I went to Tate Morden (3.11.2010) to saw the exhibition AFTER HOURS BRUCE NAUMAN, luckily got some inspiration from his artworks.
It is one of Nauman’s first neons, is a founding work in his career. Hijacking a medium generally associated with the tawdry (cheap motels, shop windows, and bars), Nauman’s sign advertises a metaphysical and deeply personal message as if it were for sale. Throughout his long and illustrious career, Nauman has examined the role and responsibilities of the artist. The title statement of this poetic spiral is neither entirely facetious nor completely serious, and the contradictions embodied in the piece yield an ambiguity that is both playful and profound.
Since the late 1960s he has continually tested what an artwork can be, by reshaping old forms and creating new ones. His ground-breaking works using sound, film, video and neon have influenced generations of artists.
His neon works are powerful to me. They are simple words or abstract patterns but are more direct.
I am ready to integrate the form of neon into my intervention.