Art, typically, is subject to
interpretation. This question can also be. If Wherefore can mean Where is,
then the question becomes Where is art?
The colloquial answer is everywhere. However
if Wherefore means Why – regarded by language xsperts as
such – the question asked of art is Why are
you art? Why is that art?
According
to Wikipedia, “Commercial art is an outdated term
for art created for commercial purposes, primarily advertising. Today, ‘graphic design’ and ‘advertising art’ are considered more contemporary terms.”
The picture above is that of
Roy Jacobsen, the proprietor of The South Melbourne Market Grocer. If you note
the signs bear a resemblance to the Tin Can-vas Series, that’s because Roy and
partner Lynette liked the Tin Can-vas artworks and approached me to produce
something similar as part of their plan to revitalize the stall and it’s
promotions. The fact that the artwork has been designed for a commercial
purpose can diminish what some would consider as true art, but tell that to the
likes of Duchamp, Warhol, Koons & Co. who in their day have all had a hand
in redefining what constitutes art.
To my thinking, producing
something that can be appreciated beyond its intended function goes some way to
define what art can be – a self-expression, an aesthetic, a form, a statement, a
design that can be appreciated and considered on several levels.
The feedback for the market
signs has been good. Roy and Lynette love them, and I’m pleased with the
result. As the designer, I would have preferred the signs were the authentic
tin and nails I use in my metal artworks, but practical and budgetary
considerations of this brief necessitated prints onto Dibond (a coated aluminium material used in the
signage industry). Nevertheless, perhaps years from now and after being
soiled by grime and flyspecks, these signs may take on added character and have
a life beyond their commercial purpose displayed in a boardroom or incorporated
into an interior design, for no greater reason than it looks good in that
space. And at the end of the day, that’s all the appreciation that is needed.
To see more photos, visit: http://www.takenoticedesigns.com/#!images/c12lk
