Artists and Instructions Part 1.

Images: 1.Janine Antoni, Crumple. 2. Chris Ware, Peepshow. 3. Amy Earles, Delicate Heart. 4. Keri Smith, "I like what you're doing."

I have been researching the very diverse range of art in which the viewer is offered instructions of some kind, whether in the form of a kit or pattern that the viewer/participant can use to construct or alter something the artist has designed, or simply a list or collection of instructions. I'm interested in the way these place the "viewer" in the role of collaborator and/or co-creator. They can range from the  extremely concrete to the just-as-extremely conceptual. As viewers we are no longer passive recipients and we are asked to respond through action. The works allow the intelligence/process/skill of the artist to shine in a way that includes, not excludes us. Its a welcoming art. It is also relevant to some of the new plans I am cooking up in my own studio.

Here's a list in no rational order of some artists I love who work with their audience in this way, either in a consistent way or just once or twice:

• Image #2 is a little peepshow diorama I put together designed by the amazing comic artist Chris Ware. It came printed on the inside cover of one of his Acme Novelty Library Comic books, complete with amazing instructions which I will scan and post here in a few moments.
• Yoko Ono. Her instruction paintings. An example from 1961: "Cut a hole in a bag filled with seeds of any kind and place the bag where there is wind."
• Keri Smith. I just found her online the other day and she is rocking my world. Among MANY other things she has a whole page of kits, instructions, and lists for us to play with, among my favorite being this one.
• Janine Antoni. the image above (the one that looks like a map of a maintain range) is a do-it-yourself pattern for the viewer to recreate a piece of paper that Antoni crumpled into a ball. The solid lines are peaks, the dotted lines are valleys, and in total there are 585 folds. I have this pattern and I'm totally going to do it some night when I am feeling crazy.

Stay tuned for Artists and Instructions Part 2! And pssst...guess what? I am doing a wondercabinet shop update tonight, with Specimen #11 unveiled!

Comments

[Elise of Argylewhale]

Very interesting. You chose great artists. I'm always intrigued by Janine Antoni and was lucky to have her as a visiting artist at my school.

[wonderamy]

thanks argyle! i love your etsy shop :)
Janine Antoni must have made for a very interesting visit. Did you like her even more after seeing her talk about her work?