(Kauf dich glücklich, Berlin.)
Ever since, I've always been attrackted to neon. It's cheap, it's tacky, it got a very American appearance, it's everything I don't like. And I'm highly attrackted to things I don't like. Things I don't like trigger a strong reaction and that's in fact, exactly, what I do like.
Neon in an art-sense makes an even better impression on me because then I've got something to interpretate. Neon graphic design art is my favourite combo; and I've started a little collection-project on that. (I prefer doing projects; they are better than events in my opinion. Events are short-timed and limited, while projects are more open minded and open ended.)
Things have been done with neon in art history, Dan and Joseph and their minmalistic movement companions... And although they are highly interesting, they are not so contemporary anymore... I like to look in the now, what is happening? Actually the thing that triggered me to writing this, were some pamflets around the city regarding a work by Tracy Emin.
(tracey emin)
some collected, musealized neon;
(cerith wyn evans)
Of course it is cool to spot neon-art in a museum or gallery, but it is even cooler if you spot potential art outside the institutes. I am always scouting for those neon signs, that weren't intended to be art, but in fact could be when they've been put in a museum-setting (how Duchampian of me..). When you cut them out of their daily context they can be seen as art, the barbershop sign could be art... pure street-art!
all images + references: http://fuckyeahneontexts.tumblr.com.
