Photographed by Mimi Ritzen Crawford
Recently a very erudite artist posted a question on his status wall -
Is it possible to think of 'art,
without thinking of the 'art world?'
Most of the answers were in a single
emphatic word YES!
But take a second look. you will find
question has many questions within.
And it cannot be answered in a simple
word YES.
For example the question contains
following questions-
Why we make 'art'? and for whom?
who is buying 'art'? and seeing it? who is talking and writing about it?
Is there any intrinsic relationship between an 'art object' and its collector? and does viewer really matter?
If 'art' is done without the concern/gaze of art world? then will that art be recognized by the 'art world'?
Ok .. let me stop this BS and put it this way- Is today's art an insider job? where the artists, critic, curator, gallerist, collector collude and decide what should be ART? and therefore "art cannot be made without thinking of art world"?
Why we make 'art'? and for whom?
who is buying 'art'? and seeing it? who is talking and writing about it?
Is there any intrinsic relationship between an 'art object' and its collector? and does viewer really matter?
If 'art' is done without the concern/gaze of art world? then will that art be recognized by the 'art world'?
Ok .. let me stop this BS and put it this way- Is today's art an insider job? where the artists, critic, curator, gallerist, collector collude and decide what should be ART? and therefore "art cannot be made without thinking of art world"?
I think Jay Z, the celebrity hip hop singer has answered this question through his recent performance. Now Jay Z needs no introduction. On 10th July he
invited who is who of art world and his fans at the New York's Pace
gallery to release his recent single presented in a ART Performance.
Dressed in a squeaky white shirt , and equally squeaky white
sneakers, adoring his trademark bling, Jay Z performed live for six
hours , inviting artists , art critics gallerists to shake a leg
with him while mouthing some famous names of the art world. One by
one he would drag a celebrity audience on the stage look into their
eyes and move in an impromptu gig. Marina Abramovic the doyen of the
performance art was the highlight of the act. Dressed in a loose
black gown she and Jay Z whirled around each other like two ferocious
felines that are about to attack each other . In another video
clip of the same performance showed an elderly lady wearing loose
green shirt, with a a leg plastered in bandage circumambulating the
dais in a children's scooter. While Jay Z gyrated in his regular hip
hope moves, his guests moved in strange gestures that can be
hardly identifiable to any dance forms. Some pretended talking. Some jumped like monkeys. In any case the whole
performance was an impromptu tamasha. The world media covered the event as a
marriage between two art movements, and labeled it pop-
performance.
For moment you wonder Is this is art?
So I turned to lyrics which I could not
hear while the performance was on.
It goes like this-
I just want a Picassso,/In my casa /
No, My castle /I am a hassa/ No am an asshole
I am never satisfied/can't knock my
hustle/ I wanna Rothko/ No I wanna brothel /
No/ I want a wife that fucks me like a
prostitute/ Let's make love on a million/ In a dirty hotel/
with the fan on the ceiling /All for
love of drug dealing / Marble floors / Gold ceilings/
Oh what a feeling / fuck it I want a
billion/ Jeff Koons balloons / I just wanna blow up /
Condos in my condos / I wanna row of/
Chirstie's with my missy / Live a the MoMA/
Bacons and turkey bacons smell the
aroma
Chorus
Oh what a feeling / Picasso baby / Ca
Picasso baby / Ca ca Picasso baby / Ca ca Picasso baby /
Oh what a feeling / Picasso baby / Ca
Picasso baby /Ca ca Picasso baby, ca ca Picasso baby
It ain't hard to tell / I'm the new
Jean Michel / Surrounded by Warhols /
My whole team ball / Twin Bugattis out
side the Art Basel /I just wanna live life colossal/
Leonardo Da Vinci flows Riccardo Tisci
Givenchy clothes / See me throning at Met
Vouging on these niggas/ Champagne on
my breath/ Yes / House like the Louvre or the Tate Modern / Because
I be going ape at the auction / Oh what a feeling / Aw fuck/ I want
a trillion
Sleeping every night next to Mona lisa
/ The Modern day version / with better features
yellow Basquiat at my kitchen corner/
Go ahead lean on that shit Blue /You own it
Chorus
Oh what a feeling / Picasso baby/ Ca
Picasso baby / Ca ca Picasso baby / Ca ca Picasso baby/
Oh what a feeling / Picasso baby, Ca
Picasso baby / Ca ca Picasso baby, ca ca Picasso baby
I never stuck my cock on the fox's box
but / Dammed if I ain't open Pandora's box/
They try to slander you man/ On CNN and
FOX/ My Miranda's don't stand a chance/ With cops/
Even my old fans like old man just stop
/I could if I would but I can't
I am hot / And you blow /I'm still man
to watch / Hublot / On my left hand or not/Soon I step out of the
booth / The cameras pops niggas is cool with it / Till the cannons
pop/ Now my hand on the Bible/ On the stand got your man in a jam /
Again / Got my hands in cuff / I'm like god damn enough/ I put down
the cans and the ran amok / My hairpin / Pierce skin ruptures spleens
/
Crack rips, go through cribs and other
things / No sympathy for the king huh / Niggas even talk About your
baby crazy / Eventually the pendulum swings / Don't forget America
this how you made me/ Come through with the 'Ye mask on'/ Spray
something like SAMO/ I won't scratch the lambo/
What's it gonna to take / For me to go
/For y'all to see/ I am the modern day Pablo/ Picasso baby
PERFECT!!
Lyrics of the song clearly explains today's art scene very eloquently. who makes art and for whom ? Who is buying art? and for what reason he is buying it. It also explains why art should be made in first place? What the **** the art world is all about? Doesn't it explains the 'existential dilemma' of today's artist when he says I am the modern day Pablo.?
This is nothing but art.
And hey if you don't trust my judgement, here is esteemed critics words.
This is nothing but art.
And hey if you don't trust my judgement, here is esteemed critics words.
Jerry Saltz, NYC art critic, who was invited for the performance warned
Jay Z that he is an art critic and he better watch out what he does
on the stage. But after going through the six hour performance He writes,
“I went in doubting. I left elated. Any performer who can get a room full of strangers chanting, "Picasso baby" over and over again is good in my book. Better yet, Jay-Z even got me to actually start liking Marina Abramovic. That's art”
" Oh what a feeling/ Picasso baby/ Ca Picasso baby"
I am loving it!
Sir,
if you want my honest answer.
The 'real' art happens out side the bounds of art world.
what happens in the art world is "Picasso babies"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMG2oNqBy-Y
I am loving it!
Sir,
if you want my honest answer.
The 'real' art happens out side the bounds of art world.
what happens in the art world is "Picasso babies"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMG2oNqBy-Y
Image courtesy
