Our old friend Chris Jordan

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

What I will say about Chris's current work is that it's getting people to talk. Talk about his work talk about the subject matter. No, he's not giving solutions to problems but without conversation we'll never get there. To me that's one sign of good art, getting people involved and talking. I find most of his new work interesting and captivating. It's also nice to see someone from this forum/ former participant/ getting some success, I wish him well.

We have been having conversations about the environment since the 70s. The green house effect has been bandied around since the 80s. This is not a a problem that has a single solution and it would be unfair to ask Jordan that he propose a solution when he does not have the knowledge to do so.

The old cliche if you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem applies very well here. What does he do aside from exploiting the environmental theme to be part of the solution? Does he support any environmental causes either with time or money? I bet not. Here lies the problem I have with this kind of activism, that is nothing more than hypocresy masked under good intentions. There has to come a time when we need to move past the "talking" stage and do something. Each of us can do something, some more than others but we can all contribuite. Conmiserating and showing work that tells us how "bad" we are and then going about your life just like you did before is nothing more than exploitation.

He found a good hook, good for him, he found success with this hook, good for him once more. But the work and the "message" is empty. Telling people he just wants to "show" how terrible is this consumerism is a cop out. You would have to be living on a cave for the last 30 years not to be aware of this.

[paulr]

Considering how his new work was created, yes I have seen it "in person". Right here on my computer monitor.

that's b.s. and you know it. the work is very large prints. if you haven't seen them then you haven't seen them.

[paulr]

We have been having conversations about the environment since the 70s. The green house effect has been bandied around since the 80s. This is not a a problem that has a single solution and it would be unfair to ask Jordan that he propose a solution when he does not have the knowledge to do so.

Well, we have been having conversations about the landscape since the 1700s and conversations about portraits since before the middle ages. Does this mean there's nothing left to talk about or make art about?

[chris jordan]

Hello guys, great to see a thread about my work, and thank you all for your engaged comments. As always, my work is meant to provoke; if I wanted to do work that didn't provoke, I'd be shooting B&W calla lilies. But then someone would be complaining that my work wasn't engaged in the contemporary world, eh?

Those of you who want to see me get my butt kicked are in for a treat: I will be on the Steven Colbert Report on October 10th. Holy FREAK! If I come out of that one unscathed, then I will take Frank Petronio out for a beer at the bar of his choice.

Warm regards from Seattle,

~cj

[Don Miller]

that's b.s. and you know it. the work is very large prints. if you haven't seen them then you haven't seen them.

I see. Make it big enough and it's art. I need to look at that new epson 60 inch printer.

[paulr]

ha!

chris, PLEASE post about your experience after the show. i'm dying to know how well prepped (if at all) his guests are.

you know it's going to be a mock ass-kicking, right?

with luck more entertaining than the mock ass-kicking you've been getting here.

[Don Miller]

Hello guys, great to see a thread about my work, and thank you all for your engaged comments. As always, my work is meant to provoke; if I wanted to do work that didn't provoke, I'd be shooting B&W calla lilies. But then someone would be complaining that my work wasn't engaged in the contemporary world, eh?

Those of you who want to see me get my butt kicked are in for a treat: I will be on the Steven Colbert Report on October 10th. Holy FREAK! If I come out of that one unscathed, then I will take Frank Petronio out for a beer at the bar of his choice.

Warm regards from Seattle,

~cj

Subtly threaten to use Colbert head as the building block of a huge unflattering image. That'll keep in line.

[paulr]

I see. Make it big enough and it's art. I need to look at that new epson 60 inch printer.

sure, join the straw man argument crowd and see if anyone's impressed.

your comment was about the impact of the work, which suggests something about the experience of looking at it. i wanted to ascertain if you actually had that experience. you've already answered.

[Don Miller]

Jorge, something more along those lines. I think for the viewer knowing that what they are seeing is actual, real life, is more powerful than knowing that someone constructed something to illustrate a point.

I posted a contrail photo below, it's unmanipulated, and I'm not claiming it's a better or worse photo of contrails than Chris Jordan's. I happen to really like Chris Jordan's Contrail photo. But the one I posted is real and I wonder if reality illustrates the point better in this case.

O.T. The temperature effect of no contrails in the US for a few days after 911 is very interesting. Well, interesting for those interested in science over FOX news.

[claudiocambon]

What does he do aside from exploiting the environmental theme to be part of the solution? Does he support any environmental causes either with time or money? I bet not.

Chris donated all the profits from his book on Katrina to a non-profit, which is admirable.

His responsibilities as an individual consumer aside, it is his role as an artist to put forth issues that need to be discussed in new and compelling ways; that's what artists do. There is nothing facile about what he is doing at all, ie, as others have said, getting people to consider the problem in new ways.