Ghost of a flea: Against conceptualism, hedonism and the cult of the ego-artist

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October 05, 2010

Against conceptualism, hedonism and the cult of the ego-artist

The Tate scored an own goal with its attempt to guarantee positive press for the gallery and this year's Turner Prize entrants by demanding press photographers sign a form banning "adverse publicity". The photographers refused and, after a stand off on the gallery steps, the Tate backed down.

This in turn offered the press a hook to kick off this year's round of ridicule.

Brian Sewell, art critic for the Evening Standard, said the organisers of the prize were 'prickly' about criticism. He said: 'They are prickly about the Turner Prize because they are mocked about it year after year.

'Most of the art that gets into the Turner Prize is some kind of extremely contemporary rubbish - assemblies of rubbish masquerading under important names.'

So much for events. The real news was the anti-Turner Prize Stuckist demonstration already underway (video at the link).

"It's like watching a TV comedy show parody of contemporary art," said co-founder Charles Thomson, who called the Prize "an excruciatingly painful presentation of mind-numbingly tedious, pretentious and vacuous exhibits."

"The obvious response is that of a lady last year, who asked for her money back, as she'd paid to see art and there wasn't any.

"The demonstration outside is far more entertaining, artistic and informative."

Time to found a Toronto cell.

Ironic: "Stuck", 2010, by Turner Prinze entrant Angela De La Cruz.

Related: Background on Stuckism. The Stuckist manifesto.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at October 5, 2010 06:28 AM

Comments

These negative things are really making this world go crazy, we should make it stop so that we'll be living a more positive life.

Posted by: Gary Richey at October 6, 2010 04:04 AM