4.11.20 - ADDITIONAL RESEARCH - Consumerism in Art

 Aki Inomata - Why Not Hand Over a 'Shelter' to Hermit Crabs?, 2009

Aki Inomata uses resin to create transparent 3D-printed 'shells'  to be worn by real living hermit crabs. Rising from the painstakingly detailed shells are miniaturised iconic landmarks - in this case New York skyscrapers, including The Empire State Building and the Chrysler building. I chose to research this piece because I am looking at nature and the artificial in my project, and I also think the city embodies consumerism on a really large scale.

This work draws 'surprising analogies between human and animal adaptation to space and identity'¹ as the hermit crab carefully chooses his home and even competes with other crabs for the perfect shelter, resembling humans' attitudes towards housing and real-estate. The city shows our tendency to move from place to place and migrate, wherein our sense of self may change and develop. On a personal level, I have noticed that my own shopping habits change when I am at college because I am spending a lot of time in the city and I buy more things, however when in lockdown at home away from town I hardly feel this urge to shop, so I think that depending on our surroundings where we live, our consumption of 'stuff' is different.

 The metropolis itself is a big symbol of money and business, and the material used in this piece reflects this really strikingly because the resin resembles crystal or glass which have a sense of high status and luxury. This decorative appearance reminds me of the way people keep ornamental objects in the home which build up over the years, whether they are a souvenir of a place, a sentimental memory or just something that looks nice, it all starts as a transaction of money for goods. In contrast, the idea of animals having material possessions is a really odd concept and I find it really difficult to imagine living this way, but I think reducing the amount of stuff we have can help clear the mind and escape the chaos of life and the city, so maybe it would be an idyllic existence to only own the shell on your back.

¹Giovanni Aloi, 'Animal', 2018 Phaidon Press Limited

William Darton, The Noble Game of the Swan, 1821

 This 19th Century board game was played by spinning a number and moving through the different areas of the swan's body to land exactly on the 19th section, the sheepfold. In the rule book, the significance of each scene on the swan are explained in detail, covering topics such as trade, moral behaviour, naval superiority, medicine and painting. This meant that the game was not only for amusement, but education for the young, providing moral guidance and knowledge. 

The gold crown and chain represent the tradition that all unmarked mute swans in Britain belong to the British monarch, making them a powerful status symbol. There is a strong emphasis on the idea of ownership which corresponds with the way that success was - and still is - judged by society according to what we own, rather than our sense of fulfilment and happiness in life. From a modern perspective, I struggle to understand some of the scenes depicted on the board because we do things so drastically different in the 21st century, but some of imagery shows traditions or practises that are still relevant indicators of status and wealth today, such as riding horses (section 6), owning exotic animals (zebra in section 9 which some elaborate individuals would have pulling their carriages), commissioning portraits (18) and travelling the world (3). I think this illustrates consumerism as a way for people to communicate their place in hierarchical society, and plays a significant part in our expression of identity, though this has changed throughout the decades. Clothing for instance is a big signifier or wealth, but if we compare, for example, 18th century aristocrats with current day billionaires, there is a massive difference in the way they dress, so I wonder how and why consumerism has changed among the super rich.