Objects and Non-Traditional Media in Art - Essay Example

? Objects and Non-Traditional Media in Art Intrinsic to the very nature of art is the pressing desire to transcend traditional forms of expression. Still, to a great extent, for hundreds of years art conformed to easily distinguishable mediums and subject matter (Gombrich, 1994). One considers Greek and Roman antiquity where sculptural depictions of gods and warriors were a prevailing trend (Gombrich, 1994). The Renaissance continued to experiment with sculptural depictions, but increasingly this artistic period emphasized oil and canvas painting. This trend continued into the 19th century as Vincent Van Gogh experimented with impression, and well into the 20th century, as artists such as Pablo Picasso and later Jackson Pollock revolutionized the medium through increasing forays into abstract modes of expression (Gombrich, 1994). While the subject matter of these visual works greatly changed over time, their overriding medium remained largely constant. Through conceptual and minimalist movements, art in the second half of the 20th century began to step outside the canvas-painting trend (Osbourne 2011). Today artists regularly use or manipulate objects and non-traditional media in creating art. Through a consideration of intentions and methods, this essay examines artists’ implementations of such objects and non-traditional media. Perhaps the 20th century’s most prominent non-traditional medium is assemblage art. This specific art form establishes two or three-dimensional art forms by combining found objects (Lockhart 2010). In better understanding the structural nature of this art, one considers that its parallel in literature is stories or novels formed from already existing texts (Lockhart 2010). While assemblage art forms date to as early as Picasso’s early 20th century cubist constructions, the term was first articulated in the 1950s after Jean Dubuffet’s work ‘assemblages d'empreintes’ (Lockhart 2010). One also considers Duchamp’s found art, including his seminal urinal, as a prominent implementation of objects (Masheck 2002). In 1961 this form made considerable headway with the 1961 exhibition ‘Art of the Assemblage’ (Seitz 1961). Among the prominent artists featured at this exhibition include Jean Dubuffet, Bruce Conner, and Edward Kienholz (Lockhart 2010). While assemblage art refers to a specific type of non-traditional production, one also considers the implications of transcending mainstream modes of artistic expression. In gaining interpretive insight into such an event, it is necessary to step outside traditional art criticism into perspectives that analyze the broader media. One of the most seminal such perspectives in this arena is that of Marshall McLuhan. McLuhan (1964) argued that the medium is the message. While such a statement makes a variety of complex arguments, one element is that the very nature of the medium necessitates shifts in meaning. When such a perspective is extended to artists working in non-traditional mediums, one comes to recognize that such expression not only functions as a means of the artist creating a unique work, but is necessary to capture the increasingly complex cultural signs operating within modern social contexts. It will be seen that the central thorough-put in assemblage and non-traditional art is an effort to codify and comment on this complexity. When considering the use of non-traditional forms of expression one of the seminal early assemblage artists is Joseph Cornell. Cornell’s work largely was created around the mid-20th century, paving the way for future forays into assemblage (Soloman 1996). While the Cornell’s exact motivation for venturing into non-traditional mediums is unknown, today his work carries with it a haunting, yet characteristic aesthetic (Soloman 1996). Cornell’s work mainly centered on small boxes that he would meticulously fill and arrange with objects. Fig. 1 below is an image of Cornell’s 1950 work ‘Planet Set.’ From observation one recognizes the highly uncharacteristic and unique assemblage of material contained therein. To an extent critics note that Cornell’s work is influenced by surrealist tendencies and as such objective critical understanding is highly challenged Still, other Fig. 1 Planet Set perspectives contend that in this work, “The celestial theme is evoked here not only by the star charts but also by the two balls that are free to roll on the rods in the upper section of the box, creating new ‘alignments’, just as planets orbit a sun” (Mundy 2004). Perspectives that hold Cornell was highly influenced by musicality, specifically opera, further strengthen such an understanding and that this work’s implementation of cartography is a reference to ‘music of the spheres’ (Mundy 2004). Ultimately, it’s clear that Cornell’s assemblage boxes represent a highly divergent form of expression that could not as readily be captured through traditional methods. While Cornell’s boxes were small-scale, Louise Nevelson was an artist who explored similar assemblage structures, yet in a considerably larger format. Indeed, despite a similarity in artistic process to Cornell’s work, Nevelson’s assemblages can perhaps by more identified as sculptures. Fig. 2 below is Nevelson’s work Mirror-Shadow VIII. While the image below is small, the work spans nearly an entire wall ‘Louise Nevelson -- Mirror Shadow’, (2010). Fig. 2 Mirror-Shadow VIII While Cornell’s implementation of assemblage functioned to express subtle meanings or themes. Nevelson’s foray into such non-traditional objects seems to have gained aesthetic purpose and critical prominence through purely abstract concerns with design (Celant 2010). For instance, one considers the visually appealing symmetry between the four concentric rings and their juxtaposition with the rigid grid resting underneath. While Cornell and Nevelson are largely associated with the early assemblage froms, John Dahlsen is a contemporary artist implementing non-traditional media. While Dahlsen has implemented a wide array of objects in his art, some of the most notable objects are his implementation of plastic bags (Dahlsen 2009). Dahlsen’s use of plastic bags has taken on a variety of complex contexts. Fig. 1 below is his work Blue River. Fig. 2 Blue River This work, while conforming to the traditional canvas frame, is entirely composed from plastic bags. Although a variety of interpretations exist for Dahlsen’s use of this object, one recognizes that Dahlsen is an environmental artist. In these regards, the plastic bags seemingly reference how these objects pollute the ocean and other natural environments, as they are not biodegradable. Dahlsen himself noted, I see that by making this art, it is a way of sharing my messages for the need to care for our environment with a broad audience. I feel that even if just a fraction of the viewing audience were to experience a shift in their awareness and consciousness about the environment and art, through being exposed to this artwork then it would be worth it (Dahlsen 2009). Although Dahlsen explicitly states that the plastic bags are implemented as a means of establishing ecological consciousness, one considers that the non-degradable nature of plastic is coupled with the timeless nature of art. HA Schult is a modern conceptual artist that has combined many of Dahlsen’s environmental concerns, with the sensational self-promotion of Damien Hirst. Schult’s method of transcending traditional artistic dichotomies has involved the construction of a mass army out of garbage (‘HA Schult Online’, 2011). Fig. 4 below depicts these figures constructed from trash in front of the actual Egyptian pyramids. This garbage has also been placed on the Great Wall of China. While to an extent Schult has deferred from Fig. 4 Garbage People attaching any definitive meaning to his creations, one clearly can see parallels between Dahlsen’s use of plastic bags and Schult’s use of trash. In both instances these objects attest to the tremendous longevity of the materials. Indeed, Schult himself has noted, "silent witnesses to a consumer age that has created an ecological imbalance wordlwide" (Schult, p. 34). Still, while Dahlsen’s work seems to comment on the challenges of environmental sustainability, Schult’s concerns venture more firmly into the consideration of human time (Kerrigan 2010). In these regards, Schult can even be said to co-opt the very nature of the Egyptian pyramid, as the juxtaposition of the human garbage and the Egyptian pyramids seems to indicate that modern humanity’s most lasting landmark will be its garbage. Remaining within this spectrum of investigation are artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster. Similar to HA Schult these artists have prominently implemented garbage, including household rubbish, scrap metal and taxidermy animals, in their work. Also similar to HA Schult the implementation of these non-traditional forms takes on a dynamic context, through the expression of shadows onto a wall in the gallery form. Fig. 5 below is one such work, Miss Understood and Mr. Meanor. While the work clearly can Fig. 5 Miss Understood and Mr. Meanor be interpreted in a variety of contexts -- indeed, critics have noted its roots in abstract expression (Williams, 1997) -- one considers that this work emerged at the interstices of the development of Internet and social networking. Webster himself notes that, “Our work is incredibly unsocial. There has to be complete darkness because you need to give the light and then to take it away again” (Buck 2000, p. 12) It seems that the work functions as an early comment on the increasing technological mediation of the social sphere, drawing a parallel between such notions of humanity -- with the ‘garbage’ representing the human as a hodge-podge of cultural inputs – and the shadows on the wall the human’s increasing removal from direct forms of acculturation; of course the obvious connection between the work and Plato’s dialogue is implied. In these regards, the work represents the artists’ proto-struggles with social networking. In conclusion, this essay has examined artists’ implementations of objects and non-traditional media. Specifically, the essay has considered the artists’ intentions and methods in implementing this non-traditional media. Within this context of investigation, prominent assemblage artists, Joseph Cornell and Louise Nevelson have been examined for their similarity of process. HA Schult and environmental artist John Dahlsen have been considered for their similarity of material to express concerns regarding humanity’s long-term impact on the environment. Finally, a work Tim Noble and Sue Webster is examined for its implementation of garbage in reflecting shadows on a wall; the essay argues that such a work makes a reference to Plato’s dialogue, while attempting to cope with the increasing cultural challenges of technological mediated existence. Ultimately, while artists working with objects and non-traditional media explore a variety of concerns, the central theme is that they have expanded the medium as a means of capturing increasing cultural complexities. References Buck, L. (2000) “Alchemists?”, The Art Newspaper. 1 October, p. 12 Celant, G. (2011) Louise Nevelson. New York: Skira, Dahlsen, J, (2009), John Dahlsen Environment Art, . Available from: , :  http://www.johndahlsen.com/detail_plastic_bags/Blue_River.html [Accessed: Feb 7, 2012]. Gombrich, E, (1994), The Story of Art, 5th ed, E P Dutton, New York. ‘HA Schult Online’, (2011) . Available from: , : http://www.haschult.de/ [Accessed: Feb 7, 2012]. Kerrigan, F. (2010). Marketing the Arts: A Fresh Approach. Routledge, London. Lockhart, A. (2010). Objects of Reflection: A Soulful Journey Though Assemblage. North Light Books. ‘Louise Nevelson -- Mirror Shadow’, (2010) . Available from: , : http://www.davidrumsey.com/amica/amico731554-15063.html [Accessed: Feb 6, 2012]. Masheck, J. (2002). Marcel Duchamp in Perspective. New York: De Capo Press. McLuhan, M. (1964) Understanding Media, Routledge, London Mundy, J, (2004), An \'overflowing, a richness & poetry\': Joseph Cornell\'s Planet Set and Giuditta Pasta, . Available from: , :  http://www.tate.org.uk/research/tateresearch/tatepapers/04spring/c ornell_paper.htm [Accessed: Feb 7, 2012]. Osborne, P. (2011). Conceptual Art (Themes and Movemenets). Phaidon Press. Schult, H, (2002), HA Schult: Art is Action , Edition of book, Wasmuth,. Seitz, W. (1961). The Art of Assemblage. Exhib. October 4 - November 12, 1961, The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Soloman, D. (1996) Utopia Parkway. Farrar Strauss Giroux. Williams, G. (1997). "Turning the Tables." Art Monthly. P. 16 Read More