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Auto-destructive art

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Auto-destructive art (ADA) is a form of art invented by Gustav Metzger, an artist born in Nuremberg, Germany, who moved to Britain in 1939. Following World War II, Metzger emphasized the destruction created by the war through his artwork. Metzger coined the term Auto-destructive art for the work that he began creating in 1959.[1] This phrase introduced by Metzger was invented in 1959 because known in the early 1960s, and put into circulation in Metzger's public performances as well as his published articles, such as "Machine, Auto-Creative and Auto-Destructive Art" in the summer 1962 issue of the journal Ark.

History[edit]

The foundations for what would be Metzger's concept of "Auto Destructive Art" may be found in the aftermath of World War I when artists began to introduce new styles of art that used different medias and techniques. Cubism and Dadaism were at the heart of these new techniques. Auto-Destructive Art (ADA), following the carnage of World War II, offered techniques reflective of the devastation of WWII. For example, in one of his earliest public actions in London on July 3, 1961, Metzger stretched a huge canvas over wooden supports and then, wearing a gas mask, sprayed the canvas with acid such that large parts of it disintegrated. It has been written that destructive in art is similar to Dadaism, but this is false. It was the concept and action of Metzger, a Jew, who lost most of his family when Nazi's rounded them up and killed them, created art that confronts the public with destruction. After World War II, many artists turned to Abstract Expressionism, but ADA differed with its focus on destruction.

Influences[edit]

Auto-Destructive Art was highly influenced by World War II. After the many casualties and mass destruction, people around the world were distraught and horrified. In comparison to World War I, World War II had a different influence on art due to the extensive use of aircraft and the introduction of nuclear weapons. These weapons greatly inspired artists to approach art using new means such as corrosion, stress, or heat. ADA represents the war and its casualties. Artists in this time period wanted to explore issues in new ways. In order to explore these issues in industrial society, Metzger encouraged artists to work with scientists and engineers.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). Metzger believed that in order to bring light to the corruption in politics, he must remove himself and his work from prior art.[2] He even states in his manifesto that "Auto-destructive art mirrors the compulsive perfectionism of arms manufacture - polishing to destruction point."[3] This excerpt reflects the idea that many artists shared. They wanted to withdraw from mass production, commercialism, and manufacturing.

Artists[edit]

Gustav Metzger grew up during the Holocaust, which greatly influenced his life and art. In 1943, Metzger lost his parents to Nazi murders. Metzger quotes "Facing up to the Nazis and the powers of the Nazi state coloured my life as an artist." Metzger would begin destruction on his works of art to represent the destruction by humanity. He then allowed natural forces to take over which symbolized how a human spark can result in much more destruction than intended. Metzger later used his art to speak out against the violence of society and against nature.[4] In his 2009 piece, Flailing Trees, Metzger uprooted and overturned a series of trees to symbolize the brutalization done to the natural world.[5]

Gustav Metzger’s Flailing Trees in Manchester International Festival 2009

Along with Metzger, John Latham was another influential artist. Latham had an interest in "temporality" and "time based" destruction.[6] His most recognized works were his Skoob Tower Ceremonies. Latham used stacks of books to create towers that he then set on fire. This demonstration was controversial due to Nazi attacks and book burnings before and during WWII. Latham noted that he was not against the content in the books, but rather the idea that books are the only source of knowledge. [7]

Artist Jean Tinguely was also a powerful figure, who inspired auto-destructive art with his use of mechanics in 1953. Later in his work, Tinguely wanted to focus on "dematerialization" by creating machines that would eventually destroy themselves.[8] One very significant piece was Homage to New York. This performance by Tinguely's machine created noise, paintings, and smoke before being stopped by a firefighter. The work was meant to self-destruct and although it was unable to complete its actions, still succeeded as an significant work of art. Tinguely believed this sculpture symbolized a freeing from material because once the performance was over, the site of it's destruction was cleaned up and there was nothing left.[9] After this work, Tinguely was able to construct two more successful machines that did self-destruct.[10]

Not only was destructive art seen in traditional art, but also performance art. Jeff Keen, a film-maker, included forms of destruction in his "collaged films". Keen would cut and edit scenes from pop culture, comics, and other films to create "multi-screen projections". His films were seen as disconnected and jumbled which confused viewers. Keen symbolizes destruction in his cut and edit skills of previous works. By using other sources and editing them together, Keen has destructed the old and created something new.[11]

Techniques[edit]

Many strategies were used to create auto-destroy-art. Metzger used bricks, cloth, and other objects as a base for his work. He then used multiple types of harming materials such as acid or fire to create the destruction. For one work, Metzger threw hydrochloric acid on a nylon sheet and noted that while the acid did destroy the sheet, it also created shapes.[12] Although this sculpture did not have a name, it was later recreated in 2004 as part of the Tate Britain exhibition, Art and the Sixties: This was Tomorrow.[13] Other artists explored the use of everyday objects such as books or mechanics, which expanded the concept of how seemingly mundane objects can be used to demonstrate how materialism and manufacturing should be destroyed.

Impact[edit]

One impact of ADA was the creation of the "Destruction in Art Symposium" (DIAS). Metzger was against the art dealer system and aimed to get Auto-Destructive Art publicly funded, but the government would not provide funding. Metzger was against art dealers, who were not interested in "fundamental technical change". In 1966, Metzger and poet John Sharkey organize DIAS, a symposium that brought artists, poets, musicians, and intellectuals from around the world to London to participated in the symposium. One significant performance at this event was Yoko Ono’s "Cut" piece, which she first performed in 1964.[14] In this performance, later presented at the Museum of Modern Art in 1971, Ono sat on the stage and allowed the audience to cut away pieces of her clothing. Allowing the audience to cut away her clothing not only represented female vulnerability but also destroyed the traditional relationship between the viewer and the artist.[15] Pete Townshend of The Who would later relate destroying his guitar on stage to auto-destructive art. Band member Keith Moon dramatically followed suit by placing explosives into his drums (at some points nearly blowing himself to pieces).[16] In 2013, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., would open an exhibit giving focus to destruction in art. The exhibit Damage Control: Art and Destruction since 1950, included a range of art that demonstrates how destruction has impacted art today.[17] Although not highly recognized or taught, Auto-Destructive Art still makes an impact on all types of artists to this day. It continues to inspire artists to disconnect from traditional art styles in order to bring attention to worldly issues.

See also[edit]

See also Stiles' "1987 PhD: University of California, Berkeley - History of Art Dissertation: The Destruction in Art Symposium (DIAS): The Radical Social Project of Event-Structured Art; See also Stiles' 2023 essay: “Entanglement: Anti-Psychiatry & Destruction in Art,” Anti-Psychiatry, Centre Pompidou, Paris. See also Stiles' “Destruction in Art Symposium (DIAS),” monograph length (176 pages) annotated bibliography. In Oxford Bibliographies in Art History. Ed. Thomas DaCosta Kaufmann. New York: Oxford University Press. [This is a companion to my previous 2019 publication: “Destruction in Art,” in Oxford Bibliographies in Art History. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Monograph length annotated bibliography. https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199920105/obo- 9780199920105- 0139.xml?rskey=sVbztN&result=1&q=Kristine+Stiles#firstMatch


References[edit]

  1. ^ Jeffries, Stuart (2012-11-26). "Gustav Metzger: 'Destroy, and you create'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  2. ^ Lewis, B. (2009, September 30). RECOGNITION AT LAST FOR 'AUTO DESTRUCTIVE' ART; EXHIBITION. Retrieved October 13, 2016, from http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/gic/NewsDetailsPage/NewsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=News&currPage=&scanId=&query=&source=&prodId=GIC&search_within_results=&p=GIC:OVIC&mode=view&catId=&u=colu91149&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CA208677044&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=
  3. ^ Scha, R. (n.d.). Gustav Metzger: Auto-Destructive Art. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from http://radicalart.info/destruction/metzger.html
  4. ^ Flailing Trees Gustav Metzger. (2009, July 3–19). Retrieved October 26, 2016, from http://www.mif.co.uk/event/flailing-garden Archived 2016-10-28 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Gustav Metzger: 'Destroy, and you create'". the Guardian. 2012-11-26. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  6. ^ Iles, C. (2006, April). Book smart: Chrissie Iles on John Latham. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T002&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsTye=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=1&docId=GALE%7CA144705010&docType=Biography&sort=RELEVANCE&contentSegment=&prodId=AONE&contentSet=GALE%7CA144705010&searchId=R2&userGroupName=colu91149&inPS=true
  7. ^ Beaven, K. (2012, July 16). Performance Art 101: Rebellion, destruction, ritual and taboo. Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/blogs/performance-art-101-rebellion-destruction-ritual-and-taboo
  8. ^ "Jean Tinguely | Swiss sculptor | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  9. ^ Tinguely, J., & Landy, M. (2009, September 1). Homage to Destruction. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/articles/homage-destruction
  10. ^ Jean Tinguely: Fragment from Homage to New York. (2011). Retrieved October 26, 2016, from http://www.moma.org/collection/works/81174
  11. ^ Beaven, K. (2012, July 16). Performance Art 101: Rebellion, destruction, ritual and taboo. Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/blogs/performance-art-101-rebellion-destruction-ritual-and-taboo
  12. ^ "Gustav Metzger: 'Destroy, and you create'". the Guardian. 2012-11-26. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  13. ^ Watling, L. (2012, January). Recreation of First Public Demonstration of Auto-Destructive Art 1960, remade 2004, 2015. Retrieved October 27, 2016, from http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/metzger-recreation-of-first-public-demonstration-of-auto-destructive-art-t12156/text-summary
  14. ^ "The Assault on Culture by Stewart Homechapter on auto-destructive art". www.stewarthomesociety.org. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  15. ^ Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece explained. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2016, from http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2015/may/18/yoko-ono-s-cut-piece-explained/
  16. ^ Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who
  17. ^ Pollack, B. (2012, June 21). UNDER DESTRUCTION. Retrieved October 27, 2016, from http://www.artnews.com/2012/06/21/under-destruction/

External links[edit]

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