AMBER MATTICE
Staff Writer
Art is an eclectic mix of media and styles, and an artist is often defined by what he or she creates. Artist Ed McGowin has taken this fact and completely negated it. Beginning what was called “The Name Change Project” in 1970, McGowin legally changed his name 12 times over the course of 18 months, creating 12 artistic entities through which he created various pieces of artwork.
McGowin’s project articulated his frustration with the art world’s tendency to place young artists neatly into a category based on what they had created at a specific point in their careers.
During his lecture, given on Thursday, Oct. 15, McGowin stated that he saw the project as “an exciting, stimulating way to go through life.” He repeatedly emphasized that it worked for him but was a concept not many people were able to grasp.
When asked why he chose to create different personas, McGowin said that he “did not want to feel obliged to stay within a specific medium.” This explains why each name correlated with a different art form, and why his art not only changed media, but changed conceptually in a variety of ways as well.
It was interesting to hear him speak of his art and to explain the thought processes behind each piece. His project is an attempt to alter the art world and to influence society’s view on pop-culture in a positive way.
He remarked that he was, to a certain extent, “creating an economy in the art world” that strays away from the focus on “big money” and allows room for future contemporary artists. At one point in the lecture, a student commented on the fact that each piece seemed to narrate an opinion or historical event, and this was completely intentional, as McGowin was attempting to make a point through each of his creations.
Each persona was a “metaphor for what [he] was about.” Whether he was illustrating the racial struggle in the South, where he is from, or critiquing Southern patriarchy, each of his creations told a prominent and resonating story that reflected his own life, as well as the message he sought to convey through each persona.
It was clearly evident during the Q&A that students were intrigued by McGowin’s artwork and the way he approached the creation process. He was asked several questions and gave interesting answers.
“It gave me a new perspective on how I should look at my own art and how to approach my art [and] gave me ideas on how to make my art my own,” said Melissa Neuburger, a freshman animation and illustration major.
It is this fresh view on the artistic world and art itself that McGowin intended to evoke through his project. By going against the traditional standards set in the artistic community, McGowin has served to inspire both art students and well-known artists to reconceptualize how they view their own artwork and how to approach future projects.
Art is a form of expression that is very individualized and, as McGowin expressed, not everyone can successfully go about it in the same way.