"We are interested in shock - in convulsion. We are obsessed with the failed attempt at producing objects with a vertiginous obscenity attached to them; in being purely gratuitous and rejecting critical worth. But even more, we are interested in how even the most abject object is recuperated to 'use value'. We are interested in the redemptive value of transgression, and how morality is squeezed from sin. We fantasize about producing things with zero cultural value, to produce aesthetic inertia - a series of works of art to be consumed and then forgotten." -excerpted from a conversation with Robert Rosenblum.
These are 2 exerts from the website http://artseensoho.com/Art/GAGOSIAN/chapman3
I looked at these two artists as they use mannequins of children (dolls). I dont necesserily like this work but i do find it interesting. S piece of their work names 'Death' 2003 (There are no photos on here) seems quite childish to me. Death seems to be a serious matter, however, they just seem to concentrate on to sex dolls taking the 69er position. This seems to be a teenage thing perhaps to 'much around', joke around, ignoring the state of death. The sculpture is made out of bronze but is made to look like plastic. This creates that every day object, but also allows something very very heavy to be light. due to the associations of inflatable objects. The bronze perhaps shows the time it will last - you cant destroy it as easily as an inlattable plastic object. This perhaps shows Death is always there and you cant get rid of it.
The top image, was an image i saw i believe at the Whitechappel Gallery about 2006, when i was doing my foundation. I remember seeing this for the first time and being completely shocked and thinking that the two artists were peodaphiles (cant spell) because of the mannequins in the form of children. I know how they like to shock people. Maybe this is purely why they did it? It takes on a 'hellish' quality to it. They are there, looking out at the audience as a specticle. they seem to be mostly girls. Maybe 1 boy, but not sure. They dont seem upset.
The quote explains all your concerns against the fact that they may be paedophiles. They simply have attached 2 objects together which pre-exist culturally to create something that is considered taboo - one theme they seem to obsess over is that mannequins are sexualised in order to sell - therefore child mannequins which previously exist (which they have appropriated) are sexualised, they are simply exploiting this.
ReplyDeleteI wouldnt worry too much about 'Death', I believe it is more a question of aesthetic taste than reading into death itself. They produced a number of sculptures which appear to be wet clay but were bronze, it may be something worth while to consider its sensational value rather than its title.
Still, brilliant quotes from the boys. I sometimes figure they over did what they were best at, but conceptually they are perfect.