The Bohemian Grove
Neo-Conceptual Art
Beginning in the 1980’s but not picking up momentum till the 90’s, neo-conceptual art describes a large group of artists who continued the ideals of the Conceptual artists of the 60’s and 70’s. Through these works many of the artists furthered questioned art as an object while also still contemplating the conceptual idea that the concept of the art was to take precedence over the materials and aesthetic. There was no main aesthetic of neo-conceptualism as it was very broad, but many artists would opt for mediums such as video and photography and would avoid sculpting or painting. Three groups appeared in the early 80’s that fit into the category of neo-conceptual art, this included the Moscow Conceptualists, the Young British Artists, and the neo-conceptual artists of New York City.
The Moscow Conceptualists were a group of Russian born artists that emerged in the 1970’s and 80’s. The head figures of the group were Ilya Kabakov and a team of artists named Vitaly Komar and Alexander. Through the use of conceptual ideas and appropriation art, this group attempted to undermine the power of socialist ideology. Like conceptual artists before them they considered that the idea or concept of the art itself was more important than the form. Their purpose in art was to express ideas or the relationship of ideas.
Emerging in the 1980’s on the London art scene was the group, Young British Artists. The famous group was controlled by Daniel Hirsch, who is one now one of London’s most wealthy and powerful artists. Unlike other groups placed under the neo-conceptual art category, the YBAs did rely on the art itself to make an impact not just the idea or concept. However they did employ the use of ready-mades, which was made popular by Marcel Duchamp a leading artist in early conceptual ideals. Their art was also known to have a shock value or tactic and they would often use throwaway materials in their art.
In the New York City during the early 1980’s, a group of art critics named Richard Milazzo and Tricia Collins brought forth the ideas of Neo-conceptual art. Through their writing and curatorial work, the duo brought together a group of artists that began to be categorized underneath the neo-conceptual movement that argued against neo-expressionism and picture-theory art. Many women were also associated with the movement and often used things such as appropriation and pastiche to challenge the idea of men being the center of the art world.
Peter Halley
1987
Day-Glo, acrylic, and Roll-a-Tex on canvas
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York.
Halley's Two Cells with Conduit, while it may appear similar to the abstractions of the Hard-edge painters, it reflects the experiences within contemporary society and life in late-capitalist culture where geometric abstraction permeates. Here, Halley establishes this through the use of the bottom base and two, towering, black planes which are relatable to modern architecture. It is through this minimalist use of shapes and planes that Halley brings geometric abstraction to a higher level.
Ross Bleckner
1994
Oil, powdered pigment, and wax on canvas
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
Bleckner's works sought to create objects that would connect to many of the realities of the exterior world, while also attempting to dive into the psyche. Bleckner's works were also affected by, and were a response to the AIDS epidemic, in which he created illusionary fields and dream-like spaces that seem to emanate an otherworldy-light, and here in Throbbing Hearts, that light adds to the abstract 'hearts' which make the piece appear to be alive.
Lawrence Weiner
1994
Paint on wall
Private Collection, Berlin
"Learn to Read Art" is part of Lawrence Weiner's overall philosophy that permeates throughout his work, and appears in almost all of his pieces. Weiner describes it as "advertising a particular means with which you can go through life", which he says is important, but not imperative. It is a statement on what is needed to maintain a high quality of life.
Claire Fontaine
2004
Neon Lights
Claire Fontaine is the name of a Parisian art collective working in the neo conceptual style. As indicated in the piece itself, this piece was made by Felice Lo Conte, for "the remuneration of one thousamd, nine hundred and fifty euros." This is the entirety of the message of the piece, and serves as a commentary on authorship and the creation of art.
Bibliography
Hughes, Gordon. “Power's Script: Or, Jenny Holzer's Art After 'art After Philosophy'”. Oxford Art Journal 29.3 (2006): 419–440. Web. 20 November 2015.
-Jenny Holzer's work has been known to "dematerialize" the meaning of language and its relation to the author. Holzer's textual art contain one-liner phrases from her Truisms that force the viewer to question the power dynamics behind language, text, and structure. While initially Holzer's works were scene as tearing down linguistic structures to simply text, further research claims that these Truisms work contextually. As the predetermined meaning of words is broken down and built up again, the true power of meaning becomes apparent through context. At this point, Holzer transcends the work Conceptualism and creates phrases that are neither true nor false.
Kalaidjian, Walter. "Maintaining Postmodernism: Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger, and the Art of Intervention". Postmodern Culture. 2.3 (1992). Web. 22 November 2015.
-Political landscape, from the Stalin era to the Reagan period, has shaped art, which has in time become more accessible to the masses. Now, any viewer can create their own meaning of the art seen. Mass distribution, reproduction, and consumerism only further push the limits of who sees and interprets art. "Cultural modernism" then becomes shames by the general public and becomes subject to kitsch as Greenberg warned. Consumerism only fed the rise of Postmodernism and slogans such as "medium is message" made the mediums and presentation important aspects of artwork and interpretation.
Kuspit, Donald. "The Appropriation of Marginal Art in the 1980s." American Art AM ART J 5.1/2 (1991): 132-41. Web.
"Guggenheim." Collection Online., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.
-This book details the work of both James Casebere and Jeff Coons.
Halley, Peter, Rudi Fuchs, Cory Reynolds, Cornelia Blatter, and Marcel Hermans. Peter Halley: Maintain Speed. New York: D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers, 2000. Print.
- This book provides an overview of the subjects, components, and influences of Peter Halley's works as it surveys his artistic career. This source was useful in how it provided a better understanding of the meaning behind, and influences for Halley's geometric abstraction.
Milazzo, Richard, and Ross Bleckner. The Paintings of Ross Bleckner. Brussels: Alain Noirhomme, 2007. Print.
-This book provides an overview and analysis of Bleckner's paintings as it details the various periods of his artistic career, including his constructivist and post-constructivist paintings of the 1970s, "Stripe, Weather, Chandelier," and "Memorial" series from early to mid 1980s, and more. This source was useful in providing background information of the artist which provided insight into his motivations, and it provided insight towards the aims of his works.
Skelly, Julia. The Uses of Excess in Visual and Material Culture: 1600 - 2010. Farnham: Ashgate, 2014. Print.
-Julia Skelly’s book The Uses of Excess in Visual and Material Culture: 1600 – 2010 illuminates a world of over the top splendor in all forms. This book provides an in depth look at human’s most expensive indulgences.
Hansen, Blair, Gavin McInnes, and Glenn O'Brien. Dash Snow: I Love You, Stupid! N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
-I love you, Stupid! Is a photo-book that is composed of Polaroid’s taken by Dash Snow. This book was released after his sudden death in 2009. The photographs are from his personal collection offering a view a life through the millennia’s bad boy artist.
Welsh, Marjorie. "Bomb." BOMB Magazine — Lawrence Weiner by Marjorie Welish. N.p., 1996. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
-An interview in BOMB Magazine with Lawrence Weiner about his work, including the piece featured here.
"[Art Monday] You Should Know: Claire Fontaine." Incubate Blog RSS. N.p., 30 Jan. 2012. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
-This blog details the work of Claire Fontaine and features the neon light works in particular.
James Casebere
1982
Gelatin Silver print
Through the early 1980’s, James Casebere photographed tabletop scenes constructed out of Styrofoam, foam core, plaster, and paint. A sense of volume and depth is achieved through dramatic and careful lighting. Casebere’s work reflects his feelings on a social system that trained citizens to become passive consumers. He shows that space has the power to control one’s identity.
Nest
Throbbing Hearts
Two Cells With Conduit
Learn To Read Art
Untitled
Dash Snow
2007
Phone Books
New York City, New York
Neo-conceptualism is just that--new. It has progressing and building since the 1980’s and still in it’s relatively infant stage. Young artist’s like Dash Snow question the concept of things that are preconceived by society. As a result, we see these neo-artists constantly questioning their surroundings. While Dash spends most of his days tagging and dogging cops, he also would regularly cook up concept installations in his head. In 2007, Dash Snow shredded over fifty New York City phone books to re-crate a hamster nest. Shown in the photograph above is wife in this “nest” with her unborn baby. The concepts of fertility, safety and us as humans hailing from nature are all present in this real life installation. Glen O’Brien (a close friend of Dash’s) explains Dash Snow’s work, “Art shouldn’t be a product of the art world, but a product of the world world.” Dash’s concepts were just that, concepts and products of the natural world.
Untitled (Your Gaze Hits the Side of my Face)
Barbara Kruger
1981
Photograph
60x40"
Collection Vijak Mahdavi and Bernardo Nadal-Ginard
Untitled (Your gaze hits the side of my face) addresses the existence of the male gaze in Western art history through appropriation and deconstruction used in Postmodernist theory. Kruger places bold text over a recontextualized bust of a female that one might see in Classical art. The text-image combination is something one would expect to view on a magazine cover, yet here the image stands to point out the growing lack of originality created by the media along with the objectification of women created throughout history.
For The Love Of God
Damien Hirst
2007
Platinum, diamond, human teeth
White Cube Gallery, London, England
Damien Hirst is the product of conceptualism and the poster child for neo-conceptualism. His works of art take from the past and are reinvented in a new light. Take this skull for example, it’s a classic memento mori that we have seen since the dawn of man. However, it’s is overdone to say the least. Hirst explains it as “iconic and ironic—it has two meanings”. Embellished with platinum and diamonds, this anything but subtle reminder of death also alludes to a whole other concept that deals with wealth and prosperity. With conceptualism comes controversy. The listed selling price for this skull was listed at just under 76 Million dollars making it the most valuable object ever sold by a living artist.
Selection From Truisms
Jenny Holzer
1982
Spectacolor Board, 20x40'
Installation, Times Square, New York
Jenny Holzer's projections display single phrases from her collection of Truisms for the public to see. These Truisms focus on topics such as politics, gender, sexuality, and language. This particular projection illuminates the phrase "PRIVATE PROPERTY CREATED CRIME," speaking to the public about power dynamics and authority in society. While the phrase may seem simple at first glance, the large-scale work and public audience of New York City draw closer attention to the truth the phrases reveal.
Subdivision With Spotlight
Mountains
Jeff Koons
2000
Oil on canvas
Jeff Koons worked to paint images that could “communicate with the masses.” He often worked with images of popular or elite culture such as Hoover vacuum cleaners. His later series in 2000-02 focused on food, advertising, and fashion. Combining methods of collage with photorealism, Koons creates scenes of fantastic forms and abstract pleasure.