"A Living Art" on Arteidolia

"The title 'realist' has been imposed upon me… Titles have never given a just idea of things; were it otherwise, the work would be superfluous… I have studied the art of the moderns, avoiding any preconceived system and without prejudice. I have no more wanted to imitate the former than to copy the latter; nor have I thought of achieving the idle aim of “art for art’s sake.” No! I have simply wanted to draw from a thorough knowledge of tradition the reasoned and free sense of my own individuality… To be able to translate the customs, ideas, and appearances of my time as I see them—in a word, to create a living art—this has been my aim."  - Gustave Courbet, 1855

The First Artist's Manifesto

I became interested in Courbet when I started searching for examples of writings by artists last fall. The quote above is from a statement that the artist wrote after two of his paintings were rejected from the Salon in 1855. Art historians have named this piece of provocative writing the first artist's manifesto, a style of straightforward writing often used by artists to codify their ideas to their critics. 

Read more about the French Realist painter Gustave Courbet and his forceful writing in my short essay on Arteidolia. 

http://www.arteidolia.com/a-living-art-courbet-jacquelyn-gleisner/

Gustave Courbet, Self-Portrait, 1844-45. 

Nasty Women New Haven Exhibition

Scroll I installed outside for the Nasty Women Show, New Haven

In honor of International Women's Day and the opening for the Nasty Women Show, I installed a 30-ft. painting, Scroll I, on the facade of the Institute Library. Over the past few weeks, this painting on paper has experienced rain, snow, and significant wind, but I'm happy to report that the painting is still standing with little damage. The paper has started to buckle in places, but overall, the vibrant colors have barely faded or bled. 

Nasty Women Exhibition

Organized by Sarah Fritchey, Valerie Garlick, and Lucy McClure, the Nasty Women Show at the Institute Library is part of a movement of similar exhibitions throughout the country, following the lead of the first show at the Knockdown Center in Queens in January. 

One of the curators for the Nasty Women Show asked participants what it means to be nasty. I think that being vulnerable to the elements is one way to show perseverance. 

The Institute Library is located at 847 Chapel Street in downtown New Haven. The exhibition continues through April 9, 2017.