Provocative Performance Artist Reenacts Gustave Courbets ‘The Origin of the World’ By Displaying Her Own Vagina

Just as I was beginning to despair with the recent ‘attention seeking’ acts of performance art, one young artist comes along and changes all that.  YES, Deborah de Robertis constitutes a piece of performance art work that directly plays with and challenges Gustave Courbet’s ‘The Origins of the World’.  Indeed if we are aware of the incredibly racy nature of Courbet’s 1866 painting we can only imagine the provocative nature of the act that this performance artist undergoes.  If you weren’t aware, and as the title makes clear the painting references to the beginning of human life, the place where it all starts.  It is a portrait of the female genitalia.  Whilst the painting was seen as a great scandal at the time, today we recognise it an artistic treasure uniting themes such as realism, romance, eroticism and voyerism.  It’s an incredibly powerful piece, it disturbs just as it incites.

Last week de Robertis, draped in a short gold sequin dress, entered ironically, rather inconspicuously into Room 20 of the Musée d’Orsay.  She placed herself boldly and un-ashamedly directly in front of the Courbet masterpiece, but at the same time, she gave nothing away.  A few seconds later she opens her legs revealing her womanhood.  It is as raw as it is intense, and at the same time rather too easy to watch given the brashness of her display.  But what is it about this piece of performance art that allows it to stand so far from other more recent contemporary pieces?

Before you go any further, check out the video of the performance here: *high sexual content ALERT* http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1yaxll_une-artiste-expose-son-sexe-sous-l-origine-du-monde_news

There was something incredibly raw and emotional about her performance, surpassing the so called ‘aesthetics of beauty’ that the History of Art proclaims to, pushing her performance one step ahead.  It is a declaration of a message about women by women to women, to men and to society.  Did you know that in the 1990’s, less than 5% of the artists in the Modern Art section of New York’s Metropolitan Museum were women, but 85% of the nudes were female?

As always the most frustrating and often most entertaining part of reading articles like these is the sprawl of comments made by the great public.  One ‘top commenter’ AKA a Carol Dixson naively says ‘I’m guessing about half the population in the world has one. Hers is special? This “artist” needs to get over herself.’  It is comments (attitudes) like this that seems to disregard  the powerful message behind the act of performance art.  If you don’t like it that is fine, but with conceptual art, with performance art, it’s more the message or concept behind it that becomes the most powerful.  I don’t think those gallery-goers or indeed the security staff at the Orsay will forget about this incident for a long time.  And why should they?

Who knew that a vagina that in art is so treasured, becomes so disturbing and hated in real life? Talk about hypocrisy!

Despite the much despised custom that the French adhere to move things at a very glacial pace, it still didn’t take long before De Robertis was removed by security staff.  She has been handed over to the police who have the power to charge her with sexual exhibitionism.

But De Robertis justifies her performance.  ‘If you ignore the context, you could construe this performance as an act of exhibitionism, but what I did was not an impulsive act,” she explained to Luxemburger Wort. “There is a gap in art history, the absent point of view of the object of the gaze. In his realist painting, the painter shows the open legs, but the vagina remains closed. He does not reveal the hole, that is to say, the eye. I am not showing my vagina, but I am revealing what we do not see in the painting, the eye of the vagina, the black hole, this concealed eye, this chasm, which, beyond the flesh, refers to infinity, to the origin of the origin.’

I couldn’t agree more with the brave young woman and neither it seems did the surprised gallery-goers who were quick to applaud her performance.  Why call her brave? She believed in promoting her own message so much that she sacrificed her own position and persona to do so.  Displays of sexual exhibitionism in such a public place like the Musée D’Orsay are going to get you arrested. Yes she broke the law, yes the performance was extremely sexually explicit and yes it came with absolutely NO warning, but this was the very beauty of it! And there is something incredibly powerful and beautiful about her performance. It’s funny how quickly the public go a-wall when a woman’s genitalia is involved.

Last time I checked almost 50% of the population have a vagina, and the other 50% are no stranger to them, so why the outcry? Does it take a nude performance artist disrupting a casual day of museum revelry to make the world notice? Apparently so…

The Tate Britain, London

The Tate Britain is very much used to playing second best to the Tate Modern, its much more popular and  excitable younger sibling.  Despite the 45 million pound refurbishment it underwent in 2013, it is clear that the Tate Britain is still enormously under-appreciated. Whilst it boasts an incredible selection of work by British artists and enjoys a fresh new face, can it ever really compete with the Tate Modern?  It’s a dying same, but probably not….

What the Tate Britain offers is an eclectic mix of architecture, culture, art, history and performance.  From the beauty of the building itself and the incredible calibre of British Art on show, what makes the Tate Britain so inspiring is the curatorial style to which it undergoes. Whilst many museums and art institutions favour a chronological curation (grouping works together according to their dates), the Tate Britain resists conventions, favouring a more thematic approach.  Whilst it does not fully reject an interest in the chronological, its amalgamation of works according to themes allows spectators to explore new ways of looking at works, in a way that is as exiting as it is informative.

 

What do you think of this particular piece of curation?

 

Gets you talking right? I CANT believe they forgot to hang this piece….

 

On walking into the main permanent collection, we are immediately greeted with installation art, before shortly passing a collection of Francis Bacon’s and Henry Moore’s.  The mix is pretty out there, and certainly brings some sort of excitement to a collection of British works which are often seen as ‘boring’ and ‘outdated’ in comparison to work by American or French artists.

Whilst the amount of works is on a much smaller scale than at the Tate Modern’s, this does present certain advantages.  We don’t feel that same resentment and anger that spectator’s often feel when having to fight to look at the same Bacon or Moore as they do in the Modern. In fact, the experience at the Britain is a lot more enjoyable, simply because it is far less crowded.  We can enjoy the freedom in walking across the gallery, as we can in enjoying the freedom to which the works have been curated.  What I believe the success to which the Tate Britain owes is inherent in its under-representation.  The fact it employs a status as a key art institution without feeling subjected to the popularity to which this should generate, means that for many, the Tate Britain can be hailed as one of the best art institutions in London.

Yesterday, as part of our masters course, we were lucky enough to be taken on a tour of Rodin’s gardens by our professor, Peter Read. Situated amongst Ivalides and Ecole Militaire, the gardens are an idyllic three hectares in size and boast some of Rodin’s most famous sculptures such as The Thinker, The Kiss and The Gates of Hell. Unfortunately, on the day we visited, the museum was closed, but this was really of no consequence given the astounding beauty of the gardens. Rodin’s sculptures appear so content among the vast gardens, with the water fountains and the tall tree’s. This somehow serves to make his sculptures even more poignant, astounding, but at the same time, accessible.

There is something so powerful about sculpture. It evokes an immediate visual impact from spectators but also evolves over time. It thus boasts a status as an artwork that is both spacial and temporal. The sculpture of Auguste Rodin demands attention both in the iconic reputation of his work and its commitment to abstraction and moving forward, but also in the message that Rodin leaves us with.

Rodin (1840-1917) had, as any famous artist has or had, a great story to his work. The reputation he would go on to gain would not have been foreseen so clearly during his early life. Rodin was born to a life of rags. He was rejected three times by the famous art school in Paris, L’Ecole Des Beaux Arts, which out of frustration, led him to become an architectural plasterer. It was this course of path that really allowed the sculptor to develop and practice his technique. It wasn’t until he was thirty six years old that Rodin finally exhibited his first sculpture. He exhibited L’Age de Bronze in clay at the annual Salon in 1876. Yet The Age of Bronze, a 6ft clay sculpture modelled on a soldier, was to create scandal rather than success. Art at that time was supposed to idealize the human form and represent the canon of beauty that was biblical or mythical. Instead, The Age of Bronze too deeply referenced realism, and the idea of kinetic art.

For me, the real beauty about Rodin’s work is his ability to make art that moves. In The Age of Bronze, movement is represented in the thoughtful pose of the soldier and the upward lift of his hand. It is clear the Rodin was looking toward Michaelangelo’s Slave sculptures for inspiration. But why was this notion of movement so crucial to Rodin? Rodin was living and working during the Age of great progress. The Age of great progress can be seen as a renewal in faith in human progress and humanity that was reflected in a number of reforms. Primary education becoming compulsory under the third republic is one of many examples.

Yet this idea of a renewed sense of faith was unfortunately not tapped upon by critics of Rodin’s work who were quick to accuse The Age of Bronze of being made out of cast. It’s obvious difference from other sculptures at the Salon, was proof of it as a fraud. The only way that Rodin could respond to the critics, a move that would eventually silence and gain support, was to create his next sculpture.

Rodin’s John the Baptist Preaching sculpture in 1879 could never be accused of being a fraud. The two metre high sculpture encompassed a rough surface that allowed vitality and light to be added to the sculpture, elements that would not be captured so powerfully had it been given a smooth surface. This focus on the play of light as a key element was not particularly new, given that the Impressionists during the 1860’s were also divulging the energy and beauty that light gave to their work. John the Baptist Preaching would help Rodin to hone his personal style by incorporating a sense of earthy realism, variegated surface and a sort of raised feeling to his sculptures.

This was not the only iconic thing about his work. Rodin’s commitment to subjects that featured well known images and tales such as Dante’s Inferno, Balzac and of course, John the Baptist allowed a sense of immediate understanding and resonance amongst the public with regard to his sculptures. Yet, like any truly iconic artist, he was to break with the traditional to favour a more dynamic and daring energy.

The creation of The Kiss in 1887 in Chicago was no exception. The Kiss was based on Dante’s Inferno, the story of Paolo and Francesco, but its nature was deemed too outrageous. It was seen as too shocking and removed from the main exhibition, to a private room where spectators had to apply for special permissions to view it. The shocking nature of the sculpture is not apparent within the kiss itself, nor the intertwining of the nudes, but instead the concern is highlighted within the figure of the female who appears to pertain to an equal sexual desire and confidence to that of the male. At a time, when the control and power came from the male, the balance between the sexes was incredibly disturbing.

The work of Rodin’s assistant slash lover, Camille Claudel, is also at display in the Rodin museum, testimony I believe to the respect he had for those of the opposite sex. However, the unforeseen closure of the museum yesterday acted as a blessing in disguise. I was more than content with a wander around the gardens. Every sculpture beckons your attention and imagination to such an extent that we attempt to align with the mind of Rodin. The exploration leaves us pondering the immensity of sculptures such as the famous Thinker or the incredibly intricate and frightening Gates of Hell. The gardens are well worth a visit, and I plan on visiting again in the summer, alongside the house. If you are really into your sculptures and have plenty of time in Paris, plan on visiting the garden and the museum on separate occasions. With over 6000 sculptures and 8000 drawings, the experience is incredibly intense and overwhelming. You cannot leave Paris without seeing it!

In England, most town halls are used for council meetings or for the odd elderly bake sale. Not in Paris. It’s most famous town hall, L’Hotel de Ville in the Marais, finds itself transformed in a reflection of the city of lights by the famous photographer, Brassaï. Born in Hungary in 1899, Brassaï was one of the most famous contemporary photographers of all time, accumulating a great body of work that illustrated a real fascination with the City of Paris. He was to deal with all walks of life in Paris, from prostitutes to intellectuals, and in doing so would uncover a more mythical darker side of Paris, that he loved as much as he did its more famous affiliation.

In 1924 Brassaï moved to Paris and quite soon find himself being introduced to those like Desnos and Prévert and others responsible for the start of the Annees Folles, based in Montparnasse. In 1929, when he began his photography he had been introduced to the world of the Surrealists. This transformation of the real into the surreal and the focus on the unconscious that was advocated by Surrealism would be crucial for Brassaï’s earlier work. Here he sought to capture a side of Paris that was rarely shown, if not hated. He would wander around Paris by night using some of the night time light to capture photographs of prostitutes and workers and of bridges and graveyards. Although perhaps not recognised at the time, he would present a side to Paris that united the classic architecture of Paris, with the beauty of the fog, silhouettes and lights, while at the same time representing a moment in time, that was often forgotten in favour of beautiful day time scenes.

A few years later, in 1932, Brassaï began to focus on the Circus within his photography, that was inspired by a close relationship with Picasso, who had worked together previously and shared a love of the circus atmosphere. A tireless wanderer of night-time Paris, Brassaï also had an eye for the capital in daylight. For example, he offered an intensely personal view of the Jardin du Luxembourg and the banks of the Seine, which he strolled along in search of young lovers, fishermen, the homeless, or even dogs. He also took a keen interest in the elegant Rue de Rivoli crowd, bystanders in front of shops on the Grands Boulevards, and many others…

This exhibition runs until the 18th March, and boasts free entry. Be prepared to queue for at least an hour and a half. Despite this, the exhibition is well worth visiting, presenting a rather underrepresented and mysterious side of Paris.

The Turner Contemporary

If Margate doesn’t have the Turner Contemporary, then what has it got?

For the past few weeks, the only thing I have allowed to cross my mind is an assessment of the new curatorial rhetoric, aka the subject of my curation thesis.  I therefore welcomed a visit from my family to come up and visit me in Canterbury last week.  This obviously involved going straight to Margate, to check out Turner Contemporary, somewhere I have wanted to go for a long time, but felt restricted by not having a car and being too lazy to get the bus.

What first struck me about the Turner Contemporary is its location in margate.  Frankly, the town has little going for it.  So why has one of the most famous galleries pertaining to contemporary art, been placed here? Tourism and its economies, most probably.  Turner Contemporary is a rather dazzling building encompassing fantastic architecture and design, and all located rather conveniently, by an old harbour.  And clearly, Waldermar agrees:

‘Designed by the immaculately progressive David Chipperfield, Turner Contemporary is prob ably the most elegant gallery interior in Britain right now.’
Waldermar Januszczak, art critic

Currently taking centre stage at the gallery is an exhibition celebrating the work of Whitstable and Constable: Sketching from Nature.  There is also a very fascinating exhibition exploring the work of Dorothy Cross, entitled, Connemara!

I won’t bore you with any more details of my visit (I have to get back to this essay). Instead I encourage you to check out the Turner Contemporary, and my (sneaky) photos below:

A truly surreal playground in the heart of London

Lutz Bacher: Black Beauty, at the Institute of Contemporary Arts

The American artist Lutz Bacher chooses the ICA for her first major solo exhibition in the UK, and so  her creative play field becomes open to all. The ICA is the second destination for Bacher, whose Black Beauty exhibition is taking on a trio of exciting European destinations this year.  Black Beauty has  already been displayed at the Portikus in Frankfurt, and which will go on to be displayed at the Kunsthalle in Zurich in November, after its installation here in London. Yet neither of these galleries, have succeeded in fulfilling the aspirations of Bacher quite like that of the ICA.

The other exhibitions going on at the ICA appear inferior to the work of Lutz, which consumes the upper and lower galleries.   Lutz sound, sculpture and film appear in perfect harmony with the mission of the ICA, that is the supporting of emerging talent and promoting radical art and culture.  The most defining part of the exhibition is thrust on us, right at the point of entrance into the gallery, where several tons of coal slag fill the entire lower gallery. Spectators are encouraged to walk through the space, a sensual and odd experience, which contains three bizarre objects; a broken mirror, a picture Lutz took of her husbands chest and finally a random metal object, placed upright. Strange in itself, yet it becomes even more abstract when paired with the sound work, Puck. Puck carries an audio recording of the character Puck from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, repeated on loops with varied pronunciations and emphases. What completes this part of the exhibition, the third element if you like, is the vibrating astroturf, Black Magic that runs along the length of the concourse in the lower gallery.

It seems hardly surprising that Lutz, as a contemporary artist, is engaging with the international art market so fluently. Since beginning her artistic journey in the seventies, she seems to utilise apparently disconnected information from popular culture and combine it with those from her own life. This means that her work often juggles the interchangeability between the human body, identity and sexuality, which we see through her physical use of images and objects. She brings together, and arranges separate and untied elements, providing new ways for them to interact. It is all about creating things out of the random and the bizarre, a concept that is certainly not new, but something attributable to Duchamp and his readymades, and often sadly overlooked today.

The enigmatic mixture of ideas that the revolutionary work of Bacher brings together are full of personal and philosophical significance and are frequently driven by tactical humour, highlighted by the work in the upper galleries. Chess, is a work that contains a large chess board made up of larger than life chess pieces, a cardboard cut out of Elvis himself, dinosaur figures and a bicycle wheel that no doubt makes reference to Duchamp and his readymades, a recurring interest in Lutzs’ work. In the background, the sound piece Elvis (2009), a looped audio work featuring Elvis Presley chimes in the background,in a way that is incredibly sensual and mesmerizing. It draws us in and dictates emotion and presence. This sound work completes the chess piece, and the collection feels like a journey to a mysterious world, a sort of mixture between Alice and Wonderland and the surrealist cinema world portrayed by René Clair.

In the final part of the exhibition, the installation taken from the film version of John le Carre Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy, explores Bachers unique interpretation of narratives. What is addressed here by the revolving wooden horse typical of a parasol, is a discussion of the diverse notions of language, art and space through representation. The eclectic mixture of ideas, objects and bodies, with the personal and the pop, are ‘things’ that are constantly relevant within the art world, but also with life itself.

Bacher is thus exploring the identity of humans through the human body, gender and sexuality. But what I admire most about Lutz, is her distance from her spectators, or the lack of voice she attaches to her work. Her work is ambiguous and mysterious, she would prefer we look at her work without dictation in order for us to develop our own attitudes towards it. She highlights and exposes the lack of discussion surrounding the ambiguity in present social codes that affect how we perceive ourselves, and others. Her work is humorous, mysterious and educational, but above all it is enchanting and enlightening, taking us on a personal journey that is shaped only by what our eye perceives and our reaction of our body and mind. Lutz’ exhibition is as revolutionary, as it is historically relevant, and as bizarre as it is so clear and obvious.

Black Beauty is a must see and runs at the ICA until the 17th November, with free entry.

Images  are courtesy of the artist and Galerie Buchholz, Cologne/Berlin, and, Greene Naftali Gallery, New York

xoxo