Contextual Studies Assessment Task III:

1.  Choose one work by each of two different postmodern artists. Describe each work and explain how and why they are postmodern. Discuss the content of the images and how they are made.

I believe installation to be an art form which has been able to develop in a post-modern artistic society, contesting the idea that art should not only be something which is easy to move and that can be sold. In my mind, Emin’s work represents post-modernism in the way that her subject matter involves ideas that can only be appreciated within a post-modern society. By this I mean that, at a time before the introduction of contemporary practices and ideas, religious subject matter was prominent within many art works and I expect for Emin’s works at this time to have been widely discredited.

‘Everyone I have ever slept with 1963-1995’' is an installation by Emin that was exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1997 in ‘Sensation’ along with fellow artists; Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas, and Mark Quinn. The piece consists of a tent inscribed with the names of everyone Emin has ever slept with. Although this can come across to many as a display of all Emin’s sexual encounters and can be described as displaying her dirty washing in public, the names within actually include people she has merely shared a bed with, therefore, covering all meanings of the phrase ‘slept with.’ One of the names that was included was of one of the artist’s professors who was horrified at the fact that she’d publicly admitted he’d slept with a student. At this time he did not know that Emin had addressed the phrase ‘slept with’ in ways other than just sexual encounters and, in his uproar, in fact uncovered the affair himself. 

                I think another characteristic that has become apparent in post-modern art is that artists are not afraid to create very personal artworks that display intimate details about their life. Tracey Emin is fearless in this respect and I admire her for being so honest, saying what she thinks, and creating works which depict her life and her actions.

                What is interesting to me about ‘Everyone I have ever slept with 1963-1995’  is Emin’s decision to display the names in a tent. A tent such as this makes me think about camping as a kid and the vulnerability but also carelessness of childhood. I believe this installation to be rather symbolic in terms of this idea and it is interesting how my interpretation contradicts the ideas of many others who think the piece is fuelled by sex and anger.

                As a part of Young British Artists, Emin is recognised for being shocking and confrontational in her approaches, which falls in line with the approaches adopted by other members of YBA. In terms of her work being post-modern, I believe that works by artists like Emin are dependant upon post-modern methods in which to cause controversy and therefore publicity for the work. I think the idea of something being a bit controversial is quite important as everyone will want to have an opinion on it, there is no such thing as bad press. In my opinion, in terms of the work by Tracey Emin, there is no love it or hate it. I believe there are only those who understand it and those who are too naïve to understand the complexities of an artist’s ideas, actions and decisions.

                ‘Black Pussy,’ an installation by Jason Rhodes, is the second art work which I have decided to discuss in terms of post-modern art. I think, in terms of my point made earlier about installation and post-modern art, that this piece by Rhodes is a prime example as the dimensions of the installation, as well as the content, make it impossible to be moved easily or indeed to be sold.

 ‘Black Pussy’  is a mixed media installation scattered with varying objects such as wire metal shelving, neon glass, and vegetables. I find the variation of items within the piece to be quite interesting as it encourages me to think about how the artist decided which items should be used, what would have the desired effect, and perhaps even the history and meaning behind each individual item. I think within this particular work, it is so important to recognise the significance of each item especially for an installation that visually can be described as rather busy and manic.

There are parts of this installation that I think could only be present in a post-modern piece of artwork. For example, the ultra-violet lights that have been used here represent developed technology.

 I believe it is also important to acknowledge artist intentions of what the piece is conveying alongside what people may actually perceive themselves. For example, Rhodes intended for this installation to represent 360 idols that were destroyed after an affirmation by Prophet Muhammad that there was only one God. However, by Rhodes using various interpretations of the word ‘vagina’ I believe that the viewer could possibly interpret this in a more sexual sense, much like the work of Tracey Emin. With this in mind, I think it is essential to explore the idea of the artist’s ability to convey religion with such a controversial approach. This is something I believe to be a characteristic of post-modern art work as, even in the 20^th century, there are religions that would not condemn such links between religion and sex let alone the attitudes towards such things in a prude 19^th century society. Furthermore, with less stigma surrounding sex nowadays and the artist’s audacity to use these ideas in his work, I can argue that only a post-modern world would be so tolerant.

I would describe this installation as an explosion of random objects that have miraculously landed in their places. I find this piece visually exciting and stimulating yet increasingly interesting as I explore deeper into the meanings behind it. I believe it emulates so much freedom and I like how it illustrates the scope of installation as an art form. I think freedom is an important factor within post-modern art, allowing artists to push the boundaries and generate new, original ideas without being afraid what society may say.

In conclusion, I think post-modern art can be characterized by its form, such as installation being regarded as a shift away from traditional artistic mediums and towards approaches that challenge ideas of space rather than focusing on objects. The globalisation of imagery and material goods I think also contributes to how far artists can push their ideas. I believe that, with the ability to change, adapt, and experiment, that work produced by artists can continue to grow into unique pieces that challenge the norms within an artistic society. 

Bibliography

Bonham-Carter, C & Hodge, D     The Contemporary Art Book Eds. Wort, J & Tutton, A London 2009

Anna Stollery

Word Count: 1094

Tutor: Andrew Vass