The Lights Going On And Off...

http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=101549

And such is the title and premise of one artists work, Martin Creed.

It's not just that this work was shown in an art gallery and appreciated by a handful of people, but it is that the piece was given national attention and a prestigious art award, the Turner Prize and a nice £20,000 (approximately $31k) check. One shouldn't be bothered by what other people think is "good art", but what I find important about this story, is the fact that the art world seems to be changing its focus on what really IS good art. Many traditional artists are losing attention and thus their careers. Apparently, it's not about talent, skill, and the years of hard working perfecting those two. 


One of the things that gets about this piece though is that it's not even "conceptual" by definition of the word. Conceptual art is art that places importance on the idea before the creation of the art. So this means that this piece by Creed must have some amazing intellectual idea that blew the minds of the judges and warranted it such attention, right? Let's see what he has to say about his work:


"I can't explain it. The lights go on and off. I like it, it's full of life. I don't know what other people think of it." - Martin Creed about this work


Ohh... I guess not. The man said it himself... there is no meaning. Makes you wonder then: so what the HELL did the judges find so fascinating about his work? 


People are indeed more than just a little pissed off about the attention this piece is garnering. Jacqueline Crofton was one of those people, and she made it perfectly clear her detest for the work by throwing eggs at the piece while the lights were off. She has subsequently been banned from all Tate museums in the world. Don't know why, eggs may have made the piece more interesting and interactive. Isn't that artsy?


And even more interesting of a protest was one by a group of anti-conceptualists who protested the awarding of the prize outside the Tate museum. Their protest consisted of their members dressed in clown costumes and turning on and off flash lights. A sort of mockery of Creed's work. It is sad to say, they did not receive any rewards for their work.


And so, here it is. Conceptual? Not really. Beautiful? Only if you find flicking on and off your lights fascinating.  Intellectual? Well, trying to figure out how to get the lights to turn on and off at 5 second intervals may have been challenging. Artsy? Definitely not. Fartsy? Probably so.