Is audience participation always good?

Looking at Art:

Urs Fischer, one of the wealthiest living artists, made a replica of Rodin’s sculpture, The Kiss, out of clay and invited the audience at Art Basel to touch, change and deface the piece in 2017. Since the Art Basel visitors consist of massive crowds, there is little doubt that the sculpture was unrecognizable at the end of the day. Another of the artist’s pieces was a commissioned larger-than-life bust of singer-songwriter Katy Perry, which was displayed in an art gallery where the audience was encouraged to use clay to make additions to the sculpture. Perry was about to release a new album. The clay “graffiti” made the singer’s face unrecognizable. Although her portrait sculpture could be cleaned and restored, the experience reminded me of the acts of vandalism that have plagued art in the past. In 1972, a man attacked Michelangelo’s pieta by repeatedly striking it with a hammer. Are these contemporary audience participation experiences a way for viewers to have a positive art experience, or are they just publicity stunts that call attention to the artists? What do you think?

Work in the Studio:

This early wall sculpture was inspired by romance novels. I was playing with ideas such as intimacy, sensuality and physical attraction. Since we are about to celebrate Valentine’s Day, this piece seems appropriate for the blog today. The clay was modeled by hand and fired in an electric kiln and then fumed (exposed to smoke) to color the surface of the sculpture.

First Love, Ceramic Wall Sculpture, 15” x 6” x 15”