Oscar Wilde’s admission that “[a]ll art is quite useless” articulates art’s unique position in terms of value. Aesthetics aside, art has no use-value. Exchange-value is king; and in capitalism this means that markets determine the value of art. The artwork is then a PERFECT COMMODITY, in that its relationship with individuals and communities is established not through their direct engagement with it, but by the market.
I propose that art CANNOT BE HOARDED, because it already exists outside of use-value; the (prospective) hoarder cannot dissolve the relationship between use- and exchange-values by collecting it. As it is a consummate commodity, it exists to be “had”, to be possessed. To honour art’s role in society is to collect it. So while the hoarder may collect art, this collecting is not disorderly.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGRGGHHH!!! This has shocked me.
A lot.
Why have I never seen the connection?!
Anyway, it’s by Surplus Bargains, a street artist based here in Wellington.
Sorry for not posting much lately my brothers. The last exam of my degree’s on Wednesday and the procrastination required for it has kept me away from this bloglette.
An update
- Me: yes
- Me: I painted a kettle and I made my Patrick Dempsey doll into a black man
- Me: it's very handsome
- Ollie: i can imagine
- Ollie: he was handsome enough already
- Me: nobody ever has black dolls
- Me: or black action figures
- Ollie: now you are the trendsetter
- Me: (blaction figures)
- Me: (blaction figures)
Unhidden
Lee Gainer - the conceptual artist we all love to, er, love - has brought out a new series called Unhidden. The works in this series take advertisements and paint over all but one of their elements. They end up being quite clear images of cultural stereotypes - “expert”, “mother”/”wife”, “family” …
Check out the nails on the kind of hand that would buy a Scotch Brite pad:
Now that’s glamour.
Giovanni Bellini. Portrait of Doge Loredano.
On my wall …
Another impulse drunk buy off trademe.
Still, pleased (quite a fan of Bellini).
wowwwwwwwwwvvvvvvvvvvvv
Good idea! If there are any of these around VVellington, I have an idea.
I couldn’t resist popping this one up too. Che bella cosa!
Jean-Honoré Fragonard. Venus Refusing Cupid a Kiss. 1760s. Oil on oval canvas. 37 x 34 cm. Private collection.
Jean-Honoré, I may be in love with you.
Jean-Honoré Fragonard. Self-Portrait. c.1760. Oil on canvas. Musée-Villa Fragonard, Grasse, France.
Je le veux, je le veux, je le veux. This evening’s provoking a lot of wanting on my part.
Memento mori carpeque diem …
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