New film: The making of the Matthew Dear Beams album cover by Michael Cina featuring some key collaborators. Directed by M ss ng P eces.
An Interview with Michael Cina
(Interview taken May, 2011)
[Sam Valenti] Something you said that has stuck with me was: “The future of art is artists.” How has the role of the artist changed?
[Michael Cina] I feel that artists should have no boundaries when it comes to medium. If you look at the crew from the Bauhaus, they were working in every arts profession and excelling in them all. I think when you work like that, each medium you explore influences the other. It is an artist’s role to use everything at his disposal to push thought and limits. I feel capitalism has changed that aspect of art. If you look at the difference between artists today and artists 70 years ago, you will see stark differences in their body of work. Artists used to be so robust in their interests and exploration, and that is what excites and inspires me. We are in an extremely pivotal time where the public is taking back art. This will be a huge shift for every aspect of “art.”
[SV] We’ve entered an era where art is often disembodied from its maker. A result of Google Image Search and re-blogging becoming a craft in itself. Does the web signal the death of authorship?
[MC] I have a lot of thoughts on this. The Internet has created a level platform for people to share, and recent technology has made it more open than ever. Your voice is equal to anyone else’s now and the rules for art and its boundaries are being completely rewritten.
