Why has the site of art Become significant since the 1960’s?



From what I have been taught the sixties was a time of great transition. The post war baby boom was bringing whole majorities of western civilisation into adolescence. A slow movement away from the conservative past was given a boost from teen angst, and the increasing popularities of psycho-active drugs all had a vast effect on the collective mindset of the era. Resulting in not only the biggest antiwar protests ever known, But also a collective tendency to argue against society and common modes of thought. The changes that ensued effected every walk of life, work, education, personal values, laws and entertainment. But most importantly for this essay is the way we practise and appreciate art.

The real pioneers of this emerged from the late 60’s but didn’t become notable until early seventies. Artists such as Smithson, Acconci and Ukeles began this by using not only the gallery as a housing for their produce but also the space outside It. choosing quite clearly to go against the confines of the white cube, maybe in search of a new expressive freedom. But almost certainly not in an actual attack on the white cube, only as a critique of it. Since this artistic practise outside has become almost common place with artists such as Denes and Goldsworthy working completely free of the traditional gallery.

Although originally working within the white cube Smithson was one of the early practitioners of site specific work. Interestingly his later more acclaimed work was a far cry from the minimalist sculptures that began his career. In Spiral Jetty and Partially buried woodshed Smithson has in effect created a manifesto for site specific artworks, as it is commonly know now, to take the art out of the situation is to destroy it. In these two pieces it is the site that makes the piece possible.

They are completely void of the acquired mindset of the gallery space and weather or not this is a desired outcome artworks like these have lead us to question art in situation. People start thinking, not just about the art itself but also that which surrounds it. The white cube, the sterile ideal of the environment free of preconceptions and interference has come to represent an opposite, a place with what I like to call an acquired state of being.
Similar to being round your nans house you feel you have to act different, the same is seen in the gallery space and the reverence of the art inside. Because the reality of it is that you can never have a place that is what the white cube seeks, a timeless structure incurring no pre-set belief systems, it is impossible to take these out of yourself.

All of this has evolved or changed the way we are critical about art, now it is not just important to view and understand the piece itself, but the context it is in and how it effects the work has also to be considered.

Mierle Laderman Ukeles was/is a New York based artist that emerged from the sixties. In sixty nine she wrote her manifesto for maintenance art “Maintenance art - Proposal for an Exhibition” . Since then her pursuit of this has lead her outside of the gallery deep into the public realm. Working with the people that keep things going, most notably sanitation workers. Her 1983 piece social mirror, is completely detached from the gallery environment. A “sanitation truck” is plated with mirrors and sent about to do its usual business, as it passes crowds are surprised to see themselves reflected in it. A


An artist that has up until recently completely avoided gallery space and most human interaction with his work is Andy Goldsworthy.









Dear Mr critical studies This essay is too hard

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-fuck tibet, free yourself first

COME BACK NOW!
Arg this year in photography we are getting taught by a textiles lady who knows nothing of photography. It sucks. I miss you ma homie. I bet you are finding yourself in some distant land. I heard a rumour about you and some Valium or something like that. Anyways when are you back? If you are back already I would be very annoyed.Ha Ha.
I need help finding industrial and run-down places for my photography. I got a brand new digital SLR my dad bought me. Yeah its well good. I kinda didnt choose a person to basse my photography around until the last minute and I was like Yeah Man Ray not even bothering to think how I could use it for my work. Hmm I seem to not be able to write short comments.
Anyways how are you?
Max xxx