6th/7th December- Artist research- Morgan Quaintance

6th/7th December- Artist research- Prior to lecture on the 7th

Morgan  Quaintance
Research
Guest lecture notes 


https://morganquaintance.com/about/

https://frieze.com/tags/morgan-quaintance

'Morgan Quaintance is a London-based writer, musician, broadcaster and curator. Born in South London, he is a regular contributor to Art Monthly, and has written for The Guardian, The Wire, Art Review, Frieze, Rhizome.org, and a number of curatorial sites and blogs. He is a contributing editor for E-Flux’s online publishing portal Art Agenda, is a founding member of the curatorial collective DAM PROJECTS, and was the 2015/16 curatorial fellow at Cubitt Gallery, London. As a presenter he has worked with the BBC, Channel Four, Artfund, the Royal Opera House, National Theatre and Roundhouse, and is also the producer of Studio Visit, a monthly hour-long interviews-based programme, broadcast on Resonance 104.4 FM, featuring international contemporary artists as guests.'

I have been waiting almost the entire time I have been at university for a writing focused artist who is engaged in modern art and cultural research. Morgan Quaintance is the perfect example of this. He has contributed to so many different writing platforms on a number of issues. Much of his work looks at other shows from a critical view. 

- https://morganquaintance.com/2015/05/19/civil-rights-northern-ireland-and-black-america/

The above article is of specific interest to me as I was present in Northern Ireland during the second wave of conflict. I experienced a lot first hand, yet I was there as part of a British military family. I am only aware now of what that means however, this does not take away from the understanding I had then. I was indoctrinated, as much of society is. His multi-disciplinary view over things allows a much more in depth analysis of the arts in a political sphere. This article- (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/dec/03/why-is-the-turner-prize-failing-to-engage-with-politics) exemplifies that ability perfectly. This is something I have been looking at in my own work, the engagement of work in ethical and political spheres.  The analysis of art prizes is also something my work would benefit from. The prize exemplifies the view of the judge and therefore, likely to reflect a slightly elite western view. This therefore, removes the work from a social sphere and places it back into a commodified culture. The turner prize then becomes responsible for removing itself from that field with political work engaging people with the issues discussed. 

'And so, in a world where opportunities and spaces to learn about, think through, or discuss or anything complex are being erased, the Turner prize, almost by default, has entered its third phase as an important public British institution. Since the 1960s – fuelled by the civil rights movement, reactions to the Vietnam war and second-wave feminism – contemporary art has become an intrinsically politicised, critical medium through which everything, from culture to capitalism and the medium itself could be questioned and deconstructed. What the Turner prize represents, then, is a yearly induction into a field that can give space to politics, economics, sociology, philosophy, gender studies, rhetoric, information technology and all other disciplines of critical thinking; a field beyond the kooky, apolitical populism of Grayson Perry or the Tory individualism of Tracey Emin. At a time when reductive thinking, lies, racism and sexism are increasingly prevalent what could be a more vital way to confront and resist them?'

The article, from 2016 suggests that the next years work should focus more on current issues facing society. Although the other work is of no less value, more political work in the public eye could be a catalyst. His suggestions were partly listened to with this year's winner being the oldest winner yet. Her work addressing painful issues concerning colonisation and colonial history. The work looks into black lives historically and currently. This is seemingly a step in the right direction. 

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/dec/05/lubaina-himid-becomes-oldest-artist-to-win-turner-prize

I am greatly driven by politics and the chronology of art within culture and how our society is growing from such. Also, I do so much arts writing that this guest lecture will be invaluable to me. It is hard to balance all practices and to define what you are within the position of journalist, artist and cultural writer.  These however can go hand in hand to try and merge a new age thinker, to advance and continue questioning of the art sword we find ourselves in.