GIZMODO
The Tate Modern has housed some strange art—huge curving slides, a massive artificial sun, and a giant spider, to name a few. But its new installation is the strangest yet: a mind-boggling carpet of 100 million sunflower seeds.
The seeds, installed by Chinese conceptual artist Ai Weiwei, come as the eleventh commission in the Tate Modern’s Unilever series, which fills the museum’s central Turbine Hall with big, unusual and often interactive art. Weiwei’s seeds—all 100 million of them—are not actual sunflower seeds but porcelain replicas, hand-crafted and individually painted over the course of two years by some 1600 Chinese artisans.
This is what you get when you have 1601 people with too much time on their hands.
two years wasted, what a shame.
Then some fucknut sees it as a good thing
Now that the exhibit is finished, there are 1600 Chinese artisans out of work, and their résumés are not terribly impressive.
Chinese father to son: I spent a year’s salary to send you to art school and you did WHAT???”
Some things are the same in every culture.
Damn, assuming those 1600 workers all worked for the full 2 years that ~85 seeds per worker per day. Assuming a 10 hour shift (since these aren’t US workers with proper working conditions) that’s 8 1/2 per hour with no breaks.
Obviously these are just rough estimates and I have *no* idea as to their true working conditions.
Yikes!
boooriiing
@meanmeanie
Yes – in America they could have been checking the Human Resource compliance for the assistants to the junior managers who created the powerpoint slides for the middle managers to propose a new name for a potato chip.
This is why governments promote the arts through grant giving – so pretentious assholes can waste everybody else’s money by pretending what they are doing is important.
You could have some fun with those in a baseball dugout.
100 million! Look at that space! Could you imaging what 13,644,441,000,000+ porcelain sunflower seeds would look like…the USA’s current debt.
Chinese stimulus money at work.
Ah Sooo. Too bad so few people can appreciate real genius!
Really. Genius.
How much money did he make having Chinese slaves produce this crap?
It does look like the “art world” is about as relevant as our political world but don’t museums pay money to the artist to “install” their work?
I always enjoy reading about Europeans paying artists to create works the government buys and then wharehouses: never seen by the public.
Yes, the “Arts” are very important. More subsidies for the “interests” of the rich having no interest at all by the masses who are taxed to support it.
But then “thinking” about it, if the sunflower seeds were each numbered, it would be kinda “cool” if each person on earth got their own seed. Implanted with an rfd chip? Oh wait, I got confused by cell phones for a while there.
Nevermind.
“This is what you get when you have 1601 people with too much time on their hands.”
That’s funny, we’re wasting time talking to each other on a blog. At least they made something with their time.
If the purpose of art is to make one think….. it worked on everyone.
Everyone thinks “What a load of shit”.
Another 4 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back.
I think I must be the only art student who reads this blog. The last art piece I remember on here was the rotating kitchen. Everyone on here trashed it. Why does this stuff upset you guys so much? I’m not trying to be an asshole, but seriously, expand your view of art a bit! They’re just creating new and odd situations to experience. I’d much rather walk through those seeds than look at the Mona Lisa. And why? I’ve seen prints of the Mona Lisa all my life! I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s neat!
Matt–I have some dog shit for you. Very interesting.
Art. Yes. “A conspiracy between rich people and artists to make poor people think they are stupid.” Vonnegut.
99% of “art” is crap. A manufactured market made for the idiot consumer to dull witted to create his own. ART you make yourself: still crap but all 100% WORTHY for YOURSELF!!
Indeed, we all do need to embrace more of the Arts, all of the arts, in our own lives, by participation, NOT by consumerism.
Beauty is truth, and truth beauty.
Matt, keeping the mythos alive.
Hey Bobbo,
I definitely agree that some of the best art is the art we make ourselves. Being creative is one of the most fulfilling parts of life. We can agree on that.
But I think the goal should not be to stop consuming, but to create and consume in a balanced manner.
And I like the Vonnegut quote, but I think the problem is not that there is a conspiracy, but that people think that they need to ‘get’ art instead of simply taking it in however their senses permit.
This piece doesn’t really make sense, but why should it? My suggestion is to try not to make sense of art because art is made by people, and people just don’t make sense. At least the interesting ones don’t.
Truth is beauty, and beauty is truth. I don’t see a lie here, and I find it beautiful.
I’m willing to accept that we may not agree here, but I appreciate your thoughts, Bobbo.
Meh. The Chinese produce 100 million Happy Meals toys every week, so I am not impressed.
“1600 Chinese artisans” = Slaves.
Hey we could make art instead of license plates.
I just had an idea, but a little too late. Crafting these sunflower seeds would have been a great project to keep those Chilean miners busy while they awaited their rescue, giving them a sense of purpose. They could have proudly displayed their artwork on worldwide TV coverage. Instead, all we saw was the rescue.
This also reminds me of a scene from The Shining where Wendy discovers that Jack has spent hour after hour typing nothing but “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”
Yes, they should be making something important like bullets or TV’s.
Maybe 100 million plastic statues of Jesus.
It’s a “carpet” of fake seeds. Does that mean that they are not glued down? How long before the whole thing disappears, with each visitor snatching up a seed or two, as a souvenir?
And for this museum having such a large room, empty of any other works besides a seed carpet. You have to wonder. Is this just another tax right off for the rich? I prefer museums that are crammed with works, at ever turn. And that aren’t gigantic, near empty halls, of huge works by a very few artisans. I prefer museums that you can get lost in, and rarely take in all the art they have in a single visit. Rather than museums that the art gets lost in. And one leaves feeling “that’s all they had?”.
Not too many years ago, someone on CBS’ 60 Minutes, dared to point out the absurdities of modern commercial art. Things like piles of wrapped candy, and valveless urinals hanging from the wall. And my all time favorite, some “artist’s” own crap, sealed in a can and labeled as such. The obvious statement about art being lost on the museum that bought it. I think the criticism help lose that man his job at CBS. Meanwhile the “crap” art world continues to thrive.
#17–Matt==I liked the first two photo’s in your link. Mystery in both. Composition. The remainder were the type I would take in years gone by when I wanted the film out of my camera for developing.
You say: “I’m not trying to be an asshole, // and I didn’t say or imply you were–just misdirected by commerce
but seriously, expand your view of art a bit! /// What makes you think I haven’t? the same straw man that says people criticizing this installation “hate” it. No accepting of arts appeal to different values? Only your values apply?
They’re just creating new and odd situations to experience. /// Yes, like dog crap drying in the sun. Would that be better than the Mona Lisa too?
I’d much rather walk through those seeds than look at the Mona Lisa. /// Have you stood before the Mona Lisa? Different than pictures of it.
And why? I’ve seen prints of the Mona Lisa all my life! I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s neat! //// Well, if you “grow” as a person and bank similar experiences, maybe you will come to see the meaningless of it. Or maybe you will remain in the larval stage, constantly amused by your own shadow?
To redirect: my complaint of you is not what you find enjoyment in but rather that you would criticize those who do not. Thats very close to Vonnegut’s criticism regardless of the quibbles that be.
Yes, art. Personal Enjoyment, fulfillment, insight, growth, acceptance.
Does remind me of a rather mechanical joke: Did you see the exhibit of all those sexual sunflower seeds? How sexual? Just a bunch of fucking ceramic shells.
find all the pleasure you may, and allow others the same.
” Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d,
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone (lines 11–14) Ode on a Greecian Urn
Seriously, this work is great.
In one fell swoop it has changed western views (for some) of Chinese culture. Break the stereotypes, scream, we are not what’s in your mind.
More powerful than just making the statement “We are not what you think we are.”
Bravo……..
Hey Bobbo,
I gotta say man, starting off your post by insulting my artwork is pretty weak and pretty mean. I’m happy to take intelligent criticism, but that is not what you gave. It’s no big deal to me, but it illustrates your character very clearly.
You make some good points, but your overall tone is negative, and I don’t think you’re interested in discussion, just arguing. That sucks, man. See ya.
Now, why did I expect better?
Ha, ha. My bad.
After this exhibit is over, will someone have to count all the seeds to make sure none are missing? That could put a few people to work.
Also, I have an idea for his next art exhibit. 100 million jelly beans, each one a different color, & no two the same color!
http://guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/oct/14/ai-weiwei-turbine-hall-installation-closed
It is now closed because of health concerns over the amount of ceramic dust.
>> This is what you get when you have 1601 people with too much time on their hands.
I doubt it was boredom … it was probably because Chinese are cheap labor.