Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Motivation 2
1.2 Problem field 3
1.3 Problem formulation 3
1.4 Methods 3
1.5 Dimensions 4
2. Presentation of Hornsleth
2.1 Kristian von Hornsleth 4
2.2 The Village Project 5
2.3 Futilism 8
3. Theoretical knowledge
3.1 Nicolas Bourriaud – Relational aesthetics 10
3.2 Søren Kjørup – Art philosophy and aesthetics 11
3.3 The Village Project in relation to theories 15
3.4 Humanity, anti-humanity, theoretical anti-humanity 20
4. Art history
4.1 Changes in art history 21
4.2 Perspective on family likeness 30
4.3 The role of art 32
5. Discussion 35
6. Conclusion 43
7. Litterature 45
8. Critical thoughts 47
9. Summary 48
10. Abstract – Danish summay 48
1. Introduction
1.1 Motivation
In 2006 Kristian von Hornsleth created an art project called “The Village Project Uganda”, which caused a lot of debate in the media. The structure of the project was actually very simple. Hornsleth gave a certain amount of pigs and goats to a village in Uganda and in return, the villagers took his surname as their middle name. The project is interesting, because it opens a debate about what art can be and what artists are allowed to do.
We have been drawn to Hornsleths project because of its extreme nature. He uses living, poor people in his artistic concept. We also found the following debate interesting. The main issues of the debate has been about, if the project can be perceived as art and if its morale responsibility. Has Hornsleth abused poor villagers for PR-purposes or has the project an important, political message about the trading situation between Africa and the Western World?
We find it interesting if and how Hornsleths project can be categorized as art in relation to other arts.
1.2 Problem field
Throughout time there have been meaningful changes in art. If this development has caused, that Hornsleth can create the Uganda Project and call it art, is highly discussed. If the project is art, can we then place it in a philosophical sense? Has his concept of art relations to other recognized arts? On shall first ask, what is art? Does the project cross boundaries? Where are the limits for avant-garde art in this day and age, when talking about the use of animals and peoples in art? IS Hornsleth a part of a new artistic movement? How and why does Hornsleth use his name in his art? Do artists promote themselves more then earlier? There are many questions, that can be asked and need to be answered. But first we must narrow our investigation.
1.3 Problem formulation
Can Hornsleths “The Village Project Uganda” be categorized as art in an art historical and art philosophical perspective?
1.4 Methods
We will outline Hornsleths project and place it in relation to art history with the use of Søren Kjørups philosophical writings of aesthetics and Nicolas Bourriauds theories. Furthermore we will investigate who art has evolved over the years and find similarities between the Uganda Project and other earlier arts. We will use Brecth and his views on humanity, anti-humanity and theoretical humanity and try to place Hornsleth in that perspective.
1.5 Dimensions
Our project is seen with an historical and cultural point of view, because we involve the development of art and philosophy and science, because we will try to understand Hornsleths project from a philosophical angle.
2. Presentation of Hornsleth
2.1 Kristian von Hornsleth
From www.hornsleth.com, 14.05.07 and
www.kopenhagen.dk/fileadmin/oldsite/interviews/hornsleth.htm, 14.05.07.
In the following we will outline, who Kristian von Hornsleth is as an artist.
Kristian von Hornsleth is born in Edinburgh in 1963. He is educated at the Royal Danish Art Academy in 1994, men has since then worked with paintings, graphics, films and music.
Characteristic for his art is the use of politically incorrect or provocative messages. For instance he uses sentences ”Fuck You Art Lovers”, ”Rape kill steal burn” and ”Don´t worry this is art” in his works. His surname Hornsleth is always centered in the art and therefore his works have a remarkable sense of branding. He has used numerous icons in his works, for instance Pamela Anderson, Britney Spears, the Danish rapper Jokeren and the Danish criminal biker boss Jønke. He has put his name on Rolex watches, Pokemon figures and on the Italian motorcycles from Ducati, he has ironically written the words “kill me fast”.
In other words his artistic work is wide and in any directions. He has also made a porn movie, where the female actresses moan Hornsleth. He has decorated the Danish furniture house Paustian and made a large installment at the Arne Jacobsen courthouse building in Rødovre, Denmark.
Instead of an exhibition Hornsleths invites people to parties, where he mixes art, porn and philosophy from the idea, that art must reach out to people. (www.kopenhagen.dk /fileadmin/oldsite/presse/hornsleth2.htm, 14.05.07).
Hornsleth is by many regarded as a highly talented artist and his works are admired worldwide.
Hornsleth creates art from the idea, that one must explore the meaningless and purposeless space to use the “noise” that fills this space in a constructive, creative and meaningful way. This work process he calls futilism. He has defined futilism furthermore in the book “Det Futilistiske manifest”, which he published in 1997. Futilism will be elaborated in 2.3.
2.2 Description of Hornsleths ”The Village Project Uganda”
Following is a description of The Village Project Uganda and a view into the Medias reviews.
In May 2006 Hornsleth was in the village Buteyongera, which lies 200 km north of Kampala, the capital of Uganda. He established a co-operation with a local engineer and together they held a meeting with the village’s elderly council, so they could together make an agreement about creating an art project. Hornsleth wanted to make an agreement with the villagers. A trade so to speak. He wanted the villagers to take his surname for their middle name and in exchange they would get a goat or a pig. 307 Africans from the village officially changes their name to Hornsleth and in return they received 242 pigs and 65 goats.
Hornsleth was numerous times in the village, before he in June 2006 went to the village with a camera crew to photos of the Africans, who had changed their names. A film crew from DR – a Danish TV-channel – followed him in Uganda during the stay and made a documentary, which was broadcasted on national television in Denmark.
There was an exhibition in Copenhagen at Hornsleth & Friends Contemporary November 17. 2006 where 100 photos were shown. The photos are 1x1 m and 20 of them are 2x2 m and show the villagers holding their new ID-cards with Hornsleths name on them.
Later a book has been published with the pictures and Hornsleth hired a PR-agency to promote the project. The project has the title: ”We want to help you, but we want to own you”. Hornsleth says the project is about the relationship between the poor Africa and the rich Western World.
Hornsleth believes that Africa is struggling against poverty and hunger because of the supporting projects and harsh business obstacles. He believes that the Western World must trade with Africa instead of sending charities and that the EU must open the borders to Africa. He believes that the project will succeed because the Africans only can keep half the animals. The other half they must give to others, so the project will keep on growing. (Hermansen, 18.11.06)
Meanwhile he points out, that he is not an expert on the subject regarding Africa and he is not out to change the world. He underlines, that you must see the art in the project and considers it to be a theater, a performance or some kind of “art play”. Hornsleth calls it a social sculpture, which without physical mass defines it self from the social relations, which are at large and together create an expression.
(Borello, 22.01.07)
The following reactions to the project have been enormous and there has been harsh critic toward Hornsleth and his project. Uganda’s ethics minister James Nsaba Muturo has tried to stop the project and has illegalized Hornsleths work in Uganda. He has furthermore warned Hornsleth form returning to Uganda. Den Danish-Ugandan dancing group ”Faces of Uganda” should have performed at the opening of the exhibition, but cancelled because fear that their family in Uganda would be unsafe, if they performed. (http://nyhederne-dyn.tv2.dk/article.php/id-5393237.html?forside, 24.04.07).
Organizations like Folkekirkens Nødhjælp and Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke, who often fights for causes in Africa, believes that Hornsleth is abusing the Africans poverty and pressuring them into a situation, they can’t realistically refuse. Hornsleth has been accuses of not thinking about their dignity. Furthermore he has been critized for using the people as a canvas without their knowledge and acceptance.
(Jensen and Skov, 25.08.06).
Amnesty International has defended the project. Amnesty believes that the Ugandan minister has violated the free speech by illegalizing Hornsleths project. Many see the importance in the project, because it sets focus on the difference between rich and poor, (Jensen and Skov, 25.08.06). Whilst others see the project as exportation of Africans and self promotion on others behalf.
2.3 Futilism
From www.hornsleth.com/template/t02.php?menuld=42&articleld=2,17.04.2007.
In the following we will outline Hornsleths futilistic manifest to get a better understanding of Hornsleths artistic way of thinking.
In 1997 Hornsleth published the book “Det Futilististiske Manifest”. In this he defines a brand new ism as a process to understand and identify the opportunities that he can base his art upon. The concept of futilism means something meaningless and purposeless.
Hornsleths reason to create the futile, is described as an step away from the modern way of thinking and is an attempt to not hold on to the concept of the loss of value, he means, the world has suffered.
”The discussion about the loss of values was all over the place, when I saw internal images of wise people, clinging on their modernistic timber in the black value consumed whirlpool. I did not why one did not give up the sinking modernistic superthoughts and became part of ones own true realty.”
(Det Futilistiske Manifest)
Hornsleths manifest is divided into 104 items and has descriptions on how to understand futilism:
”(…)futilism is not about the fascination of the meaningless just to create more obscure and meaningless. Futilism is more about looking positive on the elements in the society, which can seem meaningless. From there it is all about getting inspired to a way of thought and an artistic process, which can maybe define some more confessions of the possibilities in our time..”
(item 15).
The meaningless he will turn into something positive and useful by using it in the shape of art.
The manifest has furthermore other examples to, how; futilism would look in an artistic work.
”For instance the futilist can be the composer that looks upon a building for an entire night and gives every window a note on the scale. Every time a window lights up or is shut you play the note. The piece of music will by many be perceived as noise and racket. He chooses to consume this meaningless noise as meaningless. He uses the notes on record to compose and thereby create his own work. The idea is therefore not to be inspired by a historical point of view, but instead he will by himself decide his principles to therefore be in agreement with the stated socio-cultural condition.”(item 100).
By creating art on the grounds of the meaningless, Hornsleth means, that you must created your own art with your own rules and in relation to the world you live in.
Hornsleth has published three books besides “Det Futilistiske Manifest”, which all include lyrics and paintings made from this idea. Furthermore he has arranged a musical project, where the same rules are in order. With other musicians he has released three CDs, where he makes futilistic music.
For Hornsleth it is a personal development, and he is not the only one. He has established Futilistic society, where different artists meet and discuss the meaning of futilism as well.
One can argue that there is a contradiction in futilism, because as a theory it seems meaningless. Can one really make art out of something purposeless and indifferent? The contradiction is interesting, but at the same time, it makes the whole point of futilism seem hollow.
3. Theoretical knowledge
3.1. Relational aesthetics
In the following we will outline the theories of Nicolas Bourriaud and his views on aesthetics, to try to understand Hornsleths project even better.
Nicolas Bourriaud (1965) is a French curator and art critic. Han created the definition relational aesthetics, which he first wrote in the catalogue for the exhibition “Traffic” in 1995, which was displayed at CAPC Contemporary Museum in Bordeux. His book ”Lesthéthique relationelle” came in 1998 and was published in Denmark in 2005 with the title ”Relational Aesthetics”.
The following quotes are from that same book by Nicolas Bourriaud.
Relational aesthetics is a theory that takes its starting point in the relations that are created between the work of art, the viewer and society. The work of art will start a dialogue and through the dialogue relations arise. The work of art finds some needs in the receiver and through the relation, they learn something about themselves and society.