The Need-Want Exhibit at the MAC Museum featured a variety of artists as well as a variety of medias. All the work joins a larger conversation exploring the striking difference that has been lost between what is wanted and what is actually a necessity; a line which has almost become unknown in our society. I know I have to remind myself daily of this difference, and the Need-Want Exhibit offered itself not only as a reminder, but also proposed a collection of ideas and perspectives to ponder.
Small, but speaking loudly, Stephen Braun’s two raku sculptures caught my eye almost immediately. The first one, Why One World is Not Enough, explores the long term effects of consumption rates that need more than one world to support such high levels, while the character holds the Earth in his hands as it’s his own. Each of the worlds underneath the character are shown as dirty and trashed; the long term effect of our limitless consumption that knows no difference between needs and wants. The more humans live uncontrollably wanting more and more, the more and more we will destroy the Earth.
Braun’s other sculpture, The Hoarder, is a statement on how although the figure has amassed more resources than he could ever use in his lifetime, he continues to search for more, consequently burdening himself. Braun say’s,
“The want outweighs the need, deforming the figure.”
I love this statement. The key to happiness is not in the stuff we have; so much stuff may actually be the demise of true happiness. Could it be that if we live only with what we need to physically survive, we would be not only a less burdened, stressed, and unhappy society, but we would be personally freer? Are we bound by all the things that we don’t really need?
The entire Need-Want Exhibit opens questions up the community such as those pushing humanity to better itself and really question not only the effects of living wrapped up in wanting on the Earth, but also the effects of such a lifestyle to an individual’s personal well-being.
2 comments:
Wow a very heavy topic especially in the capitalistic hyper-consumer society we live in. Many people around the world, billions, live with less than what we have and many of them are happy yet many Americans never seem to have enough. We are obsessed with status and consumption. The high consumption mentality our country perfected is bleeding over to other wealthy countries. Countries like China with "new money" are emerging as capitalists and hyper-consumers. What makes China different is that they don't seem to care about the environment.
Here in the U.S. we have learned and begun the uphill fight for the sustainability of out planet. Other countries with high populations like India and China who have both dramatically improved their financial situations are becoming more consumer based societies with little regard for their byproducts. Like us, the more they have, the more they want. We all need to get this under control if we expect to inhabit this planet another hundred years.
This exhibit looks very thought provoking. I look forward to seeing it and sharing it with my 10 year old son. He always seems to ad another perspective. I think this exhibit would be great for any eager young mind.
I agree, these sculptures really make you think about our actions and how they not only affect the environment but how they sometimes harm us too.
I went to this exhibit too and I believe there's a painting/sculpture about the oil spill. All of these media are a positive force in getting humanity to recognize our own actions and change them for the better.
Post a Comment