Heretic’s Spellbook
Aug 25 – Sep 4
Art needs explaining. ArtSpellbook can be explained in many ways. Going to a
museum to look at art, letting the art explain itself to you through the visits
you’d take over the years. Going on a tour and have someone explain the
art to you, expanding on what information is already there. Going onto
study art at university and, eventually, going on to teach others about it.
The gateway to all of this lies in plaques beneath the artwork and the desire
to know more, but if the language isn’t understood by others, then the
plaque might as well be another object.
Heretic’s Spellbook is an opportunity for the artists involved to explain
themselves in whatever way they wish to with text, and for the viewer to
try to hear them. Art can be thought of like a religion, and to indulge this
metaphor is to say that we are Heretics of art. We practice its magic with
disdain for the Deity. Or, that we revere the Deity and misuse its magic. Art
school (our metaphorical church) does a good job at pushing the dogma of
art, most notably the notion that if the work somehow doesn’t explain itself
then it has failed. But art still needs explaining. Whatever explanations are
hidden from others are made up for it in crits and portfolio submissions.
This then excludes wider audiences outside of the institution – it excludes
non-believers.
A problem glares: access. For an individual to be a believer, they must have
access, access to text, tours, study, and time. So, at what point does the text
become inaccessible insofar as the work being inaccessible? The need for
explanation in any field serves as a barrier for misuse, but to protect art in
this way goes against a core aspect of art; that anyone can do it. This does
not mean everyone wants to – not everyone wants to read about it either.
But if you do, we invite you to come in and read. Heretics Spellbook
