Wendy, Master of Art

Paperback, 276 pages

English language

Published June 15, 2020 by Drawn and Quarterly.

ISBN:: 9781770463998

(1 review)

Wendy is an aspiring contemporary artist whose adventures have taken her to galleries, art openings, and parties in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Toronto. In Wendy, Master of Art, Walter Scott’s sly wit and social commentary zero in on MFA culture as our hero hunkers down to complete a master of fine arts at the University of Hell in small-town Ontario.

Finally Wendy has space to refine her artistic practice, but in this calm, all of her unresolved insecurities and fears explode at full volume—usually while hungover. What is the post-Jungian object as symbol? Will she ever understand her course reading—or herself? What if she’s just not smart enough? As she develops as an artist and a person, Wendy also finds herself in a teaching position, mentoring a perpetually sobbing grade-grubbing undergrad.

Scott’s incisively funny take on art school pretensions isn’t the only focus. Wendy, Master of Art explores the politics …

Wendy is an aspiring contemporary artist whose adventures have taken her to galleries, art openings, and parties in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Toronto. In Wendy, Master of Art, Walter Scott’s sly wit and social commentary zero in on MFA culture as our hero hunkers down to complete a master of fine arts at the University of Hell in small-town Ontario.

Finally Wendy has space to refine her artistic practice, but in this calm, all of her unresolved insecurities and fears explode at full volume—usually while hungover. What is the post-Jungian object as symbol? Will she ever understand her course reading—or herself? What if she’s just not smart enough? As she develops as an artist and a person, Wendy also finds herself in a teaching position, mentoring a perpetually sobbing grade-grubbing undergrad.

Scott’s incisively funny take on art school pretensions isn’t the only focus. Wendy, Master of Art explores the politics of open relationships and polyamory, performative activism, the precariousness of a life in the arts, as well as the complexities of gender identity, sex work, drug use, and more. At its heart, this is a book about the give and take of community—about learning to navigate empathy and boundaries, and to respect herself. It is deeply funny and endlessly relatable as it shows Wendy growing from millennial art party girl to successful artist, friend, teacher—and Master of Art.

1 edition

nicknicknicknick@bookwyrm.social reviewed Wendy, Master of Art by Walter Scott

Wendy, Master of Art

4 stars

1) "[Welcome to: Hell (Ontario)]"

2) "'Etienne, did you do the reading?' 'YES I DID THE READING. It's a reductive mess of neo-materialist DRIVEL. Just more proof of this institution's FASCIST priority to perpetuate artworks as righteous conduits of HETEROPATRIARCHAL SUPREMACY." 'So Pam, did you do the reading?' 'please — i just came in here to eat my salad.'"

3) "'I WORK IN AN HOUR. YOU CAN CRASH HERE ON MY COUCH. YOU HAVEN'T BLINKED IN SEVENTEEN MINUTES.'"

4) "'Did you see Pam's painting today? So boring.' 'Your rants about Derrida last night were way more tedious, to be honest.' '... You have vomit in your hair.' 'Yes, I know.'"

5) "'Kaylee, you're in an ART program. If all you care about is marks, then maybe you shouldn't BE here. We can't keep having conversations about marks. We need to have a conversation about art, FOR ONCE. At THIS LEVEL, …

1) "[Welcome to: Hell (Ontario)]"

2) "'Etienne, did you do the reading?' 'YES I DID THE READING. It's a reductive mess of neo-materialist DRIVEL. Just more proof of this institution's FASCIST priority to perpetuate artworks as righteous conduits of HETEROPATRIARCHAL SUPREMACY." 'So Pam, did you do the reading?' 'please — i just came in here to eat my salad.'"

3) "'I WORK IN AN HOUR. YOU CAN CRASH HERE ON MY COUCH. YOU HAVEN'T BLINKED IN SEVENTEEN MINUTES.'"

4) "'Did you see Pam's painting today? So boring.' 'Your rants about Derrida last night were way more tedious, to be honest.' '... You have vomit in your hair.' 'Yes, I know.'"

5) "'Kaylee, you're in an ART program. If all you care about is marks, then maybe you shouldn't BE here. We can't keep having conversations about marks. We need to have a conversation about art, FOR ONCE. At THIS LEVEL, you should have a basic understanding of― ... It's not easy to make something that feels right, is it?' 'snf. no.' 'Trying to make things to make other people happy is creative poison. It causes you to make safe choices. Do you LIKE this horse drawing?' 'Not really. I really like horses though.' 'Kaylee, you can keep making art about horses, really. BUT you can also make art about something else completely. You have choices.' 'But, how do you know when to commit to something... or when to move on?' '...I don't know.'"