tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7134243755882954468.post5927694264491890945..comments2023-10-26T07:42:48.165-07:00Comments on the alternative writer: Artist CollectivesOgonga Thomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03264271788980067938noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7134243755882954468.post-29949383865936369332016-03-24T03:13:31.149-07:002016-03-24T03:13:31.149-07:00I agree that a collective is a good space for arti...I agree that a collective is a good space for artistic growth and cost-effective. As you have highlighted, it is a space not of singing in unison but of varying hands helping each other. Here is my take on collectives: I tend to think for one to be called a collective it must be a statement not a workshop. carpenters run workshops but artists have to run conscious spaces. This is why experimental schools set up by fanatic colonialists to 'discover' the African soul in African art in the 1950s and 1960's (such as the Poto-Poto school in Brazzaville under Pierre Lods) are called workshops because artists were given cannons on how to make African art.If artists today share space because rent is affordable they are no different from tenants who by chance may learn some cooking skills from each other because they share the kitchen. No harm, we always learn from others. <br /><br />To develop a collective is to agree to sacrifice all the present tempting rewards (painting what would sell, pleasing patrons) for the greater course you believe in. The greater course (what I called statement) could be a protest against certain Art trends (see Zaria Art Movement, Nigeria), a technical experiment with materials, a political statement (activism or against mainstream or even people who have 'click' artistically not necessarily of the same art style etc. <br /><br />A collective should remain a sober space where artists are free to think and critique each other's view points or practice. A space a donor, a patron or an art space director will not dare stick her nose into guiding "If you paint in green, it will not sell" or "I really like your work but I can not exhibit this. But really I like it, I do." All the art-related professions would be welcome to critique and criticize the collective if they want but not to direct their practice. <br /><br />A collective is a revolution in itself and a revolutionary space all together be it the bargaining power or self-definition. nothing guarantees a collective will not be corrupted in the future and faithfully execute all the practices it stood against at its infancy (animal farm story...) but it is better to hope than to despair. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12934064716875494183noreply@blogger.com