Faux Conceptual Art
Faux Conceptual Art is a send up of the reification of Conceptual Art's dematerialized objects. Within the art world there are marketing mechanisms that give meaning and value to any art work. One is a stamp of approval usually vested by a print publication. This work is an attempt to "engage in a discourse with traditional art presentation practices via the new vehicle of the world wide web."
Faux Conceptual Art was created in 1994. The web site is a send up of the reification of Conceptual Art's dematerialized objects. Within the art world there are marketing mechanisms that give meaning and value to any art work. One is a stamp of approval usually vested by a print publication. this creates a recognizable signature style and a signature art work that is repeatedly used in print publications catalogs etc.. This surface codification of an artists work tends to obscure the original meaning of the work. My position was to engage in a discourse with traditional art presentation practices via the new vehicle of the world wide web. The piece Faux Conceptual Art also proposes a museum installation of the work samples presented on line. There is also a DIY piece (perhaps the first such online) called Toilet Conceptual Art. Accessors to the site can print out the accompanying text *Affirmations* and paste them up on their wall. I've received email from around the world from people who have executed this work in their spaces. This is a very early example of net.art. It is an extension of my previous performance work as well as my physical pieces investigating marketing (Surveys & Questionnaires) and my fake Artforum billboard (Terrorist Advertising). The pieces are about information and image.
Have a nice day.
G.H. Hovagimyan