Service Aesthetics: Is it really art?

By Kristin Bruch

One of my hopes for the new year is to spark conversations from this blog. Tori, my new fellow blog editor, and I are planning to share reviews of the exhibitions we see, comments on art in the making, and thoughts on articles we read. (Side note: if you have anything you would like to contribute, please let us know!)

We'd like to start the dialogue with the topic of aesthetics. While aesthetics is a fairly difficult word to spell, the word is even more difficult to define. To my understanding, relational aesthetics refers to the art of the 1990s that is more about human interaction and social context. Aesthetic art is not about personal contemplation, no longer about sitting reflectively in front of a Rothko. Fair enough, right?

One group of artists branched out of relational aesthetics to what is called service aesthetics. Service aesthetics is defined by a one-on-one connection between two people while the artist is performing a free service for the viewer, or "client."

Let me give you an example of service aesthetics that Steven Madoff discussed in the September 2008 issue of Artforum. "...at the Whitney Biennial in New York last March, artist Bert Rodriguez presented In the Beginning . . . , 2008. The piece consisted of a simulacrum of a generic psychologist’s office— complete with de rigueur stuffed leather chairs and potted plant—in which the artist (although he is not a trained therapist) held forty-five-minute personal consultations. By nature, these sessions were intensely personal for both the subject and the artist, moving toward a symbolic enactment of therapeutic release."

The question becomes, is this really art? Aren't these artists just performing regular tasks that we typically pay for all the time? Although my classmates may disagree with me, this is art. These artists are pushing the idea of aesthetics in a new way. They are taking the idea of the service economy we live in every day and putting a personal connection back into it, all for free, to demonstrate the lack of interpersonal connections in the transactions of our everyday lives. In my opinion, art serves as a mirror of the world, and this is one aspect of the world that needs to be addressed.

Service aesthetics is art. Granted, we get to decide whether it is good or bad. What do you think?

To leave you with some thoughts.. check out the video below from Bert Rodriguez, the nontraditional therapist, discussing his art:

Visiting Artist #1: Kurt Kauper

For the past two days, Kurt Kauper has been visiting American University. Being the first visiting artist for spring 2010, Kauper started our semester with inspiration and insight.

With back to back critiques and an artist talk on Tuesday night (January 19^th), a few cups of coffee were definitely needed. I believe, and if I may speak for my fellow MFA students, that his visit was a success. The crits have been well received and many of us are left with new ideas and a long list of artists to look up.

Not only were the critiques helpful, his artist talk was engaging and informing. Presenting and answering questions for a little over an hour, Kauper discussed influences, ideas, and process. He led us through his bodies of work starting with an Ingres study, done after high school, to his famous figures of present day. His works are impressively rendered and dialogue with the accuracy of modern day computer graphics. Attention is paid to every hair and birthmark seen on his subjects. The pieces invite the viewer to stand in awe of his technique and in question of the environments in which he places his figures and the choice of clothing or lack thereof. Kauper is famously known for his Diva Series, but has also painted the notorious faces of Carey Grant, Bobby Orr, and Barack and Michelle Obama.

Kauper’s works, bio, and contact can be viewed at www.kurtkauper.com

Check back for updates on our future visiting artists.

Spring Schedule: (all talks will be at the Katzen Art Center, AU)

• February 8^th: Julie Langsam: 6p in Crit Space
• February 16^th: Beverly McIver: 6p in Recital Hall
• March 4^th: Hilary Harkness: 6p in Crit Space
• April 1^st: Erik Thor Sandberg: 6p in Recital Hall

Ink-N-Print 09 Small Works Show

Ink-N-Print 09 Small Works Show
Curated by Helen Frederick
Exhibition Dates: December 2 - 24, 2009
Opening Reception: Friday, December 4, 6:00PM-8:00PM

Erwin Thamm's Tacking Left, 2009 (Silkscreen)

Internationally recognized print artist and founder of Pyramid Atlantic, Helen Frederick, has hand-selected more than thirty of the area's most accomplished print artists to present their unique works at affordable prices- just in time for the holiday season!

Prints are available both framed and unframed. In addition, various other printed cards will be available for sale.

This stunning collection will feature artworks by Caroline Battle, Graham Boyle, Meaghan Busch, Kannan Cangro, Rosemary Covey, Georgia Deal, Donald Depuydt, Helen Frederick, Jenny Freestone, Tai Hwa Goh, Amelia Hankin, Marty Ittner, Fleming Jeffries, Rebecca Katz, Ann Klopfenstein, Bridget Sue Lambert, Elaine Langerman, Moira McCauley, Lindsay McCulloch, Jake Muirhead, Johanna Mueller, Martha Oatway, Beverly Ress, Patrick Sargent, Gretchen Schermerhorn, Elzbieta Sikorska, Lynn Sures, Terry Svat, Erwin Thamm and Jenny Walton (AU alumni '08).

[p]review

The Katzen Art Museum presents [p]review Saturday April 11- April 18, 2009
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 11, 2009 6-8pm

Featuring the work of '10 MFA students Jerri Castillo, Meggan Eckardt, Claire Feng, Yumi Hogan, Mindy Hirt, Annette Isham, Amy Kreiger, Carlie Leagjeld, Brendan Loper, Matthew Shelly, and Rachel Sitkin

Katzen Art Center
4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20016

MICA's MFA Thesis Exhibitions

reviewed by Yumi Hogan
MICA's MFA Thesis Exhibition
March 27-May 3
1300 Mount Royal Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21217



With more than 40 artists exhibiting, MICA has chosen to break this year’s MFA Exhibition into three separate shows highlighting approx. 15 artists each group for a period of two weeks. Last Friday’s opening brought excitement and relief as many students could see the light at the end of their graduate study tunnel. One artist in particular, Jin Young Kang, commented that the MFA journey was well worth the effort. Her work, inspired by natural landscapes, has a strong emphasis on obsessive marks and geometric shapes; it was well reviewed by all those in attendance. All of her works display a well-balanced set of color, shape and space. Her attention to detail is critical in evoking her determined sense of self. Kang began as a painting/drawing student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and will complete her MFA from the Mount Royal School of Art this spring.


The entire exhibit is housed in three galleries- Decker, Meyerhoff and Fox and incorporates master candidates from MICA’s Graphic Design, Hoffberger School of Painting, Mount Royal School of Art, Photographic and Electronic Media, and Rinehart School of Sculpture programs.

MFA Thesis Exhibition II (Friday, April 10-Sunday, April 19) features a reception on Friday, April 10, 5-7 p.m., and gallery talks Wednesday, April 1, 1-4:30 p.m.

A reception for MFA Thesis Exhibition III (Friday, April 24-Sunday, May 3) takes place Friday, April 24, 5-7 p.m., and gallery talks are Wednesday, April 29, 1-4:30 p.m.