Naomi-and-Bruce in conversation-Dec 2021
Bruce Wang Citizen Wang Studio
Article By Bruce Wang @ citizenwangstudio.com
Bruce
I heard an interesting article on radio 4 last night about the Turner prize. They are no longer after individual artists beavering away in their garrets. Theyre doing community groups and collectives. Its sad really I think. If you think of the question what is art for? You can’t argue against giving opportunities to people in the community, but it doesn’t interest me and I wont be going to the exhibition.
Naomi
Its interesting because if you think of the question what is art for and that it needs to respond to the times and we live in a time of pandemic and recognising the need for community cohesion. Then maybe the Turner prize is trying to respond to that. Where I live theres quite an emphasis on community arts and individual artists are more likely to get a studio for example if they can show they have been involved in a community arts project. I think it was Steve McQueen who did the exhibition of hundreds of school groups at the Tate. It drew in lots of schools, wanting to see their picture on the wall and engage in activities related to the art. It was nice in a way to see.
Bruce
Did he. He actually ran them? Wow. Well part of me thinks that art should be an elitist topic but several years ago a guy one the Turner prize for the one idea of a light turning on and off in a room with a few objects. That really was taking the biscuit, that was too elitist.
Naomi
I vaguely remember.
Bruce
That was too elitist. But I really don’t want to go to a community arts exhibition.