objet trouvé - the Caribbean throne

The play on Art and an object


Not a Francisco Cabral chair - Employing whimsical humor to a serious subject. Art, object and purpose

In Twentieth century western art, artists such as Marcel Duchamp began to test the boundaries to what could be considered as a work of Art. In 1917, at a whim, he submitted a readymade object and signed as an alias. This was to incite controversy and to upstage his colleagues. At the Société des Artistes Indépendants, an annual exhibition held by avant-garde artists, the work was rejected as it was judged to be not a work of Art.

Since then, the landmark piece, (Fountain, a men's urinal) has spiraled into the clarifications of what is and what isn't, and conditioned a public in believing so. The object had the quality and beauty which gave it meaning without relying on what its function meant. The environment, such as in an exhibition instilled a power where the work could be authenticated as a work of art.

Mr. Duchamp take on his rejection canonized the very piece. Yet, his meaning on his readymades showed a playful, whimsical, kinetic approach and to never allow the interference of others to judge one's practice.

It can be agreed upon that the uproar and plagiarism over the concepts of art is that it could be produced or assembled with the least amount of effort. Concept is deemed the golden rule and figuring out ways to construct these sculptures gave birth to contemporary artists like Jeff Koons and Damien Hurst for their refinement, and to a lesser extent, Tracy Emin for her simulations with readymades. What is clear is that the acknowledgment of these things gives it its relevancy.

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Shockart: An artist's intention to shock its audience or at the very least to invent a radical form of art. Such works are authenticated, only if accepted by peers of the art community.


The Caribbean throne, object, $30,000 -A antique potter's chair with a painting of a Tobago, landscape mounted beneath the seat