's merely rewording a
gallery's press release, he still fucks it up. This shouldn't be that hard.
Plus every other publication in town employs fact-checkers....in the last
month I've spoken to fact-checkers from Ten by Ten and Chicago Social about
potential articles/reviews. Why can't NewCity find an intern to handle this?
When MT speaks of boycott, it's not to shut down a media outlet, it's to
force a change. He (and many of us) would like someone else to write this
column, someone who actually goes to the shows, someone who does not have
giant conflicts of interest (like say, writing about a galleries and then
asking galleries to advertise (incessantly) in his other publication),
someone who checks his facts, someone who doesn't use his column to attack
artists/gallerists over a personal vendetta.
I've kept quiet about this crap until now, because I mistakenly believed
that any publicity is good publicity, especially starting up a gallery, I
can use any and all publicity. So I didn't want to burn bridges (pun not
intended). But after all of the above, the flap with Coterie and Lorelei
(remember that douchebag move?!) and the Ruby/Stoltman wrangling, I've had
enough of his half-assedness, his vindictiveness and conflicts of interest.
Also, who reads NewCity, besides us? Does it bring traffic into your
gallery? The only publication that does is the Reader. Not even an article
in the Tribune about one of my shows brought in extra foot traffic. So
boycotting the crappy, nothing rag NewCity will hardly be cuttting off our
nose to spite our face.
And you artists, what exactly do YOU get out of donating your work to
Bridge? What has Bridge ever done for you? Please stop.
Time Out Chicago can't start fast enough!
At 09:37 AM 2/15/2005, you wrote:
It was earlier pointed out that Workman has built his operation on the backs
of the artists. Don't forget the collectors! He's a 501c3 now, and he's
over-soliciting the donor community as well. I supported it for a while but
had to step back when I felt a line had been crossed. He's also been pretty
good at exploiting an army of volunteers. He's shameless.
On the other hand, the guy's working hard. He's the most prolific writer
working in Chicago right now. I bet he penned 50% of the content in last
week's New City. For that, coupled with all the other things he's doing, he
deserves credit. He's ambitious.
I think that time will tell. Will he succeed in co-opting Bridge, Artboat,
and New City into vehicles for his own fame? Or will the bridges (no pun
intended) he seems to burn weekly poison the greater community's opinion of
him? It will be interesting to watch.
But the real point I want to make is that, as we discuss the idea that no
news is good news with respect to Michael's sloppy writing, we must
recognize that just having this conversation adds to his legitimacy.
Curt
Someone mentioned blogs. Does Chicago have artblogs? I remember Lorelei mentioning something last year. And I think Kathryn was reviewing shows on her site. Anything else.
Not that I'd write one. I can't write for a shit.
Erik
group at othergroup.net wrote:
On Feb 15, 2005, at 10:48 AM, Curt Alan Conklin wrote:
On the other hand, the guy's working hard. He's the
most prolific writer
working in Chicago right now. I bet he penned 50% of
the content in last
week's New City. For that, coupled with all the other
things he's doing, he
deserves credit. He's ambitious.
I know the art world is arguably more of an oligarchy
than a democracy; but why is Michael Workman penning
50% of New City's content, not to mention snagging the
role of art correspondent for Chicago Public Radio as
well? Why is he dominating the discourse in the
mainstream press? Why aren't all of the other talented
writers that must be out there, giving him a run for
his money?
It seems like it's there for the taking; but why is he
the only one taking it? I don't know what the story is
with him being given the job of arts editor for New
City, except that for years and years there was no
arts coverage in New City at all, except for
photography. I suspect that he got the job because
nature abhors a vacuum and he was the only applicant.
Why is there no Chicago art editor for Frieze or
Modern Painters or any number of other national
periodicals? Also whatever happened to Victoria
Lauptman on NPR? She may have been a little too
populist for everyone's taste, but at least she
contributed a different voice. I loved seeing Coterie
come on to the scene, ) although it's hard to find)
and whole heartedly welcome Time Out to Chicago. But
do we know for sure that MW won't be doing the
writing? My hope is that each of those four or five
reviews will be written by four or five different
writers.
katherine chial
There is no Chicago editor for a lot of international mags because they
don't want to cover us. I've sent several proposals to Modern Painters,
for example, and don't even have the courtesy of a reply. Art in
America strictly limits coverage for Chicago and getting your review in
depends less on the art and more on whether they think they have enough
coverage for the moment (like roughly 10 reviews PER YEAR).
Claire Krantz
There are several Chicago blogs (or things like them):
Iconoduel
[http://www.iconoduel.org]
panel-house
[http://panel] -house.com/
and Iconoduel just listed this other one
Erik Wenzel's Art or Idiocy?
[http://artoridiocy.blogspot.com/]
On Feb 15, 2005, at 12:28 PM, erik at joltmail.com wrote:
Lorelei Stewart
Director, Gallery 400
College of Architecture and the Arts
University of Illinois at Chicago
1240 West Harrison Street
Chicago, IL 60607
312-996-6114 tel
312-355-3444 fax
[http://gallery400.aa.uic.edu]
Artletter.com
Curt Alan Conklin
H: 773.782.0659
C: 773.343.2348
F: 425.790.9739
calanc at yahoo.com
curt at curtconklin.com
1942 N. Wolcott Ave.
Chicago IL 60622
If you take everything lightly you can carry more stuff.
did y'all see this on Iconoduel: Michael Workman and the folks
at [Bridge] Magazine have
unveiled
[plans]
for a new indie art fair to be held concurrently with
[this] year's two mainline fairs over this spring's art fair
weekend. [The]
NOVA Young Art Fair, April 28-May 1, will find its home in the West Loop
amongst the semis and forklifts 857
W Fulton Market Offered forth as a relatively more
affordable alternative to the bigger fairs ($2,500 for a 120 sq ft booth
versus $10,500 for 288 and $8,800 for 240 with [Art]
Chicago and [Chicago]
Contemporary & Classic respectively), NOVA is also looking to stake out
an ideological stance of sorts as a part of its "not-for-profit
mission": The NOVA Young Art Fair staff and committee will screen
applications with an eye to work that seeks alternatives to our
entertainment-driven culture. Similar to the New-York based New Art
Dealers Alliance, NOVA will be an example of what not-for-profit and
for-profit organizations can accomplish as partners rather than
competitors, and NOVA planners intend for the selected exhibitors to
reflect this philosophy. Programming at the NOVA Young Art Fair will
reflect this genre-bashing approach to art exhibition. A portion of the
exhibition space has been demarcated for performance and will include
week-long showcases of performance art, live music, film screenings and
more. A reading area will also be available for weary patrons to sit,
relax and sample copies of art magazines and titles from art publishers
while sipping coffee. The selection committee is to include
[Charlotte]
Bonham-Carter,
[Stacie]
Johnson,
[Jason]
Lazarus,
[Krista]
Peel,
[Max]
Presneill, [Sabrina]
Raaf and [Melissa]
Schubeck.
From what I've heard, there will be a subdivision of such spaces into smaller portions rented to artists -- $500/pop. With the idea that the artists will make the money back with sales.
Too rich for my blood, still. But I'll take a look when it's up.
Erik
group at othergroup.net wrote:
"I've been perfectly willing to remove him from my lists. Are the
rest of you willing to Boycott his venues. The man has no power if
he has no information and even less if the artists of Chicago
refuse to donate their resources to bridge. It's not much of a
question and it's entirely up to you.
"He has created the ArtBoat event, which has a distinctive
character and identity."
"He has co-sponsored an exhibition space."
"He has put himself out there as a critic"
"He has held a variety of fundraising events for all these
projects."