Some thoughts about Banksy

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***(link to Banksy’s instagram…for reference only)

Banksy, *his/her/their work in Sotheby’s so much shocking the world, everybody is talking about that, every media, social network….appearing in everywhere, that reminds me one of the many invaluable concepts learnt in London….”to put yourself into a debate…” that’s from my course director, Maiko, who was giving tutorial to my project…

at that moment when I was listening to Maiko…I tried to digest what she said…but Banksy’s shredder performs it successfully….no matter *he/she/they really want to destroy the work…or that is just a trick that upvaluing the work…the performance is succeed…and…on Banksy’s  instagram, quoting the Picasso’s “The urge to destroy is also a creative urge”….OMG….I mean here….OMG is not only on how smart he/she/they are….but also …that “creating a dialogue with famous/ fine artist”…which was also told by Maiko…in my very first tutorial when I showing her research of Andy Warhol’s prints ( endangered species)

these two quotes or moments in the tutorial inspired me much on “what is art? what is design?”, which is a question I keep thinking before going to UK study.

and I remember once I read Banksy’s book in London, with his quote… ‘The holy grail is to spend less time making the picture than it takes people to look at it”…once again….not only his spray art doing that well…this shredder just destroying the work in a few seconds…but people keep watching the work, the video clip, the comments…keep looping…

I just really thank how he reminded me … no matter on my visual art study or life in London…

and I watched the youtube link* about him…although it finally introduced another artist MBW, those stuff recalling my mind again…not to quit not to quit…even my life in HK now is so damn messy so hard on freelance…so much challenges in teaching life…keep searching Banksy’s work recently…and I saw:

“If you get tired learn to rest, not to quit.”

&

“Winners are not those who never fail, but those who never quit.”

         

***(images just download from the internet, not sure if those are works of Banksy, just for myself reference.)

Banksy is not yet my favourite artist but I feel thankful to how he/she/they delivered those messages, they encourage me 🙂

* for using he/she/they>>>yeah I still wondering if Banksy is someone or a secret group from UK government, who sending out positive messages…at the same time encouraging new artists, new artworks, new art markets, etc.)

just keeping ref, video of MBW, with Banksy documentary:

Gallery Assistant experience in Christie’s

Just a few days in Christie’s Asia Week as a gallery assistant. Feeling lucky to wider my sight. The job is mainly bring the art piece to the visitors, who are interested in bidding them. The visitors bring with torch and magnifying lens to see any damage on the items. The items ( I feel confused if that is art or historic item or product?) are all Chinese made of jade, ceramics, metals,  as dining wares, daily products and accessories.

I feel a bit confused since…..ages ago (the time that item appears) the items maybe just a simple product, no body will buy them with a high price. Is that art really?! I keep think of that during my shift…..(when there is no visitors of course) well….I got some clue….I mean I try to answer myself with my observations.

First of all, the visitors are concerning damage or not, they use torch to look at them carefully. That means, items from ages ago, if there are any perfect items survived after so many years or so many owners, that will be a good one.

and, some visitors like to look at a set of items, I think keeping as a set also very important and dealing a high price, even the shape and form are not very special.

next, the special shape or item that need a good skill are also attractive to them, for example the thinness of ceramics, special shape of a plate, balance design of a bowl. Those may need a strong artist spirit to make.

anything else…?! er….

Actually I also collect toys and sell some of them when there is no more space…..some of the above point are similar~ but still, worth to see other side of a world! and, I am making sculpture too! that’s not another side….is part of the industry!

and just wanna say~ what is the strong artist spirit I saying above, is….the more effort you spend, the more details you concerned, the more time you spend, the more testing you did, the more stress in the process……The more you would like your final piece…and so the visitors and audiences, cheer up!!!

Tutorial with Shane on 16Oct2014

After 9Oct group tutorial, I got some feedback and ideas.  Since some comments like….my work are only some art pieces, not really helping the society….the animals…. I a thinking if I could show the installation in Feb show, with different animals having different donation box specific to one organization. This week discuss with Shane,  he gave some suggestion base on this idea, 1) donation box related to real money may not a good idea, what if using token, audiences act like voting to different animal box; and on the other hand, I got a web for donation…..final sum of the money will be divided into proportion shown in the token voting. 2) any interactive method to let audience join the art? like they donate once will let me build one more line on the sculpture?! 3) donation got return…which could be a gift or daily product for audience, so that they could use everyday and be reminded~

Another issue we discussed is about a confusing question always in my mind. Barnaby always said I am not enough passion about saving animals….just making use of the project to be an artist….I do not deny that I would like to be an artist but doesn’t mean that I don’t want to save them. Shane pointed out, he also got many art and event, he likes environment, through the art and event he raise the audiences awareness. He position himself as an artist. Suddenly my mind seems cleared…I just position myself as a maker, sculptor first, it doesn’t mean I do not love animal…..in a way, I make sculpture or installation to raise people awareness, that’s why Barnaby keep asking design daily product I just not willing to do. Thanks Shane!!! All is about how you position yourself, could be a furniture designer, movie director, illustrator, whatever….I just position myself as sculptor!!!

Finally we talked a bit art and design…designer design things to change the world….this is what I got from Shane…on the other hand, Oscar (other tutor this year) said designer position himself in the world, what I think is in the Earth, inside the Ozone layer, they design things to help or change society; while Artist position themselves outside the Ozone layer….making art pieces to tell stories….. (he said “the World”…while I visualize it by “the Earth”). I do agree with them and still, finding a way or a word to describe what I feel about art/design issue.

Milan Ventura Lambrate April2014

My selfing unit series were selected by UAL as one of the show in the Milan Furniture Fair 2014.

I am happy to be one of the student showing works. There are many other students/ Uni in the venue including Finland, Holland, Sweden…..etc. However I seems still confusing between design and art…..what’s my work should be? what direction I am going for? What other show I would like to join? so many questions coming out after that.