ïntraparadox is a coinage for the phenomena that occurs during an interview with an artist. Like any human being out there an artist has their own convictions and contradictions; for they are social animals. So intraparadox, as a dialogue produced as a result of an interview with the artist, is like an x-ray process that reveals the nature of the artist, their life and their art practice. It is important then that it, intraparadox, be written word for word based on the audio file gathered during the moment of interview with the artist, for I would like to present as closest an account as possible of the artist’s persona to the reader – a portrait of the artist. The reading must produce a reflection of the personality of the artist as it is, as it would be encountered when the reader, should the occasion present itself, meet the artist in person! The interview should be an intimate encounter of the artist in conversation about their work – this is the first task of writing the text. Secondly, during the interview as the ideals upheld by the artist emerge, teased out and made bare as the conversation develops around pertinent issues the artist is preoccupied with in their art production or practice; issues which might emerge during the dialogue, it is hoped, that an opportunity will be afforded the reader to delve deeper into the conception of the visual art object apropos to the artist undergoing the interview¶
Since my ultimate task in my writings is preoccupied with drawing attention to the text itself and its production process, what an opportunity it is when the writing tries to mimic behavior and how it develops around the preoccupations it takes in its stride! This is the opportunity that is afforded by producing the interview with the artist in a textual form∼∴∼
What is the visual art object? We all have our ideas regarding what art is and it will differ from person to person (presently we will not go into such a discussion because its tunnel is dark and filled with unreliable phantasms). But to the artist the visual art object is personal. It does not matter what we as spectators say or think. The artist lives and breathes the conception of the art object. One could even go as far as saying that the artist exists within the very concept they are espousing. They wrestle with it daily, fashioning it to their desired effects. The viewer has to play catch on with the artist to be in step. Diversion; this observation is true also of literary works that are highly developed and are out of tune with our contemporary context, henceforth we may not find them palatable. With such works we have to take a brisk walk to catch on with the writer in order to ‘get them’, to reach an understanding of their work. Let us return quondam – the earlier stated person in this reflection, the other artist, the visual artist. Artists create. the visual artists speaks through visual formations in the first instance and in the second instances when we unfairly asks them to elucidate some of the pertinent issues which their work erect in front of us, if they so be kind – they speak in words. (and we are hairsbreadth closer to documentation!)¶
ït is at this instance when the artist is forcibly engaged to elucidate on his work, that a rare moment occurs wherein we have the opportunity to see the artists’ concept moving into the spot light as they try to make us understand what their work is preoccupied with. We uncover their concept, their concept is thrust into clarity. I claim that this is a rare moment because therein ontologically speaking we can conceive from what the artist is saying as to what really it is that informs the production of the work of the artist in question. It is as if we are taking a peek at a vortex that result in formations; at the raw materials in a flux just before everything falls into place. We suddenly have a neck that can shoot our head around the corner and afford us the opportunity to ‘get’ the artist, to see the process of art production and the possible future formations of what may results from the artist art practice before our body arrives at the contact with the artwork. This is the basis of intraparadox. Caution, we should never be content with what we know about the artist and their present art practice and production. As a constant process, art production and its practice, will always evolve into newer and fresher formations as it wrestle the art object, for by its nature the art object is malleable and in a constant flux; It has no constancy¶
17 December
© Mmutle Arthur Kgokong 2014
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Intraparadox 