Our culture has predominately become obsessed with the virtual - digital imagery / on-line media and less concerned with material / tangible reality. The audience seeking out actual exhibits of physical art is diminishing daily and therefore exhibitions are being replaced with digital representations of visual art, where the desire / need for the first hand (in person) artistic, aesthetic experience is abdicated to the quick-glance of digital images. This disconnect further reinforces the cultural break from reality and our human need to interface with the material realm.
To reach this audience and hopefully meet some of the deep human desire / need for the aesthetic experience (along with presenting a pathway back to exploring the wondrous possibilities of the material world), I have established an on-line collection of temporary art. They currently only exist in digital / pixel form and are presented on this exhibition website.
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The collages in the fashion series, temporary collages - 2016 and more temporary collages - 2017 were created with cut and torn magazine clippings and/or various paper sources. They only existed temporarily in their material form. Once arranged, they were photographed to document the creative event, the coming together, the visual formation of the artwork. After being documented the elements were disassembled.
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Why do I create collage or found object artworks and moreover, why these temporary artworks? Because it is possible (in the hands of some artists) for the tangible to transcend the temporal. It is my desire to help the viewer awaken to the possibilities of aesthetic, inspirational experiences discovered thru mundane materials and in commonplace locations. A sense of joy and personal growth can be realized in this adventure.
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A transient life is one of uncertainty, instability and frequent relocation between motels, hotels, family and friend's homes. The photographs in the series, which are intentionally lo-fi (low fidelity), record the temporary habitations of a Bohemian: "on your own, with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone." ( lyrics by Bob Dylan )
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unintended (art) installations: This series reexamines the question of artistic intent. While an artist may place a "non-art" object in a designated location (e.g. gallery or sculpture garden, etc.) and declare it to be fine art; what is the response of an audience when similar objects are discovered in "real life" situations? If the objects were installed (or discarded) without regard to artistic arrangement or concept, is the audience experiencing art when viewing them? Intent or interpretation = art. Perhaps the concept isn't exclusive; not either or, but rather both. Sometimes it is a result of the artist's intention, however, it is also true that an aesthetic experience can be discovered by the viewer where it wasn't intended, and the interpretation of the experience can be elevated to a higher level.
The objects and installations were photographed as found in their original location and configuration (in situ).
Gary A. Bibb
