White Cube Space

http://www.axisweb.org/usForum.aspx?FID=10

FOR:

 'the White Cube is not a literal translation for a white-painted space, but that associated with the institution, the prestigious contemporary art venue, or the National Gallery, which, though the walls are in fact crimson red, is of the same character'


 'The clean, pure lines and aerial lighting of the gallery place great emphasis on each individual works' aesthetic values and draw comparative analysis within a language which is not necessarily elitist, but prioritises formalist interpretations without consideration of its social, historical and cultural context.'


 'As works of incredible bourgeois and economic value are displayed, beyond the average salary of the general population, any possible interpretation might similarly be felt to be inadequate, thereby jeopardising the viewer's confidence in engaging the work.'


 'Curators are responsible for making history as much as an artist, and in using a lived territory puts to work the idea that we are all equally capable of inventing our own translations.'

AGAINST:

 'In a messy, dirty or perhaps any alternative venue, the division between the artist's work and the socio-political context effectively becomes muddled and obscured; this affects perception of its formal characteristics, but also can be an excuse for bad art.'