A Time for Teaching

 

    This artist's conversation with curator Francesca Wilmott and artist Stephen Kaltenbach delves into Kaltenbach's most well-known and important works while also providing some background information on his significant personal life. Giving a brief overview of Kaltenbach's life from the 1960s to the 1980s, Francesca opened the discussion. The artist wrote for "Artforum," a publication dedicated to art, back in 1968. He once sent brief, motivational notes in anonymous messages. The artist's profound thought came forth mostly from the words "Teach Art." In a 1970 interview for Artforum magazine, Kaltenbach says, “My teachings is one of my most important conceptual art involvements now.” He desired to move away from instructing students and other artists directly on how to make art, preferring to let them observe and gain knowledge from his methods, mistakes, and answers. The students can now reflect on what they have observed and learned via this exercise, which in turn adds another conceptual element to their new creations. That message really touched me, so I took note of it especially to keep in mind for the future.

    Talking about his most well-known artwork, "Portrait of my Father," which was created between 1972 and 1979, became very emotional. The artist spent seven years to finish this artwork. While his father was unwell, Stephen began work on the painting. It was at this point that he managed to get a picture of his father and start his artistic endeavor. After his father passed away two years after he began this painting, Kaltenbach found it extremely difficult to finish. The artist discussed the value of these life experiences and suffering. He learned more things about his faith, practice, and intended audience as a result of these particular events. 

    After attending Stephen Kaltenbach’s talk, I had the opportunity to visit the gallery exhibition in which his art pieces were being presented titled, “Teach Art”. The time capsule that Kaltenbach had previously described in the lecture was the first item in the exhibition that drew my eye. The 1970 work, "Time Capsules," was created of steel and unidentified materials.  Even though there might not be anything in the time capsules itself, Kaltenbach has stated that the item is nonetheless significant historically. The idea of time and what it meant to him and other people sparked the curiosity of this artist. In our history, this concept of encapsulating time in a cylindrical container to narrate a historical story is quite remarkable. Humans are constantly leaving behind memories for the future and learning about the past through the creation of sculptures, items made of clay, and paintings from caves. 

    The exhibition's theme of time and hidden messages is quite lovely, especially in light of the information that some of the pieces' inspiration came from the artist's own experiences regarding family, life, and his general outlook on life. I was very moved by the artist's openness and the way he connected feelings to the concept of conceptual projects.As someone who has not quite mastered finding ways to express emotion in a way that does not come off as ordinary or unoriginal, this talk was insightful.