From Warhol to !WOWOW! from the YBA's to LUCKY PDF and beyond it seems that sociability can be the  key to the Art scene – yet can this sociability threaten the integrity, and has ART become just another excuse for a party?

After an intense week of scampering around London galleries I’ve just done something radical; I stared at my white studio wall. I’ve never done this before; it’s always my laptop/someone’s face/my own face in some mirrored Perspex. This zen moment was at once a calming yet terrifyingly existential one; anything could happen here and it’s all up to me! But I’m never actually alone when making Art - there’s an elaborate framework of people, places and organisations behind me. The solitary artist is a rare phenomenon these days. We no longer starve in garrets, never encountering a shower (well not most of us anyway!) The modern artist is shiny and sociable; just check out the customary specs-black, bold and definitive; it’s all about outwards staring rather than introverted pondering.
In that case, what’s all the laptop gazing about? The answer is communication; I love receiving invites to art openings/events - most of which are run by young excitable entrepreneurial groups putting on nights incorporating both Art and Music. Thanks to the enduring cool factor of Goldsmiths College and availability of cheap/disused spaces, a lot of this is currently happening in South East London. Also, following the legendary !WOWOW! collective founded in 2003 who hosted renegade warehouse parties, the Peckham scene continues to flourish with groups such as Lucky PDF (more to come about this lot in future issues!) But in whose paint encrusted footsteps are these groups treading?
Taking it to extremes, in the 60’s Warhol’s Factory was the centre for avant garde happenings in New York. Outsiders to society were attracted to the silver space like moths to the moon and re-cast as Superstars. The Underground became Velvet as Warhol exposed his cultivated subculture to mass culture; Pop Art was all about being popular. When the moon turned out to be a lightbulb and as fake as Andy’s wig, the Superstars soon burned out, but the myth lives on and since then art has had an undeniable link with publicity.
Now, due to an everyday which is  becoming increasingly harsh and unforgiving, escapism is on the rise and parties are indicative of our increased sociability. Interaction makes us human and in sparse times it is our instinct to huddle together like a group of penguins fending off the arctic chill. The constant changing of the penguins on the outside is much like hosting a party; convincing the police that it’s a civilised family get together (“me nan loves dubstep!”) and cleaning up the crap afterwards - it’s great that way because you only have to host it occasionally and get to destroy your mate’s place next time!
Crystal Carvell says “yes please!” to these parties; dress up like an Aztec warrior, dance like a deranged dickhead, fall on your ass and get a bruise in the shape of Mickey Mouse. The importance seems to be whether it’s an event where the party happens because of the art, not vice-versa; you do actually want people to LOOK at your work and not puke on it do ya?!
So, with the risk of sounding like me mum; it’s all about balancing the making and partying - both are crucial and co-dependent; shit show = shit party. Oh and after the after party‘s ended, whatever you do, don’t stare at a wall! Make some wicked work and then you may need some help from your mates to get it out there and you can get a matching Minnie bruise on the other cheek to cheer Mickey up!

 

Article by supersupertv