Quodlibetica originated from the desire to write about art and visual culture in ways not confined by academic conventions or journalistic hype. Part journal, part blog, Quodlibetica fosters critical conversations about visual arts in a forum that is accessible, engaging, and committed to quality writing. Based on the Latin quodlibet, which has entered the English language as (1) a statement proposed for disputation, (2) the actual discussion, and (3) the whimsical combination of familiar elements, Quodlibetica is a space to argue eloquently and whimsically about art, find out what’s happening in the Twin Cities art scene, and engage with writers, artists, and critics, who like to think. Contact us if you want to get involved.
Fakeries and Fabulations
The fabulations and fakeries of tricksters, pranksters, conceptual artists, teachers and students of art take center stage in this constellation that investigates the allure, anger, and discomfort caused by uncertainty or the willing suspension of disbelief. Happy April Fools Day, everyone! For more on this issue see http://www.quodlibetica.com/news/
People often react negatively when encountering conceptual art. Reactions range from the indifferent to the dismissive to the outright hostile. I am less concerned with those who indifferently walk on by looking for something else. Rather the actively aggressive naysayers who charge such art to be “inauthentic” and “insincere” bother me. They argue that certain [...]
Published 4.1.2010
Munich, Germany. – The scene would be disturbing to anyone familiar with modern history: Angry crowds protesting museums, galleries, and cultural institutions. For many, such demonstrations are undoubtedly reminiscent of the National Socialists’ efforts to eradicate what was labeled “degenerate” music and art. The most unbelievable aspect of the more recent campaign, coordinated by a [...]
Published 4.1.2010
When thinking about fakery in art, copying an original most likely comes to mind, from De Chirico copying his own paintings to Sherrie Levine placing a Walker Evans’ photo under her own name. But these artworld postures are just that: an aesthetic proposition with little impact or relevance outside the gallery walls. I don’t take [...]
Published 4.1.2010
This text will betray what I do not know. I wish only to be forgiven the error of not yet knowing everything that I will, and never quite knowing everything that I can. Let this be a gesture of good faith towards the activity of slaloming generously and stupidly through the terror of the suspicious [...]
Published 4.1.2010
My version of the recurrent “Student Nightmare” begins with a realization that I am lost in a cavernous school building on the final day of classes before graduation. In my hand, I hold a sheet of paper that lists my class schedule. However, it is written in a language I cannot understand, and no room [...]
Published 4.1.2010
David Sollie’s show at the Bockley Gallery, America’s Sweetheart: A Brief History of the Shackway Corporation, pieces together said history through the display of old advertisements and promotional posters. The ads that were created by Shackway’s in-house design firm now serve as a powerful reminder of the most productive time in Shackway’s relatively short life.
I [...]
Published 4.1.2010
Grace, MN. — Preparations for the annual celebration of wish-making are well under way in Grace, MN. In the fair weeks of spring, residents and visitors of the small town prepare for the event by exercising particular mindfulness, consideration, and care for each other and the place they inhabit. Spontaneous acts of kindness, gift giving, [...]
Published 4.1.2010