For the upcoming installation/assessment I have a number of potential ideas floating around my head. I know that I would like to experiment with physical objects, primarily turntables for that is where most of my interest lies. I would also like to expand my artistic output and use a more hands on, DIY approach rather than being locked into a DAW, or attempting to create a spatial piece.
- IDEA ONE- Continuing with my interest in Auto-Destructive art, I have devised a hands on installation, controlled by the audience. Essentially, I want to re-evaluate the phrase; ‘separating the art from the artist’, instead asking ‘should we separate the art from the artist?’ For many of my favourite musical artists and some of the most loved by the general populace, have in fact committed horrendous crimes–many related to physical, mental and sexual abuse. Which I find weird considering almost all of these artists still receive airplay, still put out music and are revered to a godly status. However, in the real world these people would be shunned by society or in prison, yet many exist outside the ‘real world’. The installation I’m proposing would consist of a simple x2 turntable setup (on a table) with a mixer in the middle, and two stereo speakers at roughly headlight on either side. Either on the floor on a table next to the setup is a record box filled with records from the highly questionable artists. The audience will then be invited to chose any record they like and play it on either turntable. One turntable will play the record perfectly the other a custom designed tone arm and needle that in-fact scratches the record. I do like the idea of having an almost ‘choose your weapon’ table, maybe a number of custom tone arms that destroy the record in different ways–left to be chosen by the audience. I like the idea of having details about each artists criminality described on the back of each record sleeve, hopefully giving the audience a deeper insight into the artist. Forcing them to decide whether ‘they want and should separate the art from the artist’ by choosing which turntable to play said record on.
Here is a list of some of the artists I have in mind;
- Michael Jackson
- Jimmy Page
- R Kelly
- James Levine
- Miles Davis
- Morrissey
- James Brown
- Mark Kozelek
- Chris Brown