Joe Sola is (NOT) Making Art

Joe Sola, USA

Description

Joe Sola is (Not) Making Art, a fluorescent light installation, is both tongue-in-cheek, part wry humour and part serious social commentary. The work places the artist in a box, which chronicles his time making art. The work, which could be called “switching art making on and off”, draws attention to the celebrity status, hungry for the limelight, forced self-promotion inherent to the contemporary art scene. The piece makes visible the idea that making art is a job, which is to “make art” and that it is also
a performance, with the artist being “on and off”. Joe Sola is captivated by ideas of identity politics. This work addresses the absurdity of celebrity status and how it influences contemporary culture.

Joe Sola is (Not) Making Art was created specifically for the 2009–2011 Vancouver Biennale.

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