The question, whether an object, image or artifact is art or not, cannot be decided either by one single object, image or artifact, let alone by an individual. Art is after all a practice rather than a product, a verb rather than a noun, but more importantly a social
show more...
agreement, a title that’s been decreed and continuously awarded by specific communities, particular institutions, or a group of representatives, placeholders of the world of culture and the industry of art. Nonetheless, there’s a common drive in public conversations to raise questions about the legitimacy of certain objects and negotiate them in regard of their status as to what level something is art or not, which I find both, compulsively obsessive and strikingly playful.
“I can’t believe it’s not art” refers to the popular childhood game with daisies in which we fervently try to decide through a ritual of petal picking whether somebody’s feelings are in or against our favor. “She loves me, she loves me not” cannot be decided by wishful thinking unless it is whimsical to begin with. However, the ritual follows a function: it marks our courting and tries to raise our odds – the more so as performed in front of the adored.
“I can’t believe it’s not butter” is the name of a well-known American brand. To extend the phrase into the field of arts expands the play with daisies into the realm of words. Branding, it shows, is not just a challenging task for companies but artists as well, see Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, Naomi Klein, etc.
show less...
