Curator’s Statement

“BIG IDEAS: Real and Imagined”

By Kathleen Laziza

True artists are always scheming the next big idea with intense ambition to do extraordinary things. In reality there is no earthly reason why ordinary people would choose to work in such a rarified, esoteric, counterculture and counter economy world with little to no recognition except when they have a vast amount of inner sparkle trying to get out.

Emerging and established artists alike wrestle with the demons of self-sacrifice because the nature of their passion is to be consumed beyond measure. Becoming an artist in America has many pathways. However, sustaining a career as an artist in America takes cunning that almost has nothing to do with craft; and there is much to admire about the stagecraft of the art industry. As senior curator at Micro Museum, I roll with a freewheeling style fully expecting to see how American artists will respond, and well accepting that art with all its fantastic-ness is full of BIG IDEAS.

Micro Museum became an institution by default -- born out of ideals represented by fellow artist William Laziza, myself and countless others. This ideal became a lifestyle of capturing little “snapshots” of humanity, thus creating significant emotional links between people when it was least expected. These snapshots are proof that creativity practiced daily is a successful method for accomplishing dynamic artistic goals bigger than oneself.

For 23 years Micro Museum’s history of seeking superior art expressions, specifically addressing 21^st Century experiences, have brought together a wealth of artistic craftsmanship, deep personal commitment and unique collective vision. It is through this history that I have appreciated and have come to understand, that necessity is not the mother of invention, discipline is. It is discipline that makes all things real.

We offer the following provocative themes to national artists in 2009. BIG IDEAS will conclude with a showcase exhibition titled “Signature Power: Legends and other Myths” in 2010. We ask our audiences to vote for their favorite artists throughout the year, so we can take their feedback into consideration.

Feb 28 For Your Lines Only

Apr 25 DNA r' US

June 27 Vertical Penmanship

Aug 22 Hidden Pictures: Voyeurism in America

Oct 31 Magic Numbers

There are real and imagined influences at work when looking at art. There is an automatic sense of suspension that occurs when the mind registers many values at once, including aspects of ones own body in conjunction to the work at hand. These influences soak into our cells and sometimes cause us to remember even the smallest detail of these humanity-based “snapshots”.

Real influences are direct, like seeing a beautiful color that might inspire you to decorate yourself and your environment differently, or learning about an inspiring narrative that might make you listen more carefully to your inner self. Real influences inspire us to take action consciously. Imagined influences happen when we unconsciously connect to a bigger perception of ourselves in the world through the dynamics of art and culture. Hearing powerful music can haunt you just as surely as a commercial jingle can powerfully shape a generation’s associations and judgments. For example: was the music of the revolutionary1960’s a catalyst for social change or were US civil rights advances successfully expressed and fueled by musicians? As that music became increasingly iconic over time now it is frequently used for selling American cars in TV commercials. Is the music still revolutionary? That is a matter of perception. So when Micro Museum is selecting art to match our innovative themes we are balancing the artist’s skills to manipulate perception against real and imagined results. This is why Micro Museum’s approach uniquely embraces American artists as they live and express themselves at this magical moment in time.