The Perfect View of Darkness

 The Perfect View of Darkness 

In the writing How to See a Work of Art in Total Darkness by Darby English he discusses many contemporary Black artists. Not to be confused, these artists' race does not define their success. It is easy for western culture to immediately make accusations about one's success but these artists made appearances in the public eye solely because of their hard work and depitaction to their ideas. While explaining his ideas darts reference the art work Concerto in Black and Blue by David Hammons. 

Everyone has the same initial thought about David Hammons' Concerto in Black and Blue artwork… How do you view a work of art in complete darkness? Well, the only way to view an artwork in total darkness is if the darkness becomes a defining factor of the artwork. In Hammons' presentation of the art work, viewers collected a battery powered blue laser pointer from a bowl at the beginning of the exhibit. Then the viewers with their laser pointer in hand walked into, through and around a completely dark (black) gallery space. So obviously is the laser pointer the element of blue in the artwork and the darkness is the black. Hammons used light and dark as his media just as a painter uses paint and a potter uses clay. 

Dary English brings up this artwork by David Hammons because to perceive his work of art you really had to interact with what you were given and become a piece of the artwork. Each person experiences so subjective as well due Hammons creation of a somewhat vast unknown. The combination of whispering, people's footsteps while walking around, maybe some even stumbling, the dim blue light from the laser pointers all create a situation that the viewers cannot separate themselves from. With the viewers this artwork would not be the same. The task the audience completes is a testament to Black artists and Black art. David Hammons encourages accurate representations of Black artists and their relationships with their work. English also mentions the subjectiveness of such an art work… “acknowledge such viewer complicity is simultaneously to recognize that this viewpoint is often grounded outside the work of art itself and beyond the profound Intentions of an artist (pg 3).” English is explaining that Hammon’s artwork’s need for the audience to make it the artwork it is supposed to be is the death of Hammon as the author. With such an ambiguous media choice I think Hammons' Concerto in Black and Blue could easily be interpreted by the audience in a way that has absolutely nothing to do with his message. Hammons' message of racial inequality and violence and misrepresentation among Blacks could easily be lost but that is the risk he took to create such an impressionable piece of artwork. 

Concerto in Black and Blue, David Hammons, 2002, Image 1

Concerto in Black and Blue, David Hammons, 2002, Image 2

The picture above is a fine example of how the audience contributed to the artwork. Without the audience these photographs would not be possible. Personally, I am not sure if I would have immediately understood Hammons message for what he wanted it interpreted as. But the artwork would be quite the sensory experience and I think it would increase my level of caution while exploring the gallery space. I would have most likely interpreted it as an expression of manners, caution, and giving the unknown equal chance to be discovered which could absolutely correlate to Hammons intended meaning.

English, Darby. How to See a Work of Art in Total Darkness. Introduction. MIT Press, 2007.

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