Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Clusterfuck Aesthetic

The artwork and images showcased in the "Clusterfuck Esthetic" by Jerry Saltz were extremely appealing to me, even though the author insists that its roots are "grandiose and testosterone driven". He summarizes this Clusterfuck ideal as art on a massive, chaotic, and sculptural scale that breaks the boundaries of a traditional gallery in a way that is almost unbearable. Most of the artwork he cites is some form of mixed media with colorful projections, sculptures, or massive stacks of video screens; the effect of this aesthetic is truly impressive and visually overwhelming.

Although Saltz mentions several times that this category is overtly masculine, it seems to be more of a pratice that is dominated by male artists rather than an entire genre that is inherently un-feminine. Saltz's article is actually a pretty solid reflection of the frenetic clusterfuck aesthetic and presents itself without a tidy conclusion or even ending thought.

Jason Rhoades' work was my favorite of the bunch:



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