Leaf Litter (1999-2003)
Tender (2003-2005)
Fiona Hall's contemporary work relates to the Renaissance concept of Mercantilism.
Research the two examples; 'Tender'(2003-05) and 'Leaf Litter'(1999-2003) to explain how they relate to this concept. First define mercantilism and explain how it has developed since the Renaissance. For each work you will need to describe the shape, form and materials of the work, and explain the ideas behind each example.
These works were part of an art show titled 'Force Field' which can be viewed in one of the exhibition spaces on YouTube - Part Three: Fiona Hall: Force Field.
Mercantilism is defined as the economic system of Western Europe from the 16th through to the 18th centuries. This focused on the national power and money (wealth) by exports and gaining valuable resources this defined how wealthy and individual was. Mercantilism has evolved since the renaissance, as in culture today individuals are measured by how much money the individual owns instead of how much valuable metals such as gold and silver the individual owns.
ReplyDeleteFiona Halls “Leaf Litters” relates to the concept of mercantilism as she has incorporated a range of banknotes and also the use of gouache paint to replicate a leaf. She gets the suggestion that nature and money are somehow linked and this shows that culture today has become much modernized. She had duplicated the use of the banknote various times through out the picture, I see that nature is just as important as money in today’s society and hall has used the focal point of the leaf to get this message across.
“Tender” by Fiona Hall is made of dozens of shredded U.S dollars bills in the form of various sized and shaped birds’ nests. This work relates back to the concept of mercantilism as she has used the idea of modernization with the idea of natural nature. She has used the ripped dollar bills to represent money and made them into birds nest to show that in today’s modernized society money has become more important, and the effects modernization, global trade and deforestation. This removes many animals and humans from the natural environment because of money and wealth.
In these works I can see the idea and message the artist is getting across with her use of materials, the use of the dollar will relate well with idea of mercantilism as does the ideas of nature.