The Social Status of The Artist

Self Portrait In Fur Coat (1500) Albrecht Durer

Knob (1997) Gavin Turk

Damien Hirst and Maria Norman (1995) Anon

1. Identify aspects of Durer's self portrait that show a changing view of the artist's view of himself as
an individual.
During the renaissance period a front on view was reserved for God's only. For mere mortals they were painted on a three point angle and Durer was very daring and narcissistic to paint himself in this way. Another point that makes us as viewers think Durer thought very highly of himself was because he painted fur with himself which was an expensive commodity. Self portraits Durer has done of himself previously were painted in a much less impressive manner which leaves us to believe that as Durer grew as an artist he had an higher and higher view of himself as an individual.

2. Explain how the artist's social status increased during the Renaissance period. Briefly explain why this happened.
During the renaissance period the gradual social increase throughout Italy and Europe was due to the fact that Europe gained a vast amount of wealth during this time because of the trade centres erected and due to the growing social status of the countries the artists benefited also because people were able to afford art work and galleries. This made art a lot more prominent and sort after and therefore the artists were held in higher regard then previously in the renaissance.

3. Comment on Gavin Turk's work in relation to individualism, status of the artist and egotism.

Individualism, according to a website (1986) by Lexicon Ayn Rand , is the idea and movement that each and everyman has the right to be whomever he wants to be and do whatever he wants to do with his life. Gavin Turk has used this idea to turn his work into something we can note as being conceited as the majority of his work solely consists of his name, used in different styles and mediums. This is taking the social status of the artist further because on what Durer used to make himself look better through art Turk is doing in a modern way, by making his artwork just about himself.

Love Turk (2009) Gavin Turk

Untitled (2009) Gavin Turk

By looking at an artists work such as Turk we can relate individualism, social status and egotisim all in one. Egotism is clearly an artist thinking greatly of himself and thinking that the viewers of art would of course want to see works that revolve solely around himself. By purposely putting the subject of his work in a form of self portrait we can gather a large amount of Egotism from the artist.

4. Comment on Damien Hirst's use of his work and the media for self promotion.

Damien Hirst has become known for his use of self portrait for self promotion, aswell as photos taken of him at public places almost becoming self portraits of himself also. He uses public stunts through the media for the promotion of his work, selling himself through the media to create sales and quite importantly, hype for himself. Hirst has become wellknown for doing obscure self portraits of himself to gain attention.

5. Find 2 images of work by artists or designers that reflects some of the ideas of individualism,
self promotion or egotism that have been discussed on this blog. Upload images to your blog, title and date the work, identify the artist/designer and comment on the work in relation to the question.

My Bed (1998) Tracey Emin

Tracey Emin reflects individualism in the sense that this is a personal work reflecting the artist herself to a high degree. Emin has taken her own bed inclusive of the surroundings which include delicate and intimate objects such as women's unmentionables, condoms, empty wine bottles, tissues and placed them exactly how they would be in her own room. Tha artist of the work has been known for her works that refer to the most intimate aspects of her life, and she uses herself as the main subject for most of her work. We can relate Tracey's work to not only individualism but also to egotism and self promotion as she is using her own self to sell herself, individualism comes into it by the artists own right to create works of what she chooses, as it is her freewill, regardless of what her viewers think or how she is judged for it.

I've Got It All (2000) Tracey Emin

Another work in which Emin uses individualism, egotism, and self promotion for the promotion of her work in a manner that works very well for the type of art she produces. The Emin work I have featured here is a self portrait in the form of a photograph. Emin has taken this photo most likely using a tripod and it features her sitting surrounded by money implying the success, fame and riches she has gained from being an artist. We can see from this work that Whiteread is showing off what she has made of herself therefore we can very much relate this to egotisim as she thinks very highly of herself, and with good right too, I suppose.

6. How do you think artists and designers are viewed in Western society today?

Artists and designers are viewed in this day and age by the Western society as people who can transform any idea or thought that could possibly cross their mind in to anything they wanted, anything that is expressed using a creative medium we can call as art. Artists and designers can even just use the simple idea of a work and call it 'conceptual.' I personally think that artists and designers have become absoultely anyone with a creative thought that crosses their mind. Todays Western society has made it so that you don't even need to be talented in the area of art and design as long as you have the money to hire the people needed to create that work for you.

Gavin Turk, Gavin Turk Biography (2007)
http://www.skny.com/artists/gavin-turk/

Individualism, Definition of Indiviualism (2007)
http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/individualism.html

Social and Economic Changes During the Renaissance, Title page (2006)
http://www.all-about-renaissance-faires.com/renaissance_info/economic_social_and_religious_change_in_the_renaissance.htm