DIO (Do-it-ourselves) Gallery | Aesthetic Social Theory | Kara Thorndike

(Do-it-ourselves) DIO Gallery

A gallery of home, place, and all the spaces

inclusion, access, art in public, anarchist aesthetics

performance, 2023-2024

The art world as we know it today is self-contained, self-referential and exclusionary by design. There are a small number of accepted ways to do, make, and experience art. Art itself is placed on a pedestal, disconnected from life and being. Art work suffers the same illness. There is something we can do to prefigure a more inclusive conception of art and art work. Let's give it a try...

Where art work lives

Our choice.

Dear Friends and Friends in the Making,

I've been wondering about (small?) ways to shift how we experience art and art work. About how to bring art into our daily lived experience, as a part of our being. To democratize who makes and experiences art, and to show the many definitions of what is and is for. I keep coming back to an idea that is terrifying and exhilarating, offering you art work and letting you decide what is important and what it is for.

Why should curators, museums, and art galleries tell us how to experience art? And what art to experience? What if we decide where the art work goes? And equally as important, what surrounds the art work? Taste is, after all, an expression of what we've come to expect based on our cultural experiences. For many of us, what we value is in part what we have been surrounded by, what we've become used to, and in part what we have been told to value. Especially in culture and art work.

I want to circumvent the art system. To get art directly out into our daily lives. Art we are drawn to, or repulsed by. Work that we decide is art for us. And hear how we experience the art work in daily life. In daily use if you will. How can we show art work in use? Where is art, and what is art, if away from the artificial and sterile environments of the corporation and government lobby, museum and gallery? What is art, and what is art's use in homes? Personal work space? Place of learning? What is our experience of art in daily life, in our own personal context? Let's find out! Together.

Wait, wait, wait. What do I care about art and the art world? I hear you my friend. Because for many of us, art might be interesting but is superfluous. Besides the point and unnecessary for survival even. I've made that argument myself. Hang on though. Take a moment and look around. Art surrounds us, everywhere we go, and we make choices about what we like, don't like, what is important and what is not on a daily basis. Art, aesthetics, the look and feel of everyday life play a crucial role in lived experience, whether we are aware or not.

Here's what I propose...

A DIO (Do-it-ourselves) Gallery. Choose an art work that resonates with, intrigues, interests, speaks, or calls to you. I'll ship the work for you to place in your own personal context. Be home, work, school, any place that you, after careful and thoughtful consideration, feel the work belongs. How might you choose? I offer one guiding principle, choose a work that elicits a response, negative or positive . Consider what about that work is electing your response. Then tap into that feeling, instinct, thought process, etc. to decide what the work is to you and what to do with it. Really, it really is completely up to you. There are just three conditions.

Choose to participate in good faith and carry out the experiment to the finish.
While the work is in your space, you must share online, and let me know where, about your experience with the work.
OR share with me directly via a journal, diary, google sheets.
Be sure to take pictures and reflect on...
1. What response does the work elicit?
2. Where is the work now and why?
3. How do experience the work on a day-to-day basis?
4. How do you feel about that experience?
5. What is art to you? and why?
6. Has that changed since this art work has come to you? if so, how?
After 3 months, you must either return the art work or negotiate to keep/gift it. No pressure either way, whatever makes sense for you.

And that's it. That simple really. I am curious and excited to see what happens, to hear your experiences.

Art works

Browse through the photos to see what is available to choose from. When something strikes you, elicits a response, email me with the name of the work. You can choose up to three art works to live with for the three month period. We'll sort out the logistics, and don't worry, I'll cover getting the work to you.