Page 7 - "he 2020 Guggenheim issue of World of Art Contemporary Art Magazine

into simple artistic action. Each artist has a clear tendency The man with a certain touch of irony:
to define his own work within certain parameters and - He seems not to be a great artist, because he doesn’t finish
to delineate his world to achieve a personal status and his job and leaves the items half burned.
different from any other in his environment. The lady, seeing the ironic tone of the man, shook her head in
Openly admitting the plurality of principles and the contempt, and did not answer.
globality of thoughts, art nowadays has the capacity Little by little, influenced by that conversation, I was
to expand, guide and at the same time develop the beginning to think, after reflecting so much, that art
consciousness of the individual. was absurd. Well, but absurdity can be art, too, said
With my reflections I was afraid for a moment of missing the the lady. The aesthetic of the absurd or the absurd of
conversation and sharpened my ear again. the aesthetic. Like a brave man I wanted to go farther
Now, it was the gentleman who was speaking. and said to myself. Art, if it exists is art, and if it did
- Do you think this set of false teeth in that box can be not exist, then its non-existence would also be art.
considered art? If we accept that absurdity makes sense, then it will
The lady, becoming angry, answered him. cease to be absurd and therefore will no longer be art.
- But I didn’t tell you, you can’t value these works the same Well, no, since ceasing to be can in itself be art. As you
way you would with any non-contemporary work? can see, influenced by the deep thoughts of the lady, I
I would not like to see that lady in my house cooking. Well, was starting to be on the same line. Beauty is not art,
I don’t think that lady cooked much. What a character! I because if it were art it would not be beauty. Either it’s
thought, because the tone of her words was beginning to beauty or it’s art. Art is everything and everything is art.
punch like needles. I do like cooking, I ruminated. If art demands concepts it is art and if not it is also art.
- These are new concepts, ways of doing actions that can be That is why art is always art.
considered absurd, but the absurdity is, in itself, a work of art.
Said the lady. That artist practiced his performance. What a wonder!
The gentleman scratched his neck. It seemed that One video showed how, with an ax and large hammers, he
something was poking around him. destroyed a furnished space. It had been a performance
- And so, what should be valued? in a gallery anywhere in the world. Don’t ask me where.
He asked. There you could see how everything was crumbling.
- Nothing should be valued! What a wonder! Vandalism raised to the highest level of
The lady replied a little angry. She stopped talking for contemporary art creation. I could also be an artist I thought
a while, but her desire to let him know what it all was and why not better than that? Not today, because I am tired
forced her to continue. of so much hesitation, but tomorrow I will destroy the world
- Look, the ways and concepts on which this new form of and thus be the greatest artist in all of human history. God
action is based are completely relative and cannot be valued created and I destroy. The aesthetics of the destruction of
by your logic. It seems as if there is nothing but logic for you. the world. What a wonder!
You have to know that the artist is a breakthrough of his time. And all at once, without losing a single moment, I continue
The lady looked up and gasped. The gentleman, though with my hesitations: but if art needs the viewer to be art
not as much as the lady, was beginning to be angry too. and I destroy the world, there will be no one left to be a
- Look at me and listen to me! spectator. Answer. From now on, art can be art without a
She resumed. spectator and that is so because I say it.
- You like Monet’s painting, that exhibition we saw in the There will be no museums, no galleries, no artists, no
Grand Palais yesterday. Well, over a hundred years ago, spectators, no works created. Everything will be destroyed!
people like you were saying exactly what you are saying What a wonder! What a great artist! And God, will God be
now. I’ll give you an example. Pregnant women were then there? I will destroy him. With the destruction of God, I will
told not to go to Impressionist artists’ exhibitions because free human beings. I will also release them, because I will
they would lose their child. They said that because they also destroy them. And I? I will destroy myself too. Nothing
considered it scary. Do you believe me or not? will be left. Nothing. What a wonder!
And will you be there? Come on! What a question!
The lady said in a slightly angry tone. I’m great! or?
The burning of the object was part of the destructive
action in one of a series of exposed works. Critical analysis essay by Jordi Rodríguez-Amat, Catalonia, Spain

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