Today’s Class Discussion of Assignment & New Schedule Discussion of Assignment & New Schedule Presentations Presentations Hajno,Jerina (Gamboni—Destruction of Art)Hajno,Jerina (Gamboni—Destruction of Art) Hanson,Stacy (Appiah--Whose Culture is it?Hanson,Stacy (Appiah--Whose Culture is it? Marontate (Case Study of Destruction of Contemporary Art)Marontate (Case Study of Destruction of Contemporary Art)

Destruction of Art Destruction & Loss as Forms of Communication (“preserving what is valued” also may destruction & loss of what is NOT valued) Destruction & Loss as Forms of Communication (“preserving what is valued” also may destruction & loss of what is NOT valued),

Rejection and Destruction of Artworks-- diverse meanings of the disappearance & rejection of artworks— diverse meanings of the disappearance & rejection of artworks—

Forms of destruction & loss of artistic heritage Neglect Neglect Unplanned degeneration Unplanned degeneration Accidents Accidents War War ‘progress’ ‘progress’ Planned disappearance (sometimes by artists or creators) Planned disappearance (sometimes by artists or creators) Iconoclasm & vandalism Iconoclasm & vandalism

Fuseli: Artist weeping in despair …. diverse meanings of the disappearance & rejection of artworks diverse meanings of the disappearance & rejection of artworks Vandalism vs. Iconoclasm Vandalism vs. Iconoclasm Vandalists: ignorant, senselessVandalists: ignorant, senseless Iconoclasts: deliberate opposition, “rationale” grounded in system of valuesIconoclasts: deliberate opposition, “rationale” grounded in system of values

Iconoclasm-- Religious Iconoclasm : deliberate destruction of images rooted in religious, political or other socio-cultural beliefs Iconoclasm : deliberate destruction of images rooted in religious, political or other socio-cultural beliefs – Ex. Destruction of 3 rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan completed March 12, 2002 Destruction of 3 rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan Destruction of 3 rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan

Iconoclasm: Afghanistan Buddha (partly destroyed)

Close-up Afghanistan Buddha (bombing)

Iconoclasm—Political :Stalin

Iconoclasm: Unitas

Vandalism Senseless Senseless –Vandals as idiots –Goya: No sabe que hace

Lesueur Vandals as silly

Social Studies of the Rejection and Destruction of Artworks-- Moving beyond Vandalism and Iconoclasm to an analysis of the diverse meanings of the rejection of artworks--

Identity issues in the practice of the arts Inclusion/cohesion Inclusion/cohesion –Art as expression of identity, difference (distinction) exclusion exclusion –Discriminatory Dimensions of Artistic Practices & Institutions –Censorship and/or Democratization

Censorship as an outcome of democratization artists’ (& minority publics’) rights to artists’ (& minority publics’) rights to – “self-expression” or –freedom of speech (1st Amendment) VS. public’s rights & government’s duties to enforce standards VS. public’s rights & government’s duties to enforce standards issues-- what standards, whose standards? issues-- what standards, whose standards?

Key issues in Democratization debates public’s rights & public funding (access,control, taste) public’s rights & public funding (access,control, taste) “levels” of knowledge & tastes “levels” of knowledge & tastes artist’s rights & responsibility to be “leaders” in society artist’s rights & responsibility to be “leaders” in society

Diversity & Activism : Why? To raise public awareness To raise public awareness Fund-raising Fund-raising political & legal change political & legal change

Debates about Arts activities for populations “at risk”? Arts for arts sake? Arts for arts sake? “emancipatory self expression”? “emancipatory self expression”? social service? social service? –Arts for Moral improvement? Carceral methods? (comfort, reform, “normalize”) –Arts and healing?r propaganda? propaganda?

Impermanent materials

Ephemeral Art (ex. Land Art)

New Approaches to Multiples: Bruce Nauman’s neons

Why isn’t everything kept? --The social context of collective memory Personal (family) Networks & Values Personal (family) Networks & Values Community-based criteria Community-based criteria Other factors (sometimes concurrent) Other factors (sometimes concurrent) –Scholarly –Political –Economic –Moral & ethical –Class-based (elite, popular) agendas etc…. Variations in meaning over time Variations in meaning over time

Vandalism vs. iconoclasm Iconoclasm : deliberate destruction of images rooted in religious, political or other socio-cultural beliefs Iconoclasm : deliberate destruction of images rooted in religious, political or other socio-cultural beliefs – Ex. Destruction of 3 rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan completed March 12, 2002 Destruction of 3 rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan Destruction of 3 rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan

Censorship and controversies as social “devices” for recognition Case study: Rachel Whiteread’s 1993 House and the awarding of the “X- prize”

“House” & 1993 Turner Prize

X-prize JAMS, Kopyright Liberation Front (KLF)K Foundation, --Jimmy Cuaty & --Jimmy Cuaty & Bill Drummond Bill Drummond -Brit Awards -Brit Awards

X-prize ads

Armoured cars

X-prize award night

Award night

more

Actual prize

Meaning of prize Mocking? Mocking? –contemporary art –competition system –Authority of judges –Money vs. sincerity –Value of particular artwork Other events (musicians market art made of money for ½ value of materials) Other events (musicians market art made of money for ½ value of materials)

Cauty earlier work

Reputations & controversy Whiteread: young artist, strong career since

Interior before casting

Whiteread working on site

Completed work– distance shot

Social Issues/contradictions Former hold-out (elderly) convinced to sell for art monument Former hold-out (elderly) convinced to sell for art monument Solidarity with homeless but Stopping low- rent housing project Solidarity with homeless but Stopping low- rent housing project Financed with public funds and donation from company believed guilty of destruction of neightbourhoods & natural habitats Financed with public funds and donation from company believed guilty of destruction of neightbourhoods & natural habitats

Another view

Publicity & book Critics Discourse– Critics Discourse– Aesthetics Aesthetics links to major monuments of art history (ex.Atrium House Pompei) links to major monuments of art history (ex.Atrium House Pompei) Feminist metaphor etc. Feminist metaphor etc.

British fondness of home Wind in the Willows image Wind in the Willows image

Is it art criticism?

Public Outrage

Mocking newstories

Squatters

Graffiti/Vandalism Homes for all Black + white

Paint splash

Incomprehension (budget house)

Destruction of House

Destruction

Social “functions” of controversy & destruction In this example: In this example: Recognition processes in art worlds Recognition processes in art worlds –reputation of artists– but 2 different “aesthetics” techno- rave music world & high culture visual art world –Value of works (effect of prizes, important collector Saatchi etc.) Opportunities for public engagement— Opportunities for public engagement— –Debates about key issues Poverty, homelessness etc. Poverty, homelessness etc. Internationally Internationally –Varied debates: Status of different national groups, questions of world heritage vs. community or national basis for “ownership”

Subsequent success of artist Whiteread In museums In museums

Prestigous commissions; Holocaust memorial

Musicians Financial difficulties, court case (defacing image of queen– by hammering bills to panel) Financial difficulties, court case (defacing image of queen– by hammering bills to panel) “***K the millenium”– theme song for 1998 World Cup “***K the millenium”– theme song for 1998 World Cup

Case Study about censurship and controversies (Rachel Whiteread’s 1993 House and the awarding of the “X- prize”)

“House” & 1993 Turner Prize

X-prize JAMS, Kopyright Liberation Front (KLF)K Foundation, --Jimmy Cuaty & --Jimmy Cuaty & Bill Drummond Bill Drummond -Brit Awards -Brit Awards

X-prize ads

Armoured cars

X-prize award night

Award night

more

Actual prize

Meaning of prize Mocking? Mocking? –contemporary art –competition system –Authority of judges –Money vs. sincerity –Value of particular artwork Other events (musicians market art made of money for ½ value of materials) Other events (musicians market art made of money for ½ value of materials)

Cauty earlier work

Reputation s & controvers y Whiteread: young artist, strong career since

Interior before casting

Whiteread working on site

Completed work– distance shot

Social Issues/contradictions Former hold-out (elderly) convinced to sell for art monument Former hold-out (elderly) convinced to sell for art monument Solidarity with homeless but Stopping low- rent housing project Solidarity with homeless but Stopping low- rent housing project Financed with public funds and donation from company believed guilty of destruction of neightbourhoods & natural habitats Financed with public funds and donation from company believed guilty of destruction of neightbourhoods & natural habitats

Another view

Publicity & book Critics Discourse– Critics Discourse– Aesthetics Aesthetics links to major monuments of art history (ex.Atrium House Pompei) links to major monuments of art history (ex.Atrium House Pompei) Feminist metaphor etc. Feminist metaphor etc.

British fondness of home Wind in the Willows image Wind in the Willows image

Is it art criticism?

Public Outrage

Mocking newstories

Squatters

Graffiti/Vandalism Homes for all Homes for all black and white black and white

Paint splash

Incomprehension (budget house)

Destruction of House

Destruction

Social “functions” of controversy Within art worlds Within art worlds –reputation of artists– but 2 different “aesthetics” techno- rave music world & high culture visual art world –Value of works (effect of prizes, important collector Saatchi etc.) In society— In society— –Debates about key issues Poverty, homelessness etc. Poverty, homelessness etc. Internationally Internationally –Status of different national groups

Subsequent success of artist Whiteread In museums In museums

Prestigous commissions; Holocaust memorial

Musicians Financial difficulties, court case (defacing image of queen– by hammering bills to panel) Financial difficulties, court case (defacing image of queen– by hammering bills to panel) “***K the millenium”– theme song for 1998 world cup “***K the millenium”– theme song for 1998 world cup