Friday, May 07, 2010

But is it art?

This is the latest display at Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery – and the random items scattered across the floor have led to complaints that it is Britain’s worst art exhibition.

The display features pieces of wood lying on the ground, a broom is propped up against a wall and an empty laundry bag left standing in the middle of the room. Entitled “Since I Fell For You” it is the brainchild of artist Susan Collis.



And despite the work looking unfinished and effortless she insisted: “Often a work that looks very careless, as if it hasn’t taken any time to make, like a random mark, ends up being something that takes a long time to produce. The way I make my work takes time.”

Confused art lovers say they have failed to see the real ‘meaning’ of the conceptual piece, and have complained that they feel cheated by it.



But gallery marketing manager Rebecca Small, defended the exhibition saying: “The point of it is that it doesn’t look finished, if you look closer there are precious materials inside.

“People’s first impressions are challenged by looking again. Their first impressions are not necessarily correct and it has really got people talking and interested.”

6 comments:

E said...

I think Banksy says it best.
'<span>"The thing I hate the most about advertising is that it attracts all the bright, creative and ambitious young people, leaving us mainly with the slow and self-obsessed to become our artists. Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little."</span>

Steve said...

I must admit that installation work is not my thing. I just don't get it. 
Chances are if I worked at the gallery I would have cleaned all that up not knowing it was the exhibition.

monkey_town said...

I think art should communicate a clear message.

I hate this sort of thing.

Gizz said...

This display is worse than "Piss-Christ" if any of you remeber that nasty creation.

L said...

What's the point if nobody gets it?

nauip said...

looks like they were robbed - started to clean up, didn't get finished and then just started to charge admission anyway.