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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Visual Art Currently Hanging: Brad Adkins

Posted by Jen Graves on Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 12:48 PM

Nothing says White Art World like Brad Adkins's Black Boyfriend (2006), now in the exhibition TXT at James Harris Gallery.

Comments (12) RSS

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i don't get it.

Posted by jns on July 15, 2010 at 12:55 PM

What I meant was it's a white thing to say. In white letters. Whitevoice. Or something like that.

Posted by Jen Graves on July 15, 2010 at 1:49 PM

i've seen more interesting work from first year students. what exactly do you like about this?

Posted by 34x42 on July 15, 2010 at 2:10 PM

Did I say I like it?

Posted by Jen Graves on July 15, 2010 at 2:31 PM

touché. though the fact you posted it led me to believe it was an endorsement.

Posted by 34x42 on July 15, 2010 at 2:43 PM

Now I'm curious about what you don't like about it.

Obviously it's no revelation that many whites view hanging with blacks as a status symbol, but I think this piece is provocative in that it's not really a topic that anyone ever discusses beyond dropping lines about how their "boyfriend is black..." or how they grew up in a mixed (read: "cool" or "tough") neighborhood. I think it's the kind of good in-your-face piece that can lead to some interesting conversations.

Posted by More interesting than a big blue square on July 15, 2010 at 4:50 PM

Is it wrong that I'd consider hanging that above my bed?

Posted by brian on July 15, 2010 at 6:55 PM

Ha! I love the conversation about this. What I like about it is what you like about it, @6. What I don't like about it is that it is a limited object, a means-to-an-end object. Therefore, I like it but do not love it. It's not a thumbs-up, thumbs-down sitch (it rarely is).

Posted by Jen Graves on July 16, 2010 at 11:49 AM

means-to-an-end object? what does that mean?

Posted by jerry a on July 16, 2010 at 12:04 PM

#8, yeah, I know what you're saying. Maybe it's that the phrase is just so funny, I like it anyway. It would make a great band name.

Posted by Number 6 on July 16, 2010 at 1:34 PM

Good question, right? By means-to-an-end I mean object as stimulant, rather than experience in itself. This is a specious idea but I like trying it on.

Posted by Jen Graves on July 16, 2010 at 2:49 PM

@11 - i agree that it could be read as a white-voice statement about the white art world, but also maybe a great band name, a topic to be considered, or a sign to be hung above #7's bed. and i'm less confused about what you meant by means-to-an-end, but now confused about "experience in itself". do artworks have or contain "experience in itself"?

Posted by jerry a on July 16, 2010 at 10:05 PM