I don’t have testicles but when I saw a (scarringly graphic) video clip of Pyotr Pavlensky nailing his genitalia to Red Square, even I gave an involuntary shudder and had to made myself a consoling cup of tea.
Pavlensky’s thinking behind such an action, he says, was a statement of ‘art’. I put art in inverted commas because frankly I think it needs saying that this sort of ‘art’ is utter bollocks (sorry Pyotr). I reckon I can accurately summarise the reactions of millions of people tuning into their TV’s as they tuck into an early morning sausage sandwich (again…sorry Pyotr) in one sentence: “Jeez! What a nutter!”
I know what you’re thinking – the point was to create publicity, highlight an issue, launch a hard-core S&M porn career etc. etc. But to be honest I think all these extreme body artists are dicks (I just can’t help it Pyotr).
Maybe I don’t ‘get it’. Maybe I’m not suave enough to understand the deeper artistic message behind publically confirming you’re never going to be good in bed again. Perhaps all of us who thought it was just pretty horrific are artistically illiterate, not with it, not hip enough. I don’t like to think that’s the case, though. Don’t get me wrong, I love modern artistic styles and even have had a crack at it myself.
Many a school trip to the Tate Modern taught me that movements like Fauvism and Pop Art can create vibrant and interesting paintings as well as sculptures. In fact, I don’t even think it’s weird to use your own body in the form of art – dancing showcases this wonderfully. To me, though, and I think a lot of other reasonably normal people, art is an appreciation of a subject – and Pyotr certainly didn’t seem to appreciate his!
I don’t think you have to be some sort of Renoir admiring, English Tweed wearing, pipe smoking…basically you don’t have to be posh to look down on this sort of art and call it stupid. It is stupid to knowingly and deliberately put your body through immense physical torture.
Perhaps I’m just being British about the whole thing. The Americans love David Blaine and his stunts – which some people interpret as art. I remember hearing a story of a group of regular Americans coming to sit round Blaine in his box as he starved himself for goodness knows how long, holding hands and not eating in solidarity. What did we Brits make of it? Well we stood outside the glass box theatrically eating picnics and mouthing the words “Ooh what a moist spounge…fancy a bite, David?” Hilarious and you know it.
Of course, Pyotr did receive a huge amount of media coverage because of his latest work of art – just as he did when he sewed his mouth up and when he wrapped his naked body in barbed wire. What I’ve noticed the most about this story, though, is the reaction I’ve heard from everyone who saw the pictures, watched the video, read the story: “What an idiot.”
My review of Pyotr’s artistic stunt? A load of balls.