skank is as skank does
Brunswick St women’s fashion shop IDS commissioned artist Deb some time ago to paint some of her signature female figures on their shop door and doorway. On a recent weekend walk I noticed that someone had added to her work and I am not sure how I feel about it.
One way to see it is to be annoyed because this is bad for the business that paid for Deb’s work. However, it’s not a stupid tag and cannot immediately be dismissed as worthless vandalism. Where does creative license begin and end? When is commentary like this justified and when is it inappropriate or disrespectful to the artist? More importantly, is the critique aimed at the clothes, the customers or the art?
Posts you may find relevant and interesting
- the Salvos on a Monday morning, 6 April 2009
- Fitzroy art criticism, 13 January 2009
- a conspiracy of criticism, 29 January 2009
- fingerprints, 23 August 2006
- Clemente Talarico, 6 June 2008
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Is this work considered graffiti? If so, I don’t think the addition is disrespectful.
This has prompted some thoughts on graffiti art in general. I love graffiti art. I love strolling through the city and viewing graffiti art. Now I see graffiti artists shifting into galleries and for me it takes the art out of context. I don’t love it as much when I see it in a gallery. For me I no longer consider it as graffiti art, its just art. So now I am confused. Is the objective then only to make money? What does the word graffiti mean, what is the criteria? Personally, part of the rush of seeing a new fabulous work on a wall, is because it’s in the public domain, its accessible, it mingles with the other works to become almost a collaborative piece. In a gallery it stands alone and with a price tag. It can therefore be purchased and never seen again by the public.
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Its deffinately an immature act of jealousy, Debs work is everywhere and mostly well respected. She is an amazing artist, I met her recently at one of her shows and she is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I am a big fan of her work. I think the one that tagged over it is deffinately the skank. You can always tell when something is an act of jealousy and in this case most deffinately. Big Up Deb! Always lookin out for new stuff.