Much of modern art is devoted to lowering the threshold of what is terrible....

[alkemical]

“Much of modern art is devoted to lowering the threshold of what is terrible. By getting us used to what, formerly, we could not bear to see or hear, because it was too shocking, painful, or embarrassing, art changes morals.”

Susan Sontag


and now on with our show:

http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/24513

Art major Aliza Shvarts ’08 wants to make a statement.

Beginning next Tuesday, Shvarts will be displaying her senior art project, a documentation of a nine-month process during which she artificially inseminated herself “as often as possible” while periodically taking abortifacient drugs to induce miscarriages. Her exhibition will feature video recordings of these forced miscarriages as well as preserved collections of the blood from the process.

The goal in creating the art exhibition, Shvarts said, was to spark conversation and debate on the relationship between art and the human body. But her project has already provoked more than just debate, inciting, for instance, outcry at a forum for fellow senior art majors held last week. And when told about Shvarts’ project, students on both ends of the abortion debate have expressed shock — saying the project does everything from violate moral code to trivialize abortion.

[snowspot66]

Turns out that the entire art project was this announcement and story. It didn't really happen, but it made a lot of people upset. As an artist myself I don't don't understand it and don't consider it art.

[Smiling Assassin27]

as far as i can tell, this was a hoax. a tasteless and utterly moronic hoax, but a hoax nonetheless.

Ms. Shvarts is engaged in performance art. Her art project includes visual representations, a press release and other narrative materials. She stated to three senior Yale University officials today, including two deans, that she did not impregnate herself and that she did not induce any miscarriages. The entire project is an art piece, a creative fiction designed to draw attention to the ambiguity surrounding form and function of a woman’s body.

She is an artist and has the right to express herself through performance art.

Had these acts been real, they would have violated basic ethical standards and raised serious mental and physical health concerns.

http://www.yale.edu/opa/newsr/08-04-17-00.all.html

[alkemical]

Yeah Snowspot, i hope you aren't offended by my quote as the header - but i thought it fit.

I don't consider it "art" either. (I'm not so much an artist, but one who does appreciate it).

Hey, do you have any thing you'd like to submit for free for exposure in a magazine? I can't pay you right now, but i can give you free adversiting. ;o)

[snowspot66]

Can't offend me when it comes to what a person calls art. This (the urinal) was a submitted and accepted piece in a gallery in the early 1900's and knowing the history of it I do consider it art. There is no set art or not art these days.

What kind of magazine? I've never considered having anything published (I work with digital mediums mostly but it's not print focused).

[alkemical]

Yeah, i saw that too - we must have seen teh same article -

it's going to be a bit different - i can try to explain it via pm or something - it's just not "easy" to explain - just because for my vision - it's not been done yet.

[loborugger]

It is a shame what passes for art this day. There is no way I could ever do something like Monet, Van Gogh, Rubens, or any of the Ren masters. But, these days, smear some feces on a canvas, throw in something to offend some group (a flag, a religious symbol, etc) and I, too, could be "a progressive, thought provoking individual testing the bounds of the modern pysche and making everyone reflect on his/her own life a little more."

Take about feces.

On a couple of occasions when I lived in DC, I went down to the art museums. They arent very crowded, but man, do they have great stuff in there. I would just stand and smile looking at it. Some was uplifting, and some was thought provoking (without feces and offense, if thats possible). And pretty much all of it was old.

[snowspot66]

Unfortunately as far as painting is concerned, it's pretty much all been done before. Sculpture and painting were "perfected" centuries ago and were eventually deconstructed to their most basic elements five or six decades ago. Nonrepresentational painting was developed in the early teens of the last century. Almost a full century ago. Think about that. Dripping on canvas is over 50 years old and cubes on canvas are almost 100.

As far as traditional painting and sculpture are concerned we're out of subject matter. We've idealized, realized, fantasized, dreamed, and abstracted everything. We've run out of things to study. There's nothing much left to break down. In response a lot of people have turned to shock as the goal of their art. Personally I think that by being so edgy they've almost become a cliche.

Oh yeah, send me a pm clavic, I don' know if it would be something I would do at the moment but it sounds interesting and if it fits then maybe in the future. Hopefully I'll have more work I'm actually pleased with enough to publish by then.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Being next to your favorite great pieces of art is like having a face-to-face meeting with your favorite celebrities.

[TheDave]

Originally Posted by angryllama

Being next to your favorite great pieces of art is like having a face-to-face meeting with your favorite celebrities.

You need to get out more...

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by TheDave

You need to get out more...

Maybe "celebrities" isnt the right term. The first time I saw a Munch I couldnt believe it. Same for Van Gogh. It's sort of like meeting the artist. Seeing the brush strokes...seeing the colors as they were intended.

Great art is wonderful.

It's just as cool as seing historically significant artifacts, IMO.

[Play2win]

This is just postmodernist feminism at its best...

[Spider]

Originally Posted by angryllama

Maybe "celebrities" isnt the right term. The first time I saw a Munch I couldnt believe it. Same for Van Gogh. It's sort of like meeting the artist. Seeing the brush strokes...seeing the colors as they were intended.

Great art is wonderful.

It's just as cool as seing historically significant artifacts, IMO.

I have to agree ..seeing art on the bathroom walls of truckstops is inspiring

[TheDave]

Originally Posted by Spider

I have to agree ..seeing art on the bathroom walls of truckstops is inspiring

Side note...

My brother works in construction, His company does large projects like casinos, hospitals, etc. So, there are several porta-pots all over the job site. He's always telling me some of the funniest damn things i have ever heard of. I keep trying to convince him to bring a camera to work and take pictures of these words of wisdom. Told him we could put it together in a coffee table type of book call is something like "Blue-Collar Americana". Sad thing is I bet we would sell a boat load of them.

[Spider]

Originally Posted by TheDave

Side note...

My brother works in construction, His company does large projects like casinos, hospitals, etc. So, there are several porta-pots all over the job site. He's always telling me some of the funniest damn things i have ever heard of. I keep trying to convince him to bring a camera to work and take pictures of these words of wisdom. Told him we could put it together in a coffee table type of book call is something like "Blue-Collar Americana". Sad thing is I bet we would sell a boat load of them.

Oh man some of the gems I get from **** house art ......
Here I sit Cheeks a flexin .......
Given birth to another texan ..... Just a sample

[Breaker]

You have to wonder how that chick even came up with that ****ed up idea in the first place, whether it was real or not.

[jhat01]

Originally Posted by Spider

I have to agree ..seeing art on the bathroom walls of truckstops is inspiring

Not as inspiring as a gloryhole i would imagine!

[Spider]

Originally Posted by jhat01

Not as inspiring as a gloryhole i would imagine!

at my age ....... readng is much less work

[Spider]

I stil dont get it ......

[alkemical]

lol at your location spider