[meteorite-list] "Meteorite" Sculpture by Katie Paterson
From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2014 21:43:37 -0400 Message-ID: <CAKBPJW-nw8BiQiw1OSCnL0_o7yiJa58BnRow13QFhVac4xHvww_at_mail.gmail.com> Hi Laura, Peter, Anne, David, List, Honorable Chairpeople, In generating discussion, the artist has succeeded. If that was one of the goals, then the artwork was a success in the eyes of some. We are still talking about it, which I am not sure says more about the art itself or the state of recent affairs (or lack of) in the meteorite world... (sales of all remelted non-widmanstatten iron artworks is hereby suspended until further notice.) I believe that we are all temporary caregivers for these cosmic immortal rocks (and irons). They have existed since the birth of our Sun and they will exist long after that same Sun is dead. We are a part of these meteorites complex exposure histories. To far-future researchers, we will be distant biological contaminants that briefly influenced the chemical and physical weathering of these meteorites. I feel it is our duty to curate our meteorites with a level of respect and regard that is due to any creation that is billions of years old and will exist for billions more. We should not make cutesy trinkets from them lightly. Considering that, the artist used a "common" meteorite and it's destruction is no loss to the body of scientific knowledge. This is not a case of someone grinding up Sutter's Mill stones to make balding-cure snake oil. So, we can disagree with the artwork or the treatment of the meteorite used, but we should not be completely dismissive of it because it is causing no great harm to science or meteoritics. I wouldn't do that to any meteorite. It seems pointless to me and artistic goals could be met using meteorites in a more respectful manner. I have sold meteorites to artists and craftsmen who intended to use them as a medium or part of the works, but I would not sell to someone to planned to completely destroy the unique nature of the meteorite. Attitudes vary, but art will always be art. I cannot say what is art, but I can say that I do not particularly care for melting down meteorites completely. They can never be restored and that does represent a loss, if not to science, then to the cosmos as a whole. (And a failure in our jobs as temporary guardians!) Best regards, MikeG PS - I have seen some very artful use of meteorite, with some examples by others on this List. So it can be done properly. -- ------------------------------------------------------------- Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone Twitter - http://twitter.com/galacticstone Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone ------------------------------------------------------------- On 8/7/14, Laura--- via Meteorite-list <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com> wrote: > Ok, so now I have to give my two cents...sense! I too do artwork involving > meteorites, love the hunt, and collecting. I might note that "no meteorite > was harmed in the making of my work!" (I don't even like the idea of > slicing > one into pieces, but that is my own issue, and it is done every day, and I > own slices of them too!) > > There are a few questions to ask, that if these found items are raised up > to > a level that, we as creatures with opposable thumbs and conscience thought, > elevate them to the point of greater importance, then has meteorites > become > something of worship for modern day society? If so, then what right do any > of us have to claim ownership? Do they all belong in museums? What good > does that one on your desk, shelf or locked up in the climate controlled > safe do to the greater good, or is that self-indulgence at its finest, or > just for profit? I suppose that if ownership is the case, then we are by > right able to do whatever we desire, as it then belongs to the owner to > keep > or shape into any existence we see fit. If for profit, then what does it > matter what the new owner does? > > Some questions that cross my mind are, "What is the purpose in this artwork > and the end result?". I haven't read the full artist statement on this > direct subject, but have visited her website, and her work is very > interesting, and consummate. So...Since this has developed into a long > discussion with many views, that expand across the continents, then the > artist has accomplished a great deal of awareness on the topic, and on the > meteorite community and public. That is very difficult artistic task, so > this is a success in many ways! Then the next question is does this > artwork > make a change, or create awareness. My answer to this is yes! So, even > though I cannot bring myself to intentionally manipulate a meteorite to the > point it is in a completely new form, I have to think her conceptual ideas > are a success, and my meager attempts at education and awareness thru > artistic means needs to be revisited. And that too has created a > self-awareness in myself, and will create change. So, by right, I feel her > work has done what art is truly about, and that is to create change in some > form, be it reaction, action or conscience, be it to conserve or preserve > the natural state moving forward, success! > > Best Regards, > Laura Atkins > Art is the highest task and proper metaphysical activity of this life. - > Nietzsche > > -----Original Message----- > From: Meteorite-list [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] > On > Behalf Of Peter Davidson via Meteorite-list > Sent: Thursday, August 7, 2014 5:21 AM > To: 'info at moonmarsrocks.com' > Cc: Meteorite List (meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com) > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] "Meteorite" Sculpture by Katie Paterson > > Daniel > > No argument from me that we should leave the original entirely as it was > found, no matter what that object is. > > Yet, we see and read about this happening all the time. Across the northern > part of England (and I mean England here and not the UK), the Romans built > a > large structure (it is, or was, about 120km long and reached a height of > 3.5m) which has become known as Hadrian's Wall. It purpose was to mark the > boundary of the Roman Empire at that time as well as act as a defensive > barrier to keep those nasty Scots out (it failed and we got through easily > enough!). Yet as soon as the Romans left, the local populace began to > plunder and remove its finely wrought stonework for use as building stone. > From our viewpoint in 2014, we are rightly appalled that this wonderful > work > has been plundered and destroyed to be remade into farm buildings and > walls. > Yet, who are we to criticise these people for utilising such a wonderful, > ready-made supply of cut stone in order to enhance their lives (believe me > life in that part of Britain would have been very hard - it still is)? Also > are we right to criticise the Inuit for using metal taken from the Cape > York meteorite (and possibly others as well) to fashion into harpoons and > tools or indeed the ancient Egyptians for collecting Libyan desert glass to > create jewellery for the Pharaohs? > > Cheers > > Peter Davidson > Senior Curator of Minerals > > National Museums Collection Centre > 242 West Granton Road > Edinburgh > EH5 1JA > 00 44 131 247 4283 > p.davidson at nms.ac.uk > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Meteorite-list [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] > On > Behalf Of Daniel Noyes via Meteorite-list > Sent: 06 August 2014 17:33 > To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] "Meteorite" Sculpture by Katie Paterson > > Hi Graham, Peter and All, > > I would agree that art can be a means to challenge existing concepts and > perceptions. I think the rub in this instance is the recasting of the > meteorite, nature's art, into its own image; a human generated meteorite > clone so to speak. To re-create it into something more removed from itself > would stretch the creative boundary. > If one were to melt down an original Remington bronze sculpture and recast > it as itself, does that really challenge artistic expression, and how is > that different that the cheap "after" versions that one can buy that are > imitations of the Remington original? Given the choice between an original > work of art and its imitation, I'll take the original every time. I'm not > saying there isn't some value in what Katie did, but I think the genuine > meteorite would be more worthy of a trip to the space station... > > Best regards, > Daniel > > Daniel Noyes > Genuine Moon & Mars Meteorite Rocks > info at moonmarsrocks.com > www.moonmarsrocks.com > > > > -------- Original Message -------- > > > > > Message: 6 > Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2014 20:40:22 +0100 > From: Graham Ensor <graham.ensor at gmail.com> > To: Peter Davidson <P.Davidson at nms.ac.uk> > Cc: "Meteorite List \(meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com\)" > <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com> > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] "Meteorite" Sculpture by Katie Paterson > Message-ID: > <CAJkn+kYZOjk+oQSTy--esrnQYeVJdKLLS0tzYWw+Nj+C9frSXg at mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > Hi Peter/alas an artist myself working on more unusual projects with the > Arts Council trying to find new ways of expressing ideas...trying to > stretch > the boundaries and asking "what is art?"...etc. I find this an interesting > topic...I'm all for "art" doing what you say...but have a slight conflict > here, being a meteorite collector and using much of what I know and see in > meteoritics as inspiration for some of my own projects....there are so many > at the moment just making/doing "art" to shock...and I don't really think > that that is enough personally....and to be honest I'm not sure what she is > doing is really very original...many artists have destroyed and rebuilt > objects as themselves in the past in various ways....to me she is not > making > people think about the wonder of the object, where it comes from etc...it's > more about herself....and her practice. > > Now if she had prepared the meteorite in such a way to show off its wonder, > or even just exhibited it in a gallery as is...rather than in a > museum...then that would have asked far more questions about what art is, > or > what the object means...the recasting is not so much about the object...it > is far more about the process and her own practice....I feel she has said > far less by recasting it....but I suppose that's what art is about....it's > more about the questions that a piece is asking than the answer. > > Not sure what destroying something and remaking it in its own image and > then > sending it back to whence it came (partly) is really saying.....only those > who are wise about meteorites actually understand what aspects of the > object > she has destroyed....most of the general public/other artists etc. will see > the object as unchanged! > > Graham > > On Tue, Aug 5, 2014 at 3:35 PM, Peter Davidson via Meteorite-list > <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com> wrote: >> Dear Lads and Lassies >> >> Thank you to those who replied to the e-mail I sent about the "meteorite" > sculpture by Katie Paterson which has been sent into space. To be honest I > didn't expect a positive response and that is exactly what I got. I > attended > a talk by Katie last Saturday (2nd August) and I actually got to handle > several of the meteorites she has recast. An odd and slightly disconcerting > experience I thought. We got to chatting about possible future > collaborations but it remains to be seen what that might actually turn out > to mean. >> >> I have always believed that it one of the purposes of art (among many > other things) to challenge, shock and discomfort people and ideas by > presenting the familiar in a new and unfamiliar way - to make people > rethink > their ideas and to challenge them to take stock of their old values. This > particular project does seem to have raised a few eyebrows and rattled a > few > cages. I am mulling over the idea of asking Katie if I could present these > items at Ensisheim one year. >> >> Cheers >> >> Peter Davidson >> Senior Curator of Minerals >> >> National Museums Collection Centre >> 242 West Granton Road >> Edinburgh >> EH5 1JA >> 00 44 131 247 4283 >> p.davidson at nms.ac.uk >> >> >> Discover the treasures of China's Ming dynasty at the National Museum of > Scotland. >> Ming: The Golden Empire, 27 June-19 October 2014, www.nms.ac.uk/ming >> >> National Museums Scotland, Scottish Charity, No. SC 011130 This >> communication is intended for the addressee(s) only. If you are not the > addressee please inform the sender and delete the email from your system. > The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the > author and do not necessarily reflect those of National Museums Scotland. > This message is subject to the Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of > Information (Scotland) Act 2002. No liability is accepted for any harm that > may be caused to your systems or data by this message. >> ______________________________________________ >> >> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com >> Meteorite-list mailing list >> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com >> http://three.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > ______________________________________________ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com > http://three.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > Discover the treasures of China's Ming dynasty at the National Museum of > Scotland. > Ming: The Golden Empire, 27 June-19 October 2014, www.nms.ac.uk/ming > > National Museums Scotland, Scottish Charity, No. SC 011130 This > communication is intended for the addressee(s) only. If you are not the > addressee please inform the sender and delete the email from your system. > The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the > author and do not necessarily reflect those of National Museums Scotland. > This message is subject to the Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of > Information (Scotland) Act 2002. No liability is accepted for any harm that > may be caused to your systems or data by this message. > ______________________________________________ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com > http://three.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > > ______________________________________________ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com > http://three.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >Received on Thu 07 Aug 2014 09:43:37 PM PDT |
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