hyphen artist
hyphen indicates a missing or implied element
Q: What is a Hyphen Artist? A: A term I’ve made up.
Not an emerging artist, not a self taught artist or an artist with a robust exhibition history including a cluster of solo shows. A hyphen artist is separate but equal, working adjacent to traditional pathways, frequently a woman, juggling roles of primary caregiver often with only minutes of time for their creative practice. Not uncommon for them (me) to be beginning to build their body of work and to be launching their career in their mid-60’s.
A hyphen artist is definitely a good human. Someone who has an ongoing creative practice, likely has an alcove, sunporch or living space that accommodates their stitching, drawing, painting and esoteric undefinable work in progress. A hyphen artist longs for a dedicated studio with good light, abundant walls and cheap rent. A hyphen artist longs for community but is behind the game others have been playing since their MFA days. As a bird variety the hyphen artist is somewhat common and sometimes accidentally falling.
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For some things, the categories are clear
FOR PLANTS
genus, subtribe, tribe, subfamily, sub order, sub class, class
The established nomenclature identifies genus and species relying upon Latin.
One of my all time favorite plants is Daphne. I know it for its delicious smell. Citrus with a light touch of gardenia. A handsome low shrub with variegated leaves. When they are blooming I alter my neighborhood walks to purposely pass nearby. The taxonomy speaks volumes to horticulturalists and plant enthusiasts and little or nothing to the casual gardener.
genus daphne, family thymelaeceae, order malvales
For other things, the categories are just confusing.
FOR ARTISTS
medium, status, movement, style, genre, form
The purpose of status identifiers is to name whether the artist has a strong body of work and whether the artist is recognized. I ask: recognized by who/what and why? The answer: galleries and institutions who show and sell. In reality, the majority of folks doing the artist hustle would be identified as beginning or emergent. There needs to be more language to fill the gaps between beginning and emergent OR, better yet - the entire notion that attempts to identify status of an artist needs to be abolished.
When I try to craft myself into terminology held by the field it looks like this
Medium, Status, Movement, Style, Genre, Form
Medium: Multidisciplinary
Status: Emergent or Pre-Emergent.
Movement: Fluxus + Art Provera + Conceptual + Site Specific Performance
Style: Abstract + Object Based + Self Portraits
Genre: Interdisciplinary Research
Form: Thinking and Making
Each of these identifiers feel clunky to me. When I wrestle with the language I am tempted to replace emergent beginner with
UN-recognized however, Experimenting + Working + Practicing.
OR
uses art as oxygen and isn’t dead yet
Why am I struggling with terminology?
My mother was an English Major, which she used throughout her life, choosing her words carefully and playfully, making connections, not immediately obvious to others.
I am so much more that the language available that I am being asked to use to describe myself.
I am continually recognizing, and trying very hard to not regret, life decisions that veered away from the prescribed pathway of MFA then MFA plus.
I spend considerable time stretching beyond myself, applying and submitting work to shows and residencies. I look carefully at the call, it is common for the gallery or the institution to indicate ‘all levels of experience welcome’ which gives me hope. However, when I see who is granted the space on the walls or the fellowship it is rarely, very rarely to someone without an MFA and several solo gallery exhibitions. I wish that the language in the call for work would indicate this up front. It would save me and many others considerable dreaming time. Also an enormous BRAVO to the opportunities that indicate a preference for the fresh and ‘unrecognized’.
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What is your Hyphen?
interstitial - artist - continuing - artist - inveterate - artist - spicy - artist indignant - artist - persevering - artist - verdant - artist - secret - artist gaseous - artist - absurdist - artist - perilous - artist - exigent - artist oblivious - artist - defiant - artist - fugitive - artist - beloved - artist vexing - artist - mysterious - artist - stubborn - artist - changing - artist corpuscular - artist - mycelium - artist - breathing - artist - inky - artist
