from Ox-Bow

We are working on an assignment to create a structure or residence based on historical architectural or artistic references. I am considering a Weaver's nest in reference to Widow's weaver's guilds created to sustain widows after wars. The best reference I have found is to Jessie Vasey, the Australian advocate who became a war widow herself. She founded guilds in all the provinces of Australia, and worked on housing, pension and legal issues.

The weaver bird creates beautifully woven nests which are entered through tubes at the bottom of the nest which is suspended from a branch. I would create some reference to the woven habitat to fulfill the assignment. It might be some form of installed nest, or perhaps a performance of weaving on location somewhere on campus.

Meeting with Stephanie Brooks brought out two names: Agnes Martin's grid paintings and
Rosalind Krauss a critic who writes about the grid in 20th Century art. I have looked at a little of this, but will continue the research. She commented about how interesting it is to have something reference grid paintings, without being about the grid at all, but rather about this other situation in Iraq with the resigned minister.

Another word for the Widows piece is advocacy. The work can advocate without being about fundraising, but then to what degree is it successful. We talked this morning about what "good" art is vs. "important" art. Is this either? Both?