Oh, For the Love of God!



(image via telegraph)

We wonder if Marcel DuChamp knew that the trail he blazed with his experimental readymades would lead, inexorably, to the artworld ghetto known as Damien Hirst's aptly-titled "For The Love of God." We ask ourselves that very question every time we see an image of his -- ahem -- "work (Averted Gaze)." From the Gray Lady:

"Apart from their salability and the fact that many of these works are made by Mr. Hirst’s studio assistants (or his jewelers), what they have in common, White Cube tells us, is his exploration of 'the fundamental themes of human existence — life, death, truth, love, immortality and art itself.'

"Thus 'For the Love of God' is presented in the tradition of memento mori — those skulls placed in classical paintings to remind us of what lies ahead — and as a homage to the Aztecs (Mr. Hirst now spends part of every year in Mexico), who attached precious stones to skulls and even made entire skulls with crystal.

"In other words, Mr. Hirst’s piece is packaged as a concept."

Okay, we get it. Clever.

But what galls us deeply -- and you can call us a "Hater" if you must -- is that the financial value placed on this thusness in the Democratic-Capitalistic world we all elect to participate proclaims that Hirst's "art" is better than, say, Cranach's Adam and Eve or anything by Velasquez or El Greco.

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, is some truly fucked up shit. Pardon our French.