In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Michael Petry, author, artist and Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in London about his new book “The Word Is Art” that addresses how contemporary global artists incorporate text and language into their works that speaks to some of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. In the digital and online age words have become more important than ever with text becoming information and information striving to become a free form of expression. “The Word Is Art” looks at the work of a diverse range of artists including Annette Messager, Barbara Kruger, Cerith Wyn Evans, Christian Marclay, Christopher Wool, Chun Kwang Young, eL Seed, Fiona Banner, Ghada Amer, Glenn Ligon, Harland Miller, Jenny Holzer, Kay Rosen, Laure Prouvost, Martin Creed, Rachel Whiteread, Raymond Pettibon, Roni Horn, Tania Bruguera, Zhang Huan and many more interpreting how the digital and online age have made words more important than ever. “The Word Is Art” takes us on a fascinating and richly illustrated tour interpreting these trending global art forms. We talked to Michael about his inspiration for creating this book and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBTQ civil rights Petry stated, “I’m one of the ancients who’s been around fighting for LGBTQ rights since the early eighties and I’ve been involved in so many different ways over the years. I consider myself queer because I think that is a broader term that for me represents who I am and what I think and part of that commitment as a queer who is an artist and who also is an author and a curator is to try and bring queer artists to the foreground of the art world. We only have to think back a few years to realize that LGBTQ artists were very marginalized and that’s still the case for many people. In the LGBTQ movement every year I curate a Pride Exhibition in London which I really hope to introduce LGBTQ artists not only to that community but to the straight community and I work within all the structures that are available whether that’s museums or the corporate structure to get that recognition for LGBTQ people because I think what is at issue in the broader political sphere is this notion of fear. Fear of others and of course that fear is not limited to the general public. It’s also in the art world.”
Michael Petry has written a number of books, including “Installation Art”, “The Art of Not Making: the new artist/artisan relationship”, “Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still-Life Tradition” and his most recent work “The Word Is Art” all published by Thames & Hudson. In 2019 he will be speaking and exhibiting his work worldwide.
For More Info: michaelpetry.com
1 comment:
I really enjoyed listening to Michael talk about the Institutions of Art and their reluctance to be open about LGBTQ artists. He is doing our community a tremendous service by identifying Artists in our community historically and in the presence and I applaud him.
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