Piece Of Art Or Piece Of Shit?

Tate curators, who award what's known as The Turner Prize--the world's most provocative and prestigious contemporary art award, which is worth over $80,000.00, have shortlisted Cathy Wilkes, for her work entitled, "'I Give You All My Money"--

She has placed a mannequin on a lavatory next to two supermarket check-out counters. Four horse-shoes and bits of discarded wood dangle from wires attached to the mannequin's head. They appear to bear no relevance to the check-out counters on which the artist has arranged bowls and spoons, as well as empty jars with the remnants of food. Scattered across the floor are piles of tiles and broken pottery in a plastic bag.

Sophie O'Brien, one of three Turner Prize curators, saw deep meaning in the installation, explaining that the artist was “searching out the language of objects - things we overlook in our daily life” - and making us look at them with “fresh eyes”. She claimed that the artist had placed each found object with extreme precision.

Her colleague, Judith Nesbitt, the Tate's chief curator, added: “It's as if the narrative has been stripped away. You're left trying to make sense of the objects to each other and to ourselves.”

She applauded the artist for prompting “so many questions” from the viewer.

It really does invoke many questions from me, such as: Does Britain not have any mental institutions to put these malcontents in? And, isn't this art really just a mannequin sitting on the shitter with various crap spread throughout the room? And also, doesn't Britain have any mental institutions to put these malcontents in?

The question isn't whether I think this is art or shit, the question is whether you do.

Well, is this a piece of art, or a piece of shit?

Piece of Art or Piece of Shit?

What you are seeing here is an inflatable installation piece entitled Complex Shit that was on display in the garden of the Paul Klee Centre in Switzerland. I say was on display because it blew away, causing damage to nearby structures when the safety mechanism failed to work.

A giant inflatable dog turd by American artist Paul McCarthy blew away from an exhibition in the garden of a Swiss museum, bringing down a power line and breaking a greenhouse window before it landed again, the museum said Monday.

The art work, titled "Complex S(expletive..)", is the size of a house. The wind carried it 200 metres (yards) from the Paul Klee Centre in Berne before it fell back to Earth in the grounds of a children's home, said museum director Juri Steiner.

The inflatable turd broke the window at the children's home when it blew away on the night of July 31, Steiner said. The art work has a safety system which normally makes it deflate when there is a storm, but this did not work when it blew away.

Paul McCarthy also created Class Fool, a video piece documenting the artist running around a classroom covered in ketchup with a barbie doll between his legs.

Perhaps this piece of complex shit has a hidden agenda. Inquiring minds want to know.

Piece of art or just a stupid piece of inflatable shit? Let the people of Mitchieville speak.

NEXT--Jenna Jameson Gets Naked For Animals

ALSO--A Little Linkie Love

Piece of Art or Piece of Shit?

It's been a while since we have asked the fine citizens of Mitchieville to consider the finer points of aesthetics, but finally, here is an occasion for reflection.

Label me a philistine if you will, but when this trailer first showed up in the parking lot of my local branch library, I figured it was an abandoned piece of junk. Imagine my surprise when I was told it was "art." There was nothing indicating this - no accompanying name or explanation, nothing, just this "construction" sitting in the parking lot.

No seriously, this "art" piece by Stephen Lavigne, originally on display at the Forest City Gallery in London, Ontario, is currently on tour for the month of July.

See the events section at the Forest City Gallery page. In the artist's own words:

Using a late 1960's model trailer home as a formal and conceptual subject, I have been producing drawings and paintings that attempt to reconcile the differences between various fundamental opposites intrinsic to the paint medium. Most recently, these two-dimensional works have become source material for a complete rebuild of an actual mobile home. My goal is for the finished design is to blur the line between two-dimensional abstraction and three-dimensional representation. The vintage of the mobile home corresponds with my interest in the critical period during the late 1960s, which saw various conceptually based strategies for art making arise in opposition to the material specificity of modern painting. With the drawings as a 'jumping-off' point, and using a process-based method to both design and construct the project, I have converted the traditional trailer home into a hybrid form which I like to think of as a mobile home storage home.

Or if you prefer, think of the trailer as part of a large exhibit meditating on boundaries:

London is a city both physically and symbolically divided by its bridges, waterways, roads, railways and highways. Consequently, seemingly simple labels such as `East of Adelaide", `Kipps Lane' and `Manor Park' have entered our vernacular as markers of margins and boundaries. The exhibition Driving in the Landscape attempts to map notions of displacement, migration, immigration, isolation, and Canadiana within an urban landscape that is often presented as culturally unified and even homogenous.

I'm pretty sure the broken window and glass on the pavement wasn't intentional, but I'm not sure about the flat tires; perhaps the flat tires upset the balance suggested by the inflated tires on the other side.

What's the verdict? Piece of art or piece of shit?

Also appearing at The London Fog.

Piece Of Art Or Piece Of Shit?

A group of German artists who are out to *blur the boundaries between art and reality*, are living in an Israeli museum for three weeks to explore with visitors the concept of the parasite. In other words, all the *artists* have lice:

Seven young artists from Berlin are trying to stretch the boundaries of art by living in an Israeli museum for three weeks with lice in their hair.

"The idea is that we live in the museum as their guests, and at the same time we are hosting lice on our heads," said artist Vincent Grunwald, 23

Having a bunch of lice-headed Germans hanging around an Israeli museum is sure to tick off a few Jews, I'd say. Nothing like those happy memories of being in a concentration camp on the verge of death, stricken with head lice. Ya, that's art. Thanks for the memories, Hans.

I'd like to be involved in a performance piece where I'm allowed to stay in a museum with a bunch of louse infested German artists. Armed with only my rugged good looks and 12 cans of Red Bull, I would hunt down all the German artists in the museum and open up their chest cavities with industrial sized can openers until they learned to speak Hindu. I would call my performance piece, "Fuck you".

$12 a ticket, come early for good seats!

Piece Of Art Or...

A St. Petersburg art student claims he was banned from a city-run art gallery because his paintings depict nudity, and that offended the gallery staff. Gallery staff, however, have a different take on the issue:

St. Pete Beach arts coordinator Nancy Doyal said the artist, Amel Samuels, can only blame himself for failing to fill out the reservation paperwork and pay the rental fee.

"None of his art is offensive to anyone here," she said in an interview Wednesday. "It's not even that much nudity. He is airbrushing nude aliens."

To me, this man's art isn't offensive because of the nudity, it's offensive because it really sucks ass.

What do you think, piece or art or...

Piece of Art or Piece of Shit

Artist Christopher Locke manages to obtain some scissors confiscated by the Transportation Security Administration which he then proceeds to transform into a salable commodity.

I'd like to see this guy make sculptures from knitting needles ripped from the hands of potentially dangerous grandmas and devoted hobbyists. Why bother making your own clothes when Walmart is so near and cheap besides?

HT: The Agitator

Piece of Art or Piece of Shit

I have had little time for art appreciation these days since becoming entangled in the politics of Mitchieville, the town the impostor Fenris plans to rename Fenrisville. Imagine for a moment how costly such a change would be. All municipal road and building signs would have to replaced, as would all official letterhead. The cost to taxpayers and the environment would be enormous, and the benefit to taxspenders even more enormous. The cost would also be felt outside of Mitchieville, as mapmakers would have to recall and reissue their maps to reflect this change if Mitchieville is to remain on the map. Money would also have to spent by other levels of government to make the appropriate name changes where necessary. The former mayor, Mitch, founded this town and Mitchieville it shall remain with Lisa as Mayor.

But I digress somewhat from my purpose here and that is to ask you to decide if a life sized, anatomically correct chocolate Jesus is a piece of art or a piece of blasphemous shit.

Piece of Art or Piece of Shit

If you regularly read The London Fog, you may already know about the metal trees that have recently sprouted in my foggy city. In an effort to make London a truly creative city, $200,000 was drawn from mandatory fees paid to the Downtown Business Association by downtown merchants to erect approximately 30 neon creations. Piece of art or piece of shit? If you don't own a business in downtown London, you are free to decide.


I, Lisa, multicultural resident of Mitchieville and London, Ontario, consulted my tea leaves this morning. They formed a pattern resembling a metal tree

Piece of Art or Piece of Communist Trash?

It's been a while since we addressed the question of art here in Mitchieville. I got to thinking of this omission while browsing through pictures for a post I just wrote about climate change "logic". I didn't take the car, I'm a vegetarian, and I didn't even leave my computer chair today, so with the exception of the energy my computer uses, I've had a carbon friendly day. If you went for a walk today or powered your home with wind power, you can purchase some of my leftover carbon credits to offset your scandalous emissions.

But I digress. While browsing, I came across the following picture on a blog I happened across via google images.

According to information accompanying the image, the original cave painting, created by Archibald McKinnon in 1887, is located on Davaar Island, Campbeltown. The Che amendment to the work, racistically referred to as vandalism by heteronormatives, is a modern phenomena. Piece of art, or piece of shit? Cast your votes in comments.

I, Lisa, multicultural resident of London and Mitchieville, and founding member of *BITCH*, and former usurped Mayor of Mitchieville, remind you to purchase carbon offsets if you hope to save your soul.

Piece of Art, Or Piece of Shit

I've already decided before even looking at the article that this is, by far, one of the shittier pieces of shit that has ever sullied and soiled the pages of Mitchieville. I'd hate for you to read the article because when you do, you will have been exposed to one of the worlds biggest, and most likely smelliest assholes ever to crawl the earth on his limp wrists and his knobby, girlie-like knees: *Architect* Thom Mayne.

This *green* building in, where else, San Francisco (Spit) is everything one would expect from a city in California:

...there's no air- conditioning because each worker will be near an operable window.

A three- story open-air "skygarden" begins at the 11th floor for workers -- fit and trim workers, by the way, since elevators will stop only at every third floor.

A 240-foot-tall concrete slab that's just 60 feet deep from north to south, but 345 feet wide from east to west.

No air conditioning and an elevator that only stops on every third floor. Bra.Vo.

I know the answer is yes, but does every meathead ever born in the US eventually move to California?

Anyway, you know my answer on this one, but this isn't about me, it's about you. Is this a piece of art, or a piece of shit?

Piece of Art or Piece of Shit?

I've never actually seen the program Deadwood, nor had I even heard of it, until last night, but apparently, the tv show is quite inspirational to some viewers, as this 7 minute audio clip proves.

I painstakingly edited out all the clean phrases and passages from one episode of Deadwood, distilling the show down to its brilliant essence. I now present to you Seven Minutes In Deadwood (mp3, not safe for shit - wall to wall cursing and ethnic slurs). (For fans of the show, this is episode ten of season one, the episode known as Mister Wu.)

(HT: Mike of The London Fog)

I, Lisa, multicultural resident of London and Mitchieville, and founding member of *BITCH*, am organizing a rally outside of the Mitchieville Art Gallery tomorrow afternoon to protest the exclusionary standards employed by the collection selection committee.

Piece of Art or Piece of Shit

The Mayor has been neglecting the art critics of Mitchieville in charge of directing the creative cities task force. The last time he presented a piece of artwork potentially slated for inclusion in the Mitchieville Central Library teen area was way back in September. Vote for me. Vote for change. I will do better than the Mayor.

Piece of art or piece of shit?

German-born artist Tomma Abts has become the first woman painter to win the controversial Turner Prize in its 22-year history.

The artist, who has lived in Britain for 12 years, beat video artist Phil Collins, poster artist Mark Titchner and sculptor Rebecca Warren.

The judges said the 38-year-old had produced "compelling images that reveal their complexity slowly over time".

Artist Yoko Ono presented the £25,000 prize at London's Tate Britain.

Bonus question: Did she receive the award on the basis of her talent or was it because she is a woman?

I, Lisa, multicultural resident of London and Mitchieville, and founding customer of *BITCH*, remind you to vote for change and sustainability on December 25th. Vote Lisa for mayor of Mitchieville on December 25th.

Piece of Art or Piece of Shit

Though the Mayor of Mitchieville continues to discriminate against females by depriving them of good cuts of male flesh, he does on occasion have a good idea. Specifically, I am referring to his continued efforts to determine once and for all the creative path that Mitchievillians should follow. Inspired by London Controller Gord Hume's vision of a creative city, the Mayor has been seeking public intput on the region's aesthetic preferences.

I am inspired by his efforts and so I present Basil's rendition of Paris Bacchus for your consideration:


Piece of art, piece of plagarism or piece of shit? Your input will determine how your neighbour's money is spent.

I, Lisa, am trusted with the keys to the city of Mitchieville, but am denied a unique login. With the help of Fenris - yes, your money is still needed - I shall solve the garbage crisis and usurp the Mayor. Let the coup begin and may the best tyrant win!

Piece of Art, or Piece of Shit?

Sometimes the best part of art itself is the way the artist describes his pieces:

Magowan's work explores the fragility of the socialised self. How do the processes and tensions of assuming identities ultimately result in social caricatures?

And these caricatures may then prove inescapable.

Having yielded so quickly to the seduction of given identities, we realise with either passive submission or empty terror, the superficiality of our moulding.

Statements like that is why The Mayor drinks so much whiskey. Does that make sense? It doesn't matter, that's my social caricature and the superficiality of my moulding. Hey, look at me, I'm an artist!

Anyway, here's the ultimate question: Is this a piece of art, or a piece of shit?

Piece of Art, or Piece of Shit?

I'm not saying that I know anything about art, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night (???)

Wednesday's work that I posted was not seen in the eyes of Mitchievillians as a piece of art, but rather it was seen as a piece of shit. I concur, I also think that it was a piece of shit, although, if you put the word *welcome* on it, I'm sure it would look wonderful outside my grandma's front door.

Everything work that I post on Mitchieville is actually hanging in an art gallery somewhere in the world. Many might say that the *art* shouldn't be hanging their, but the artist should be hanging their. That's out of my hands, folks, perhaps God will see his way to exterminate the artist in a way appropriate of a vengeful God.

How about today's work, is it a piece of art...

Or is this a piece of shit?

Piece of Art, or Piece of Shit?

I'm going to bring this segment back for a few days, I long for the time when Mitchievillians use to clog up the comment box with their suggestions and spicy remarks. It seemed like only LAST MONTH. Rrrrrright, it was only last month. Well, your holiday is over, and now is the time to get back to reading this nonsense and commenting like you have never commented before. You don't want to be the cause of The Mayor having a massive coronary, do you?

Anyway, this is a little segment I call, *Piece of art, or piece of shit?*. It's an easy game to play, all you have to do is decide which it is, and spread your vile joy in the COMMENT box.

So let's get to it. Is this a piece or art?

Or is this a piece of shit?

Is it a Piece of Art, or a Piece of Shit?

The Unilever Series: Rachel Whiteread

"The form of a cardboard box has been chosen because of its associations with the storage of intimate personal items and to invoke the sense of mystery surrounding ideas of what a sealed box might contain".

Bravo. That is so obvious but yet so deep. She chose boxes, not because of the shape, but for the storage aspect. I'm fascinated by the depth of Mz. Whiteread. The only time I ever think of boxes is when I'm watching a car chase and one car always seems to smash into a pile of cardboard boxes at the back of an industrial unit. But Mz. Whiteread has changed my whole thinking process now. I see boxes in a new light.

So, what do you think? Is it a piece of art, or just a piece of shit?

Piece of Art, or Piece of Shit?

Over the next several days, I intend on posting some pictures of Modern Art. It will be up to you to decide as to whether it is a piece of art, or just a piece of shit.

This is a picture by Donald Tetto. I have no idea who the artist is that created this piece, or what gallery is responsible for hanging it on their wall. I don't even know what the name is, but I have an idea.

So, is it a piece of art, or just a piece of shit?

**Yes, I know it's a fucking lemon and not an actual piece of shit, just play along**