Is this art?

I live in the great city of Chicago. A few days ago, a friend and I were driving home from a restaurant, and we noticed a peculiar new billboard alongside the 90-94 freeway (near the North Avenue exit). In large bold letters, the billboard simply reads 'Make No Mistake.' An image of the American flag can be seen in the body of the letters.

We weren't sure what the billboard was referring to. I initially suspected that it was some sort of Right Wing, patriotic political ad, and my friend thought it was a Democratic ad warning us not to make the 'mistake' of re-electing George W. Bush.

Upon looking at the sign more closely, we noticed a website address in fine print at the bottom. Since we were on our way over to my friend's apartment (to watch the VP debate nonetheless), we agreed that we'd look it up on his computer to see which one of us was right. And so we did, and it turns out that we were both wrong!

So, I want to know: is this art? If not, what is it?

(Edited by Pete on 10/11, 12:37pm)

(Edited by Pete on 10/11, 12:39pm)

(Edited by Pete on 10/12, 9:04am)

Post 1

Tuesday, October 12, 2004 - 8:25am

Hi Pete,

Well it's definitely political satire, if not art. Is it art according to O'ism? That is, is it a selective recreation of reality according to an artist's metaphysical value judgments? <shrug>

Jordan

Post 2

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - 6:14am

Hi Pete,

Yep, its art; postmodern art. Here are a couple of his predecessors, Jenny Holzer and Edward Ruscha.

Minimal on art, big on obscure words or phrases. Quite seriously they show us the pathetic or disturbing view of life. The ultimate postmodern greeting card.

Newberry

BTW, Jenny Holzer was mentioned in Stephen Hicks' talk, From Modern to Postmodern Art, last year at the Foundation for the Advancement of Art's Conference in New York. The complete conference presentations are available on DVD.

Post 3

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - 12:38pm

What sort of talent or skill does creating art like this require? Apparently none!

Post 4

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - 1:14pm

hmmm, not exactly. They are very familiar with art history and up-to-date on their contemporary culture. It�s a little like a marketing whiz that can come up with the "perfect" sound bite that addresses the client and the public's needs. In this case, they are not selling the latest new and improved version of a commercial product but the "selling" of contemporary aesthetic, such as shaking up your value system, and their audience is a savvy audience up on contemporary art movements.

Job openings for marketeers of postmodernism: must have a quick and witty mind; never takes life too seriously; hates manual labor, as in actually painting or sculpting; must produce large scale work heavy on concept and must be able to be instantly realized ; a beautiful lopsided curl of the upper lip is preferred. Oh, and oh yes, must use the phrase "I want to shock public into seeing the world differently, to check their identity, and to recognize that the dark side of humanity exists under every pretence of good."

Post 5

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - 1:40pm

Sounds a lot like the world of contemporary classical music. I studied music at the college level, and bumped elbows with musicians and professors of this ilk. They are indeed knowledgable about the history and fundamentals of music, and even appreciate the traditional masterworks of composers like Mozart, Beethoven etc. Yet, they embrace atonality and 'experimental' music as if it were the logical continuation of the classical tradition. (I once had a composition professor who said that tonality was elitist because it suggests that one note is more important than another in a given piece of music!) However, most of such attitudes were found in the theory and composition departments. Many of the instrumental specialists, I believe, would prefer playing Rachmaninov over Schoenberg any day of the week.

Post 6

Thursday, October 14, 2004 - 4:33pm

Cheers for an informed critique, Newberry, although I must take offense at your initial assessment of "Minimal on art." Inferring from your personal artistic aspirations, I think you confuse the term "art" with "craft" or even "talent" and "skill" as Pete postulates on in Post 3. In doing so, you effectively and unjustly limit a rich, interdisciplinary appreciation of the arts, which may well be your lot in life. What's more, your impromptu help wanted ad is a fine bit of "postmodern" art in and of itself. It just lacks conviction and execution to confirm its arthood. As it stands now it's just sarcastic banter.

Jordan was on the right track in pointing out that this project is intended as political satire. This would automatically qualify it as art in most critical circles, but we shall leave that can of worms for another forum altogether. In applying the proposed Objectivist critique of the project, I would very much appreciate the verdict, sans the disdain for the postmodern ethic.

Besides the hesitant bestowment of arthood, Pete, would you say that your experience with the billboard itself was a positive one? Did the information on the website help you in your appreciation of the billboard? Can you draw ties between what I have done with your appreciation for the literary and cinematic arts as you have mentioned in other forums?

Post 7

Thursday, October 14, 2004 - 5:50pm

Silas asks:

Besides the hesitant bestowment of arthood, Pete, would you say that your experience with the billboard itself was a positive one?

Good question. The piece definitely made me think. In fact, I am in general agreement with the idea that our short-attention-span, soundbite society produces empty rhetoric which many people (unfortunately) swallow and believe. And insofar as the piece invites us to think critically, I respect it. But since it declares itself and 'art project,' I was a little offended since I tend to look to art for creative inspiration and to see the potential of the human mind at work. This piece failed miserably on that level. On balance, I'd say my experience is/was one of ambivalence.

Did the information on the website help you in your appreciation of the billboard?

Yes, definitely.

Can you draw ties between what I have done with your appreciation for the literary and cinematic arts as you have mentioned in other forums?

What exactly have you done for my appreciation for the literary and cinematic arts? I don't understand this question. Please clarify.

Post 8

Thursday, October 14, 2004 - 5:56pm

Pete: yes.. the grammar was botched on that last question...

What I meant to ask is whether you can draw ties between the billboard and other artworks that are more familiar and readily accessible to you (ie literary or cinematic works perhaps.)

Post 9

Thursday, October 14, 2004 - 8:25pm

Michael,
In post 4 you stated the following:

"Oh, and oh yes, must use the phrase "I want to shock public into seeing the world differently, to check their identity, and to recognize that the dark side of humanity exists under every pretence of good."

I have looked at your art on your website and appreciate it very much. However I am interested in exploring the power [if any] of shock factor if you are willing. Keep in mind I am farely new to objectivism and I would like to use this as an exploration of the topic to hopefully gain a deeper insite.

So if you are willing to discuss my question or questions would be as follows:
Is Shock factor a valid tool in art? While this is well over used now-a-days I think that this could be a very useful tool. I would think that it is what the artist is trying to get out of using it. If it is shock factor alone I would not see this as a practical use of the tool. However, if the artist is exploring his existence, values and thoughts I would assume that he would not restrict himself to not explore something that may shock. Now when he represents this exploration in art he may be expressing the path to his true values and may be hopeing to lead a viewer through the same path. So if he is showing a graphically violent seen that shocks people with its honesty and his conclusion after the exploration are that violence is not the answer in life then his values would align with mine and he has appropriately used "Shock."

So his pretense may not be :
"...and to recognize that the dark side of humanity exists under every pretence of good."
His pretense may be:
...and to recognize that the good side of humanity exists under every pretence of bad.

Post 10

Friday, October 15, 2004 - 1:27am

Good discussion going on here and I would love to jump in but its 4 A.M. and I am sitting here wet from the shower getting ready for the plane to Utah where I will make pastel studies for a painting I am working on. Back later next week.

Newberry

Post 11

Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 2:21pm