Artists research: Recreating domesticity in art

Many artist have used wallpaper as featured backdrops to their exhibitions for different effects, here i have chosen a few. Firstly Karol Radziszewski's Donald duck repeat wallpaper with the word AIDS cryptically spelt throughout the design. As an 80s child I remember feeling terrified of AIDS,mainly because of the TV campaign with the gravestone and also because as a child I had limited information/ understanding of it. I remember the wall paper I had in my own bedroom at the time, and I think what the artist has done here is really clever in expressing this new, scary and deadly disease through an indifferent, smiling, cartoon character, Its crashing through the comfort of home and childhood. AIDS killed so many young people.

 Is that indifferent smiling character a refence to the stigma of the disease and the prejudice that accompanies it? In contrast, pasted on top wallpaper are  these black and white, what look like genuine posters of the time featuring helplines and advice for those who were worried about contracting the disease.

Photo's from my visit to the Karol Radziszewski exhibition at the Bonington Gallery

 

A sample of care bear wallpaper that was in my bed room as a 80s child.

Still from the 1986 AIDS awareness TV campaign

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS:_Don%27t_Die_of_Ignorance

"The Victorian Philanthropist's Parlour" Yinka Shonibare 1996

In The Victorian Philanthropists Parlour by Yinka Shonibare we see a whole room of the Victorian style reworked with traditional  African style prints which is typical of his work. Featured in the wall paper along with the decorative print is the image of black athletes. I think the use of this domestic scene is highlighting not only the historic link of rich Victorian " philanthropist's" gaining wealth from the slave trade and plantations, and natural resources of Africa it also highlights the modern exploitation and importation that still exists.

"Golden age" Ai Weiwei

Activist artist Ai Weiwei's "Golden Age" wallpaper serves as a backdrop for his dioramas. It features surveillance cameras, handcuffs and is a response to widespread government surveillance. Again using the domestic comfort to show us something alarming disguised as beautiful and elegant. The use of gold for its decorative aspect and perhaps and the play on words as the golden age is referencing a new age of surveillance and oppression, disguised as something desirable.

In reference to my work, I'm also trying to create a room, but for the purpose of bringing together the idea of your body being your home, and what does that mean? And how does it feel to be a spirit at home in this fragile, amazing machine that is the human body? A feeling of comfort or a feeling of claustrophobia? Also in refence to the life drawing looking at internal parts of the body as a decorative object and something to be decorated, the body as a vessel for our spiritual self. I think domestic scenes are great for looking at duel meanings and evoking emotion. 

The wall paper in situe.