SPECTRUM MAGAZINE 2020
Designed with great intention and style, this extended catalogue with the air of an art magazine, hopes to remain fluid in stance. It reflects the strange time in which it was conceived. Able to exist happily online, it will also be printed. It is hoped that in some way it can, and will continue to, embody a range of working stages and experiences. How to capture the different states of work still in progress, as well as the completed artwork itself? After all, in and under lockdown, the constant question for artists has been how to hold together all that is virtual, how to gauge a reception without a conventional audience, and how to trust organisers and curators to best represent and show excellent artwork without falling back on false assumptions about role and function?
This publication was born, in part, out of pressing need as the actual exhibition of work by this year’s shortlisted artists had to be cancelled. It also aims to reflect the structure and process of the Spectrum Art Award itself . By featuring work from current award winners as well as those from last year, there is a more open, inclusive, atmosphere. Being given brilliant work by selectors from both years of the award, and inviting generous contributions from artists, writers, journalists, designers as well as curators at organisations and institutions that work with finalists, this inclusive publication starts to celebrate the broad community that has grown up around the Award. The relaxed and unorthodox structure hopes to celebrate the growing community of artists, critics, art historians, designers and journalists.
Selection of the Spectrum Award is Open– which means no name, sex, age, or position is given to selectors. You don’t have to state whether you are autistic, either. This open reliance on the quality of work itself, whatever the medium and apparent ambition, creates a situation in which selectors are forced to trust their own sense, and understanding, without any sort of contextual support or anecdotal information. There are as many autisms as there are images – of course, and the work sent in is always varied in every sort of way. Some formal things are definite however, such as this is a sculpture, print, or illustration.
Link to SPECTRUM magazine 2020
