Seemingly trivial things that cheer you up

mr_goo

Veronese68 wrote:

Mr Goo wrote:

...how does a shovel constitute a work of art.

Does a piece of art have to be totally non-functional? Can a well designed item not be a piece of art? Not seen this particular shovel so can't comment on that but when does something go from being art to purely functional? Surely there is quite a lot of crossover.

It was a bulk standard wooden handled shovel.
It's a work of art (?) by Marcel Duchamp. He called it 'In Advance of the Broken Arm'. He bought the shovel in from a hardware store in 1915. Signed and dated it then then hung it from his studio ceiling.

rjsterry

Mr Goo wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Mr Goo wrote:

...how does a shovel constitute a work of art.

Does a piece of art have to be totally non-functional? Can a well designed item not be a piece of art? Not seen this particular shovel so can't comment on that but when does something go from being art to purely functional? Surely there is quite a lot of crossover.

It was a bulk standard wooden handled shovel.
It's a work of art (?) by Marcel Duchamp. He called it 'In Advance of the Broken Arm'. He bought the shovel in from a hardware store in 1915. Signed and dated it then then hung it from his studio ceiling.

Tricky to explain Duchamp in a couple of sentences but if you read up on him and his ideas the shovel will make more sense. But part of it was about sticking two fingers up to the art establishment.

team47b

Mr Goo wrote:

Modern Art. Is it taking the pixx or am I just missing something.

You should not approach art with pre conceived expectations, the time between observation and realisation is a journey, the longer the journey, the more you get and the less you feel you are missing something, art is a means to and end, not the end, art transports you to 'the other place'.

If this makes no sense then, yes, you are missing quite a lot.

Or it is simply a shovel

surrey_commuter

team47b wrote:

Mr Goo wrote:

Modern Art. Is it taking the pixx or am I just missing something.

You should not approach art with pre conceived expectations, the time between observation and realisation is a journey, the longer the journey, the more you get and the less you feel you are missing something, art is a means to and end, not the end, art transports you to 'the other place'.

If this makes no sense then, yes, you are missing quite a lot.

Or it is simply a shovel

Or is it a shovel bought by Marcel Duchamp?

team47b

Surrey Commuter wrote:

team47b wrote:

Mr Goo wrote:

Modern Art. Is it taking the pixx or am I just missing something.

You should not approach art with pre conceived expectations, the time between observation and realisation is a journey, the longer the journey, the more you get and the less you feel you are missing something, art is a means to and end, not the end, art transports you to 'the other place'.

If this makes no sense then, yes, you are missing quite a lot.

Or it is simply a shovel

Or is it a shovel bought by Marcel Duchamp?

Or is it an ordinary object elevated to the dignity of a work of art by merely being the choice of an artist?

surrey_commuter

team47b wrote:

Surrey Commuter wrote:

team47b wrote:

Mr Goo wrote:

Modern Art. Is it taking the pixx or am I just missing something.

You should not approach art with pre conceived expectations, the time between observation and realisation is a journey, the longer the journey, the more you get and the less you feel you are missing something, art is a means to and end, not the end, art transports you to 'the other place'.

If this makes no sense then, yes, you are missing quite a lot.

Or it is simply a shovel

Or is it a shovel bought by Marcel Duchamp?

Or is it an ordinary object elevated to the dignity of a work of art by merely being the choice of an artist?

If you have not done so then watch "Exit through the gift shop"

team47b

My mate's film

finchy

Uploading my dissertation to the Open University website, clicking "submit" and bringing 7 years of hard work and virtually no leisure time to an end.

team47b

finchy wrote:

Uploading my dissertation to the Open University website, clicking "submit" and bringing 7 years of hard work and virtually no leisure time to an end.

People achieving stuff cheers me up

surrey_commuter

team47b wrote:

My mate's film

let him know my wife and I laugh every time we are made to exit through another giftshop

tangled_metal

team47b wrote:

finchy wrote:

Uploading my dissertation to the Open University website, clicking "submit" and bringing 7 years of hard work and virtually no leisure time to an end.

People achieving stuff cheers me up

People following up positive posts about submitting work once the results are out and he has the qualification it's for.

Seriously, well done for getting it in. Fingers crossed the outcome will be successful or at least to expectations.

My partner competed the thesis and what a relief for all that was. Family and friends will be as delighted as you, trust me. When ppl devote so much time and dedication to a qualification it becomes a huge part of your life and that of close family and friends. Even if they don't understand its importance they'll get the effort put in and be happy for you too.

Rambling way of saying well done and I hope to hear you post when results are in and you have the qualification.

Pross

Lucy Verasamy being back doing the ITV morning weather instead of Laura Tobin.

keef66

Mr Goo wrote:

Just spent a couple of hours at the MoMA (museum of modern art) in New York.
One exhibit was a snow shovel hanging from the ceiling. The amusing bit was that it was the 4th version of the shovel after the original went missing. So how does that work? As surely it is not an original piece of art. Not withstanding the fact that how does a shovel constitute a work of art.
Any how had a real good laugh at some other stuff like a stuffed sheep with a car tyre round it's belly. And the real pi55 taker....a giant canvas painted white and titled 'White" and another work by same artist (?) which was 6 individual canvases in a row all painted white and titled 'White 2'.

Modern Art. Is it taking the pixx or am I just missing something.

I clearly lack the mental capacity to appreciate much of what passes as modern art, and I'm often left wondering if the 'artist' is simply winging it just to see how gullible the critics and buyers actually are. I paint and draw a bit, so I'm really in awe of those who do it really well, but you can keep your white canvases, snow shovels and piles of bricks...

Hang on a mo, I've got 2 ceilings to paint this weekend! Should I be contacting Tate Modern?

orraloon

The other evening listened to the Rev Richard Coles, he wot used to be a Communard back in the day, in our local parish church talking through his life and times. He is now the vicar of a small parish not that far away from us, as well as being a media person and upcoming Strictly Come Dancing competitor. Highly entertaining speaker; relayed the story of his progression from pop to pulpit with wit and honesty.

A reassuring sign of social progress that couple hundred mainly elderly rural churchgoers were willing to engage positively with a gay vicar.

veronese68

team47b wrote:

finchy wrote:

Uploading my dissertation to the Open University website, clicking "submit" and bringing 7 years of hard work and virtually no leisure time to an end.

People achieving stuff cheers me up

Indeed, that just made me smile too. Well done Finchy.

Pross

finchy wrote:

Uploading my dissertation to the Open University website, clicking "submit" and bringing 7 years of hard work and virtually no leisure time to an end.

Until you have to redo it

Finding the cloud for every silver lining cheers me up

keef66

Remembering that the freezer in the restaurant downstairs still has free ice lollies in it. (some H.R. slush fund apparently; very appropriate)

OK, so all the Magnums and Cornettos are long gone, but we're not yet down to ice pops. Just had a nostalgia trip with a Fab. Either they've got smaller since I was a kid, or my head's grown...

BelgianBeerGeek

That reminds me...Aldi the other day had a freezer with gin-based ice lollies in it. What an amazing world we inhabit 8)

Pross

When the gobby, sweary yoofs realise the train isn't stopping at their station and they have to go half an hour out of their way to turn around and go back. It did make them even louder and swearier though.

finchy

Thanks for the congrats everyone.

Being given a free litre of finest Kentish cider has also cheered me up no end this week.

crispybug2

My rugby club who I've turned out for for over thirty years today thrashed our local rivals 69-5
This is an utterly marvellous day, we have traditionally been the poorer team, playing in lower leagues and having our best players cherry picked by our rivals
However In last couple of seasons we have moved up and our rivals have dropped down to the same level as us and they have lost quite a few financial backers
In a year, maybe two, if our rivals continue falling back we may have some sympathy for them but today we're going to be loud and raucous, with maybe an alcoholic drink or two thrown in, celebrating a win that we have waited years for!

verylonglegs

finchy wrote:

Thanks for the congrats everyone.

Being given a free litre of finest Kentish cider has also cheered me up no end this week.

Good stuff Finchy, I used to do some OU courses but unfortunately stopped when the government funding was cut a few years ago and the modules nearly trebled in price. Given I was only doing them out of interest rather than for a career I decided they were no longer good value in that respect. I do miss having something structured to focus on though that prods my brain in to life.

mr_goo

Watching the Last Night of the Proms. That night at the end of summer when there's lots of flag waving and patriotic singing. I've watched it for many years but am very amused/bemused by the proliferation of EU flags at this year's event. I actually don't recall ever seeing an EU flag there before.

verylonglegs

Mr Goo wrote:

Watching the Last Night of the Proms. That night at the end of summer when there's lots of flag waving and patriotic singing. I've watched it for many years but am very amused/bemused by the proliferation of EU flags at this year's event. I actually don't recall ever seeing an EU flag there before.

I'm guessing you are not aware of the march in London today then?

mr_goo

verylonglegs wrote:

Mr Goo wrote:

Watching the Last Night of the Proms. That night at the end of summer when there's lots of flag waving and patriotic singing. I've watched it for many years but am very amused/bemused by the proliferation of EU flags at this year's event. I actually don't recall ever seeing an EU flag there before.

I'm guessing you are not aware of the march in London today then?

Clearly not. But then does that pigeon hole the demographic that are pro EU as classical music lovers. Awful lot of those flags tonight.

BelgianBeerGeek

BBC 6 Music's current run of John Peel compilation shows. Some excellent music and some words from the man himself. A real blast from the past. Bit of a shame they only have a hour, but still pretty good.

orraloon

Mr Goo wrote:

verylonglegs wrote:

Mr Goo wrote:

Watching the Last Night of the Proms. That night at the end of summer when there's lots of flag waving and patriotic singing. I've watched it for many years but am very amused/bemused by the proliferation of EU flags at this year's event. I actually don't recall ever seeing an EU flag there before.

I'm guessing you are not aware of the march in London today then?

Clearly not. But then does that pigeon hole the demographic that are pro EU as classical music lovers. Awful lot of those flags tonight.

Correspondingly does it mean the anti EU are all down Wetherspoons on all day binges?

I was over the road in the Proms in the Park, sea of Union flags there, even if me myself I was wearing a South African flag

rjsterry

Mr Goo wrote:

Watching the Last Night of the Proms. That night at the end of summer when there's lots of flag waving and patriotic singing. I've watched it for many years but am very amused/bemused by the proliferation of EU flags at this year's event. I actually don't recall ever seeing an EU flag there before.

With the added bonus that Farage was really cross about those flags

He accused remainers of being in denial, which is a bit rich coming from someone who is shacking up with with Alternativ für Deutschland in a desperate bid to keep his face in the news.

Pross

A hot bath and dry, soft clothes after getting a soaking out cycling, running or hiking. I might get a bit weird in that I like getting drenched exercising providing I know I can have a hot bath and dry clothes once I finish.

Matthewfalle

The end credits to Dr Foster.