I have this thing buttoned up; but I don’t think it’s art

by Esmerelda Weatherwax (February 2011)

Bankside has the one central chimney and the huge internal space of the Turbine Hall (now minus the turbines) which are worth a look on their own architectural (20^th Century industrial school) merits.

Photograph below, the length of the Turbine Hall with detail of the seeds inset.

I was sceptical at first as to me, philistine that I am, art is the likes of Vermeer or Van Gogh, producing with their own hands skilful works of genius that no one else could have made. Works that move and inspire. Works that I, who cannot draw a straight line, could never have made.

The nearby video put a different light on the installation. Sunflower seeds are a popular snack in China. Chairman Mao liked to show himself surrounded by sunflowers (bright yellow and enormously cheerful) and by implication the seeds were the adoring population of China, paying him homage. The piece is intended to provoke thought on the nature of population, China post Mao, individuality compared with conformity for the common good, and suchlike.

I could now understand a little of what Ai Wei Wei wanted to say with his installation but I was still left wondering what value it had as art if nothing about it could be understood without his explanation.

While pondering the subjects of colour, the difference between art and craft, the demise of British manufacturing industry, and some of the other themes that exercise my mind I came up with my own small version of Sunflower Seeds.

As you can see they are all shades and colours.

Buttons from macs and buttons from slacks.

Buttons off shirts and buttons off skirts.

Some are purely functional; others designed to be decorative as well. They are plastic, shell, mother of pearl, wood, metal, covered in silk or velvet, round, long, and shaped like animals. Across them all flows a rainbow string, representing either secular ‘diversity’ or God’s promise made to us after The Flood. All different, but all created to fasten or embellish our clothing.

If any arty billionaire wants to give British manufacturing a boost by commissioning this at a size to fill the Turbine Hall next year I can be contacted via the NER home page.

Left is a photograph of a London Pearly King. They were originally families of costermongers who decorated their suits with rows of mother of pearl buttons. The idea has spread out of London and out of the vegetable trade and these days the Pearlies main activity is charity work. The Pearly King of Upminster was helping fundraise for an Essex hospice that day. Do foreign museums examine with interest the folk art of the Cockney artisan?

Today (28th Jan) comes the news that there is another health concern around the seeds. The paint used may contain lead. While this is unlikely to be a danger to visitors to The Tate it could be a concern for all those paintresses in Jingdezhen who practised their craft so diligently.

 

 

 

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