Comments on: MFA Programs: The Preamble http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/ You just go on your nerve. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:28:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Michelle Kaufman http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-50258 Michelle Kaufman Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:38:22 +0000 http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-50258 Hi there! Where is the conclusion to your MFA commentary? I am a painter and I am thinking about getting one and would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks Hi there! Where is the conclusion to your MFA commentary? I am a painter and I am thinking about getting one and would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks

]]> By: Leslie Brown http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-17144 Leslie Brown Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:53:40 +0000 http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-17144 There was a really great multi-author "Art School Symposium" "A Group Crit" on these issues and more in the May issue of Art in America. Chock a block with a dozen interesting POVs and highly recommended. It's not online, sadly, but well worth seeking out. - Leslie There was a really great multi-author “Art School Symposium” “A Group Crit” on these issues and more in the May issue of Art in America. Chock a block with a dozen interesting POVs and highly recommended. It’s not online, sadly, but well worth seeking out. - Leslie

]]> By: Personism » Blog Archive » Liar, Liar http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-17065 Personism » Blog Archive » Liar, Liar Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:58:15 +0000 http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-17065 [...] maybe not a liar, but I should know better than to promise to get back to something later when I’m in the middle of 10 million different [...] [...] maybe not a liar, but I should know better than to promise to get back to something later when I’m in the middle of 10 million different [...]

]]> By: Lane http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-17000 Lane Tue, 10 Jul 2007 02:28:52 +0000 http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-17000 Jen, I'm excited to read your input on MFA programs. Since I took a detour to New Zealand, I don't plan to go for another few years yet, but I've already started researching schools and keeping a list of possibilities. I look forward to hearing your take on it. Jen, I’m excited to read your input on MFA programs. Since I took a detour to New Zealand, I don’t plan to go for another few years yet, but I’ve already started researching schools and keeping a list of possibilities. I look forward to hearing your take on it.

]]> By: Gong Szeto http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-16964 Gong Szeto Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:19:51 +0000 http://www.personism.com/2007/07/09/mfa-programs-the-preamble/#comment-16964 it is a fact that there were a lot of dotcom refugees thrown into a position of soul-searching after the "easy-money" period of the dotcom boom occurred - like "you know, i really don't know jack about business so i'd better go to school for it." or "you know, the overt commercialism if the world is really bugging me, so i am going to make art, which is really what matters." i think the fall out was a good thing. i think the runup was a bad thing. the net result is that a lot of young, smart people got proactive and tried to deepen the areas that attracted them to entrepreneurialism (or rather, an acute look at themselves and their role in value-creation in this capitalistic world). more knowledge is more power. i, for the record, include making art as entrepreneurial. think about it. it makes sense to think of it that way. i, too, took a period to soul-search and patch some gaps in my knowledge, and truth-be-told, 6 years later i am still at it. but in the process, i've learned what really truly interests me, and what doesn't. it took a while. ultimately, it's about creating new value. value for someone, be it a "consumer", "an end-user", "a collector", whatever. art traffics in highly aesthetic realms, and it is a proven and valid commercial pursuit (of course, i am speaking only to those artists who "sell" their work (or aspire to - which is probably 98% of the working artist realm, holier-than-thou attitude notwithstanding). whether or not one's vision translates into financial success is something that is common in both the business and art realms, and that's where a healthy understanding of risk comes in. i think MBA's could benefit from teachings in MFA-land, and vice versa (moreso the latter, IMO). in terms of career validation, i believe that one should strive like hell to monetize one's interests and talents in whatever way possible. it may not be obvious today, but with perseverance and tenacity, i think "quality" always has value in today's market. i just ask that people not only get good at their respective "games" but also develop critical thinking skills about what's good or bad in their respective fields and really try hard to innovate. innovation takes critical thinking, and the market rewards handsomely the right kinds of innovation. 20x200 is innovative, and probably never could have happened had you not meandered the way you did, so feel really good about where you are now. and fight like hell to get where you want to go because no one will ever do it for you. as for the post-bust MFA's out there - what is it about what happened in 1997-2001 that makes you think you have something to add to an already burgeoning canon of commentary on society? i know what *i* observed - i just want to know what you did. it is a fact that there were a lot of dotcom refugees thrown into a position of soul-searching after the “easy-money” period of the dotcom boom occurred - like “you know, i really don’t know jack about business so i’d better go to school for it.” or “you know, the overt commercialism if the world is really bugging me, so i am going to make art, which is really what matters.” i think the fall out was a good thing. i think the runup was a bad thing. the net result is that a lot of young, smart people got proactive and tried to deepen the areas that attracted them to entrepreneurialism (or rather, an acute look at themselves and their role in value-creation in this capitalistic world). more knowledge is more power. i, for the record, include making art as entrepreneurial. think about it. it makes sense to think of it that way.

i, too, took a period to soul-search and patch some gaps in my knowledge, and truth-be-told, 6 years later i am still at it. but in the process, i’ve learned what really truly interests me, and what doesn’t. it took a while.

ultimately, it’s about creating new value. value for someone, be it a “consumer”, “an end-user”, “a collector”, whatever. art traffics in highly aesthetic realms, and it is a proven and valid commercial pursuit (of course, i am speaking only to those artists who “sell” their work (or aspire to - which is probably 98% of the working artist realm, holier-than-thou attitude notwithstanding). whether or not one’s vision translates into financial success is something that is common in both the business and art realms, and that’s where a healthy understanding of risk comes in. i think MBA’s could benefit from teachings in MFA-land, and vice versa (moreso the latter, IMO).

in terms of career validation, i believe that one should strive like hell to monetize one’s interests and talents in whatever way possible. it may not be obvious today, but with perseverance and tenacity, i think “quality” always has value in today’s market. i just ask that people not only get good at their respective “games” but also develop critical thinking skills about what’s good or bad in their respective fields and really try hard to innovate. innovation takes critical thinking, and the market rewards handsomely the right kinds of innovation.

20×200 is innovative, and probably never could have happened had you not meandered the way you did, so feel really good about where you are now. and fight like hell to get where you want to go because no one will ever do it for you.

as for the post-bust MFA’s out there - what is it about what happened in 1997-2001 that makes you think you have something to add to an already burgeoning canon of commentary on society? i know what *i* observed - i just want to know what you did.

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