Trouble In The Tate Modern

has anyone else noticed the weird goings on in relation to this poster?

Laura,

Unlike you I don't believe that hierarchies should exist between "little known" and "internationally renowned prize-winning" artists. Whiteread's Unilever endorsed scupltures will inhabit the Turbine Hall for around 6 months and viewed by at least half a million people (see www.tate.org.uk/home/press/visitorfigures), whereas Jonathan Meese's challenging and confrontational performance lasted for just under an hour in front of a few hundred onlookers; this fleeting encounter is hardly going to take way from the impact of her work. I found Meese's performance fascinating and thought-provoking; the "obvious disgust" that you report is totally unfounded and surely reflects your closed-minded view of such events rather than that of the entire audience. If you found the performance to be so distasteful it seems odd that you would endure if for the full hour.

In terms of the interaction that developed between Meese, members of the audience and Whiteread's work, I think it opened up a discourse with the work that Whiteread would surely welcome. Her playful sculptures are simply casts of everyday items and I am unsure as to whether she would agree with you elevating them to the status of high art objects. The lively dynamic of smaller galleries is often lost in heavily populated, more heavily guarded galleries such as Tate Modern, whereby one can feel extremely distanced from the artwork. Witnessing this sort of playful interaction acts a welcome reminder that the viewer's relationship with the artwork doesn't have to be so one-way.

J.M.

Jennifer maddock said:

Her playful sculptures are simply casts of everyday items and I am unsure as to whether she would agree with you elevating them to the status of high art objects. .

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no...the previous poster didn't elevate Whiteread's boxes to "high art status" Whiteread did....by selling to charles saatchi, by exepting a commission from the Tate, indeed by going to art skool in the first place.
is this not conforming to the normalised hierarchyies of the world of Fine Art?

Rachael Whiteread is NOT a purveyor of relational aesthetics* she is a "maker"


*a concept much regarded in the world of catalogue cant.

Welcome to the boards Laura and Jennifer.

Is it a coincidence that you share the same IP address, or are you some kind of bullshit viral marketing strategy for Meese?

same post twice from laura morrison... hmmm... looks suspicious...

john eden said:

viral marketing strategy for Meese?

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He's EVERYWHERE in the art press too.......

recon it's a bit fishy too!

john eden said:

Welcome to the boards Laura and Jennifer.

Is it a coincidence that you share the same IP address, or are you some kind of bullshit viral marketing strategy for Meese?

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this is hilarious.

of course, laura may just have multiple personality disorder. i like to argue with myself on buses too.

Snow White [read] and the 14,000 Dwarfs

Apparently, at last Saturday's Tate viewing and Meese performance, some bright spark hurled an unidentified object down onto Whiteread's work - possibly one of the Stuckists, the anti-conceptual activist group -

Charles Thomson

Co-founder, The Stuckists

Damien Roach <roachdamien@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

Dear Stuckists,

I am curently investigating a bizarre incident which took place in the Tate Modern on Saturday night, 25th Feb 2006, involving both the Jonathan Meese performance and the sculptures by Rachel Whiteread. I learnt from a statement on www.theaoi.com that you were responsible for the intervention and I was wondering whether you would be prepared to disclose any more information as to the motives behind the action and what you hope the implications will be.

Cordially,

Damien Roach

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Aren't these jaded pomo rituals becoming part of the - a little, er, - undead ? I'm reminded of those two Japanese guys peeing on Duchamp's urinal Fountain at the Tate some years ago, equally misinformed about modern art as the Tate curators themselves ...

Laura/Jennifer/IP-er:

I don't believe that hierarchies should exist between "little known" and "internationally renowned prize-winning" artists

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Well, if you really believe this, shouldn't you be trying either to abolish the gallery system or to completely ignore it, rather than eagerly seeking to negotiate with its terms ... ?

john eden said:

Welcome to the boards Laura and Jennifer.

Is it a coincidence that you share the same IP address, or are you some kind of bullshit viral marketing strategy for Meese?

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well spotted snoopy!

john eden said:

Is it a coincidence that you share the same IP address?

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Art critics are shite at technology.

So shite that they all have to use the same computer?

I went to see this at the weekend. Was quite shocked by the curatorial statement which was basically written by Unilever, the text of which I can't find on the Tate or Unilever websites. i can't rememer what it said exactly, but it basically said the Whiteread and Unilever were working towards the sames goals, had the same vision and were in complete synergy. It wasn't the usual passive corporate sponsorship message anyway, rather than relying on implied associations it asserted a much deeper link.

I did however find this on the Unilever website FAQ:

Does Unilever test any of its products on animals?

The short answer is: we are committed to the elimination of animal testing for our business. This is our policy on animal testing and it is applied in all of our companies around the world. For over 20 years it has been our policy to reduce, refine and replace animal testing by substituting alternative methods. The vast majority of Unilever products have in the past reached the consumer without any testing of any material on animals and will continue to do so in the future.

How is that the short answer? surely the short answer would be yes?

John, how did you find out the IP address was the same?

droid said:

So shite that they all have to use the same computer?

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.... and it'll be a mac (because, like, PCs are shite)

2stepfan said:

John, how did you find out the IP address was the same?

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A combination of my dissensus mod superpowers, and extensive experience on other boards. I can SMELL THEM a mile off.

Omaar said:

I went to see this at the weekend. Was quite shocked by the curatorial statement which was basically written by Unilever, the text of which I can't find on the Tate or Unilever websites. i can't rememer what it said exactly, but it basically said the Whiteread and Unilever were working towards the sames goals, had the same vision and were in complete synergy. It wasn't the usual passive corporate sponsorship message anyway, rather than relying on implied associations it asserted a much deeper link.

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Which, despite its properly rage-inducing odiousness, is actually quite true: the commercialisation of culture holding cynically synergistic hands with the culturalisation of commerce. Expect Bono to show up real soon waving his hands and fluttering about while handing out Red Tate-passes ["Buy Me and I Will Follow"] ...

From this [Wassily Kandinsky, Little Dream In Red, 1925]

to this

Omaar said:

Was quite shocked by the curatorial statement which was basically written by Unilever, the text of which I can't find on the Tate or Unilever websites. i can't rememer what it said exactly, but it basically said the Whiteread and Unilever were working towards the sames goals, had the same vision and were in complete synergy. It wasn't the usual passive corporate sponsorship message.

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Hi Omaar and laura/jennifer, I found your forum whilst researching this interesting incident on google. I think this is the curatorial statement that you're referring to Omaar: Like all great artists Whiteread invites us to see the world differently. Through her use of casts she reveals what is hidden within, what lies beneath the surface of everyday objects, and prompts us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

This is an exploration that resonates deeply within Unilever. Our business is built on understanding the everyday needs, desires and aspirations of people. It is a relentless quest for insight, where success is dependent on appreciating what lies beneath the exteriors of people's everyday lives.

Creativity and vitality are important parts of Unilever's corporate mission and lie at the heart of everything Unilever does and everything we produce; from Dove to Ben and Jerry's. We believe the Unilever series is another reflection of this mission: it adds vitality to people's lives.

As a founder sponsor of Tate Modern, Unilever is proud to have helped make inspirational contemporary art accessible to so many people through the Unilever series.

We hope you will be enriched by Rachel Whiteread's work.

Patrick Cescau
Group Chief Executive, Unilever plc.

My friends and I, who were present at the performance, suspect that the incident may have been endorsed by the Tate in a bid for publicity through scandal, which would seem in accordance with the decision to stage such an artwork in the first place. This in conjunction with the current Gilbert and George Sonofagod exhibition at White Cube gallery seems to be a sorry reversion to the shallow shock art tactics of the nineties... Unilever+Tate & Lyle + Bono and/or J.M. (Jonathan Meese/Jennifer Maddock/noel coward)=culture!?

Michelle.

Hi [Laura, Jennifer, Michelle]

Where did you find that text? I've been looking for that all over. You must have some good contacts.

"Like all great artists Whiteread invites us to see the world differently. Through her use of casts she reveals what is hidden within, what lies beneath the surface of everyday objects, and prompts us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.This is an exploration that resonates deeply within Unilever. Our business is built on understanding the everyday needs, desires and aspirations of people. It is a relentless quest for insight, where success is dependent on appreciating what lies beneath the exteriors of people's everyday lives."

That is the most bizarre claim I've ever heard!!

"Creativity and vitality are important parts of Unilever's corporate mission and lie at the heart of everything Unilever does and everything we produce; from Dove to Ben and Jerry's to Rachel Whiteread. We believe the Unilever series is another reflection of this mission: it adds vitality to people's lives."

That's quite unsettling.

"...at the heart of everything Unilever does and everything we produce; from Dove to Ben and Jerry's."

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Michelle

"...at the heart of everything Unilever does and everything we produce; from Dove to Ben and Jerry's to Rachel Whiteread."

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Omaar

Are you making a joke there or being sneaky?