Thomas Hirschhorn’s direct approach, reflected as much in the materials he builds with as in his practice of exposing audiences to texts he finds meaningful, is summed up in some of his guidelines, such as: Energy = Yes! Quality = No; Friendship between Art and Philosophy; and Form- and Forcefield: Love, Philosophy, Aesthetics, Politics. His ‘Ideological Jewellery’ for GEMS AND LADDERS is an affirmation of those terms. He has designed three circular, stained birch wood medallions on wooden chains, into which are carved those mottos. These are of a simple ‘hand-made’ style the artist first discovered in The Bronx in 2013 during his Gramsci Monument, and allow the wearer to declare their faith and belonging to the community of ‘Art lovers’. One chain and medallion can be worn alone, or all three together to form a cluster of complementary ideas.
Thomas Hirschhorn (b. 1957) is among the most important living artists today; he represented Switzerland at the 54th Venice Biennale (2011). To experience…
