Two notably different takes on the fluidly defined genre known as folk art are on display this weekend in the metro area. Yet both were organized by the same person: Steve Slotin, best known for staging Folk Fest, the annual August extravaganza of self-taught art expressions that overflows the North Atlanta Trade Center in Norcross.
With North Georgia potter Michael Crocker, Slotin co-curated the exhibit "We Are Folk: Exploring Traditions in Southern Folk Art," on view through May 21 at the Hudgens Center for the Arts in Duluth. It's an accessible survey of mostly familiarcreative forces such as Howard Finsterand Nellie Mae Rowe with contemporary makers such as Eric Leggeand Roger Lee “Ab the Flagman” Ivens included to show the tradition continues.
Meanwhile, Slotin is also hosting one of his twice-yearly Slotin Folk Art Auctions today and Sundayat his headquarters in a converted grocery story in historic downtown Buford. Many of the late, great folk masters such as Mose Tolliver and S.L. Jones are represented here as well, but the 1,045-lot auction also reflects Slotin's ever-widening definition of folk, including African sculpture, Haitian art, tramp art, rusting road signs and dozens of pieces by anonymous or heretofore unknown makers.
We asked the 45-year-old Slotin, who has been rooting out and presenting folk art for 18 years, to square the points of view ...
Q: The Hudgens folk show was the first you've been asked to curate. What was your goal?
A: It's an introduction to folk art, so I didn't want it to be hard-core folk art or obscure stuff. I wanted it very easy on the eyes, enjoyable for everyone to come in and have a pleasant experience. It's also a [rare] exhibit where you see Southeastern folk pottery and folk art mixed together, and there's a theme of family running through the pottery [showing individual works by members of the extended Meaders clan] that continues into the art.
My significant input was to make it inclusive instead of exclusive. There are a lot of shows in New York where they show the same 10 masterpiece artists. As beautiful and as great as that is, it really does become kind of boring. And this show, it’s for the people.
Q: When picking auction pieces offered by consignors, what are factors in what you do and don't include?
A: We keep spreading the umbrella of folk art to include more stuff. What I'm trying to do is bring in as many different [potential] buyers and people to look at our catalog and see what we're doing.
The overall plan for the Slotin Auction is to show this great diversity of art we have in the country. I want to bring things to sale that are strange, unusual but most of all disappearing America. I just see America becoming more and more homogenized.
And I think there is an interest in disappearing America -- that’s why shows such as "Antiques Roadshow" and "American Pickers" do went so well. It’s not only: "How much is it worth?" It’s also: "Let me tell you something about this piece." These shows tend to focus more on the mass produced. I try to focus on the one of a kind.
One day someone may have to change the name of the auction from Slotin Folk Art Auction to Slotin Everything Disappearing in America Auction.
Q: Most of the artists in the Hudgens exhibit and auction are deceased. Yet there is a rising generation of folk art makers. What do you think is folk's future?
A: There’s always going to be the next thing. It happened in music, from the blues [yielding] to rock ‘n' roll to rap. But there are still isolated parts of America where people are producing art that hasn’t been discovered. There’s always going to be people who are going to be mentally or physically isolated from society, and those artworks are going to be brought to the public. And it seems like every auction I find discoveries, works by unknown artists that have been tucked away forever.
The golden age of folk art may be behind us or dimming on these artists we've loved so much, but the future still is strong. There’s never going to be another [bluesman] Robert Johnson. If you keep looking back, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you look forward, you might find some great stuff.
Events
"We Are Folk: Exploring Traditions in Southern Folk Art"
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, through May 21. Hudgens Center for the Arts, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Building 300, Duluth. $5; $3, children, students, seniors; free under 2. 770-623-6002, www.thehudgens.org.
Slotin Folk Art Auction
Starting 10 a.m. Saturday and noon Sunday Historic Buford Hall, 112 E. Shadburn Ave., Buford. Free. 770-532-1115, www.slotinfolkart.com.
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