Art Paradoxes: Jennifer Dalton at TEDxChelsea

Jennifer Dalton's talk at the TEDxChelsea conference, held June 1, 2012 at the School of Visual Arts. The conference theme was "The true value of art is seldom what someone is willing to pay for it." For more information or to apply for 2013, please go to TEDxChelsea.org.
Jennifer Dalton is a visual artist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. In her sculptures and installations she excavates, organizes and evaluates cultural information according to her own personal criteria. Her subjects are often chosen in an attempt to test a hypothesis or to dissect a chip on her own shoulder. Her work has recently been exhibited at Winkleman Gallery, New York, NY; Ballroom Marfa, Marfa, Texas; Flag Art Foundation, New York, NY; John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI; The Teaching Gallery at Hudson Valley Community College, Troy, NY; and Smack Mellon Gallery, Brooklyn, NY. jenniferdalton.com
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@HoppyBunny.]

No one has a problem with artist making money, the problem is most artist making a lot of money are bad artists, and the elitism of the present art institution actually promotes bad art and excludes good artist.

[@lewisallrightsreserved7879]

Beautiful comment, I couldn't have said it better myself except to comment on your comment by saying... "I'll buy that!" ;-)

[@StarvingPoet]

great discussion.definitely agree that the system is often able to commodify dissent into powerless gestures that give the system the give the appearance of genuine democracy or edgy rebellion. think 60's style art in moneyed galleries or punk and hiphop as fashion

[@lisengel2498]

Art is a very multidimentional language (s) crossing borders, - hopefully sharpening how we are present, how we participate in experience-expression - communicate , open into possible transformation of awareness ....place... time.... wonder ....vision .... possibilities ... meaning..... opening into deep experience of life or “ how is it possible to live”

[@theilliad4298]

This was really good

[@ltwig476]

As an artist, I see both great art in galleries and a lot of really poor more plastic art where the artist does as this speaker is doing: "and this, and this, and this... Great art is like great writing in where we intentionally leave the subject open for our audience discovery. If the artist is not open to their own discovery while creating, it will surely turn out: "and this, and this, and this" The reason that many great artist never get a major show is because the critics and galleries cannot stay alive showing only great art. Today they need a lot more different art, no matter how gimmicky it really is. Today you see a lot more bling, illustrative, and art that reflex on imagery produced by the electronic gaming industry. Mostly because that is as far as their minds can imagine. This is how they grew up and how much of their audience grew up. The fantasy electronic world is the world they are most familiar. IMO there is nothing wrong with that. It just looks very strange to me as both an oil painter and digital graphic designer when I see it on a canvas or displayed in plein air as a sculpture. If it fails as Pixar quality then I typically walk right by it. The creative artist that has worked years and created great art, must keep showing their art wherever possible in hope that someday they get recognized. If no-one ever sees their work, then what is the point? The whole point is to communicate feelings, emotions .... to other humans, please others in some way. To take the gimmick road, yes you might make a little income and please an audience. Except you are likely missing out on the "chance" that many people can discover their own great pleasure, emotions and such in several of your pieces of work. I paint to discover. That's all I really know to do because there are infinite discoveries still out there.

[@jedje]

True art is discovery. Unfortunately most of what we see displayed nowadays in the galleries and museum is nothing more than a plastic mirror.

[@winterbeef23]

Hawt and Smaht.

[@b3tres]

Reading from index cards is a bit distracting. :)

[@MsSweet-cl4nz]

I can't listen to this because of her inflection.

[@sketchbook1]

+Abby Sweet maybe you'd have a really tough time in the Midwest, then. Everyone I grew up with had her type of inflection!

[@eripolis]

ang like im talking through my NOSEand everything I SAY at the end goes HIGH as if im really asking a Questio....But im NOT im just WINING ...jeez..

[@holly7869]

Drives me out of my mind. Learn to speak. It's not that difficult.

[@JO-iv7tl]

This is disjointed.