A study on the indirect correlation between art historical commentary and object art
by Richard Paul Molander
A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
MASTER OF APPLIED ART
Montana State University
© Copyright by Richard Paul Molander (1974)
Abstract:
In the Spring of 1974, I completed the following body of work which was presented to the graduate
faculty committee in thesis format for the degree of Master of Applied Arts. The object of the thesis
was to present a visual as well as a literary documentation on the indirect correlation between art
historical reviews and object art. it is my opinion that literary documentation written by an art history
scholar should be considered as a separate work of art rather than as an extension of the work of art that
it comments on. To make this point, I chose to write the art historical summations seen below before I
executed the visual imagery. The summations thus served as a limitation for the visual imagery,
causing a reversal of traditional roles as the visual imagery became an extension of the literary
commentary. In this way of working, the artist is put in the unique position of ensuring his own
posterity within the structure of art history. Statem ent o f Permission to Copy
in p re s e n tin g t h i s th e s is
in p a r t i a l
f u l f i l l m e n t o f the requirem ents f o r
an advanced degree a t Montana S ta te U n i v e r s i t y ,
I agree t h a t the L i b r a r y
s h a ll make i t f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e f o r In s p e c tio n .
I f u r t h e r agree t h a t permission
f o r e x t e n s iv e copying o f t h i s th e s is f o r s c h o l a r l y purposes may be granted by
my m ajor p r o fe s s o r , o r in h is absence, by the D i r e c t o r o f L i b r a r i e s .
It
is
understood t h a t any copying o r p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h i s th e s is f o r f i n a n c i a l gain
s h a ll
not be allow ed w ith o u t my w r i t t e n p e rm is s io n .
S ig n a tu re
Date
c J
/ 7 %
P d
"A STUDY ON THE INDIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN
ART HISTORICAL COMMENTARY AND OBJECT ART"
by
Richard Paul Molander
A th e s is subm itted to the Graduate F a c u lty in p a r t i a l
f u l f i l l m e n t o f . t h e requirem ents f o r th e degree
.
MASTER OF APPLIED ART
Approved:
Dl rector
chool o f A r t
Chairman, Ex,
Committee
Graduate tDean
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bozeman, Montana
May, 1974'
F
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would l i k e to thank Herb Gardner who taught me t h a t
funny then th e y a r e e x a c t l y what th e y a r e .
i f th in g s a r e n ' t
\
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
In th e S pring o f 1974, I completed the f o l l o w i n g body o f work which was
presented t o th e g raduate f a c u l t y committee i n th e s is form at f o r th e degree
o f Master o f A p p lie d A r t s .
The o b j e c t o f th e th e s is was to p re se n t a
v is u a l as w e l l as a l i t e r a r y documentation on th e i n d i r e c t c o r r e l a t i o n
between a r t h i s t o r i c a l reviews and o b j e c t a r t .
i t is my o p in io n t h a t
l i t e r a r y documentation w r i t t e n by an a r t h i s t o r y s c h o la r should be c o n s id ­
ered as a s e p a r a te work, o f a r t r a t h e r than as an e x te n s io n o f th e .w o rk o f
a r t t h a t i t comments o n ^ To make t h i s p o i n t , I chose to w r i t e th e a r t
h i s t o r i c a l summations seen below b e fo re I executed the v is u a l imagery.
The
summations thus served as a l i m i t a t i o n f o r th e v is u a l imagery, causing a
re v e r s a l o f t r a d i t i o n a l r o le s as th e v is u a l imagery became an e x te n s io n o f
th e l i t e r a r y commentary.
In t h i s way o f w o rk in g , th e a r t i s t is put in the
unique p o s i t i o n o f e nsuring h is own p o s t e r i t y w i t h i n the s t r u c t u r e o f a r t
h is to ry .
I
LETTUCE DISPLACEMENT
pen,
1974
in k , and w a t e r e d o r
T h is marks th e f i r s t a tte m p t by Molander to put i n t o v is u a l form h is m y stic a l
(a lthough somewhat i r o n i c ) concept o f l e t t u c e d is p la c e m e n t. According to th e
a r t i s t , " A f t e r h e arin g W a lte r C ro n k it e ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f th e re c e n t T u rk ish
A i r l i n e s crash near P a r is in wh&ch bodies were strewn over an area n in e m ile s
long I f o r the f i r s t tim e understood the d i s t i n c t p o s s i b i l i t y o f l e t t u c e d i s ­
placement from my k itc h e n a l l the way t o my l i v i n g room f l o o r .
T h is drawing
a ls o marks a d i s t i n c t r e t u r n towards th e use o f n a t u r a l i s t i c imagery.
SUCKER SUCCESS
l i t h o g r a p h y , t a c - t y p e and suckers
In s u b je c t m a tte r th e drawing re p re s e n ts a s h i f t o f i n t e r e s t to a concern w it h
s tru c tu re .
In o r d e r to' o b t a i n p r e c is io n Molander used suckers f o r the f i r s t
tim e to re p re s e n t th e reward syndrome. The sensuous Baroque sky in t h i s
drawing a ls o c l e a r l y demonstrates M ola nde r's awareness as w e ll as love f o r a r t
h is to ry .
1
PEN,
INK AND BELLYBUTTON LINT
pen, ink and b e l ly b u t t o h
lin t
Molander developed a s t y l e o f u n n a t u r a l ! s 't Tc re n d erin g f o r th e s e r ie s in t h i s
show.
I t was e s s e n t i a l f o r him to r e j e c t th e more t r a d i t i o n a l s t y l e o f
n a t u r a l i s t i c r e p r e s e n ta tio n o f the image o f what he wanted, as th e demands o f
these drawings r e q u ire d something more; th e s t y l e is the r e s o l u t i o n o f t h i s
problem.
In response to c r i t i c i s m t h a t he was m erely jumping on th e bah&wagon
o f th e re c e n t crazfe o f bodyworks in his drawing "P en, Irik and B e l l y b u t t o n " ,
th e a r t i s t r e p l i e d :
" I d o n 't r e a l l y f e e l t h a t t h i s drawing r e l a t e s Very s t r o n g ly
to a bodywork.
I f e e l t h a t I t Is r e l a t e d more to th e a c t o f g e t t i n g a h a i r c u t ;
I t ' s a way o f s ta y in g c le a n " .
SEX OPENS HEAVENS GATES
s e r ig r a p h y , a c r y l i c , and condoms
*, v
i.
:*■ ■
The vagueness o f th e photographic Imagery is a d i r e c t comment on th e d i f f e r e n c e
between s o f t core and hard c o re pornography.
The s ta in s across th e photos seems
to r e l a t e s tr o n g ly to c e r t a i n s t a in s t h a t can be seen in mens' rooms a l l over
th e w o r ld .
When asked about th e use o f condoms In h is drawings th e a r t i s t
re p lie d :
" I was brought up in Sweden where T r o ja n machines a r e as p l e n t i f u l as
c i g a r e t t e machines which caused me to develop a g r e a t sense o f lo v e and re sp e c t
f o r Greek c i v i l i z a t i o n .
THAT'S NICE BUT THAT REALLY IS BLUE
l i t h o g r a p h y , w a t e r c o l o r , and q - t i p s
H e r e . Molander draws d i r e c t l y upon an a c tu a l e vent w h ile having a c la s s in
p a i n t i n g from Paul Vonner. The drawing combines a r e p r e s e n ta tio n o f t h a t
e vent w i t h th e exp e rim en tal f i n d i n g s o f the tusche te c h n o lo g ic a l Tab.
It
a ls o marks the beginning o f th e use o f q - t l p s by th e a r t i s t , which w i l l be
c a r r i e d t o i t s u l t i m a t e in l a t e r draw ings.
1974
Q -TIP MURDER PLAN
pen,
in k , and q - t i p s
This is one o f s ev e ral a tte m p ts by Molander to put in t o v is u a l form his
r a t h e r complex plan to h e lp a good f r i e n d In her r a t h e r devious a tte m p t to
k i l l her daddy w i t h a q - t i p .
I t a ls o marks a s h i f t away from re p re s e n tin g
o b je c t s In h is drawing, in a p u r e ly I l l u s i o n T s t I c m a tte r to j u s t m erely
p a s tin g th e a c tu a l o b je p t oh the paper,
HOMAGE TO PRINTMAKERS
,
„ 1974
• 'V
lith o g r a p h y and p rism a c o lo r
T h is is a gain ones, o f several^sattempts by Molander to make a s tatem ent o f
tr u t h ', a sim ple t r u t h but y e t a t r u t h .
There is a te n s io n between the p r i n t
as drawing and th e drawing as p r i n t . ' MbTander, being a p r in tm a k e r , u s u a lly
s e t t l e f o r th e drawing as a p r i n t .
SLIDES
1.
Childhood Experience
2.
L e ttu c e Displacement
3.
Sucker Success
4.
Pen and ink and B e lly b u tto n L i n t
5.
Sex Opens Heavens Gate
6.
U n title d
7.
Welcome Ed Ruscha
8.
MSU F a c u lt y Show
9.
I n s t a l l a t i o n View
10.
E d itio n
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