NYAB Event - Holly Crawford "Outsourced Critics 2006-2009"

Holly Crawford "Outsourced Critics 2006-2009"

AC Institute

This event has ended.

Presented for the first time as a full installation in AC [Chapel], "Outsourced Critics" is a project conceived by artist Holly Crawford. Through an unconventional use of the catalogue from the Amory International Art Fair, "Outsourced Critics" challenges conventional aesthetics, explores the preconceived concept of an authentic experience in viewing artwork as well delves into the inherently polemic nature of art fairs.

The premise behind "Outsourced Critics" consisted of recruiting 9 people including artists, critics, curators and museum directors from around the world (Europe, India, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Middle East) to review the Armory Fair. Each participant was asked to be an "out"sourced critic—meaning that they were not present in New York City while it took place. Moreover, the terms "outsourced" and "critic" were presented as conceptual questions in themselves. The participants were asked to experience and critically reflect on, and respond to, the fair solely through the Armory catalogue that was FedEx-ed to them along with the payment of $1.00. Responses had to be text only, no images or other visual mediums were permitted and their submission had to be returned in two weeks time.

The submitted texts consist of essays, lists, stories, email correspondences and critical commentaries by Claude Closky, Eitan Buganim, Hemda Rosenbaum, Jerome Sans, Josette Balsa, Brian Curtin, Yonatan Amir, Vasif Kortun and Sven Lutticken, who were brought together with the assistance of Lillian Fellmann. The overall piece reflects the commodification and objectification of art within the market and fairs. The installation also includes the logistical ephemera for Outsourced Critics, such as FedEx tracking numbers and shipping schedules that mark and connect the time and space of the catalog in transit from New York to each participant.