On Thursday we met on seminar with Samantha Jones.
It was very interesting discussion about contemporary visual-digital art in general and Tehching Hsieh art performance in particular. Unfortunately I do not understand and have a negative attitude to year-long performance of Hsieh.
What is his heroism? What is his talent? Where is art?
I can be wrong. This is just my opinion. But I think it's cynical and untrue, and .... I do not even know how to express briefly my emotions in relation to such "out of nothing to do art shady enterprise".
If his permance is art...then what is it:
If his permance is art...then what is it:
Miners in Chile trapped underground in the San Jose gold and copper mine in Copiapo
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/7980296/Miners-in-Chile-trapped-underground-in-the-San-Jose-gold-and-copper-mine-in-Copiapo.html
I'll try to explain why this art is so cynical and unpleasant for me. For example: I know how scary and difficult children’s life now in China and Taiwan and in other developing countries. Some media has report to us about it ...
There are in inhuman work's conditions - in the cold, without normal lighting and food children in China's and Taiwan's factories sewing garments for 15 hours a day and have to rest and sleep in the same place on the floor and dust on the bags with clothes. It's true.
There are in inhuman work's conditions - in the cold, without normal lighting and food children in China's and Taiwan's factories sewing garments for 15 hours a day and have to rest and sleep in the same place on the floor and dust on the bags with clothes. It's true.
How those children’s life in factories related to Hsieh’s art?
Many of them - children or adolescent, who works in a developments world's factories for a bowl of rice would have agreed to participate for free in this psychological experiment as Hsieh did because their lives worse and harder and lasts not only for one year but sometimes for whole life.
I do not even want to compare the life of the Russian 18-year olds lads who are forced, ordered to go serve in the Russian army for two years. The conditions of life there for two years are such terrible and brutal that many of them would agree to sit one year in America for art sake in a warm cage without communication but without risking their lives and cruel humiliation.
And more ... this is not Hsieh’s art performance...in my opinion, it is the art work of his managers and he has just ‘sold’ his body for a year. But how from a million illegal immigrants in New York from China, art managers…or directors were found and choose him in particular? It is very interesting.
Probably it was like Lady Gaga phenomena for example, accidentally she found her place in show biz from a million of other young girls like her.
Probably it was like Lady Gaga phenomena for example, accidentally she found her place in show biz from a million of other young girls like her.
Found by chance at the right time in the right place?
I know the terminology is really crude... all art within the industry is potentially and arguably commercial, it's true.
And the same applies backwards: there is something about even the sh@ttiest art that allows awesome remakes of it. But you could look at the juxtaposition of indie/major labels and kind of see what I'm trying to get at. It's a love of beauty versus brute efficient economics kind of thing and I take it really personally.
