Eyewire Museum: Conceptual Trivia

Swag (generously sponsored by @susi): The top scoring player will win 1 pencil pouch full of goods! Second and third place each win sticker sheets.

Conceptualism is the thinker’s art style. Conceptual art is not concerned with aesthetics, tho conceptual art can also be aesthetically pleasing (or revolting if that’s what you’re going for).

Instead conceptual art is designed to provoke the viewer and engage the viewer in a dialogue.

Conceptual art often wrestles with the question “what is art?” or “what has artistic value?” An early example of this is Marcel Duchamp’s “ready-mades” or objects that were created for some functional purpose, which Duchamp repurposed as art. These objects ask the question, what is art, and where does the line come between “art” and “not-art,” if there is a line at all.

Conceptual art emerged as a movement during the 1960s – in part as a reaction against formalism, a theory that each artistic medium could have an “essential” nature, and art pieces that moved closer to this nature should have more value.

Conceptual artists also often pushed back against the commodification of art and the art world. Conceptual art pieces can even be a series of written instructions for an art piece, without the material presence of the piece itself.

Conceptual art can also serve as critique or comment on society and culture. For example, artist and activist Ai Weiwei’s “Forever Bicycles” is an installation of a series of interconnected bicycles of the Chinese brand Yong Jiu, which literally translates to “forever.” Bikes served as transportation, but also a mark of social mobility and a coveted luxury item when the artist was growing up in China, however in modern times the desire for these bikes has been usurped by a desire for cars as transportation and status symbols. “Forever Bicycles” serves as commentary on the changing world and the global economy, and the effect on the environment that comes with that.

For this competition’s trivia we’ll delve deep into some juicy art history questions, in addition to our regular science questions. Once you’ve learned a little more about art history, we’re sure you’ll have enough material to build you’re own Eyewire concept art!

Artwork by Daniela Gamba