Thomas Hirschhorn: One Irrelevant Man

Sunday, October 26th, 2008 | Contemporary Art, Power & Politics

I value and admire the work of a man from Switzerland named Thomas Hirschhorn, yet I wouldn’t be Tonky if I did not consume his presumptive statements about the divine importance of art during his lecture at Cooper Union Art School this Friday with at least a few grains of salt.

Hirschhorn’s lecture was part of Cooper Union’s programming series titled Art and Politics as Usual which culminates this week with a solo exhibition of Lene Berg called Stalin by Picasso which “reflects on political portraiture and the power of drawing.”

(October 29, 2008 | 6-9pm: Opening Reception of Lene Berg’s solo exhibition)
http://www.cooper.edu/

Thomas Hirschhorn: Art DO-er or Barbara Gladstone’s Bitch?

Hirschhorn’s lecture was titled Doing Art Politically. (see photo) as opposed to “Making Art Politically.” DOING in this context evokes a heroic notion of artistic practice, one that values political process, engagement, and action. Alternatively, MAKING evokes a baser understanding art as commodity, one in which the artist MAKES a painting or object and their dealer MAKES money by selling it to wealthy and gullible Oil Barons and Arms Dealers.

Easier said than done huh Thomas? True, there is a lot of DOING in Hirschhorn’s work and I love him for that. Nonetheless, a blue-chip gallery like Barbara Gladstone that sells Hirschhorn’s art cannot stick a 6-figure price tag on DOING. In other words, Hirschhorn MAKES work and Gladstone sells it.

More power to you homeboy, no shame in getting paid and getting laid!

Hirschhorn Wears a Hirschhorn Mask

Hirschhorn’s apparent lack of self-doubt is inspiring. When asked by an audience member whether an artist ought to ask permission to use graphic images of victims of violence, he flatly responds “no.”

I agree emphatically. A healthy democracy respects the artist’s right to explore a wide-latitude of often controversial subjects. Images belong to everybody. We the public – or “the other” as Hirschhorn identifies his audience – needs to be confronted with the true face of violence, not the sterilized versions we are fed by the mainstream media. Understanding its ugliness is the first step towards us eliminating it.

However, I encourage Hirschhorn to consider what he would say to the mother of a mutilated landmine victim or a slain U.S. Marine whose images he has appropriated. Of course his lifestyle does not confront him with such inconvenient doses of reality, but it is worth thinking about.

Thomas Hirschhorn’s Flow Charts and Diagrams:

Take a few moments to peruse Hirschhorn’s diagrams below. Of particular interest is his distinction between art world “evaluators” and his intended audience “the other.” ( I gather this is Hirschhorn’s own personal “other” and not the post-colonial other we hear so much about)

Thomas Hirschhorn: Prolific Double Thinker

I admire Hirschhorn’s ability to believe two diametrically opposing thoughts at one time. During his lecture on Friday he proclaimed that the “artist has an even greater responsibility than the social worker.” Simultaneously he refuses to take ANY responsibility for the things he does and the images he uses as an artist.

Thomas Hirschhorn: Composer Pack Rat

I mustered the courage to ask Hirschhorn whether he also considered the people whose political street art he borrows (meaning stole or appropriated) as his own personal “other.” (see pictures of street protesters with baby seal coffins and Hirschhorn’s own baby seal coffins in his project “Das Auge” (“The Eye”) at the 2008 Wiener Secession – http://www.secession.at/kunst/08_hirschhorn_e.html )

Hirschhorn corrected me by asserting that he did not borrow anything, rather the protesters with the baby seal coffins were showing “his work” and he was simply reclaiming it.

I suppose the artist here could be interpreted as a supremely arrogant colonialist (think Picasso’s use of African masks telling the whole continent that it takes a exiled Spanish misogynist to really “get” their art)
However, Hirschhorn’s art is that of a highly calculating pack rat. Sure he steals political street art, but his projects are giant 3D orchestras, collages that resonate in a sort of visual tone poem greater than the sum of its tonal parts.

Thomas Hirschhorn: Doing No Harm

To an observer who might complain that Hirschhorn is reckless in his use of violent images and delusional in his assumption that a blue-chip artist can truly reach a broader public than your standard martini sipping art-collector or sycophant art-world hipster I say: Maybe you are right, but ask yourself if he is doing us harm. I think not.

During the questions following his Friday night lecture, Hirschhorn unapologetically apologized to audience evaluators who see his work as a failure. His self-image as a humble singular artist that strives to contribute to the human race is endearing.

At best I believe Hirschhorn’s work might incrementally influence our global civilization toward a more just and sustainable mode. At worst Hirschhorn’s work will prove irrelevant. At least we will be no worse off because of him.