Money, money, money… at the Tate Modern

One of this season’s hot shows is presented by the Tate Modern under the words “Pop Life”. Koons’ silver rabbit laid out on a black poster with bright pink and blue letters is all about London and it is hard not to miss it. It seems like the Tate has brought out the big guns, as much for the ad campaign than for the work it presents.

Andy Warhol and his kids throughout a colourful trip of pop art’s greatest hits, this is what you may encounter within these walls. From works that have become classics such as W’s celebrity portraits and a reconstitution of keith Haring’s Pop Shop, this exhibit seems to be conducted by a question: What has become self promotion in art after the one who initiated it left the field?

The first room shows a large variety of Andy’s late work from his portraits, screen-prints of gems to videos, ads and a guest appearance on the Love boat TV show. Emphasizing on how the outcome of Capitalism and mass market in the world of art, it is duly said that he “turned social climbing into an art form”. Is the exhibition about self promotion? I believe it is. Though isn’t it spot on the drive and inspiration of a movement and an era? I would dare not to criticize this exhibit only the artists and their motivation.

What after Warhol? The show emphasizes on how artists have learned to promote themselvess brands, making their art a business. That explains the glitz and glow that follows. After Martin Kippenberger relatively striking work, you will come across Jeff Koons’ over-18 room. There are no other words to describe it but to say that it is a porno exhibit of rococo depictions of his sex life with La Cicciolina. Let’s say that your impressions are muted for a few seconds when you enter the room as you wonder where the hell you are.

However this money driven artistic field is very much explicit in the rooms that follow. Starting with Tracey Emin and ending with Damien Hirst, the YBA (Young British Artists) import pop art to another productive soil. However taking it to another level in a more contemporary sense, it made only one thing more obvious. While their label is art, their motivation is money and all that follows seems to be just an act. Lucas & Emin’s shop, Hirst’s belief that an auction is the most democratic way of aquiring art, my ear’s keep ringing with two words to describe them: Money driven.

Looks like Stuckism’s belief that not everything produced by great artists should be called art is in this show well illustrated. The last room is a celebration of Japanese pop commerce, although I really enjoy Murakami’s work this exhibit made me realise what it was made of.

How these projects, ideas and works are appealing to the eye makes me only realise how appalling they are in terms of artistic figures. I don’t call it art but aesthetic depictions. It is not about technique with a mind-blowing meaning incrusted within; it is about creativity and the big bucks behind it.

However I understand this critique is relative to my own-self. Although I have my opinion this show will make you think but you’ll be the only one holding the reins of your thoughts as the curators haven’t given out a unique and overwhelming message.