Evaluation of Module
MA Fine Art: ART90003M
MA Fine Art: ART90003M
Alexandria Frances
Clow
Main Concept
The main
concept for my artwork has stayed consistent throughout my research: I am engrossed
with the relationship between the consumer and the consumed, the art object and
the observer of art, and the moment in time that the viewer is captured by the
artwork, and the association that art has with luxury or commodity[1].
I am now
more motivated by the thought that art can be portrayed as a commodity and as a
status symbol within our society, and I have investigated the process of buying
and selling art and the art market. Through research I have questioned whether
the consumption[2]
of art influences society negatively or positively, but I have become equally
enthralled with the market as I have become appalled, and like Samara Scott, it
is this internal conflict that now drives my work.[3] I have
found that consumption of art has both ameliorated arts appeal and success, and
caused it to be criticised for having that purpose. Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog
Orange’s (1994-2000) sale price[4] has
remained a driving force behind my work, exploring whether it’s the value of
the material, labour, or the seductive qualities of the high shine surface that
causes a works value.
I am
making the connection between art and business apparent to the viewer through
the placement of my sculpture within the Project Space Plus gallery in the
exhibition, near a window. Along with my reproduced text accompaniment[5], I want
to expose this more commercial[6] side of
the artwork that is usually disclosed to the viewer, to allow the viewer to
understand how commercial galleries underpin pricing.
Methodology
I have utilised
sculpture within this module, rather than video and installation as previously
specified in my statement of intent. This is due to a problematic outcome while
exploring interactive digital technology of using the Xbox Kinect Sensor, which
proved time consuming, and I couldn’t develop a level of
expertise that was required for the software. However, what I wanted to say via
this medium, which was to create a certain atmosphere and experience for the
viewer, I feel succeeded through the awe of the sculptural objects themselves,
which I ‘exploited to perfection’, via devoting time to polishing, and
placement of the sculpture.
I felt the process of
my sculpture mimicked that of painting, through trying shape the aluminum to
resemble packaging, initially a crisp packet, bending it with my hands and
personally working with the material, while striving to achieve a high shine
surface that could match the standards of stainless steel, or Jeff Koons
Balloon Dog (1994-2000) shown in Figure.3. The inspiration for the packaging
form was a stripped-down personification of consumerism. This development of my
practice has enabled me to connect with process art.
I have executed my
original intention with the concept of creating the ‘placebo art gallery’ by creating
seductive, mesmerizing art with a high price, yet is not for sale, with the
intention to deceive the viewer, (or consumer[7]).
Context
My practice has developed a deeper connection with the
art market, money and value, rather than the exhibition and luxury as
previously stated. Nevertheless, the broader cultural context for my work
remains unchanged, that ‘I feel within today’s society, commercial galleries
and art fairs can be biased and treat art as a business, and therefore certain
artists can become brands. I hope for my work to expose this side of art to the
public and the art viewer’[8].
However, my outcomes have
deviated from original specification. Rather than depicting materials reacting
against each other, or involving shipping stickers, I have stripped ideas back
to what first inspired me which was Zhan Wang’s Artificial Rock[9],
shown in Figure.2, which features a textured high shine stainless steel
surface. I have focused this obsession with using the silver tone in my work,
to become my aesthetic identity within my practice, as silver fundamentally
connects with aesthetic luxury.
Artists that have proved most inspirational to me
throughout this project are: Jeff Koons for his use of stainless steel which he
states can turn any object ‘into highbrow art’[10],
and for his approach to commercial art and celebrity image. A book that has allowed
me to understand Koons’ practice and success, and has shaped my own research is,
‘Jeff Koons A Retrospective’ by Scott Rothkopf, which proved that Koons is an
artist concerned with the presentation of
art as commodity, to comment on ‘the glamour of conspicuous consumption’.[11]
Other artists include Damien Hirst for his business-art
and money making tactics, Takishi Murakami for his merchandise and factory-like
production, and Andy Warhol, for his comments on mass consumption and mass
production within society[12].
All four artists are discussed in detail for their use of the art market as
influence, in an essay by Hal Foster titled, ‘The medium is the market’ within
the book ‘The Market’ by Natasha Degen, which proved essential in grasping an
understanding of the art market and its connection with production costs, art
for investment purposes, and the exposing of the art market as a flawed market
system[13],
therefore providing an element of critique. Another book that provided me with
critique was ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Johanna Drucker, which argued that no matter how
complicit art may appear, art is always doing something more due to its element
of critique[14].
A more recent artist that I feel shares similar themes
to me, is Samara Scott, and her work ‘Sinkholes of Paranoia’ for her comments
on consumption within society, and the process of her artwork.[15]
Therefore, these pieces of contextual
information helped inform and evolve my practise, and positioning of my
critique of the art market. When a peer recommended designer, Anya Hindmarch to
me, who bases her own luxury sculptural clutch bags on crisp packets[16], it
provided a good contrast for this critique, and an insight into where the art
and luxury good boundaries merge.
See Figure.4, for my visual literature review, or diagram
of influence for this module.
Future Development
Next term I wish to
focus more on the display and presentation aspect of my sculpture,
incorporating neon signage which either states my name (as my artist’s brand
identity) or the word ‘sale’. To help with this, Michael Landy’s work, ‘Closing
Down Sale’ which expresses ironic representation of exaggerated sale display[17]
will be good to refer to. I will also consider working with a bigger
installation with more sculptural objects in, adding to this context of sale as
this contextualisation will develop my practice.
I am also highly motivated
to continue sculpting metals, and await the arrival of my polished
stainless-steel sheet which will be the next development in my sculpture, after
shaping a smaller stainless-steel sample which proved so successful. I will continue
exploring how far I can push the medium of stainless-steel, experimenting with
scale and form, to achieve an object truly desirable and captivating to look at
– thus ironically exploiting this aspect of a ‘luxury product’ – as seen with
Anya Hindmarch’s work.
Further research will
delve into ways of working with stainless steel, and creating the neon signage.
I will explore more into process art as this is a new direction my art seems to
be taking, for example researching Gerhard Richter for his comments on quality
and process, and how he knows a work is complete when he feels a work exceeds
him[18]. The
recent Sotheby’s series ‘The Value of Art’ will be very useful to continue
exploring for its comments on how this prestigious institute places value on
art. I will also look at more of art-market-expert, Olav Velthuis’s texts, and
theory from Karl Marx for his comments on consumerism. Finally, I feel the arts shouldn't be reduced to their economic value as they are increasingly seeming to be.
[1]
Commodity, ‘an article of trade or commerce, especially a product as
distinguished from a service’ and ‘something of use, advantage, or value.’ http://www.dictionary.com/browse/commodity?s=t
[2] Consumption, ‘Economics.
the using up of goods and services having an exchangeable value.’ http://www.dictionary.com/browse/consumption?s=ts
[3] Hannah
Ellis-Petersen, ‘Samara Scott's sinkholes of paranoia’, The Guardian [online]
(14 October 2015) https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/oct/14/samara-scott-sinkholes-frieze-art-fair-lonely-planet-interview [accessed 01/01/17].
[4] Balloon Dog Orange sold for $58.4
million in 2014. Peter Popham, ‘So what is
it about Jeff Koons that has so captured art world’s
imagination as
Balloon Dog
sells for
record $58m?’
Independent, (15 November
2013). http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/so-what-is-it-about-jeff-koons-that-has-so-captured-art-world-s-imagination-as-balloon-dog-sells-for-8943284.html
[Accessed 02/10/16].
[7]
Consumer, ‘Economics. a person or organization that uses a commodity or
service.’ http://www.dictionary.com/browse/consumer?s=t
[9] Zhan Wang, Artificial Rock#10 (New
York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2001).
[10] Scott Rothkopf, Jeff Koons A Retrospective (New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 2014), p. 14
[11]
Scott Rothkopf, Jeff Koons A Retrospective (New York: Whitney
Museum of American Art, 2014), p. 26.
[12]Hal Foster, ‘The Medium is the
Market//2008’, in The Market, ed. By Natasha Degen (London:
Whitechapel Gallery, 2013) pp.198-205.
[14] Johanna Drucker, Sweet Dreams
Contemporary art and complicity (Chicago: University
of Chicago Press, 2006) pp. 90 – 104
[15] Hannah
Ellis-Petersen, ‘Samara Scott's sinkholes of paranoia’, The Guardian [online]
(14 October 2015) https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/oct/14/samara-scott-sinkholes-frieze-art-fair-lonely-planet-interview [accessed 01/01/17].
[16] Anya Hindmarch, ‘Small Crisp Packet
Clutch’, Anya Hindmarch [online] 2016
http://www.anyahindmarch.com/en-GB/small-crisp-packet-clutch-5050925817424.html [accessed 12/12/16].
[17] Michael Landy, Closing Down Sale,
1992 [online] http://www.thomasdanegallery.com/artists/43-michael-landy/works/ [accessed 16/12/16].
[18] SothebysTV, The Value of Art | Episode 10: Quality [online video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WDZ4Hmiy9w [accessed 04/01/17].
Bibliography
Artworks
Clow, Alexandria Frances, A Breakdown of the Price, (Lincoln: University of Lincoln, 2016).
Clow, Alexandria Frances, A Breakdown of the Price, (Lincoln: University of Lincoln, 2016).
Koons, Jeff, Balloon Dog (Orange) (London: Anthony d’Offay Gallery, 1994-2000). http://www.jeffkoons.com/artwork/celebration/balloon-dog-0 [accessed 01/01/17].
Wang, Zhan, Artificial Rock#10 (New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2001).
Landy, Michael, Closing Down Sale, 1992 [online] http://www.thomasdanegallery.com/artists/43-michael-landy/works/ [accessed
16/12/16].
Books
Drucker, Johanna., Sweet Dreams Contemporary art and complicity (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006) pp. 90 – 104.
Foster, Hal., ‘The Medium is the
Market//2008’, in The Market, ed. By
Natasha Degen (London: Whitechapel Gallery, 2013) pp. 198-205.
Scott
Rothkopf., Jeff Koons A Retrospective
(New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 2014), p.
New Media
SothebysTV, The Value of Art | Episode 10: Quality [online video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WDZ4Hmiy9w
[accessed 04/01/17].
Newspaper
Article Online
Popham, Peter., ‘So what is it about Jeff
Koons that has so captured art world’s imagination as Balloon Dog sells for record $58m?’ Independent [online] (15 November 2013. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/so-what-is-it-about-jeff-koons-that-has-so-captured-art-world-s-imagination-as-balloon-dog-sells-for-8943284.html [Accessed
02/01/17].
Ellis-Petersen,
Hannah., ‘Samara Scott's sinkholes of paranoia’, The Guardian [online] (14 October 2015) https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/oct/14/samara-scott-sinkholes-frieze-art-fair-lonely-planet-interview [accessed 01/01/17].
Websites
Dictionary.com,
Commercial, Dictionary.com [online] http://www.dictionary.com/browse/commercial?s=t [accessed 02/01/17].
Dictionary.com,
Commodity, Dictionary.com [online] http://www.dictionary.com/browse/commodity?s=t [accessed 02/01/17].
Dictionary.com,
Consumer, Dictionary.com [online] http://www.dictionary.com/browse/consumer?s=t [accessed 02/01/17].
Dictionary.com,
Consumption, Dictionary.com [online] http://www.dictionary.com/browse/consumption?s=ts [accessed 02/01/17].
Hindmarch, Anya, ‘Small Crisp Packet
Clutch’, Anya Hindmarch [online] 2016
http://www.anyahindmarch.com/en-GB/small-crisp-packet-clutch-5050925817424.html [accessed
12/12/16].
Appendix
Figure.1. Clow,
Alexandria Frances, A Breakdown of the Price, (Lincoln: University of Lincoln,
2016).
Figure.2. Wang, Zhan, Artificial Rock#10, (New York:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2001). http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/73294 [accessed 02/01/17].
Figure.3. Koons, Jeff, Balloon Dog (Orange)
(London: Anthony d’Offay Gallery, 1994-2000).
http://www.jeffkoons.com/artwork/celebration/balloon-dog-0 [accessed 01/12/16].
Figure.4. Spiral Diagram.
This represents threads of study, of importance relative to font size. They range from past to future inspirations, that I am either currently being inspired by, or have influenced me in the past and may focus on in the future.
This represents threads of study, of importance relative to font size. They range from past to future inspirations, that I am either currently being inspired by, or have influenced me in the past and may focus on in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment