I would like to continue the discussion that I started in my latest David Report bulletin launched yesterday. The issue is called Vulgarism and concerns the ongoing convergence between design and art. At the recent Milan Furniture Fair we saw teapots in super size, huge Pinocchio dolls in mosaic, porcelain horse heads and knitted dogs. Is design flirting with art, or is it art flirting with design? I have got lots of feedback which prove that it is important that the Vulgarism is discussed and that serious questions about it are brought onto the agenda.
A new money-driven scene is created when the art galleries suddenly see a possibility to commercialize a current trend in the design world. Or is it the other way round; the trend is created by the galleries? As I mentioned in the Vulgarism bulletin Ambra Medda, the founder of Design Miami, sees a great demand of design-art from celebrities and young wealthy couples. It is maybe just natural that the designers would like to grab the money and consequently line up to take part in the rat-race?
I would like to quote Philip Wood from Citizen-Citizen who responded to the bulletin: “Just because it’s expensive and limited edition doesn’t make it art”. That is very true. I think that most people involved in the art world would agree. But what about design? What do all people involved in the design world say? A somewhat pushing question could be; is it design at all? According to me design is closely associated with industrial production, so a certain volume is necessary. It has also a lot to do about functionality and solving problems. When we are talking about more or less handmade one-off objects, we are maybe drifting into the land of sloyd and handicraft instead? Nothing bad at all, I like the texture and personal touch of handicraft objects a lot, but I would not call it design.
What do you think? Both out of an art and design perspective? What is the Vulgarism; a spectacle created by the mass media and fancy gallery owners, or the future of design?
Andra bloggar om: design, konst, hantverk, vulgarism, slöjd, trender, framtid
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12 comments
Stephen N. says:
Jun 30, 2007
It’s about time somebody is talking about this shit in the right words. Thanks!
tim power says:
Jul 4, 2007
overscaling objects is nothing new – neither in the design field or the art world.
other than that i see no advancement of new ideas or concepts. I imagine this work is oriented toward the next generation of ‘design hotels’. personally i feel it is more of a challenge to face the demanding issues facing us in the world rather than creating a fantasy world to escape into.
an interesting point that david discusses:
what do the leading artists in the art world think about these works?
David Carlson says:
Jul 4, 2007
Tim. Yepp, it is better to solve real problems than creating a fantasy world!
tim power says:
Jul 4, 2007
but that is not to say that we can’t solve real problems with ‘concrete’ creativity and fantasy
Haiying WANG-Radojcic says:
Dec 3, 2007
Great article.
Also being academic artist, I would like to coment more.
If Vulgarism is what is created by “greedy” gallery owner or designers, then what you would call all these Chinese paintings and sculptures that are pure copies of big faces (in pink, red, blue), open mouth, hands catching fish in air, etc., that are sold in best galleries around Western (civilized) World? All new artists (Chinese) are not really artists from they HEART but bunch opportunists with some drawing skill and they understood that farming land is more hard than painting paintings (with non artistic’ value) for smart gallery owners and stupid consumers…
How would we call that? FarmArtIsm?
With LOVE from China – Song Zhuang (artists’ village, a home for over 2,000 registered artists.)
Haiying.
http://www.haiyingart.com
David Carlson says:
Dec 5, 2007
Haiying, thanks for comment. FarmArtism sounds like a good description of the trend you are describing…
Haiying WANG-Radojcic says:
Dec 13, 2007
David, I read your article and as you already know, I like it.
Also I would like to use this forum, if possible, to get answer(s) to my life quest.
I am an established Chinese artists with “tie” to U.S.A. (husband is American) and I really would like to know ‘WHY ANYONE NEED ART CRITICS?” For my part and believe, I, as an artist, am best qualify to criticize my art works, which will give me more energy for improvement and advancement of my paintings. In other hand the viewer are jury and will judge artist’s works, by collecting.
Art critics, at least here in China, are “employed” by art magazine to write (ALWAYS) the best article about artists that will pay for cost of publishing.
Also, same critics in lack of artists willing to pay astonishing high fee WILL GO SO LOW by approaches an artists that already selling his/her paintings to galleries, collectors or Chinese auction houses, asking artists to pay plenty money personally to them and they will not writhe BAD CRITIC about artist’s paintings…
Is there anyone that could explain if we really need art critics to tell other people ‘WHAT AND HOW I FELT IN MY HEART AND SOUL” while creating a particular painting? … AND WHY?
Thank you and really looking for answers or if not a concrete answer, then at least to start important (for me) discussion about ART CRITICS.
Haiying!
David Carlson says:
Dec 13, 2007
Haiying, thanks for new comment. Sounds like you have a strange situation concerning art critics. I mean if they write about the artist that pay them…how credible is that…not more than an ad…and who believes in them nowadays.
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