I’m not convinced there's a need for titles and statements. I’d say this is a contemporary thought, but I'm not sure if that's accurate either. I have never once been swayed or convinced of a piece of work by the title or artist statement in my time viewing. Moreover, I would dare to say that the more successful a piece of artwork is, the less inclined I am to read a statement or title. I've been put off by reading overworked statements. Going into a show knowing too much about the artist or the intent of the artist loads the viewer with a preconceived notion of what to expect, essentially censoring the artwork, forbidding it to speak for itself. It impregnates the viewer with a bias. Whether conscious of it or not, the viewer will automatically brush off any conversation the artwork is trying to have with the viewer. A feeling of “knowing what the painting is going to say.” Delegitimises and underscores the experience and the relationship between the viewer and the painting. I believe that it spells things out for the viewer. Not allowing the viewer to have an original thought about their experience. In a way, it's kind of like an overbearing parent or, worse, a controlling spouse. I don't believe the artist needs to be involved at all when it comes to showing work. There’s a tendency for artists to say too much. To want to speak on the work too much. Attempting to legitimize it when in actuality, they are proving the critic's point. If your work can't stand on its own, there will be no description or hoity-toity statement that will make it any better. I wish people would trust their work more. The work in and of itself is a statement. The body of work will speak for itself. If the viewers need directions, then they are either not there to honestly view, or they are not spending enough time with the artwork. This is not a dick and jane book this is the journal of the human species and if that particular entry doesnt speak to you then turn the page. I believe the sentiment that “statements legitimize the work” is a construct created by the syphilitic parasitics of the art world. Thank you, John Prine, for the insult.