Post 2: Damien 'For The Love of God'

1. Describe the work giving details on form and material.
This work is a sculpture produced by the artist 'Damien Hirst' in the year 2007. It is a human skull which has been cast in platinum encrusted with 8,601 perfect diamonds. These included a pear shaped pink diamond which was placed in the forehead. The original skull which was used for the base of the work, was purchased from a shop in Islington. The person was said to have been european, living in the 18th century. The platinum and diamonds covers the entire skull except the teeth which were left as they were.


2. What is the meaning behind the work? 
Damien's work focuses on the subject/idea of death. The work represents a traditional "memento mori", an object that speaks of the transience of human existence. Damien was quoted saying 'Death is such a heavy subject, it would be good to make something that laughed in the face of it'. This work was partly inspired by the mexicans art which incorporated skull decoration. 


3. How does Hirst's diamond encrusted skull relate to Mercantilism?
I believe the main reason it relates to mercantilism is because of how outrageous its value is. The piece, being encrusted with over eight thousand perfect diamonds gives it a value of 100 million dollars which is an extreme waste/unethical use of money. Only a character who conspicuously consumes would even think about purchasing something like this, which is again, completely useless.


4. How much did the work cost, and how much was it sold for, and who bought it?
The work was produced in 2007 costing around 14 million pounds. According to Hirst, the work sold on the 30th of August, 2007, for 50 million pounds. The buyer was an anonymous consortium. 


5. What are some of the differing opinions of the journalists in the newspaper and blog articles? What did they think of the work?


Richard Dorment, an art critic from The Daily Telegraph wrote, 'If anyone but Hirst had made this curious object, we would be struck by its vulgarity'. He believes that it looks like the type of thing someone with no taste or knowledge about art, with unlimited amounts of money to spend, would invest in.

Rudi Fuchs, a Dutch art historian, described the work as ‘a supernatural skull, 

almost heavenly’. He relates this piece of Hirst’s back to the Memento Mori and 

Vanitas Motifs which were popular in the Dutch Golden Age. He was also 

quoted saying “The skull is out of this world, celestial almost. At the same time 

it represents death as something infinitely more relentless. Compared to the 

tearful sadness of a vanitas scene, the diamond skull is glory itself.” 

6. What is your opinion of the work, as an object or a work of art.
In my personal opinion, I wouldn't even touch the thing it's so ugly. Not only that but its pure scary. To think that someone's head is actually in there, unwillingly posing, so someone can hang it in there living room. Apart from the main idea about death, I believe it portrays the idea of 'because I can, I will'. 










http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_Love_of_God
http://www.wired.com/beyond_the_beyond/2011/01/for-the-love-of-god-its-damien-hirst/
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/magazine/03Style-skull-t.html

Post 1: Fiona Hall

1. Define mercantilism, how it has developed since the Renaissance.
Mercantilism is an economic system which major trading nations used between the sixthteenth and eighteenth centuries. The approach believed that a nations strength could be increased by limiting imports and maximizing exports. It began to collapse with the decline of the Renaissance, and as years followed the policies gave way to a new system called Capitalism. 


2. Identify the ideas in Hall's work that relate to Mercantilism. 
In both of the works, Hall's main choice of media has been bank notes. This choice relates directly to the economic system 'Mercantilism' and expresses the idea of humans excessive demand for profit. She has used this media to create elements of the natural world, such as the birds nests in 'Tender'. This could mean that within her works she is trying to explore the relationships between the nature and the economic world. 


3. Describe each work and also explain ideas.
'Tender' 2003-05. This work is a detailed installation made from thousands of shredded United States hundred dollar notes. Each strand has been woven precisely to form 86 birds nests, each of a different species from there own habitats. They are all relatively real size, small enough to clasp one in your hand. Within this work she could be exploring complex relationships between the natural world and economic trade systems.


'Leaf Litter' 1993-03. This work of Hall's is again made from currency. Each of the 183 layers has been made out of bank notes from all over the world, being held together at the back by paper tape. Then on top she has painted replicas of life sized leaf portraits on piece. The bank notes have been matched to the country of the leafs origin. Apart from displaying the idea that money doesn't grow on trees, through this work she is also refreshing our memory about fragile diversity of the natural world.


4. In your opinion do the materials communicate the ideas of the work? Please explain your answer.
In my opinion, the material choices and the specific usage and detail expresses the ideas behind her work well. For example the bank notes in 'Leaf Litter' are tender which relate directly to economic trade. Seeing this idea mixing with the other ideas of the leaf portraits helps you understand the explorations about money/profit and the natural world she is trying to show.


5. Fiona Hall's recent project 'The Kermadecs' focuses on issues around the Pacific ocean. Research this project to summarize the importance of the area and upload an image to your blog for discussion. 
The Kermadec region is an area of untouched wilderness in the middle of the Pacific ocean. It is located between New Zealand and Tonga playing host to the largest volcanic arc on earth. The volcanic islands house a big variety of rare, endangered and undiscovered forms of life. The National Geographic Society has declared the area as one of the 'last pristine sites left in the ocean'. The project 'The Kermadecs' is about nine artists who have joined to help protect this area and preserve it from exploration.

'Ghost Net' 2011 Fiona Hall














http://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mercantilism.asp
http://21cblog.com/fiona-hall-tender-2003-06/
http://dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/847/
http://www.thekermadecs.org/fiona-hall