Objects of Desire
Objects of Desire 2010 Foote’s exhibition creates a world of slick surfaces, seductive materials that lure the viewer into the artwork.
The exhibition “Object of Desire” looks at Foote’s relationship between being a producer and consumer, how he is confronted with the balance between his love of art and fashion and how he deals with this dilemma, and how the artist as creator wins out over consumer and how his love of fashion is still desired but not realized.
The artwork takes the form of clear acrylic boxes replicating the packaging of things like Victor and Rolf cologne, Apple’s iPhone, Calvin Klein underwear, D&G shoeboxes.
The boxes are made out of clear acrylic and subtly etched with the designer's labelling and then filled with by-products from the creation of his past artwork, for example, one of the shoe boxes where stuffed with hundreds of pieces of used sandpaper, the iPhone box filled with his shoe laces from worn out shoes, cologne boxes filled with sawdust from timber he has cut up etc.
The artworks are installed on numerous plinths with gold mirror tops that reflect the objects giving them a golden glow and gold ingot feel, implying a sense of worth within the artistic process of creation/ the handmade.
Elements of this artwork looks at my love to consume but also my overpowering desire to create and add to the world, this artwork also comments on ethical issues of living in a world dealing with global warming and growing consumerism in a financially driven global society.
The pieces are slick and seductive but at the same time, they are objects filled with Foote’s art excrement.
“Our consumer-driven world loves creating objects and products that we as a society don’t necessarily need but rather want, this is epitomized through these objects as they are filled with waste from my studio and workshop, but on the other hand, this artwork looks at trends in sustainable/recycled found objects, found in a growing number of artist artwork that comments on society.
As artists is our commentary hypocritical?
Are we helping or just adding to the consumer hunger world?”
