Has the art world metaphorically hopped on the “going green” wagon? Rather than striving for something new and before unseen, the new quest, as Bourriaud puts it, is “how we can make do with what we have.” We are left to wonder, then if the only option for art is quotation of what we’ve seen before. But, isn’t the act of creating something out of another preexisting object or idea, inherently creating something new?
It seems that what Debord and Bourriaud are both suggesting is breaking down barriers. Borders between created image and real experience, production and consumption, making and thinking, high and low culture are all challenged in the works they discuss. In many of these works, choosing the material, whether it’s video clips or objects, has the same merit as creating this material from scratch. While some might argue that this takes away the originality or authenticity of the piece, I would argue that this technique actually enhances the authenticity, and even poignancy of the work.
I almost feel as though I’m contradicting myself in writing this, because so much of what I do is based on the hand and evidence of its work. While this notion is not as apparent in the choosing of things to work with, it is there, and perhaps speaks even more about the person who chose these things than making them would. The act of choosing, rather than relying on talent, relies on experience—viewers can experience with the “maker” by seeing what he or she likes, looks at, and is interested in.
In this way, I think that remix work does break down barriers between high and low and removes a sense of elitism. Even if you can’t sculpt something, you can choose. Everyone can choose. But what does this democratization do to the art world? Does enabling anyone to rely on his/her thoughts rather than process or manual talent inundate us with too much to look at? Ironically, could this evolution of art create even more overproduction, which is the very problem it was trying to fight against?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI liked your post. A lot of insightful questions posed for the reader. My question to you: What is your stance on the art world. Do you think it has become too inundated? And how will non artists be able to make the same conclusion?
ReplyDeleteMarsha
I like your comparison to "going green." It's interesting to me that so much of of culture is starting to revolve around this practice of [reducing,] reusing, and recycling. We do this out of a very real fear of depleting our resources. Do we have the same fear with art? Are we really concerned that all ideas are being depleted, so we have to reuse and reference things that have already happened, as to not run out? Or is it simply that we have come to a point where technology has made mass culture so much a part of any human experience, that to make art must reference something else, out of the nature of what our lives/culture entail?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the questions!
ReplyDeleteAdam: I have been thinking about this issue of whether we are really concerned with making new ideas, and actually wonder if there is such a thing as a new idea! I agree that we are such a part of society and its images, marketing, etc. that it's almost impossible not to reference or play off of it in artwork. It almost feels negligent NOT to play off of these references in artwork.
Sorry I am not in your class but like the subject and am procrastinating a thesis.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of comparison to "going green" for the art world. Which points to how Remix is ingrained in our consciousness. You just sampled the term "going green" from another realm (the environmental movement and it's effect on pop culture) and translated it in a very specific way to an art context creating a fresh way to think. It seems to me that any "new" idea works like this. An artist (or other creative being) takes stuff (mud, rock...anything...images from the world around...anything) and combines them to make new form, but really it is all familiar stuff just arranged differently (new). so in this way for the artist who finds/collects stuff in stores and doesn't seem to manipulate that stuff with her hand, really does manipulate it when that collection is displayed/arranged (possibly by a hand) in a specific way because "new" content emerges (hopefully; otherwise it's boring). And while you are right about the democratization of this activity, you also know that there are levels(likely correlating to practice) in regard to ones ability/talent in "sculpting" material; and thus will be varying levels of talent involved in scouting for objects and arranging them to generate content...