The number of people populating NYC who claim to be an artist would sink the moon. While most often you may find yourself trapped by one of these leather fedora wearing artist types who hop from opening to opening, pulling Hot Topic inspired sketches from their portfolio in an effort to impress girls, or whoever will listen, the other hand will have to hunt to find an artist who’s quickly producing a body of work that shines out from the pile, and who seems to do so effortlessly, and humbly. In this case, and at this week’s School of Visual Arts Open Exhibition, that person is Andrea McGinty.
An excerpt from Andrea’s artist statement gives some background on what her work is all about:
“Obsessively documenting the people and places around me, my videos, performances, and installations engage strangers and their environments in non-consensual participation. Analyzing identity, failures in communication, and the longing to connect, I recreate and reinterpret my observations borrowing from our digitally prevalent culture. The interconnectedness between art history and society influences my broad reference material, sourced from contemporary art, popular culture, and social media.”
We wanted to know more, so we cornered her in her studio to ask a few questions.
BUST: So what would you say was the intended message of this grouping of art?
Andrea McGinty: All of the works are creating a spiritual practice for my non-existent higher power. They all are sort of grabbing at different spiritualities, different religious groups, and taking them out of their context and creating new rituals for my own ritual practice.
When you make something, what do you hope the outcome will be? Do you make it primarily for yourself, or for an unseen audience?
Definitely while I’m making it the audience is considered. It’s partially for myself, but it’s definitely made to be seen. I like to keep things kind of open and vague so the audience can have their own experience with what they’re seeing.
What do you think the importance is of bringing sexuality into art? Sometimes when an artist is a feminist they want to make things anti-sexual, but it seems to be something you use.
I definitely feel like it’s important, and I feel like I have had the experience in the past of women talking to each other about sex and being very uncomfortable about it, but I feel like it’s a big part of my life and I feel very comfortable and open. Not that everyone should feel the same way, but I feel like it’s a part of who we are, and a thing that’s often subdued.
Make sure to catch Andrea’s work at the Open Studios Exhibition tonight, or on Saturday, the event’s closing evening. Full details HERE.
