The best definition to me of conceptual art is that it is just somebodies thought or idea turned into what they think is art. This can be any idea that there is, crazy or sane. It is just somebodies version of what art is to them. In fact, i think that the idea is more important than the actual piece of work.
I chose to write about Janine Antonis work called "Lick and Lather" because it intrigued me the most. In this project she made a couple of molds of her head. The first one she used a common dental mold to make the head steady and then used 35 pounds of chocolate to mold her head, including her hair. The artistic part, or conceptual was that she licked the chocolate partly off her own mold to resculpture her own looks. The second mold that was used in the project was a mold of her head made out of soap. In this conceptual piece, she took a bath with her own molded head until the soap began to wear down and change the look of the head. In this piece she describes it as "This piece is very much is about trying to be on the outside of myself and have a relationship with my image". She also describes the project as a way to slowly erase herself, as in a love hate relationship.
I find that conceptual art is very strange. If Janine Antonis did not provide a definition of her work i would not have the slightest idea what it was about. After reading it though it makes alot of sense to me. Its just not the norm for somebody like me who is not really into art, or is just learning about it. I cannot grasp the meaning of some of the works, nor do i find them really interesting. I just dont appreciate conceptual art like i do a beautiful painting or sculpture. Im sure that there are great pieces out there, but its just not my thing.
2 comments:
yes, her work certainly falls under the umbrella of conceptual art. it wasn't the fact that she made her head out of chocolate and soap (though that is interesting). the "conceptual" art was when she starting licking the chocolate mold and bathing with the soap mold. the importance was all the questions that rose: "what is the meaning?" "what is she doing?" "what is she trying to tell us?"
I agree with your idea on conseptual art. I had a hard time defining it becuase it is so broad. I see conceptual art as something that someone does to raise questions. What is the concept? Meaning? This day in age when we want to know everything about anything, I think conceptual art gives people the chance to stop and think for themselves about the meaning and what it means not only to the artist, but to themselves.
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