Is This Peace Really Political
At the Walker Art Center an interesting work by Chris Ofili caught my eye. It appeared to be a large mosaic wall hanging made from brightly colored tiles, mostly vivid blue hues. In the center of the piece was a brown softball size dirt glob with a giant eye affixed to it, there were also two more of these brown globs on the floor acting as supports to the large mosaic. Turns out these three brown globs are elephant dung.
I would not have known about the poop part of the art had three students not have come by and said out loud what the material was. The description said nothing about it. Knowing that the work consisted of a beautiful mosaic contrasted by unattractive elephant dookie was the intrigue for me to choose this peace.
About a second after the students revealed the crap, their instructor came up and asked what they thought of the art, their reply “it’s pretty crazy”. The instructor went on to explain that it has political meaning. The artist Chris Ofili had created another artwork that offended some politician so much that that politician dubbed the art the most disgusting or offensive art in history. The teacher said the work at the Walker called Third Eye Vision used many of the same colors as the artist’s other offensive work, and these colors are known in the artist’s foreign country to have political meanings.
When I walked up to this art nothing appeared to be political at all. It actually appeared beautiful and ugly which resulted in humor. One would have to be familiar with the artist, as this instructor was, to know there was any political meaning behind it. But does that make this peace have political meaning? I think not. Especially if you’re basing the art with your eyes not the history of the artist’s other work which pissed off some politician.