***Warning, explicit subject matter***
Art is very personal. To the artists and to the viewer
I recently visited a Brisbane city gallery that made me concerned about the value that art holds.
It was quite a roller coaster ride, which in itself I found quite enjoyable. Because I am sure you will agree that art needs to make us feel, connect, relate, or contemplate.
However, I was left wondering… was this necessary? Do we really need to go there in the artistic realm?
The experience started out pleasant enough; I walked into the first space wrapped in the gorgeous sounds of classic Indian tones. A mother sang while her mature children harmonised.
I did have to leave when the children started singing on their own, but I am sure it would be enjoyable to most.
In the next room, a large First Nation artwork hangs on the furthest wall. Whether a token inclusion or not, I found myself drawn in. As an artist, I find the classic dot and animal paintings overly commercialised to the point that they no longer hold any enjoyment for me. This one was different. Yes, it was full of pattern, but white on black and moved away from the standard dots. What do you think?
Back to the roller coaster
Running along the wall beside this piece was what I describe as a graphic or art project I did during my school years…. And this room was footed with a video of a young lady exhibiting I am a tree motion… so I moved on (it could have just been that I came across the video at that point, but either way, it did not capture my attention)
I also wanted to move on because I had passed a content warning sign on entry, and I was sure it was not that video.
The next room brought me to tears and back again. This is not really saying much, as I was crying in the car this morning, listening to a random story on the radio. However, adorning the walls were various contemplative expressions of America’s sad state of health care. One whole wall was a photo of a man dying of aids that was likened to Jesus….
My tears froze on my cheek as my eyes were drawn across the space to an image in the next room.
It was a smallish photo and somewhat gruesome in nature.
I can not recite precisely what the description was, but it went something like… this is a photo of a tongue from a street person that had been murdered and left in the street. The photographer was working in the morgue where the body lay. As there was no one to pay for the poor man’s burial, he offered to pay for it if he could have the tongue…..
It was stated that this was to be displayed to draw attention to the plight.
Wait, we are not there yet.
Attached to this space was a room with a documentary video of what I could only describe as a documentary on the day in the life of two prisoners. I left the room when one of the prisoners pulled out his penus and peed in someone’s bowl of food…. Felt a little staged.
When I entered this section, I noticed another room out of the corner of my eye. The wall was lined with large images of naked men. Holding no interest to me on a creative level, I almost left.
In the background, I could hear the most beautiful melodic singing, drawing me in. Thinking I had already passed the censored content, I found myself sitting down and getting comfortable. Ready to see what the video was all about. In the screenshot was a head and chest height shot of A middle-aged man. He started complimenting the singer. Expressing how much he loved the tones and if he could hear more….
This was when the experience took a complete turn….
The artist’s statement said (I read this after, as I like to experience art myself first, before finding out the artist’s perspective), in simplified terms, a documentary on sex workers. The person had asked a blind man if he could video him being…pleasured.
I was left questioning if documenting such instances is ever needed, let alone if they have an artistic value?
Manipulating the less fortunate to bring attention to their plight is one thing…. But is this just shock and grandstanding at the expense of the less fortunate?
I know that was a lot. Thanks for joining my emotional ride; you truly never know what you will find in the art realm these days. I guess that’s where the power lays
The Exhibition is Called Duty of care, and its at the Institute of Modern Art till Sep 22
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