Only Some Species Unmarred
With the artist’s machine-produced words over appropriated images of Koons’
Rabbit—a work of intentional perfection with its own layered meanings—this piece
is intended by the artist to communicate only to the viewer through the head, and to
cause no emotional or sensorial response. Under the proposed definition and
elements of post-theory art, if there is such a thing at all, this piece would
consequently fall far outside. The piece may be conceptual art, and it may be
appropriation art, and it may be text-based art—but with no intent by the artist to
have something land in the body or the heart of the viewer, and with the artist
having executed the piece in a manner consistent with that, it is argued that this
piece would not fall within post-theory art. To the extent the piece is visually
appealing to some, or considered “cool” by its topic, appropriation, and color tone,
the piece is offered for consideration as an aesthetic that any machine can now
produce, raising the question, is this human art, if it is really art at all?
With the artist’s machine-produced words over appropriated images of Koons’
Rabbit—a work of intentional perfection with its own layered meanings—this piece
is intended by the artist to communicate only to the viewer through the head, and to
cause no emotional or sensorial response. Under the proposed definition and
elements of post-theory art, if there is such a thing at all, this piece would
consequently fall far outside. The piece may be conceptual art, and it may be
appropriation art, and it may be text-based art—but with no intent by the artist to
have something land in the body or the heart of the viewer, and with the artist
having executed the piece in a manner consistent with that, it is argued that this
piece would not fall within post-theory art. To the extent the piece is visually
appealing to some, or considered “cool” by its topic, appropriation, and color tone,
the piece is offered for consideration as an aesthetic that any machine can now
produce, raising the question, is this human art, if it is really art at all?
