They have reproduced old master paintings on the side of $4,000 Louis Vuitton handbags. According to the creators, this "invites viewers to consider these works anew, opening the museum to the world."
Jeff Koons further explains, "When somebody walks down the street with this bag, or sits in a cafe with this bag, it's communicating a love of humanism."
Each handbag has been "emblazoned with the name of the original artist spelled out in gold letters." This feature is not even available on the original painting in the museum!
The creators also improved on the painting by attaching Louis Vuitton's signature flower symbols and Monogram logo, then went the extra mile by creating a new version of the Vuitton logo incorporating Jeff Koons' initials.
While I am thrilled beyond measure by these new inspirations, still I must question whether the effect of these handbags is truly "novel." I believe you can create the exact same impression by wearing one of these:
17 comments:
I look forward to seeing people carrying Koonskin handbags.
OMG! Those look fabulous! ;) How do you even find out about these things David!?
Millions of book covers use classical or realistic paintings to lend gravitas and artistic cache to their design. In many other works, paintings are used in a word-like way; as symbols of a certain meaning established over time. In either type of work, the compositions of the original works are cropped without heed, typography is dropped over skies, subheads obscure painted heads, color filtering is used, and so on. One might say there is an irreverence towards the sanctity of the original art that borders on disrespect. Yet I don't think the book designers consider themselves in competition with the paintings they ransack to expedite their work. There is no sense in which the paintings are considered improved for being a part of the design. The painting, rather, is often the star of the design, or is adding to the design in a significant way. To hold its original meaning, it must be left intact enough. And generally there is a great deal of tonal respect for the relationship of the typography to the painting in order not to destroy the symbolic value.
Here, Koons's trashy camp sensibility seems meant to compete with the Titian, to shove it back on its heels and transform it. No respect is intended; the desecration is intended. One assumes this bag is meant to be gaudy, shallow, and irreverent; the camp style, after all, reveres nothing except self-indulgence. This bag signals that. That's its purpose.
The bag feels sort of ironic with the juxtaposed elements, like kev said it makes it quite campy/kitchy. I much prefere the hoodies with ilyan repin paitnings permeating the hole fabric without interfering branding.
This put me in mind of the last verse of the Ode by Arthur O’Shaunghnessy.
Great hail! we cry to the comers
From the dazzling unknown shore;
Bring us hither your sun and your summers;
And renew our world as of yore;
You shall teach us your song's new numbers,
And things that we dreamed not before:
Yea, in spite of a dreamer who slumbers,
And a singer who sings no more.
Next up: Edvard Munch Screamin' Happy Meals! And don't miss the Jackson Pollack driveway paint: "Have fun, be creative! You can splash a little on your car and make it worth more $$$." Let's laugh all the way to the gift shop.
Anonymous-- t'would be a lovely sight indeed.
Tom-- I'm thinking of opening a Vuitton franchise.
kev ferrara-- An interesting point. I don't disagree that the "trashy camp sensibility" directly clashes with Titian, but I question whether "desecration is intended." If the objective is to sell handbags (and I believe it is) the purchasers have no interest in "desecrating" Titian. Quite the opposite, they want to broadcast that they are friends of culture-- tasteful, sensitive and by the way rich. That's why Koons (who is first and foremost a salesman) tells them their bag is "communicating a love of humanism" when they carry it down the street. If he took your position and said his bag is "meant to be gaudy, shallow, and irreverent" because he wanted to appeal to people taking a principled stand against outmoded cultural orthodoxy, I don't think he'd sell a single one.
chris bennett-- Nicely put. Of course, they say that the great renaissances occur when there is cross pollination between cultures that were previously separated, so one must at least initially keep an open mind about "comers from the dazzling unknown shore" but I think Koons has been around long enough that we can safely conclude the jury is in.
James Gurney-- I can see you're really into the spirit of this new fashion trend. Perhaps we could work out a share of my Vuitton franchise in exchange for that driveway paint idea. We would only sell to the very best driveways in upscale neighborhoods.
OscarR-- Either ironic or tone deaf. I fear that Koons and Vuitton would like to associate themselves with the tradition of great art, rather than view themselves as a campy contrast to quality.
i honestly can’t tell anymore where the joke ends and the BS begins with Koons. i always assumed the smooth sales pitch about ‘beauty and humanity’ etc was part of the irony - as if Koons was naively unaware of the trash / kitsch element of his own work and could only see the 'beauty' - but sometimes i wonder if he really has started to believe his own hype.
what’s most sad to me is that a company with a heritage like Vuitton, who produced some beautifully crafted luggage in the first half of the 20th century would make a bag that looks like it would cost £15 on a street market.
I question whether "desecration is intended." If the objective is to sell handbags (and I believe it is) the purchasers have no interest in "desecrating" Titian. Quite the opposite, they want to broadcast that they are friends of culture-- tasteful, sensitive and by the way rich. That's why Koons (who is first and foremost a salesman) tells them their bag is "communicating a love of humanism" when they carry it down the street. If he took your position and said his bag is "meant to be gaudy, shallow, and irreverent" because he wanted to appeal to people taking a principled stand against outmoded cultural orthodoxy, I don't think he'd sell a single one.
David,
I agree the point is to sell handbags.
But I obviously agree with Laurence that there is a layer of irony here. The gaudy crap on top of the cropped bit of Titian makes a mockery of its sincerity. The branding of TITIAN right over the painting is a typically punk Warhol bit of jive; a self-negation of an appropriated cultural artifact as 'statement.'
Your presumptions seems to be, if a consumer is that hip to the shallow cynicism of what Koons is doing, they couldn't also be "sophisticated" enough to think that such is an artistic as well as fashionable statement. But cynical irony, fashion interest, faux sophistication, and wealth can all exist together. That, in fact, describes a whole tri-state subculture, (with branches in Florida and California). And that subculture can easily mistake its postmodern hedonism for Humanism, or simply equate the two.
Actually, for some time now folks could buy a bag with a famous painting printed on it at various art museums and elsewhere at a much, much cheaper price. Perhaps even a giveaway bag to put other purchases in.
I think my late wife had a couple of these, but sorry, I forget that details.
Sorta like those haute-couture store baseball caps: $250 instead of $25.
But if they can find fools to buy such overpriced stuff, that's okay by me.
You can’t buy class, but the nouveau riche will certainly try. This is why the aristocracy has always hated the merchant class. At best, they know they’re not old money and won’t try. At worst, they’ll blow cash on aping high culture without any comprehension for what the aristocracy is actually up to.
And I think the mixed messages people are getting from this work is part of its function. On the one hand, many nouveau riche want deeply in their hearts to appreciate Titian. On the other hand, they know their souls are too base ever to appreciate truly fine art, so they leave themselves the irony as an out.
They want to like high culture, but also want to be able to disavow it if their credentials are challenged by a person of superior heritage.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
Odds are that anyone who'd buy and/or be seen with one of these bags are incapable of getting anything from exposure to the masters or any talent so no harm done. They were hopeless to begin with.
And in an era where the most banal stupidity and disregard of facts are the norm, this is a pretty minor abomination.
I do not know if I pity or envy the guy or gal who, after getting their hard-earned degree in art or lit, landed a job for LV communication department only to come up with bs corporate sentances like: "invites viewers to consider these works anew, opening the museum to the world", or "When somebody walks down the street with this bag, or sits in a cafe with this bag, it's communicating a love of humanism".
If a public will accept that a 5 bladed razor shaves better than a single blade safety razor. Or that they live on a spinning ball of water moving around a fire ball. I guess it is not to far of a stretch to appreciate and praised this from koons and Vuitton from the public. What would be news is that people actually showed intelligence and rejected this balderdash.
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