Had a phone call from Jan today telling me she'd worked a 12 hour shift doing role play. However, they had managed to get out of the Hospital and go down to see the bay and the skyline of Hong kong.I said yesterday that I'd like to introduce you in these posts (since I can't show you photos of my work as the camera is with Jan) to music, art and stuff you probably wouldn't expect me to like.Having visited Tate Modern in London last week, I was able to view close up, one of my all time favourite pieces of modern art. The photo above shows 'Equivalent Vlll by Carl Andre...When it was exhibited way back in 1972 for the first time, it caused a lot of controversy.."This is not art....it's just a pile of bricks...."was the comment on most people's lips. I chatted at length with a visitor to one of my exhibitions who told me that my work was "proper art..not like that $*%£"%$ pile of bricks "I asked the person what they meant..they then went on to describe in detail the 'Pile of bricks and how it had shocked the world and caused everyone to talk about what art is'...I asked him when had he first heard about the 'Pile of bricks'..he said "ooh, way back in the 1970's" I went on to remark "and you're still talking about it..you remember it..." I went on to explain that 'Art' comes in many guises...that it inspires..shocks..causes debate, and affects how we are and how we view the world..and in doing so is a relevant and valid piece of expression.
The bricks..120 of them sit within a roped area..it would be so easy to tread on the bricks..but a sign warns you not to..and nobody did.This is also a startling piece of conformist behaviour and social convention . You cant tread on it..you have to walk around it...it sits in a large room and one cannot ignore it...
Now I wouldn't (couldn't) have in my home..but I'm very thankful that it exists..along with many other ground breaking works of art that shock and continue to stir up public debate over what is art, what constitutes good art...and how do we view ourselves in relation to art.
I love this pile of bricks..I told my family it was the one thing I liked best at Tate Modern..they were surprised..are you?
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2 comments:
Thank you for sharing this, it's definitely thought provoking... I've been questioning those things myself lately, what is art, what is good art, how do we view ourselves in relation to art. Like how people will pay tons of money for tattoos but would never in a million years say they are interested in "art", never mind buy a painting or something.
This adds to that conversation in my head, it's a lot to think about.
Hope that you have a nice day today, and that Jan has a great time traveling :)
:)...i agree...i have never been able to describe beauty...even in the latest work of a serial killer...its how we interpret it...art is everywhere...there are days when i love sitting in the dubai traffic, moving an inch every hour and loving it...theres art in everything around...in that discarded crumbled paper cup which didnt make it to the bin , the black fungi growth around my bath tub, the blank canvas that sits in my bedroom, to the soft snores of my son...its all beautiful...given a frame, everything around us is a thing of beauty...its the frame that singles it out....the ability to focus...single it out...
am i making sense?...it doesnt matter...i get wht u r saying..
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