SOCIAL ISSUES & ETHICAL QUESTIONS

 Social critique  Artists have & continue to highlight problematic issues in society.  Raise public awareness – can lead to change for the better  Focused on conveying a message  Some artists experiment with the ethical limits of art in order to get attention & shock the general observer OVERVIEW

 Tries to make the viewer evoke emotion  Possibly shock the viewer  Addresses an important issue  Symbolism is used within the work  Can have one interpretation or open- ended/ambiguous CHARACTERISTICS

58) THE ABORIGINAL MEMORIAL

 By: Paddy Dhatangu  Created to correspond with the 200 th anniversary of the European Settlement in Australia  Marked past tragedies & current inequality for the aboriginals of Australia  Consists of 200 traditional coffins (hollowed logs – dupun) each decorated with unique designs & images 58) THE ABORIGINAL MEMORIAL (1988) NATURAL PIGMENTS ON 200 LOGS

59) NICKEL TAILINGS #30 SUDBURY, ONTARIO

 By: Edward Burtynsky - Contemporary Canadian Photographer  Main theme: nature transformed through industry  Open-ended interpretation  Subjects are often torn between beauty & repulsion/attraction & fear  Explores dilemma of consuming materials to improve our lives, but harming the earth & our own health in the process 59) NICKEL TAILINGS #30 SUDBURY, ONTARIO. (1996) PHOTOGRAPH

60) MOTHER AND CHILD DIVIDED

 By: Damien Hirst – Contemporary British Artist  Believes art is in the mind – has assistants to create his work  Plays with the concept of what is art – aims to shock the viewer  Attempts to create attraction & repulsion towards his subject  Tries to create metaphors to religious themes  Often accused of plagiarism by other artists 60) MOTHER AND CHILD DIVIDED (1993) STEEL, GRP COMPOSITES, GLASS, SILICONE SEALANTS, COW, CALF, FORMALDEHYDE SOLUTION

61) THE DINNER PARTY

 By: Judy Chicago  Massive ceremonial banquet on a triangular table with 39 place settings – each commemorating an important woman from history  Includes embroidered runners, gold chalices/utensils & painted porcelain plates with raised motifs (butterfly & genitalia forms) that reflect on each specific woman  999 names of other women inscribed on tile floor 61) THE DINNER PARTY (1979) CERAMIC AND HANDWOVEN CLOTH

 Women featured from primordial times to Georgia O’Keefe (20 th Century)  Meant to highlight the fact that women are often overlooked in written history

62) WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER HERO

 By: Barbara Kruger  Comes from 2 pop culture concepts: Norman Rockwell’s image of “Dick & Jane” and Tina Turner’s lyrics from the Mad Max movie set in a post- nuclear war future  Works are somewhat ambiguous & allows for more than one interpretation  Questions concept of heroism & the role of boys vs. girls in society 62) WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER HERO (1987) PHOTOGRAPHIC SILKSCREEN / VINYL

 Uses advertising techniques to attract people’s attention & make them aware of issues  From mid 1970’s+, belonged to Artists Meeting for Social Change – wanted to create art with more intellectual challenge & political content