Stuckism

[art4net]

STUCKISM is a new, radical art movement founded to advance the cause of painting as the most vital artistic means of addressing contemporary issues.

STUCKISM is a rebuttal of the twentieth century development of modernism, which has resulted in an increasingly fragmented, isolated, material-obsessed and stultifying academia, existing not by virtue of the work but institutional and financial power, flattered by a surfeit of critical acquiescence.

The STUCKISTS are, therefore, opposed to the current pretensions of so-called BRIT ART, PERFORMANCE ART, INSTALLATION ART, VIDEO ART, CONCEPTUAL ART, MINIMAL ART and anything claiming to be art which incorporates dead animals or beds - mainly because they are unremarkable and boring.

The name STUCKISM was derived, in the best art historical tradition, from an insult, in this case from last year's Turner Prize Nominee TRACEY EMIN to ex-boyfriend BILLY CHILDISH: "Your paintings are stuck, you are stuck! Stuck! Stuck! Stuck!"

This was quoted in a poem by Billy Childish. CHARLES THOMSON subsequently coined the term STUCKISM and they joined forces to found a group. The most important ideas behind this impetus are contained in a co-written Manifesto. This has been followed by Remodernism 'towards a new spirituality in art', a period to replace the current bankruptcy of Postmodernism.

www.stuckism.com/

[ignorAmouse]

Their's is, arguably, a noble cause. Especially in the current British climate of "Brit Art" and "Y.B.A." pretentiousness which seeks to surround and promote itself in paper thin art theory and over referential supposed irony. The only unfortunate thing is that the likes of Emin (Childish's nemesis you could say), Hirst, Lucas et al are still firmly holding the reigns in popular British art consciousness despite countless new artists who are, I hate to say it, more capable of creating art of worth in the broader sense than they.
Where I personally disagree with their treatise is that not all Post-Modernist Art is, for me, worthless. Art is what you make of it.
The Stuckist's shennanigans - protests outside awards (Turner Prize) and holding alternate versions of that award - remind me of the artist's protests outside the likes of M.O.M.A. in the 1960's regarding similar anti-institutionalist ideas. They didn't work either.
I do agree, however, with the point about the overarching failure of the criticism (written) of Modern British Art. No one seems to be brave enough to stand up to the Saatchi machine and therein lies the problem.

[Jesse Richards]

The Stuckists are having their first major exhibition at the Walker National Gallery in Liverpool in September 2004

for details see:
www.stuckism.com

and:
www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatsonnet/futureExhibitions.aspx

Check it out if you're around at that time

Jesse Richards
www.thingyyscoundrel.com