This is an artwork created by Tim Noble and
Sue Webster entitled ‘Dirty White Trash (With Gulls)’ in 1998. Tim Noble is
famous for taking ordinary things, including
rubbish and scrap metal or sometimes even taxidermy animals, to make
assemblages and then points light to create projected shadows. So, in this
work, he used the rubbish he and his partner produced in six months to make the
assemblage.
I think this artwork demonstrates
a good example of contemporary art. The use of lighting is one of the signatures
of contemporary art. Tim Noble made use of light as the medium to project the object
which showed two people, a man and a woman, lay against each other enjoying a
cigarette and a glass of wine. He needed to master the use of light in order to
project the correct image. However, if we have a closer look at the assemblage, it is not hard to find that there seems to be
another story there. We can see that there are two seagulls searching food from
the rubbish. In
addition, if we combine the whole picture together with the object projected in
the wall, it is like two people, Tim and Sue, are celebrating in front of their
artwork. Therefore, I really like the idea of his
artwork which shows that nothing
is as it seems. We can have our own thinking about his artwork based on how we
look at it.
Moreover, I find the use of the medium very
interesting. He made trash to be the medium of this artwork which reminded me of
the saying by Marshall McLuhan: ‘medium is the message’. I think this artwork
can vividly show how the saying works. In this artwork, trash was used to be
the medium. Why he chose rubbish to be the medium? Maybe Tim is telling us that
though trash seems to be nothing special, they are special for him. They
remarked the memories of him because they
explained that times they spent including their experiences, feelings of they
spent in six month. So, medium could be the message of the artist.
Finally, in this work, light redefines
abstract forms by transforming them into some relatively concrete objects. This
is really interesting because his artwork is consisted of both abstraction and
concrete objects. However, the object is shadow which is, by nature, virtual. It
is not easy to simply distinguish the nature of this artwork. But this is how
contemporary art could be. The idea itself is more important than the details.
Therefore, Tim’s artworks fit well in the content of contemporary art.
i love the idea of using rubbish
ReplyDeletei love the idea of the shadow reflected on the wall and i love the idea that one art work is telling 2 different story.
It is an amazing art piece.
The idea and concept are just brilliant. i have never thought that we can make use of rubbish to form such incredible art.
However, What theme/ message do you think that this art work is carrying out? Recycle?
Are the 2 seagulls and the 2 people related?
What kind of connection do the 2 story have?
Thank you for sharing this art work with us anyway (((:
Cyndi
Hi
ReplyDeleteI really agree that "medium is a message " to everyone.
However, the message given will be different for different people.
In my opinion, i think that the shadow of two people are having happy moment by means of throwing enormous rubbish behind. It is a big contradiction in this environment.
When we enjoy the food and drinks, we don't know how many rubbish which condemn our environment are thrown away everyday.
This art work reminds me not to be a selfish person put have to consider our weak Earth.
What do the two seagull indicate in this art work??
Why do Tim Noble and Sue Webster start to collect scrap and make this artwork? Is there any reason behind?
I like the way that they use the light to reflect the object on the wall.
Thanks for sharing =]
Hui Kwan Yik (Bobo)
Reply
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review. I like your imagination of two stories.
ReplyDeleteI guess the reason of using trash is that trash presents the composition of one person. On the one hand, the composition of trash can be seen as a life of a person; on the other hand, it also reflects the complexity of humanity.
My own interpretation of the art work is that it represents the relation between stereotype and true. While in stereotypical idea, audience of this art work may think that these two people are having a good time and enjoying their life, the truth may just be that they are not cool at all, but only rubbish. They may just be lazy and decadent people despite their appearances.
I personally also like this piece of work of them (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Llb4umWnCH4/S6CyPDB_-fI/AAAAAAAAAX8/dK7YrrBvydw/s400/Sunset_Over_Manhattan.jpg). It is called sunset over Manhattan, but skyline reminds me of Hong Kong. While it looks magnificent on the outside, who knows how many people are suffering on the inside, under the glowing image of the great city, just like the trash in this art work?
Again, thank you very much for the sharing.
Aaron Tsui
It really looks awesome! Light and shadow are great combination and always giving surprise to viewers. Without light it is just a pile of rubbish, but it shows another message out with light.
ReplyDeleteI think that this art is making a big contrast of rubbish and human. The humans who the shadow shows are enjoying drinks and taking rest. But what beside them is full of rubbish. It is a good introspection for us: when we enjoying the food or to satisfy ourselves, have we ever thought about how many rubbish we have produce? When we are shopping, does those things really useful for us?
Thanks for sharing! I love this work.
Mi:)
Hey thanks for sharing this art piece:)
ReplyDeleteI think it is really creative and impressive. The idea of making use of garbage or unwanted materials to create artwork is definitely stunning. And I believe the way the artist choose to use such materials as a means for communication should mean something. So could you please introduce more about the linkage between the materials used and the message of artwork?
Thanks again:D
I have not thought about using trash as a piece of works. It is really great and impressive. Medium itself is a contemporary art, that is also great thinking.
ReplyDeleteYou said that:
I really like the idea of his artwork which shows that nothing is as it seems. We can have our own thinking about his artwork based on how we look at it.
If you add your own experience or other wokrs of pieces, the final report will be more impressive :)
Thank you :)
-HyeonJi Kim.
Dear Andrew,
ReplyDeleteVery nice how you talk about the different layers of the art work, and how light plays a significant role. I would also suggest that there is even one more layer which is the title "Dirty White Trash (with Gulls)." Try to see if you can decipher this too. You can also think about how these layers are lined up in an almost linear way, that because of the light they are lined up. Do you think there is a hierarchy to the different stories that are being told? Or do you think they are flat, and are open for anyone's interpretation?