Interview with:Clay Bodvin - photomedia artist [mediummixer]
ART
 | What do you do? How do you define yourself as an artist? Using the word artist seems similar to saying ‘one is creative’...it is
hard to ascertain what exactly that means. However, to say “I am
a painter” does actually communicate what one does, what
one is.
The fact that the painting is initially done inside a computer; with
virtual brushes and pens; on a pixel canvas; using scanned imagery is
secondary to the point. Image manipulation software should only be
seen as another tool to make marks with and apply colour to an
object or surface. |
| What is your message? The Still Life is less a self-contained, completed truth and
more like an evolving experiment. |
| Your biography in four lines. Product of duality and displacement - hometown, Seattle...live and work,
New Zealand / Always artistic...no art studies until age 18 / Dale Clayton
Bodvin until age 20...became Clay Bodvin after two years in Vietnam / full
time advertising and design, 25+ years...Practising fine artist, 35+ years. |
| Do you upload your work to the web? If so, where could we see it? |
| How is an idea born? For you, what is inspiration? Early exposure to the Still Life, in traditional drawing and
painting classes, produced an ongoing fascination and investigation
into the genre. The early, so-called 'trivial subjects' are simply
starting points for inspiration. Installations are just the new
‘Laid Tables, Museums and Wonder Chambers’ of old. Work illustrates
the dichotomy of that creative and cultural displacement
mentioned above. |
| What is art? It is usually easier to recognise what is not art than to identify
what it is. There are numerous examples, and a continuous supply, of
crafted objects and ideas masquerading as art. If pressed for a
response, perhaps an example could be defined by aspects like those
listed below under the ‘evaluation’ question.
Usually within any universal token of an idea or vision there will be
one or two, at the most, manifestations of that idea structure which
could be described as new, good or even, occasionally, great.
Subsequent executions are just cookie-cutting and templating the
formula...mass production. |
| When do you get your best ideas? Pondering the failings of the last great idea invariably, eventually, sheds
light on what to do next. Astral-planing, staring at that ‘blank canvas’
and ‘sleeping on it’ often assist. |
| How do you evaluate whether an idea is good or not? By assessing the integrity of the idea (in relation to the working
brief); reviewing the completeness of the realisation of the idea
(eg, relationship of content, metaphor, art historical connection etc);
analysing the execution of the idea (medium, format, size). |
| Three creative ideas that you would have liked to have created? Basically, to have been there, being a painter, during the ‘birth’ of
Impressionism; Fauvism; and Expressionism. |
| When and how did you begin to see yourself as an artist? Earliest memories encompass a notion of ‘being creative’ - but
identifying myself as a ‘painter’ didn’t begin until around age 30. |
| Why do so many artists and creators have such volatile personalities? Working toward either ‘success or fame’ often requires a degree of
self-centered focus which, it would seem, is easiest to hide behind
the guise of a volatile personality. It may only be a convenient excuse
not to live a considerate and civilised life. |
| Do you consider yourself postmodern? Although a much misused and overused term, postmodern does
describe the very useful circumstance of the ‘and, and, and’ universe. |
| How should a work of art be evaluated? See the aspects listed previously under the ‘evaluation’ question. |
| Must an artist reinvent him/herself everyday? Must is not the right word. Many artists do. Many don’t. It depends
upon what an artist does or is trying to do. |
| Which artists do you admire and how do they influence your work? Re, the three ideas question - some immediate choices are Cezanne,
Matisse, Vlaminck, Munter; Jawlensky; Cassatt; Kirchner; Vuillard;
Beckmann...Picasso when countering Matisse. Later...for example
Motherwell; Kline; Bacon; Rothko; Judd; Kapoor; Serra. Artists who
hold a strong vision while continually redefining and refining it. |
| What do you think about public funding for the arts? If this meant financial support (tax breaks; stipends; C.O.L.
allowances etc) for practising artists then it is a good idea...in
theory. Usually, however, the trickle down effect through national
Arts Organisations doesn’t work democratically. |
| Is art necessary? Quite possibly, when confronted with authentic art, it is inherently
necessary - by virtue of what it is. |
| Does it pain you to let go of a piece you have sold? The product of creative intentions, to be art, needs to acquire
an audience. It is not enough for one just to declare oneself an
artist and therefore assume that the results of their labour should
be called art. Can not understand why it should be painful to have
one’s work appreciated enough to be bought by someone. |
| Is a work of art purchased, or is it better said, that it is the artist who is bought? A work of art is a result of creative effort and manufacture. Once
completed it becomes a commercial product. It may be better to say
a work is a token - or an aspect - of the artist’s imagination; or vision;
or intention. |
| In art, there is no guide. How do you know what the next step is? This is likely to be the ‘other side of the coin’ to the
earlier ‘...best ideas’ question. If an artist has creative integrity
to a vision and idea the next step is already there. The task
is to see it, identify it. |
| How do you feel about the fact that the pieces exhibited in contemporary art museums are often of artists already deceased? Of more concern is the amount of ‘manufacture’ found in today’s
art institutions that is, as mentioned previously, masquerading as
art. |
| What role have the figures of art dealer, gallery owners, representatives, and intermediaries in general played in your career? These roles have as much to do with the maintenance of an
art ‘industry’ as with the furtherance of an artist’s development
and the dissemination of their work.
Personally, a few people have been helpful and supportive. But
many have not although quite possibly not intentionally. |
| What types of jobs do you usually do? After 25+ years in advertising, circumstances converged to be able
to go into the ‘studio’ full time. Now, along with just being one-half
of a relationship; a part time domestic engineer; a gardener and general
odd-jobs person, the time is spent trying to make the making of art
at least pay for itself. |
| Which of your jobs or tasks do you most enjoy? Each role has its rewards. The and, and, and world of postmodernism
seems to apply. But first and foremost the efforts involved, and
rewards, of the relationship are the reason for being.
Everything else, including the art making, is detail. |
| Do you personally collect any items? Image-ideas or idea-images are gathered via frequent travel and rolls
and rolls of film. This as a result of growing up a visual-based
person (ie, raised on TV rather than books and reading) and turning
into a painter who makes visual objects.
Otherwise, shirts and depression glass. The shirts are worn and the
glass bowls are used as subject matter and to hold salads or
succotash. The advantage of this is that one is not burdened with
an accumulation of physical objects and things that otherwise have
no purpose. |
| Which websites do you frequently visit? See the ‘...upload’ question at the beginning. Also at
http://www.artromgallery.com
an artist presence is maintained.
Otherwise, visited websites usually correspond to personal
activities - online art competitions; art e-newsletters - conducted
at various places. There is never enough time available to just
loiter around on the web. |
| What advice would you give to those just beginning? Anyone can be ‘famous in their own living room’ (to borrow from
Joni Mitchell). But maintaining that integrity of vision mentioned
earlier, and not succumbing to mass production, may be a key to
achieving a modicum of creative greatness. |
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1199 visits Whohub
Clay Bodvin - photomedia artist
Auckland, New Zealand
|
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