Wednesday, July 18, 2007

the real thing?

I think machines-as-art tend to be pretty interesting, considering that everything these days seems to be machine-made...why not have artist commentary using science-like experiments. They're not a medium we typically think of as "art" but I can definitely respect the ideas and craft behind them. This machine-as-art, entitled "The Real Thing," (2006) is by Dutch artist Helmut Smits. Described by the artist as "An installation to filter Coca-Cola into clean drinking water," and seems pretty politically intentioned. It also reminds me a bit of Roxy Paine's SCUMAK no. 2 (2001), as shown at MOCAD's inagural show in Oct. '06. Randomly, Smits is repped by a gallery in Culver City, L.A., but most of his other work looks a bit too ... gimmicky.

Smits' work was recently featured on this website, vvork.com, which I've recently started checking out. They seem to like this kind of stuff a lot. Maybe a little too much.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

kudos on a tight little bit of writing here. Brief and of good quality. I definitly prefer this to when you just throw up a picture. A little something for the lay-mens to launch off of. It is posts like these that show a step from blogging for personal sake, and actually offering something of value to your readers. Keep on keeping on! :-)

12:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am offended for ann by your "actually offering something of value to your readers" comment. do you think the rest of this blog is not of value?

this is a service, people! appreciate it.

2:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

do I need to remind all of you, once again, that this is ann's blog, not yours. she can do whatever she wants.

"throwing up a picture" (the nerve of m.! such a little wannabe-know-it-all) takes thought and time too, even if some of these people don't recognize that.

thank you for this blog, ann!

(PS-m., don't attempt to say, "oh, I totally didn't mean that. I meant this and this ... blah blah blah." you meant what you said and you're crazy.)

2:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

check out the rest of this helmut smits guys stuff. it a weird coincidence that i recently came across this chap's work last week, I think the way he meshes design and concept is refreshing and cleverly observant on his part.

helmutsmits.nl(look for english version on his home page)

2:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

dylan- what i wrote is exactly what I meant. Alas, your understanding of language and the way words can be brought together to form a genuine compliment is lacking: it was a compliment, genuinely. perhaps you are in a cranky mood, however, and read it in a way which i did not intend and does not represent my sincere impression of the maturation this blog has shown steadily for the last few months. That is not to say what came before was less, but what has been posted more recently shows a greater depth of purpose, a broadening of horizons if you will (not just in experience but in purpose for this platform (blog)).

How many have criticized the author for not having (posting) an opinion, or posting an opinon they disagreed with? I was merely complimenting her on a well-ballanced inclusion.

Seriously, remove the pole from your ass.

3:54 PM  

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