”Persons are objects of the State and of Capital and are employed as such. This is precisely what I try to show.” Sierra 2002
Santiago Sierra's work addresses contemporary social and political issues through sculpture, performance and installation. His subject matter seeks to arouse questions concerning globalisation, commerce, power and corporatisation.
Sierra's materials and techniques are varied as his work is conceptually driven. He pushes the boundaries of the conventional gallery by placing unconventional objects within the gallery and even performing pieces outside of the gallery all together. Sierra's work displays the crossover between different media and art practices, taking it to the areas of social and political discourse.
Sierra's materials and techniques are varied as his work is conceptually driven. He pushes the boundaries of the conventional gallery by placing unconventional objects within the gallery and even performing pieces outside of the gallery all together. Sierra's work displays the crossover between different media and art practices, taking it to the areas of social and political discourse.
Destroyed Word was taken to ten countries over the last two years, ending in Melbourne in 2012. Each country witnessed the unveiling of a letter in the one word; the letter was constructed and destroyed publicly. The construction of each letter in the country where it would be destroyed was important to Sierra.
ACTIVITY: Discussion- Would this work have been possibly 100 years ago?
ACTIVITY: Discussion- Would this work have been possibly 100 years ago?
Commentary
"Project 22, titled 7 forms measuring 600 x 60 x 60 cm constructed to be held horizontal to a wall, created a new variation of Santiago Sierra’s most poetic and elemental work, unifying sculpture and performance to create a physical portrait of the labor economy. Hired for the minimum wage, the employees hold monolithic structures on their shoulders for the duration of a working day. They recall the caryatid or atlas figures whose sculpted forms stand as pillars to support the weight of classical architecture. Carrying casket-like forms on their shoulders, they represent what Sierra calls the ‘social burial’ of labor."
Source: www.kaldorartprojects.org.au/project-archive/santiago-sierra-2010
ACTIVITY: Consider the commentary above and using the Conceptual Framework discuss
Source: www.kaldorartprojects.org.au/project-archive/santiago-sierra-2010
ACTIVITY: Consider the commentary above and using the Conceptual Framework discuss
"For Project 22, seven black coffin-like forms were supported upon the shoulders of paid workers throughout the exhibition period. Teams of workers were required to participate and a total of 28 workers were involved each day, all recruited through Empire Careers in Brisbane. Sierra stipulated that they must be paid the minimum wage and be genuinely in need of work. Positioned in the gallery space, side-by-side, the seven forms, and fourteen workers who hold them, created a serial, repetitive, appearance, dividing the gallery into ‘those who work and those who watch’. "
Source: www.kaldorartprojects.org.au/project-archive/santiago-sierra-2010
Source: www.kaldorartprojects.org.au/project-archive/santiago-sierra-2010
Commentary
"Sierra is renowned for revealing conceptual projects that focus on inequities in social and economic systems, using workers as performers and participants. He has said he considers his role as an artist is to press on sore spots and create uncomfortable situations for people who want to have fun in galleries. His work can be seen as an attack on capitalism in general and the art world in particular, and has a strong element of the absurd." (Higson 2010)
ACTIVITY: Consider the above commentary and answer the following questions:
What do you think is Sierra's intention in the Destroyed Word project?
What is the relationship between politics and the materials and techniques?
ACTIVITY: Consider the above commentary and answer the following questions:
What do you think is Sierra's intention in the Destroyed Word project?
What is the relationship between politics and the materials and techniques?
Further Reading
www.santiago-sierra.com
http://www.postmedia.net/02/sierra.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/arts/blog/melbourne-festival-2012-santiago-sierra-destroyed-word-121012/default.htm
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/capital-idea-ignites-festival-20121010-27dv0.html
http://melbourneartcritic.wordpress.com/tag/santiago-sierra/
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/spains-mysterious-man-of-letters/story-e6frg8n6-1226492311972
http://www.postmedia.net/02/sierra.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/arts/blog/melbourne-festival-2012-santiago-sierra-destroyed-word-121012/default.htm
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/capital-idea-ignites-festival-20121010-27dv0.html
http://melbourneartcritic.wordpress.com/tag/santiago-sierra/
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/spains-mysterious-man-of-letters/story-e6frg8n6-1226492311972