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Study for a Laughing Room

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Start With Why: Response

Yes, it is upsetting to realise that most leaders choose to manipulate their audiences rather than inspire them into motivation, but evil dictator or not, Simon Sinek claims they all use the same method of reaching the people. The Golden Circle - a concept developed my Sinek based on the Golden Ratio - seems to find order in human behaviour. Furthermore, Sinek claims that it is the driving force behind what inspires people to do things.

The Circle starts from the inside-out: from 'Why' to 'How' to 'What'. The reason for this is that 'Why' is the most important question at the premise of any organisation or business. The moment one is able to articulate why what they do matters is the moment a connection is made with the audience. By reversing the order of information, the message becomes more compelling, almost charming. Sinek says that people do not buy what a company does, but rather why they do it. Apple Inc. was the example used in the chapter and while it is clear that Apple has been absolutely successful for so many years, we can now understand that it was not that their product was better than any of the competing companies' products but that they have always had a clear idea of why they do what they do. With this, they are able to extend their range in what they do. No longer are they known as just a 'computer company' because what they do was not as important as why they do it. The companies that advertise themselves by what they do simply become commodities and blend in with all the rest. Manipulation of their target market is then all they have left to do, and this may become hopeless after some time.

Certainly, Apple's success is seen by how they directly appeal to whomever they are trying to reach. It starts from the inside, with a question that humans have been asking for centuries. When we get an answer to why something is the way it is, we feel enlightened and satisfied; and that is precisely why it works.

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Talent is not Enough: Business Secrets for Designers: Response

I have always been tentative when it comes to signing contracts. The media has made us wary about the consequences of breaching contracts and though sometimes exaggerated, it tends to deter people from signing things that they are uncertain about.

Of course, it is never a good idea to just sign things. Contracts are legally binding so there certainly would be consequences if one were not able to honour the agreement. Though, upon looking at it from the second perspective, a contract is a rather helpful security measure. As an artist, one would like one’s work and ideas kept safe and have someone trusting to work alongside with. The agreement would therefore assure a trusting relationship (should the contractor honour the agreement) so one would find no need in worrying about intellectual property theft. In terms of Originality and Non-Infringement, it would be important with regards to physical artworks that they are kept safe. I don’t imagine that anyone would go out of their way and cause trouble by intentionally damaging an artwork, but commonly, one must ensure that any damages caused to an artwork should have the offender take responsibility for the damage or, if the contract states otherwise, the other party should take the necessary measures to get insurance on the piece. This is the way in which both parties can honour the agreement.

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To Intern or not to Intern

If I were to pursue a career as an intern or an independent practitioner, there are a few things that I would need to compare between the two in order to find out what would work best for me.

As an intern, I would need to be willing to work under somebody even if the job entails the usual tedious tasks at first. Running to get coffee or sorting paperwork seem to be the ‘endurance tasks’ that people tend to assign to see whether or not you are cut out for the job. If you can make it through that, you will certainly be able to manage the more exciting yet challenging things that the job may offer. If I were to work for an artist as an assistant, depending on the practice, it would normally comprise of running to get materials and working as an extra set of hands on the work so that it can be completed quicker.

I, however, would prefer to be an independent artist. In this position, I may or may not need an assistant because my work seems to vary in its medium. I would find it easier to learn about the art world when I am directly involved in it so that I may learn from my efforts and mistakes more efficiently. To me, this seems like the better idea – I am keen on working on a number of great projects and I would need some time by myself to think, do research and apply my knowledge so that these ideas may eventually come into fruition.

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Build A Network – Even When You Don’t Think You Need One: Response

There are many reasons why networking is important to one’s career. In the art world, establishing connections is a good way to find out about what is happening on the art scene and what would help you in the future.

Networking is sometimes seen as a way of faking one’s way into a particular circle solely in order to benefit from what it has to offer. It is seen as a tasteless way of involving oneself in the scene and the chances are that it may not even last too long. The right way to go about it is to think of networking as an opportunity to make friends with similar interests so that the task does not appear transactional. By finding out what type of person it is that you may be interested in connecting with, it makes it far easier to establish a relationship with that type of person rather than attending networking functions that be seem shallow and unappealing. A lack of networking may also be detrimental to your career. You may not notice how much you would be able to excel with the aid of others because you have simply become accustomed to working (and succeeding) alone; this may be slowing you down without you realising it. Finally, networking does not have to be handled in the same superficial manner every time. In the art world, a good opportunity to establish a network is to go to art fairs, exhibition openings and other shows but there are other ways as well. Inviting colleagues to coffee or keeping on good terms online are slow and easy ways to begin to build a network that will undoubtedly benefit your career in the future.

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Job Hunting

Artist/gallery assistant: https://g.co/kgs/SCUxGd

Appealing: Working alongside artists sounds like a fascinating experience.

Intimidating: There are many secrets in the art world that could present a challenge. I can talk to people but I am uncertain about my sales skills.

More to know: Hours of the job.

How does it relate: I am studying Contemporary Art so this position is fitting.

 Curator: https://g.co/kgs/X7WKua

Appealing: Very good position.

Intimidating: There seem to be a lot of requirements. Almost as though one person has to take the role of both the general manager and the curator.

More to know: Why this position doesn’t require knowledge of the art industry?

How does it relate: Curation of shows or art fairs is an extremely important role in the art world.

 Art Director: https://g.co/kgs/qoFBvF

Appealing: Does not necessarily have to get involved with the bustling art world.

Intimidating: I am not fully familiar with this type of industry.

More to know: n/a

How does it relate: This still falls within my knowledge with regards to what my course entails.

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ABOUT US (2020)

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How to be a Graphic Designer without losing your soul: Response

For the purpose of this response, I will be responding with regards to artistic practice rather than that of a graphic designer. There are many similarities between these fields and the things you have to do to become an artist/designer without losing your soul.

Cultural awareness, communication skills and integrity are vital in order to become a successful artist. Without these qualities, you would not be able to get very far. It is crucial to have a keen sense of what is going on around you and how to react accordingly. Another important factor is learning how to manage time. When presented with a task, it may seem as though there is enough time to complete it but there will always be hindrances. This means that you will have to find a way to work around these hindrances so that there will be enough time to complete the required task. It is all a matter of planning. A certain amount of time should be allocated to each part of completing the task. Without a proper schedule, you may just find yourself wasting a great amount of time trying to find inspiration when, in fact, there are more effective and productive ways of doing so. When visiting the studio of local SA artist Igshaan Adams, a student asked how he managed to impress his clients when making work. He responded by saying his secret was, “to under-promise and over-deliver”. It is a balance of not creating too much stress for yourself and then proceeding to impress the other party by exceeding their expectations. The success of ending on a high note will surely cement your good performance into the minds of future employers/ clients or gallerists.

In order to not lose your soul, research as part of art practice is key in finding ways of solving problems or finding new solutions to things that may impede your practice. Find out about the people in your field and how they may have an impact on what you are trying to do. Talk to gallerists and curators and learn things from other artists in order to refine even the technical things so that you may hone all the necessary skills to be recognised as a knowledgeable person and one who is passionate about their position.

To write with eloquence and without circumlocution is a way to ensure that your submissions will be read. To practise writing will certainly help, and when submitting something for someone else to read, always be sure to take your time, edit and have someone proofread the written piece. The first draft of a written piece should be to release all the ideas and information; it should not be edited along the way. This advice is applicable to artists and designers alike.

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Internship plan

When interning for practising artists, the schedule of work tends to depend on what their practice is, how they conduct this practice, how they prioritise certain aspects of their work and where they may need assistance. This can normally be negotiated with the artist in advance and may not necessarily be a strict schedule. I believe that working as an intern for an artist could provide me with knowledge on how an artist goes about making their work - whether it may be physically making it themselves or outsourcing. I would be able to learn a lot about networking and the relationships artists keep with their galleries as well as how they collaborate with artists in spaces or with specific works. Gallery curation, solo show logistics, group exhibition planning, general admin, details regarding documentation and catalogues, writing, and selling of works are a few other crucial skills I would be able to learn first-hand if I were to intern for an artist. It is not that I necessarily would want to become a practising artist myself, but there is no doubt that I would still be able to benefit greatly from the experience, no matter who the person in question may be. I merely look forward to learning.

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Overthrowing the Tyranny of the Ideal: Response

Achieving perfection is, of course, impossible. The idea that something done by a human can be free of flaw is not at all likely; we can never be perfect and we are destined to fail sometimes. The only option – the path of the “strong man” – is to continue with one’s efforts in order to constantly improve upon them.

To achieve perfection, hypothetically, would then be the end of whatever goal may have been set. It would be done once and there would be nothing to learn from the experience. There would be no challenge and nothing to improve on. To even have the idea of trying to reach perfection would impede performance as one would be too focused on being disappointed rather than seeing what good came out of the experience and attempting to enhance that result. The voice of the critic is loud only when one decides that it is the only voice. This voice that promotes inaction is disabling and can prevent tasks from getting started in the first place. The only way past this is to convince the voice of the “strong man” to empower and inspire hard work and effort.

For me, it was always difficult to ignore the voice of the critic. Before I had even begun working on a task, I had an idea of what the outcome should be like. This, in turn, lead to invariable disappointment as I learnt that I would never be able to achieve the ideal result that I had imagined. What helped me get through this was to find the time to clear my mind of all stress before I began what needed to be done. I would just start doing without having an idea on what it should end up like. This proved to be much less distracting and more exciting. I was able to work quicker and managed to complete the task just by shutting out the critical voice in my head and focusing on improving the little things, slowly. Needless to say, this is the voice I choose to listen to more frequently.

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A Practice of Openness

Choice of practice: Taking one day to just talk to a certain number of strangers.

When this would be practised: Once every two months.

How this will continue: I will think of this as part of my practice. It will become part of a bigger project.

 After attending a function this weekend, I had managed to speak to many people I had never met before. I found that, at least within this group of people, many of them were polite and were willing to talk about themselves. Perhaps a way to improve on this task and get more genuine results would be to just initiate a conversation without mentioning that it is a part of something. What I am looking for is real human connection; one that will reveal more to me about how societies react to certain things and what I can glean from their stories.

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Woodstock Gallery Shows: Chirema Chine Mazano Chinotamba Chakazendama Madziro Part 2

I found the Woodstock gallery excursion very exciting. It had been a while since I had outwardly spoken about art in groups to my peers so this felt refreshing. The show at SMAC was a solo exhibition by Wallen Mapondera – a remarkable installation of elegant looking sculptures and wall pieces made from found materials. The title of the show and many of the works are in Shona and (according to internet translations) seem to refer to idiomatic expressions and phrases. It is when I saw this that I began to question what it is that the show was trying to hide.

The act of censoring can take many forms: by titling the show and works in a particular language immediately restricts crucial information about the show from reaching other people and is then, in a sense, only available to those who can understand the Shona language. As Mapondera is an established artist, this choice is, of course, wholly intentional. The choice of works from which he chose to remove context from (for non-Shona speakers) seem to be the works that could perhaps relate more to the overall narrative of the show. Four of the works in the show are titled in English and are titled Tuck Shop 1, Tuck Shop 2, Tuck Shop 3, and Tuck Shop 4. These works are therefore the only works that provide context for English speakers while the rest of the show displays less ‘traditional’ artworks in Shona. By ‘traditional’ I am referring to the scale, shape and general aesthetics of the work. These four works are all of similar scale, rectangular in shape and appear to have an aesthetic appeal similar to abstract expressionist fine art despite being made (according to the write-up) from materials found from a wreckage. This also made me question the possible link between fine art and a show meant to be depicting a struggle for survival.

The sound piece that played through the space is not mentioned in the list of works but is certainly as important as the rest of the show in terms of providing context and atmosphere. At first, the sound of the clamour sounded as though people were arguing, though now I am uncertain. The fact that the piece is untitled allows me to contextualise it in any manner that may seem appropriate. For instance, during the CA group viewing of the show, it was mentioned that the sound was coming from one corner of the room right above the work titled Nhereka Nhereka (the bed-cart sculpture) and next to Kudzoka Kumba (the large tent tapestry). This made it seem as though the sound piece was a recording of people sifting though the wreckage of Operation Murambatsvina. The context can change if we imagine that it’s linked to Nhereka Nhereka, which would provide a certain context to Shona speakers who can understand the language. Non-Shona speakers would receive a different impression entirely – especially considering that the title is unreliably translated to many different meanings online. Perhaps the sound could also relate to the recurring theme of the Tuck Shop; the sound of people standing at a stall to purchase goods. It could refer to the mass migration mentioned in the write-up. Or perhaps it is something else entirely, in which case only Shona speakers will be able to understand if they are able to pick up fragments of sentences from the sound piece. Semiotically, there seemed to be signifiers of the home within this show, not only in materiality but in form as well, with some pieces resembling windows and curtains. This is fitting for the narrative of the show, which speaks about the poor economic climate of Zimbabwe.

During the group viewing, many things were scrutinised: The intention of the shadows, whether or not the toilet paper was actually found and not purchased, the subtle relation to mapping and the overall tone of the show. While it was curated quite nicely, these things will never escape the viewer and invariably will have no choice but to be read as part of the artwork. What does this suggest about the importance of the artist’s voice? Mapondera believes that the home is not a fixed idea and that the definition changes between people and it seems that the show is encapsulating a sense of community even with the premise of disaster and struggle.

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Maximize Your Potential: Response

It is true that one of the most important abilities one needs to hone in order to thrive is the ability to adapt to change. Part of this is nature but to a certain degree, it is choice. The notion of adapting to new skill sets and new technologies is vital in the ever-changing world we find ourselves in. The career that one may choose has no choice but to change with the times; as technology is constantly improving, it would only be convenient to keep up with the way things operate to ensure that things are done in the quickest and most efficient ways possible.

Of course, when it comes to careers, there is no use working hard and burning out over something which you are not passionate about. Office jobs that are mundane and that have an unchanging routine causes people to become depressed; the job serves only as a source of income. When this is the case, people tend to underperform as well.

The key to performing well is to focus on one aim and to keep reminding oneself of that specific goal; this will make it far easier to find a way to achieve that particular goal. In order to accomplish this, one would also need to grab at every opportunity that would benefit this choice. To be open-minded and to be willing to try new things is a great first step in cementing oneself into a lifestyle that becomes more enjoyable while still being able to excel at the rapid pace at which the world is changing.

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Personal Goal Setting

According to Monday’s results, Diligence is my no. 1 attribute. That makes sense, I suppose. I’ve always known myself to be careful and persistent when it comes to tasks; not necessarily only serious tasks either. I can recall that even with the task of having to complete a painting or baking snickerdoodles that I would not find rest until I was satisfied with how much progress I had made and how well the task had been completed.

Secondly was Curiosity. To me, curiosity is crucially important as it is the first step to acquiring new knowledge. Within my practice, curiosity comes in the form of observing, questioning and testing. I spend a lot of time looking very closely at even the most mundane object in order to find something fascinating within it. David Hockney, while driving, once asked a friend of his what colour the road was – a question one could imagine would evoke a banal response. To the friend’s amazement, he had perhaps noticed for the first time that even the seemingly dull road consisted of a multitude of colours. This curiosity in looking and asking questions is something I find truly inspiring.

Finally, in third place is Playfulness. Certainly, one of the things I find myself worrying about is that people have forgotten how to play. The idea that after childhood one is meant to think and react seriously towards everything is a concerning notion that has become part of what is expected in day-to-day life. The news and the demeanour of the workplace has become so depressing that people have forgotten that they are not contractually bound to live in a way that reflects this. The fact that most people develop a routine later in life is a sign of being organised, but sadly it does become dismal after some time. Perhaps this may only be the case for older generations, but I believe that there is a way of maintaining professionalism while still being able to experiment with new ideas without the fear of being disgraced for simply wanting to have the freedom of a child again.

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Gallery Visit questions/notes

SMAC:

Some of the works seem to resemble the paintings of the Abstract Expressionists. Is there a link between fine art and survival?

How do the map-like patterns influence the perception of the work?

The write-up states that the work is about buying and reselling goods. Does the sound piece come from a market somewhere?

How information is implicitly withheld

Language/Translation (according to internet)

Title (Shona phrase) - Crippled Hand Plays Leaning Wall

Pahasha - Free

Kudzoka Kumba - Back Home

Kange Mbeu Kurima Kwandikona - The Seed Was Plowed

Nhereka Nhereka - Hello Hello (Nhereka ->The Hybrids?)

Huchi neMukaka - Honey and Milk

blank:

The home (safety). What elements of the show make it feel like a home?

Veiled: Clandestine? Hidden?

Natural light? How would it have looked with SMAC's spotlighting?

Awkward placement of painting?

Stevenson:

Honouring heroes regular people (strangers) as heroes?

Glorification through medium (relic)

Link between text borders on paper vs the space?

Who are these people?

Why do they need to be glorified?

Goodman:

How do the works relate? Miscellaneous works

Systematic oppression?

How does the open gallery space and placement of the work effect the feeling that the work is trying to convey?

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The Wee Hours (2019)

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Nazeer Jappie

The Wee Hours

2019

Installation