ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing ArtsISSN (Online): 2582-7472
History of the Use of Waste Materials in Visual Arts: Concept and Roots 1 Research
Scholar, Department of Painting, Faculty of Visual Arts, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
1. INTRODUCTION Today, the whole world is struggling with the problem of pollution,
and new efforts are being made every day to get rid of it, we use a large
number of mass-manufactured products made by companies, and after using them,
we throw them in the garbage. But very few of us probably think about recycling
or reusing. Today many social and government organizations are trying to make
people aware of getting rid of this problem. In the same
way, many artists have also used these waste materials in their creativity and
are doing so even today. So that they can be given a new life and a new
perspective can be developed regarding their use. Because the artist has always
been looking for a medium for his expression, many artists have used these
waste materials as their medium of creation. Even today, they are doing well
and setting new records in the field of art and presenting a new perspective of
seeing these waste materials to society
Shukla (2006) The use of waste
material in the field of art proves to be an important revolution because
usually, we are habitual to view art in the form of paintings and sculptures.
However, the creation of works of art in waste materials represents a new
aesthetic approach and method in the history of art. This paper
analyzes the historical aspect of the use of waste materials in art, its
development over time and the current scenario to see how important it is in
terms of expression. 2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This research paper explains the use of waste material in the history of art. The main objective of this paper is to see what kind of change came from the use of waste material in the art field. As well as how the process of creating artwork with waste materials differs from traditional styles of art making such as painting or sculpture. This paper also throws light on what kind of ideas were the main ones behind the use of any found object or any readymade object in art. And how it was accepted in art. Also, how was the concept of aesthetics, and how has it developed? 3. METHODOLOGY The analytical method has been specifically used in this research paper study. Sources of information have been obtained mainly by studying books, research papers and reading articles available on the internet. Criticism is done based on the information received which has been previously analysed. ·
Marcel
Duchamp and his Artwork 'Fountain.' The earliest examples of the use of these waste materials
in the visual arts come from the modern art of 20th-century France. In which
Dadaist artist Marcel Duchamp displayed his artwork 'The Fountain'. In 1917 he
submitted an ordinary object, a urinal pot made of Porcelain, signed by R. Mutt
(the name of the manufacturer of the company making the urinal) for selection
in the exhibition of the 'Society of Independent Artists' Bajpai
(1980-81). After all the
controversy of the selection committee on this, it was selected as an artwork
by saying that the artists who had deposited the exhibition fees would have to
accept it. But it was displayed at the back of the exhibition and from an
ostracized perspective. This exhibition was held in the exhibition hall of the
‘Grand Central Palace’ in New York. Figure 1
'But it came to light when it was published as an article
in a Dadaist magazine or journal titled 'The Blind Man' after it was
photographed in Alfred Stieglitz's studio.' Due to the
use of these ordinary objects in daily life in art, some new words started
coming into use in the world of art, like readymade art, found object art, etc.
·
Readymade
Art and concept of new aesthetics The society, horrified by the horrors and cruelty of the
First World War, now wanted to be free from all its old traditional cultural
stereotypes because the World War had shaken everyone from the inside. In such
a situation, European artists, philosophers, thinkers, and poets were looking for something new.
Readymade art was also the result of these revolutionary ideologies, which were
started by Marcel Duchamp. In which the artists started using any normal thrown
or found object shape for their expression. Moving away from their actual use
of that object, artists started using it as artwork. Due to this, the artist
and viewer developed a new conceptual aesthetic vision of seeing an object and
some new words were created in front of society, which were mainly away from
the technical terminology of traditional art creation. This revolutionary
change in art paved the way for many more main streams of modern art, such as
Conceptual Art, Assemblage Art, Installation Art, Junk Art, etc. Sakhalkar (2007) In today's
time, many artists are expressing themselves using these 'Ready-mades' in
different ways. The main reason for the increase in its use is today's
consumerist society, industrialization, mass production and development of
science as well as the discovery of new materials. ·
Marcel
Duchamp and his ideas about readymade art Marcel Duchamp challenged and ridiculed the idea of beauty
in art. He used to display such found objects and ask the audience whether they
would like to display it in their home. Duchamp used to reject such art, whose
beauty attracts the audience. He said that 'simply by the artist choosing an
ordinary object, it is transformed from its actual use into a work of art'. He
also said that 'if artists are tired of copying things and are eager for
innovation, then why don't they look at daily life objects and accept them as
art? Let's take when art is not something different from life, then why not
accept the ordinary things of life as art’. His statement is ‘I do not believe
in art but I believe in the artist’ The
Art Story. (2023). Duchamp did as he was
told; in 1913, he tied a bicycle wheel on a stool and called it a sculpture
(Bicycle Wheel, 1913). He was titled an axe, a ‘broken arm’. ·
Impact of
the Dadaism Art Movement Dadaism is a movement of modern art that began in Zurich,
Switzerland, during the First World War, and to understand the use of waste
materials in art, it becomes necessary to understand the ideology of the
artists of Dadaism. Dadaism itself later transformed into surrealism. Which
greatly influenced modern artists and art lovers. Dada is a French word, and it
means ‘Horse or Hobby horse’ Shukla
(2006). The word ‘Dada’ has
no relation with art, but how it came to be associated with the movement of
modern art is an interesting phenomenon. Dadaism has been the most bizarre,
unique and ridiculous of all the movements of 'modern art'. This movement shows
the extent to which artists can go in their craze. Dadaism originated in Switzerland,
and after attaining enlightenment, his activities became active in Paris as
well. This movement of artists was not only a campaign of art but an expression
of the feeling of rebellion and despair burning in the hearts of the Artists.
Greed in humans, fascination for power and faith in traditional art against all
these was the source of this movement. In other words, through the Dadaist
movement, the painters and poets raised their voices against the First War,
openly ridiculing the accepted social beliefs and beliefs by seeing its
divisive, destructive pastimes. Jean Arp has written, "While on one side the flames
of war were raging, on the other hand, the fire of rebellion against it was
burning in the hearts of the artists. When the guns were being fired in the
distance, we were sitting in the houses, taking pictures against them. They
were singing songs and doing whatever they could. We were looking for the art
that could heal the wounds of man in this age of madness. Dada's campaign
started from poetry, painting, and sculpture to architecture. More than art,
"Dada" was a philosophical approach that spread to photography, film,
music and graphic design. There was a kind of anger, and there was anger of sad
people. Its purpose was to take the mind out of its deranged state. The artists
wanted to escape from their immediate deteriorated society, which had become so
spoiled due to the war. They wanted to be completely free Shukla
(2006). Poet Tristan
Tzara, sculptor Hans (Jean) Arp, and painter Francis Picabia started the
movement together. He left the public in awe and wonder with the display of his
unusual works of art. Seeing his irrational, strange and ghastly creations, the
public was deeply shocked and lost their senses. Dadaist exhibitions and
publications continued in France and Germany after the First War. In 1920,
these eccentric Dadaists held an exhibition in the city of Cologne, in which
they used hatchets to destroy anti-art pieces on the wall so that the audience
could freely attack them. Seeing their impudence, the police had to forcefully
shut down the exhibition. Similarly, in the city of Paris, Duchamp prepared a
colourful replica of Monalisa, in which he added a moustache and beard to his
face and also wrote some obscene words in the painting. This painting is the
culmination of the frenzy of the Dadaist painters Dixon
(2018). Dadaism was not an art movement but a reaction. Seeing the orgy of war, the heart of the Dadaists became restless to throw away all the old ideologies. Instead of creation, he started seeing beauty in destruction. ·
Picasso,
Bulls Head, 1942 The Bull Head, a work created by Picasso combining the
handle and seat of a bicycle, was shown in Paris in 1944 at the Salon d'Automne
exhibition with a total of 78 works by Picasso. Seeing which the audience was
very surprised, and a lot of criticism was also made. Figure 2
This artwork of Picasso, Art critic Eric Gibson said that 'this artwork is the most different of all Picasso's artworks because it has a glimpse of the childish joy inside Picasso and on the other hand it also has a glimpse of his intelligent but destructive mind. 'He also said that this artwork reflects the imagination power of the human brain beyond the subconscious. Picasso's statement is important in this regard 'Think how I made the bull's head, I found the seat and handlebar of a bicycle in a pile of junk, and as soon as I saw it, I put them together in my head to form a bull, I just welded them together. 'If the viewer is looking at the bicycle seat and its handlebar separately, they will not be able to see the bull' Pablo Picasso. (2023). This artwork made from found objects further reinforces the idea of readymade by Marcel Duchamp, and at the same time, it also exposes a new aesthetic view along with newly created words in the art field like Junk art & Scrap Art, Assemblage Art. ·
Modern
Art Movement and Evolution of ‘Junk Art’ To understand the word
‘Modern Art’ it is important to know about its history and understand what
exactly Modern Art is, when and for what reasons it started, and what changes
were brought about in the field of art by this movement. However, the reason for
the beginning of modern art can also be seen from the Industrial Revolution.
The daily life of humans started changing due to the influence of manufacturing
industries, transport industries, and the development of different
technologies. According to the changing times, the needs of the people also
started changing and new cities were also built along with different
industries. As a result, along with the development of architecture, importance
was also given to design. The Bauhaus school also made a major contribution to
this field in the 19th century. Along with these industries, industrialists
were also born. Apart from selling art and explaining its importance, art
critics and their collectors also started being formed. The world's most famous
modern museums were also established during this time. In this sequence,
photography was a big invention, that directly impacted fine arts Cork (2023). Due to all these reasons, there was a big change
in the field of art. Both the artist and the audience were eager to see
something new. This was the reason why the artists of that time were doing new
experiments and adopting new methods of art creation and exhibition. This is
the reason why artists gave birth to new mediums that were never heard of
before, such as collage art, assemblage art, kinetic art, land art, performance
art, junk art, etc. ·
Mid-20th century Junk Art Due to new experiments
in modern art, different methods of art creation developed, such as sculptures
started being made through the assemblage technique. Texas-born experimental
artist ‘Robert Rauschenberg gave rise to the “Combined Series” by combining the
mediums of painting, sculpture, and installation into one artwork. The artworks
made from these found objects were first named 'Junk Art' by British art critic
and curator Lawrence Alloway in 1961. He used this term for artworks made from
scrap metal, broken machine parts, old torn clothes, timber, waste paper, and
other found materials. Similarly, American sculptor 'David Smith' Created 'The
Hudson River Landscape Sculpture in 1951 by assembling scrap welded steel
parts. In 1960, Swiss kinetic artist ‘Jean Tinguely’
created the artwork ‘Homage to New York’ which proved to be the main example of
kinetic art. French-American artist Arman (Armand Fernandez) is known for his
famous assemblage artworks. His artwork 'Home Sweet Home' made from a waste gas
mask in 1960 is the most famous P (2016). Figure
3
·
Junk Art in the British - 1990s In the 1990s, the
‘Young British Artists’ group was quite active and controversial in working
with found objects and junk materials. ‘Damien Heirst’s
artwork ‘A Thousand Years’ (Saatchi Collection, 1990) was displayed in the
gallery in which he displayed the severed head of a cow along with insects and
flies attached to it. This also reveals another side of the use of waste
materials in art and also shows a different aesthetic vision. It is also seen
in installation art and conceptual art. Tracey Emin, the second
major artist of this group, displayed her artwork ‘My Bed’ at Saatchi Art
Gallery in 1998. She displayed his bed with sweat and stained bedsheets and
underwear lying on it, which was very controversial among artists and art
critics Cork (2023). The use of waste materials in art has been
viewed and used from different ideological and aesthetic points of view in
every period of Modern Art. Similarly, in contemporary art, artists are
creating artworks from waste material using different art creation styles like
assemblage, collage, mixed media, etc. Art and artists have always been
influenced by the current innovations and social conditions in every period
because art has been called the mirror of society. Every artist has his art
creation style. Whatever he feels, he expresses it to society. An artist always
needs a medium for his expression which can express his imagination and
thoughts. By using waste material in contemporary art, artists are not only
showing a mirror to society but are also giving a new vision to the future,
which is setting new parameters of beauty with its unique creation process and
is also telling that art is changeable. ·
The
contemporary Artist In contemporary art, many artists are creating works of
art using waste materials as their medium. Each artist has a distinct style and
way of thinking. Some artists create sculptures and paintings through
assemblage techniques, while some give visual form to their ideas through
installation Art. Brazilian artist Vik Muniz and Texas (USA) artist Vince
Hannemann are internationally renowned contemporary artists actively working
with waste materials Chirat (2018). Many contemporary artists in India are widely using these materials in the creation of their artworks; among them, Hari Babu Natesan, Manish Nai, Sakshi Gupta, and Subodh Gupta are prominent. The picture shows Hari Babu Natesan with his artwork 'Volkswagen Beetle', which is being prepared by electronic waste Natesan (2014). Figure 4
Figure 5
4. CONCLUSION The use of waste materials in art gives a new form of art, which develops a new multidisciplinary style by adopting traditional art styles. The main reason behind this is the growth of science and technology, industrialization and mass production. Which, on the one hand, proves to be right somewhere to meet the demand of the growing population. On the other hand, due to its lack of proper recycling sources, it is also becoming a threat to human life. With the use of these waste materials in art, awareness is also coming among the people about their reuse, as well as we can keep our environment clean and make it beautiful too. If we talk from the point of view of art history, artists have started seeing any readymade and found object as their medium, due to which the concept of beauty contained in artwork has also changed. Art has always been influenced by contemporary events, and the artist just needs a medium for his expression that can embody his feelings. Even though examples of the use of waste material in art are derived from Dadaism, according to art historians, it was just a reaction to an unbalanced society, but the ideas of Marcel Duchamp changed the perspective of looking at a simple object. He proved to be an inspiration for the arts to come. Picasso's experimental mind also proved to be a major factor in its development. Later, artists like Robert Rauschenberg, Jean Tinguely and Louise Nevelson also made major contributions to it. It starts in Western countries, but its influence is fully visible in India too. Many contemporary artists in India are actively creating works of art by adopting this medium. The main reason for this is also the development of technology and science. Due to globalisation, the communication of information has become easy.
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