Is Quirky Art Real Art? Part III
Two weeks ago, we looked at flesh-real babies made out of Marzipan, of all things. And implicitly asked if the medium co-opts the message.
Or, can you take something made out of sugar and almonds seriously because it is made out of sugar and almonds, and not…say… marble.
But besides all that, my main concern was that something as compelling as the Marzipan babies had no artist’s name connected to it.
These miniature wonders came across the Internet highway as “anonymous,” and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a connection. Almonds ‘n sugar = no artist to be taken, seriously or any other way.
This week, the medium is no less quirky – nails – but this artist is not about to be forgotten.
The sticky factor at work
I want you to notice the two things this artist has done to make sure he’s not upstaged by the quirkiness of his materials:
1. His images have an embedded mark that gives you not just the artist, but his website too.
2. And the whole series of his images gives you not just the art, but the artist and his process.
Where do you think you are losing your greatest opportunity to become an Internet “floater?”
Written by Ariane Goodwin
Posted under Let's Debate!
Tags: artist at work, artists, fine art, nail art, unusual art materials, visual art, visual artists, watermarks
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682 days ago,
the famous nemo said:
I cant tell you how many times I was e-mailed these pictures when they came out. Is he real, I mean dose he have 100′s of these in his studio or was this a one time deal?
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681 days ago,
Bonnie said:
It takes only the briefest of internet searches to discover that the so-called ‘marzipan babies’ are in fact made of doll sculptors clay by Camille Allen.
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680 days ago,
Ariane said:
Thanks, Bonnie, for taking the time to search. What I’ve learned (painfully, at times) is that what may be a “brief” search interlude for one person is a total time suck for another. Her images got a lot of viral marketing, but with misinformation and nothing to click, the artist loses. And… it looks as if Camille Allen has learned what to do: http://www.camilleallen.com/camille_allen3.htm
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680 days ago,
the famous nemo said:
i just saw on yahoo that the dude with the nails just got into the guiness book of world records with a wine cork thing.
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678 days ago,
Ariane Goodwin said:
So, this begs the question: is art his passion or the Guiness book of world records?
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668 days ago,
Ed Roach said:
I’d say art is his passion. What he is doing is relief sculpture with an unusual medium. Does it really matter what his motives are?
When an artist does a commission piece, are they motivated by inspiration or money? And if it is money, is it any less art? If you believe it is less art, then of course the Sistine Chapel ceiling would fall under this. Poor Michelangelo, and many turn of the century masters as well.
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