1. What does art mean to you?
Art, to me, is about expressing ideas and communicating those ideas through some kind of object or event. Art is all about the communication between idea, artist, object/event, and viewer/participant. It gets really interesting when we challenge the artist to object hierarchy and even more when the participant's role becomes more important.
2. Does art have spiritual resonance in today's society at large?
I believe art's purpose is to express things deep from the spirit of the people that can't be expressed in other ways. I am a strong believer in the collective unconscious. An object or performance remains fluid with zeitgeist of the people. We can't get away from experience, either personal, what we've seen in other art, and what context (time) we are making or viewing this work.
3. What is the most rewarding aspect of your creativity?
The most rewarding aspect of being creative has to be being able to share something that has been stuck in my head and my heart with other people. It's even more exciting when I see it connected to other ideas outside of my own work.
4. Do we lack cohesiveness as artistic entities whilst creating outside of any said "ism"?
To try to live completely outside of art theory or doctrine seems impossible when we make ourselves aware of any kind of art history. I don't think all artists consciously work within this boundaries, but I believe that someone somewhere will classify them and place them in an "ism", even if they have to create a new one. I just think that it is very difficult to escape history, culture, and even language. We are naturally collective. To me that is more important than striving for originality.
5. People are collaborating without ever actually meeting each other, are we spawning a neo-renaissance in art?
This is an exciting idea. I love collaboration and think that there is a lot of power in work when it is done this way. In a kind of obscure way, I believe all ideas are collaborations. Again I believe there is no way to escape the influence of others weather we know them personally or not. I would love to make more work that includes the participant as collaborator as well.
6. Class is insignificant when creative spirit is involved, is the artist beyond the class divide?
I would like to think so, but the art system is easily absorbed into the capitalist system, making art a commodity for those who can afford it. This isn't only objects. I believe performance also can be unattainable for those without education or language. As I make work and as I curate shows, I try to think of this. Although, I am conscious of this, I struggle constantly with being attainable to more people. My goal is to work in three main venues, the internet, events/parties, and in public agencies, such as schools or simply outside in the streets. I love the idea of creating work that is obtainable through the internet. We are so lucky that our internet is boundless and open. I am a big fan of the public library who provides internet and computers to anyone who comes in there.
7. What is most important to you?
Right now what seems most important is finding a way to fund my projects, curatorial and creative. From where my energy goes though, I'd have to say that community seems to be the most important thing to me. I am obsessed with putting people together and creating a sense of community. I love connecting people and to see what comes from it. There is a power in community.
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Rosemary Barria is an artist/curator and creator of the eclectic HYPERKEWL productions working from Kansas City/Chicago. She is one of those gifted people who can be in more than one place at a time and make wonderful things happen in other peoples lives. A true inspiration to say the least.
http://www.myspace.com/enmassechicago
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