ARTICLE: Fusion of the Antagonist and the Pacifist (by Tillna LoriBen Chang)

Fusion of the Antagonist and the Pacifist (by Tillna LoriBen Chang)

     There are lots of controversies over the idea “contemporary art”. While some theories accuse it of entirely breaking down the classics, others mentioning the art doesn’t quite base itself upon the specific range or the basic definition of art but destroy what they expect art should contain. According to Aleš Erjavec, an analyst of fine art and aesthetics, the indefinable mechanism of the contemporary artists could be one great advantage rather than the shortage in the modern art for there are a lot more possibilities in creating a new era of art in the circumstance without the fixed rules. In my opinion, art remains its beauty and value due to a world discarding all the pros and cons the society entrusts to us. Thus “super” contemporary is like an era without taboos, restrictions and even the epochal character, which implies no limitations to creating modern works or expressing oneself. It symbolizes the history and fetish of a city; it’s an art presented in the street corners; and it shows how different fields of art combine and become something greater than we could ever imagined. “Super contemporary designed in London” is like a symbolic concept and a quick retrospect of the progress of London and how designers and artists change both Londoners and the impressions of the outsiders.

     I’m going to sort out the exhibition into three categories: politics, music and the installation art. The parts shown in my review were those I felt much inspired, which might have a bit divergence from Cindy’s introduction, and definitely not the greatest pieces in the museum. “Alternative approaches: 1964-1967” The incoming era of social liberalism the Labor Party led had given London an extreme prosperity and a whole new desire for a greater life under the power of freedom. Retail innovations sprung up complying with the victory of people breaking irrational restrictions and economical growth the government led. Cultural movement like Psychedelic Counterculture was an upsurge while artists of the 60s made it an element of their works, such as Blow-Up by Antonioni, in the year 1966.

     “You may think I look cute, but would you live next door to my mummy and daddy? 1968-1970” It’s a time when the world was on the brink of revolution and how London became both a riot and a pilgrimage of fighting for the equal rights of human. Rock music was greatly influenced by the time, and racial segregation became the top issue as the feminists took their moves.

     “The experimental living: 1971-1980” Affected by the Gay Liberation Front in US, London had also opened up the era of many liberation movements. New cultures were gradually accepted and the luxury and indulgence of the high society were worshipped, yet rock bands and singers opposing everything in the fashion world. I found it amazing for it was the time when Manolo Blahnik built his kingdom of fashionable shoes but Mark Perry on the other hand started Sniffin’ Glue (吸食強力膠) to publicize how desperate and reckless the new era served people. Sex Pistols (性手槍樂團) was another band tallied with the contemporaneousness. They discussed about sex, piss and stuff like that in public to show their anger and the probability of not faking their mood, not hiding their disturbance.

     “1981-1983” My favorite designers were like Stephen Jones who designed his works in Covent Garden that triggered many protests later on. The hat industry he created was the mentor of other famous designers including Thierry Mugler, Christian Dior and John Jean Paul Gaultier. Jones was a man who led fashion control the film industry. He put his idea of hermaphrodite in his designs thus people picked their own hats as to show off what they really were. Scott Crolla, having noticed the pressure from the transition of the new era, wrote “Always there, never present” to present his value in the fashion industry. He mentioned that he knew for sure he wanted to make something but never knew quite what. Fashion world in the 80s were a world with all those crazy nuts who write, knit, draw, act and dream. On the other hand, a female designer Georgina Godley designed her clothes by thinking highly of the practical uses and ways to solve the problems what Londoners may occur each day.

     “1984-1995” Ron Arad dominated the fashion decade by combing the design of furniture and the contemporary art in order to give his installation pieces a consideration of both creative and fashionable. I think he gave the installation art a big chance to present its thoughts practically as his works processed functions to promote people’s lives. However, Ron Arad didn’t lord the fashion industry for Alexander McQueen, known as the hooligan of English fashion, won his price in 1992 and Hussein Chalayan put self-conscientiousness in his imaginary world of what bodies desire to say to the society. It’s the splendid era when London became the model of the democracy, the lead of fashion and media voices.

     “Ethical dilemmas: 1996” There seems to be some risks after every period of great prosperity. During the middle of 90s, children born in the 80s started to become the backbone of London. However, the indulgent subculture also guides the city. Teens felt confused, irascible; the ethics was annexed by the material civilization. People fell to believe in sex not love, and they chose to take drugs to conceal how desperate they truly were. Band and movie in that time were like Spiritualized, Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space (形而上樂團) and Trainspotting directed by Danny Boyle.

     “1997-2011”: After the optimistic age, the chaos of distinguish right from wrong, and all the high-tech signs of improvement, the present London is sophisticated and abundant. Thomas Heatherwick (Lamp-post Chandelier) uses simple geometric elements to rig up his heavy ideas. Ross Phillips draws animations to present the terror of the new age and death. Wayne Hemingway designed “KiosKiosk” to shatter the present value and culture while he tries to connect the network and our memories together to create a greater deal of the fulfillment of our desires. From my observation, recent designers like David Rosen, Neville Brody and Paul Cocksedge enjoy consuming the “internet world”. It may present the popularity of artificial intelligence, the contribution of internet and mobile tools whatsoever, but there is always the next step left unknown. As Kit Grover mentioned: “Londoners could do with a symbol of hope” (倫敦人需要一個希望的象徵), I see no limit in its future trend. London would never be a failure, but threatened by growing crises; it’s not going to be optimistic anymore, yet there remain the humorous taste of the city and the sympathetic designs and masterpieces. (The article was a quick review to the Super Contemporary Designed in London in Taipei Fine Arts Museum by Tillna, and I'm willing to give the copyright to SPK club.)