The Taschen Collection: Art of our time
By Marga Paz
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Nevertheless, this does not prevent them from aiming a fundamentally critical eye at the world around them, as can be seen in the photos by Tillmans, which reflect his private life, made up of both the alternative and marginal life of the young people that make up his social milieu (through which he openly conveys his personal convictions about social, political, sexual and spiritual issues) and those people in his most intimate circles and domestic life, including his own lovers and those of others.
Another radically opposite form of biographical elements intervening is the one by Jeff Koons: in the series entitled Made in Heaven (1990-1991), he appears as the star of a glorification of love along with Cicciolina, the porn star and former member of parliament for the radical Italian party to whom he was then married. This was neither the first nor the last time he dealt with his own biography, which has always been present in his art through the sublimation of his childhood and adolescence, in the subjects and objects of his works. The fragmented advertising images in his most recent paintings are yet another example, since they mainly come from the world of children - toys, presents, chocolate cookies and cereal boxes.
Sexuality
"Body, gender, sex; in the past few years this thematic circle has reached new meanings. Moral taboos are broken that were established beyond all artistic developments, a shameless art is conquering the realm of museum exhibition. Seen in everything from such strident, narcissistic and pornographic productions as the series Made in Heaven ... the new body art leads to a questioning of the traditional image of man and the human body."
The presence of sexuality has become another constant feature in a great deal of contemporary art, taking on diverse forms ranging from portrayals of the obscene to eroticism and pornography. The borders delimiting them are merely a social convention that fluctuates depending on certain factors at any given time in history.
Moreover, we are currently living immersed in a visual universe populated by sensual mirages conveyed by advertising to encourage us to consume, based on a comforting eroticism, a wholly gratified sexuality - the promise of happiness.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
Nevertheless, this does not prevent them from aiming a fundamentally critical eye at the world around them, as can be seen in the photos by Tillmans, which reflect his private life, made up of both the alternative and marginal life of the young people that make up his social milieu (through which he openly conveys his personal convictions about social, political, sexual and spiritual issues) and those people in his most intimate circles and domestic life, including his own lovers and those of others.
Another radically opposite form of biographical elements intervening is the one by Jeff Koons: in the series entitled Made in Heaven (1990-1991), he appears as the star of a glorification of love along with Cicciolina, the porn star and former member of parliament for the radical Italian party to whom he was then married. This was neither the first nor the last time he dealt with his own biography, which has always been present in his art through the sublimation of his childhood and adolescence, in the subjects and objects of his works. The fragmented advertising images in his most recent paintings are yet another example, since they mainly come from the world of children - toys, presents, chocolate cookies and cereal boxes.
Sexuality
"Body, gender, sex; in the past few years this thematic circle has reached new meanings. Moral taboos are broken that were established beyond all artistic developments, a shameless art is conquering the realm of museum exhibition. Seen in everything from such strident, narcissistic and pornographic productions as the series Made in Heaven ... the new body art leads to a questioning of the traditional image of man and the human body."
The presence of sexuality has become another constant feature in a great deal of contemporary art, taking on diverse forms ranging from portrayals of the obscene to eroticism and pornography. The borders delimiting them are merely a social convention that fluctuates depending on certain factors at any given time in history.
Moreover, we are currently living immersed in a visual universe populated by sensual mirages conveyed by advertising to encourage us to consume, based on a comforting eroticism, a wholly gratified sexuality - the promise of happiness.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
Taschen Collection
Hardcover, 29.7 x 42 cm (11.7 x 16.5 in.), 254 pages
$ 70.00
$ 70.00
The Benedikt Taschen Collection on show at Reina Sofía
Helmut Newton shooting Albert Oehlen, lying on a carpet designed by him, in his Cologne apartment, for an advertising campaign (A passion for Taschen). Foto: TASCHEN, 1999