ON EGOCASTING
"The extremely narrow pursuit of one's personal taste" is an installation referencing an explanation of egocasting as defined by Christine Rosen of the New Atlantis: Journal of Technology & Society. The work opens up for discussion the positive and negative aspects of being able to control how one views and interacts with the world, while attempting to take responsibility for her relationship to the process of making art.
The artist herself addresses the issue of egocasting by citing the fact that, "We live in a time where we only have to listen to our favorite songs on our iPods, we can spend hours upon hours picking out just the right camera or dress online, and thanks to Tivo, we only have to watch the shows we want to watch on television. I'm not sure if this relatively new way of life makes us increasingly narrow-minded or more in tune with what we want and who we are. Because we invest so much in the media and goods we obsess over, we see them as a part of ourselves and use them as material for creating identity."
Barton addresses her art making process by saying, "As a self aware person, I understand that my art is often my therapy. My art is about me and the things I think about, care about, and obsess over. It is very clear that my art is a strong reflection of the identity I present to the world. Most art that people make is about these things, and I have always been a little puzzled when artists won't admit this. It seems like by hiding what it actually is, we deny the validity of the purpose it serves. Having an emotional or therapeutic outlet is good. Achieving greater self awareness through art (even self-obsessed art) creates a society with healthier, happier people."
The artist examines personal taste by being very selective about her own. barton makes work that is limited to her memories and things she enjoys. Barton's enjoyment make these pieces lighthearted and easy to engage with.
Written by curator Amber Vilas