Luis Camnitzer in Conversation with Alexander Alberro

by Luis Camnitzer, Alexander Alberro (Editor)

The Fundación Cisneros’ Conversaciones/Conversations series publishes firsthand testimonies of leading artists and intellectuals from Latin America. German-born Uruguayan Luis Camnitzer (born 1937) has been an influential artist, theorist, teacher and curator for nearly five decades. He was at the vanguard of 1960s Conceptualism, working in printmaking, sculpture installation and other media. Camnitzer’s work challenges our perception of reality and the status quo and is often characterized by its humorous, often politically charged use of language to underscore issues of power and commodification. In this eighth volume from the Conversaciones series, Camnitzer continues to explore his unique approach to Conceptualism and art as pedagogy with Latin American art scholar Alexander Alberro.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2014

About the author

Luis Camnitzer is counted among the most important conceptual artists to emerge from South American in the 1960s. Born in Germany and raised in Uruguay, he moved to New York in 1964 and was at the vanguard of Conceptualism.

Reviews

[Douglas Florian · Rating 5 out of 5]

In both English and Spanish, here is a conversation between artist, curator, theorist, and teacher Luis Camnitzer. In interview form Camnitzer answers questions about such topics as the relationship between art and politics, the role art should play in changing the world, and the autonomy of Latin American art today. Camnitzer manages to raise more questions than he answers, but that's by design, both here, as he speaks with art historian Alexander Alberro, and in his art, which has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the world. Added to all this are details of Camnitzer's life. Born in pre-war Germany, Camnitzer's family emigrated to Uruguay, where he was immersed in the Montevideo art scene. He later traveled to Munich on a scholarship, and to New York on a Guggenheim fellowship.
For Camnitzer the role of the artist, as well as the art museum, is primarily, if not entirely, to educate and inform, to bring to light social and political injustice. But beyond this he sees all art as political in nature, whether intenionally or not. As he puts it, "Art should be aware of its political impact and refine itself to make the best of it. When that issue is left unexamined and art trusts its autonomy, it becomes an irresponsible act. I may choose a apolitical stand, but I have to be aware that this constitutes a political choice."
I personally disagree with this. While the German artist George Grosz reacted to the decadence he saw in Berlin during the Weimar Republic wih scathing caricatures, Swiss artist Paul Klee was creating child-like luminescent watercolors and paintings while teaching at the Bauhaus in pre-war Germany. Was Klee irresponsible to do so? I don't think so.
In any event, these days the political mess we find ourselves in is so disturbing that many artists are reacting to it in their work, much as many artists reacted to the state of affairs in the 1960's. Whether this will have a significant effect for change remains to be seen, but one can only hope so.
Examples of Camnitzer's poetic yet politically and socially charged art and installations are strewn throughout the text.