Martine Syms (born 1988) is an American artist residing in Los Angeles, specializing in various mediums including publishing, video, installation, and performance. Her artistic endeavors revolve around themes of identity, particularly the representation of the self, with a focus on subjects like feminism and black culture.[1] Syms frequently employs humor and social commentary as vehicles for exploration within her work.[1] In 2007, she introduced the term "Conceptual Entrepreneur" to describe her artistic approach.[2]
Martine Syms was born in 1988 in Los Angeles. She grew up in the Altadena suburb of the city alongside her three siblings.[4] During her formative years, she received homeschooling from her parents between the ages of 7 and 12.[5] Recognizing her passion at a young age, Syms expressed her aspiration to become an artist early on. Reflecting on her homeschooling experience, Syms has commented on the challenges of accessing quality education in her area, stating, "The area I grew up in didn't have the best public schools, and it was hard to get all of us into the same private school—for a lot of racist reasons, from what it sounds like."[6] Both of Syms' parents fostered her creative development, with her mother having an interest in art and writing and her father being an amateur photographer. As part of her artistic journey, she participated in the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) at CalArts.
From 2007 to 2012, Syms was a co-director of Golden Age, an artist-run space in Chicago.[9]
In 2015, Syms participated in the New Museum TriennialSurround Audience. During the same year, her video titled "Notes on Gesture" was exhibited at Bridget Donahue Gallery in New York City and the Machine Project in Los Angeles. The video delves into the significance of seemingly little bodily gestures in shaping one's identity.[10]
In 2016, Syms presented the performance piece "Misdirected Kiss" at the Storm King Art Center in New York's Hudson Valley, as well as at the Broad Museum in Los Angeles. The work's title is inspired by the 1904 film "The Misdirected Kiss." Incorporating elements reminiscent of a TED talk, the performance critically examines issues related to language and representation.[12][13] In the same year, Syms held a solo exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, titled "Martine Syms: Fact & Trouble,"[14] which featured her video series "Lessons."[14]
In 2017, Syms had a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, titled "Projects 106: Martine Syms," which revolved around a feature-length film called "Incense, Sweaters & Ice."[15] Additionally, Syms was shortlisted for the Future Generation Art Prize[16] and received the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation grant in the same year.[17] Syms joined the faculty of the California Institute of the Arts in September 2018[18] and was awarded the Graham Foundation Fellowship for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts.[19] She also received the Future Fields Commission in time-based media from the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo.[20]
Syms founded Dominica Publishing, an artists' press dedicated to exploring Black identity in contemporary art and visual culture.[9][21]
The concept of artists seeking financial self-determination is a recurring theme in modern and contemporary art. Artists such as Marcel Duchamp, Marcel Broodthaers, Piero Manzoni, David Hammons, and Joe Scanlan have explored this idea. Scanlan, in particular, articulated this concept in his text "People in Trade," which highlights the business potential of conceptual art. Scanlan argues that artists with unique skills and production methods, such as Agnes Martin and David Hammons, embody personal branding, value-adding, and just-in-time production principles. These artists have often been overlooked for their contributions to state-of-the-art business innovations.[24] Syms embraces the notion of self-determination through a sustainable institution, influenced by her interest in independent music and black-owned businesses.[25][26] Her artwork has been showcased in various venues, including Human Resources, Bridget Donahue Gallery, the New Museum, Kunsthalle Bern, The Studio Museum in Harlem, Index Stockholm, MOCA Los Angeles, and MCA Chicago.[27][28] Currently, Syms holds a teaching position at the California Institute of the Arts.[18]
Work
Syms' artistic practice delves into contemporary Black identity, queer theory, and the significance of language. Her exploration takes shape through various mediums such as video, performance, writing, etc.[29] She often incorporates found footage from contemporary media to convey her thematic concerns.[30] Syms values the concise nature of video as a means of transmitting important information[31] and considers herself a collector of "orphaned media."[6] For instance, she examines the role of smartphones as tools for constructing identity,[32] even though she abstains from using social media. Syms finds enjoyment in exploring how self-constructed identities manifest through these platforms.[11] In her artistic process, Syms frequently utilizes gallery spaces to create multimedia collages.[32] She possesses diverse technical skills, including self-taught coding supplemented by classes at the Armory Center for The Arts in Los Angeles.[11] Satire is a source of inspiration for Syms, employing parody and sarcasm to convey her artistic messages.[6] She describes her working style as project-driven, adapting her approach throughout the creative journey.[31]
Publications
In 2011, Syms contributed to the Future Plan and Program project by publishing Implications and Distinctions.[33] This publication examines the performance of black identity in contemporary cinema and was part of a collaborative effort led by Steffani Jemison.[34]
In 2013, Syms published The Mundane Afrofuturist Manifesto on Rhizome.[35] The manifesto advocates for black diasporic artistic producers to focus on creating culture that envisions a realistic future on Earth. Syms emphasizes the challenge of imagining a world without fantasy realms or escapism, urging a contemporary and futuristic perspective. Quoting DuBois and Ol' Dirty Bastard, she reflects on the notion of "twoness" and how it feels to be seen as a problem.[36]
In 2014, Syms released Most Days, featuring a table read of her screenplay that depicts an average day in the life of a young black woman in 2050 Los Angeles. The album's score was composed by Neal Reinalda.[37]
Personal life
Syms participates in soccer as a player for Sativa Football Club, assuming the position of midfielder.[38]
Madre museo d'arte contemporanea Donnaregina (Naples, Italy), Per_forming a collection. The Show Must Go_ON, 2018[39]
FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial For Contemporary Art, Toby Devan Lewis Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, An Evening of Queen White, 2018[39]
Gwangju (South Korea), The 12th Gwangju Biennale Exhibition: Imagined Borders, 2018[39]
Grunwald Gallery, School of Art, Architecture + Design (Bloomington IN), Out of Easy Reach, 2018[39]
Kunstverein (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Succession Sounds, 2018[39]
Yuz Museum (Shanghai, China), tongewölbe T25 (Ingolstadt, Germany), In Production: Art and the Studio System, 2019[39]
Stony Island Arts Bank (Chicago IL), In the Absence of Light: Gesture, Humor and Resistance in The Black Aesthetic: Selections from the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection, 2019[39]
Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery, UC University California Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz CA), We Are Not Aliens: Arthur Jafa, Martine Syms, and Afro-Futurism 2.0, as part of Beyond the End of the World: Approaches in Contemporary Art Seminar, 2020[39]
^Toro, Lauren Boyle, Solomon Chase, Marco Roso, Nick Scholl, David. "Notes on Gesture | Martine Syms". DIS Magazine. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Syms, Martine (January 1, 2011). Implications & distinctions: format, content and context in contemporary race film : a text. United States?: Future Plan and Program. ISBN9780983381518. OCLC769680360.