Deconstructing Artists' Statements

Over the next two weeks, we're going to be working with artists' statements.  This serves a couple of purposes: it'll give you (I hope) insight into a real genre that you'll likely need to produce when you enter the professional "art world," and it'll give us additional practice working with a genre and its conventions (which is the foundation of this composition course).

For this week's assignment, I want you to deconstruct ("break down") three different artists' statements.  You can find these in a few places: online, in a book, from someone in town (ie, at an art boutique, perhaps), or maybe even a faculty member at Brooks.

Once you find a few, take a look at what textual "ingredients" make them up.  How have these things been put together?  What are the common features that they each have?  What are the patterns?  In other words, what makes an artist's statement an artist's statement?

I'd also like you to note any substantial differences you see.  What sets each of these artists' statements apart from each other?

Then, I'd like you to evaluate what you see.  What do you like?  Dislike?  Why?

Analyzing these artists' statements -- and seeing how your classmates have done their analysis -- will help you to produce a more thoughtful artist's statement the following week.