From: richard haden <richard_haden-AT-yahoo.com>
Date: 28 Jan 2010 22:43:57 UTC   (02:43:57 PM in author's locale)
To: Situationist <situationist-AT-lists.nothingness.org>

“Making Art out of an encounter”

Tino Sehgal is an artist currently showing at the Guggenheim Museum. There is a lot of press about his work, but so far I have yet to read any of these seemingly smart art writers mention the obvious influences by the “Situationist” on Sehgal’s work and ideas. I brought the matter up with the art critic, Jerry Saltz who has had an ongoing discussion about this artist on his facebook blog. Apparently Saltz is going to do a review in the New York magazine soon about Sehgals performances / relational work at the GUG. It will be interesting if he mentions the Situationist after having been clued in to the most basic reference that any decent art writer worth his salt art should already know. But like any other kind of historical referencing, many writers like to link an artist to other more sellable art commodity. The below paragraphs are what I posted on Saltz’s FB site.

Also included just below is a good link to an article about Sehgal that illustrates what I think you all will find good about his work. Even though there is no mention of the “Situationist” original ideas regarding creating situations (the obvious link between the SI and Sehgal) there is , never the less mention of other important past happenings. (you can also do a search of this artist online for yourself just in case the NY Times article is not available to you on line--or if you don’t want to register with the Times)
If you do a search, you will see how the SI project still lives on.

www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/magazine/17seghal-t.html


Richard HadenTino Sehgal is a contemporary version of a 60's "Situationist". He recuperates the Creating of Situations as his work. If you have read any of the Situationist archives you can see his influence. His work also relates to relational Aesthetics which was also partly inspired by the early Situationist activities. I like what I read about Sehgal's work but as you can "imagine" one has to be engaged with the created situation since it is not an archival document like traditional exhibitions or performances. Much of this kind of work also comes from a Heideggarian idea of reacting to environmental moods or ambiances...and the possibility of manipulating social moods as do artist like Jorge Pardo and other relationist practices...

He has used security guards in the past as part of his game like creations...i think it is harder than one might think to pull off the creation of a situation, whether it be a ludic game or just an institutional like intervention. I can imagine a Duane Hanson sleeping guard as the silent critic for a failed situation. Here is a link to the meaning of creating Situations:

www.bopsecrets.org/

SI/1.situations.htm
Tue at 2:29pm ·

AsBestUs

Richard Haden
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