by Catrin Davies, Artes Mundi Live Guide
Many of the artists exhibiting at this year’s Artes Mundi have chosen to explore issues such as trading, globalisation and migration through film. A group of ESOL students (English for speakers of other languages) visited the museum last Friday. I was interested to hear the responses of these pupils that came from countries such as
In the film ‘Empire’s Borders’, the artist Chen Chieh-jen shows the difficulties people from Taiwan come across when leaving their country. Although all of the ESOL students thought that the injustice of immigration control policies in Taiwan was an issue that needed to be exposed, some felt that ‘Empire’s Borders’ was more like a documentary, (and cannot, therefore be categorised as art). Many of the work in this year’s Artes Mundi reflect the politics that surround the lives of the eight artists, often exploring these issues through film, photography and video. Does this mean that we should class their work as documentaries?
Throughout my time here at the Artes Mundi, this is a subject that has been raised on several occasion, with a variety of different opinions: On one of the guided tours a few weeks ago one woman didn’t understand the need to categorise such videos into ‘documentary’ or ‘art’. She believed that videos such as the ones seen in the Artes Mundi are still a creative means of exploring ideas, and gets frustrated as to why people need to define them.
In a video by Steve McQueen, the British artist filmed the Giardini, (which hosts the prestigious Venice Biennale) at a time when piles of rubbish and feral dogs replaced art enthusiasts. Like many of the artists at this year’s Artes Mundi, Steve McQueen offers an alternative perspective- tweaking the real into his more fictional adaptation. Like Chen Chieh-jen’s film, ‘Empire’s Borders’, McQueen takes on the role of an artist by developing and exploring further what already exists.
During the ESOL tour there were many interesting discussions based on some of the other artists work, with some insightful interpretations- each student relating to each piece of work in their own way, depending on their own story. Not every individual in the group agreed on whether the work could be classed as art, but the show created an in depth discussion around the theme of art and humanity.
It can be argued that art has always documented life but then Art has only really existed as we understand it today for a couple of hundred years. I don't have a problem with a film being presented as both a documentary and as Art but the two things are not intrinsically linked. There are levels of creative and critical exploration that I expect from works of Art that I wouldn't necessarily look for in a documentary.
The problem I have with, for example, Chen Chieh-jen's video being presented to us as Art, is that although offering us 'food for thought', so to speak, is that it offers us nothing more than documentation of the situation at a time when we have come to expect a lot more from Art at this level. Personally I don't think the artist has really exploited the media in such a way that he is 'creatively exploring an idea'.
Posted by: Chris | 05 May 2010 at 06:31 PM
As mentioned elsewhere, I have found my 2 visits with my ESOL students very exciting. They all had their own opinions which in no way were they afraid to express. At times discussions reached fever pitch! This is as it should be. The students were able to contribute considerably to my understanding of the works, being able to use their own personal experience and knowledge of their own countries.
Posted by: Hilary Perry | 18 May 2010 at 09:02 PM