Reflective Statement

  

Universal Wound

The artwork that I have chosen to reinterpret from the Art Gallery of South Australia is Thomas Hirschhorn’s Twin-Subjecter. From researching more of his work I chose to recreate several elements which I found to be particularly successful. My piece explores consumerism which is also a strong theme in Hirschhorn’s work. I like many others struggle with personal battles against consumerism my artwork gives a view of the bigger picture, the inducement of the consumer, greed of corporations and venerable who suffer.  

The title of my work Universal Wound denotes that we are responsible for the injury that we produce to others. When we give into consumerism we are responsible for the effect that this might have on others, regardless of whether we see it or not. The documentary Fashion Victims recounts the horrific collapse of the Rana Plaza, a garment factory in Bangladesh. The thing that struck was the lack of responsibility taken by the multi-million dollar clothing brands. On my mannequin I made a collage of words and imagery relating to consumerism, this acts as an ethereal skin which my mannequin is trapped in. I included some of the brands that were connected to the sweat shops; this is my way of shaming them. These brands had no regards for the safety and well being of the sweat shop workers, it always comes down to the money.  I suspended the United States one-hundred dollar bill to rest on the mannequin. My research uncovered that the idea of consumerism first developed in the United States, I wanted to make reference to this.  Greed is an environment which causes suffering; this explains the condition that my mannequin is in. In Hirschhorn’s installations he is able to create environments for his subjects to become a part of and I wanted to recreate this in my work. I used metal triangles to create a garment which had the same enticing nature that attracted me to Twin-Subjecters. The depressions on my dress are also a note of caution to consumer, not to get sucked in.

I think that the strength of my piece is that it’s a strong visual and the symbology in my work allows the viewer to engage in it. Through the process of creating my artwork I found it challenging to create something that would capture the essence of consumerism in a meaningful way. By reflect on Hirschhorn’s work and what I found to be successful, I was able reinterpret this into my own. The main purpose of my piece is to ask the viewer to think about consumerism and to reflect on the injury that it causes and the role that they may play in it. My piece largely relies on the response of a viewer, as to whether or not I have successfully fulfilled this.