Art Bin

[Badnik Mechanic]

I am not a fan of modern art.

There are one or two exceptions, the main one was an exhibition I saw at Tate around two years ago, the one about the end of the world called TH.2058. Basically the idea was that it had been raining for years and shelters had been set up, this was one of those shelters, but the rain had been changing and mutating some objects, so the people who ocupied the shelters decided to bring them inside out of the rain. It really did work really well and I liked it.

This is a photo of it.

Thats the one bit of modern art that I've really really liked.

Today I found out about Art Bin.

Michael Landy, whose last biggest art exhibition was him destroying everything he owned in a giant industrial mill, has now decided that he wants to build a giant bin in which people can throw away their 'failures' any piece of art that they consider a failure, be it their own or someone elses can be thrown in.

Ok I can sort of see the idea behind this, a kind of one mans junk is another mans treasure right? Well... no. Not exactly.... The official line is it's "monument to creative failure" and you have to apply to have your stuff thrown in. You can't just turn up with a picture or sculpture you need to apply and then if your work is 'worthy' enough. you can climb the huge staircase and throw it off.

To give you an idea of the size of this bin, here is a photo of what it looked like a few weeks ago.

Doesn't look like much does it?

Well... how would you feel if I told you that underneath all that 'junk' is a Damien Hurst original and a Tracey Emin to name but only two very well known artists who have put their 'failures' inside. Even Michael Landy threw one of his failures in there.

The Damien Hurst work is estimated to be worth over £100,000. Tracey Emin's is over £50,000, and Michael Landy is near £20,000. Since then, over 400 artists have thrown their stuff away into this bin. Several are big names have already thrown away work that would be sold for tens of thousands, despite the claims that it's 'failures.'

Ok so I get the idea, these artists have thrown away their stuff and now whats going to happen with it?

It's all going to landfill.

Thats right, none of this stuff is going to be sold on, nor recycled, nor given to charity. The whole lot, despite some pieces being valued at over £100,000 is going to a landfill site. Already the Sotuh London Gallary has hired in extra security so escort the rubbish to the landfill site.

As I've already said. I'm not a fan of modern art.

But with regards to this... especially the part about it all going to landfil, even though most of it will bio-degrade... Am I the only one who sees what a stupid idea this is!? Somebody would have loved that, the fact that according to channel 4 news the bin is barely a quarter full and the only people that have put their stuff in it range from the well known to very well known artists, very few members of the public actually bothered putting their stuff in it! This stuff could have been given away to a charity, or hell sport relief is just around the corner, it could have been auctioned, even if it had been slightly damaged from it's time in 'the bin' some people would have paid something for it.

BBC news report with video

Art bins facebook page

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

Although I appreciate the sentiment, from the perspective of a creative, if you unintentionally create something that you hate, you'll go out of your way to bury it and make sure no-one ever sees it no matter how high the price may be.

And that's what this is.