I think that I’m finally going to make it out to see the Deb Sokolow exhibit that’s been up for a few weeks now at the Kemper Museum. Here’s how the museum describes it:
“For the Kemper Museum, Sokolow will work directly on the gallery walls to construct a new storyline based on an amateur detective’s attempts to unravel a mystery involving barbecue sauce, food critics, condiment espionage, and Kansas City’s SubTropolis. Written in the second-person and following the narrative structure of a Choose Your Own Adventure-a popular series of children’s books-viewers will assume the role of the central character and determine the fate of the inquisitive detective.”
I’m really and truly, completely unsure of how I’m going to feel about the show–or even how I’m going to determine how I feel about the show. I feel a little like I’m not sure what criteria I’ll need to pull out of the magician’s hat in my mind if I want to decide whether it’s a good show; if I’m having a good time or if I’m learning anything from it.
So I’d like to ask you, our readers to talk, not about this artist or the exhibit, but about what criteria do you bring to seeing a show? What do you look for? Are these criteria consistent, do they vary, and how universal do you think they are? The larger question here is, of course: how do you define quality? how do you place value on an artist’s work (aesthetic, not monetary value)?
I want to hear from a lot of people here. I want 200 comments. This is the one that everyone ought to be able to jump in on–students, starving artists, art stars, non-artists, curators, bloggers, etc. etc. I have some ideas about who reads this thing, and who never leaves any comments. I’ll be frowning at you until you jump in…
Thanks!
MW Capacity 