Killing Weintraub

So it happened by chance that I chose two particularly contrasting artists out of Weintraub's text this time. All on my own! Like, zoinks!


The first read was on Lorna Simpson, a Black female photographer whom Weintraub clearly did not favor much. (More on that later.) Simpson's style  was to be as unintrusive as possible. She wants her audience to make all the decisions, without any influence from her. She does this by shrouding her models in ambiguous white frocks, leaving out heads or shooting images from behind, etc. etc., so as not to reveal any personal identity or characteristics. Although this might be seen as expressionless art, or a cry for attention as Weintraub makes it seem, I actually kind of respect it. I can definitely see how it might be perceived as just a ploy for fame, but it is her style and she's sticking with it and I admire that.


So while Simpson was publicity shy (just as Michelle Lopez was), Wenda Gu is anything but. I mean, this guy is creating at "eternal" project by inseminating one woman in each continent with his own seed. For serious. I started off reading about him thinking he had some pretty neat concepts and projects, albeit somewhat ...grotesque, for lack of a better word, his period blood and placentas were a pleasant mixture of shock value and cultural commentary/exploration. UNTIL Untitled: Impregnation Piece came along and then I guess we just threw everything out the windows.


Gu's ideal plan for these "art babies" is basically to have not only his blood children but also his brain children live on as long as humans exist. So the mom's will do the parenting, and he'll be able to say he's got one woman on each continent to impregnate herself with his essence.


Nicely done.