Big Triangulated Seashell

Comment

Comment by Kim hauer on June 12, 2016 at 11:04am

Ethan I think we all recognize one needs to have some name recognition and cash to be able to pay fabricators and buy ABB Robots that the likes of Seward Johnson and in the past Bill Read used in help made molds for castings of their work.

I wish there was an easier way to have access to these tools! Perhaps crowd funding a robot facility?

Comment by David Bachman on June 11, 2016 at 11:06pm

Even with molded joints that match the PVC, it's hard to hide the seams with just paint. It's really hard to avoid the resulting design having a "kit" feel to it, which is definitely another obstacle to being recognized as fine art. 

Comment by Ethan Gross on June 11, 2016 at 4:56pm

I'm no great fan of Koons or Hirst as artists but Koons' work does require a great deal of technological innovation. Although he is sometimes hyped for developing these processes, I cannot imagine that is the case. Even Renaissance masters could not be universal "Renaissance men" and could only spread themselves so thin; they had their workshops and contractors. To be charitable, I can see Koons challenging his fabricators, the people with the real expertise, to invent the techniques, like seamless metal forming, he required. His pieces also demand a great initial outlay to create which gives him access to resources unavailable to most.

Comment by Kim hauer on June 11, 2016 at 4:05pm

I have not figure out yet what attracts people to a Damein Hirst or a Jeff Koons art piece. I strongly suspect its all about name recognition, perhaps like the name Trump. The decision to buy artwork in the final analysis, maybe more about future resale value, then the appreciation of the work itself.

I designed PVC furniture in the past, unfortunately using precast joints made the furniture look like anyone can glue it together. Not a very good way to sell furniture if anyone thinks he or she can make it themselves. A molded fitting joint the same size as the PVC, would be an answer, but when You look at how PVC survivors and yellows over time in sunlight, you come to the conclusion PVC really needs a sprayed finish, similar to powder coated steel.  But then in the final analysis you look at the final production costs and what you could realistically sell a piece for, you're making about 20 cent/hr....yikes!

Read your Blog, you are absolutely right about 3d printing. Its for small desktop dust collectors, which give the illusion of what could be, but its not for large scale artwork. :(

Comment by Ethan Gross on June 11, 2016 at 1:33pm

Aside from scale, another obstacle to "respectability" is materials. Some materials have a cache and others don't. Polymer clay is an extremely versatile medium but I doubt you'll be seeing any PC items auctioned off at Christies any time soon. There are a few people making jewelry with concrete, juxtaposed with precious metals and stones; in some cases they are making an ironic statement, in others, it's purely an aesthetic choice. Still, I imagine there's some hesitation on the part of the buyer afraid of flirting with unorthodoxy.

http://www.jcottergallery.com/alternative-materials.html

And worst of all is that volume scales as length^3 so unless you are a balloon artist, everything gets more expensive and unwieldy, be it of glass, gold or PVC pipe.