Johanna Drucker’s The Crux of Conceptualism explores Conceptual art as a powerful medium for artists to explore the possibility of form and language through conception. When I began reading the article, I was confused to what exactly Conceptual art entailed. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Conceptual art is “an art form in which the artist's intent is to convey a concept rather than to create an art object.” This simple definition created a clearer picture as to what Drucker was complexly analyzing in her argument.
The idea that struck me from Drucker’s thesis was the assertion of Conceptual art shifting the “foundation of the value of an art object from production to conception” (251). Drucker’s argument forced me to question how art is literally seen. What I took from Drucker’s statement is Conceptual art pushed the boundaries of the artist’s involvement in pieces. Conceptual art obligates viewers to be part of a piece (conceptualized), rather than just visually view a piece (production). By the audience becoming part of a piece, dialogue is created between the art and viewer.
I also found Drucker’s commentary on how recent mass produced art forms (television, magazines) are having an effect on the Western’s perceptions of what fine art epitomizes. Drucker’s comments make readers question art and its intentions.
Along with the defining and meriting Conceptual art, Drucker discussed how the material and art “are intricately linked yet demonstrably distinct” (259-60) in order to comment on how language (the material) have become an essential part of conceptual art. Language has helped create the form associated with Conceptual art.
Although considered “environmental art”, I find the work of Christo and Jean-Claude incredibly conceptual because of the ability to force their artistic concept in the natural world. In this work, the two artists wrapped pink fabric around islands in Miami’s Biscayne Bay.
I enjoy the photograph you chose. It focuses solely on visual aspects to convey an idea rather than both visual and linguistic. I feel like by using pink, such a bright and unnatural color, the artists are trying to convey the message that the world is what I make of it and no one can tell me I'm wrong.
ReplyDeleteFor me the idea that Conceptual art is shifting the value of a work from the execution of the piece to the conceptual aspects is the most intriguing part of this movement. My grandpa, who is a very traditional fine arts painter, has a hard time understanding pieces like this. He has an appreciate for their aesthetic value, yet he does not understand the value of their idea. In comparison, I am more drawn to these conceptual pieces because I like the idea of being open for interpretation. It is interesting to see how a matter of 2 generations can make a world of difference.
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