artist Collette calls out Lady Gaga for being a rip off

In a previous post on the Lady Gaga phenomenon, I claimed "My only complaint about Gaga so far is that she seems to model herself after others so much." I wondered when, or if, Lady Gaga would find her own voice rather than borrow so heavily from other artists - pop and performance.  Apparently Gaga's really done it now. Her current window installation at Barney's in New York has insulted multimedia artist, Colette, because Gaga's window heavily replicates one of Colette's installations from the 1970s.

Gaga's recent television bits at the Times Square New Years event reinforced my  unease with her lack of authenticity.  I recognize that everything she does is a performance.  She's playing a persona at all times. Like Bowie, like Marilyn Monroe, like Madonna and so on and so on.  I get it.  I haven't done a blow by blow analysis of her costumes compared with artists through out art history, but I can discern the notes of Dadaism and camp 'influence'. Of course, a huge red flag shot up over her appropriation of Jana Sterbak's Meat Dress from 1987 for me.  Even so, I tried giving her the benefit of the doubt.  She's young and will mature, right? 

Looking for Lady Gaga by Josh Gilbert.

I've been hoping that Gaga's imitation of avant-garde artists throughout history would eventually shape her into one.  It's a standard art student task, like copying Degas paintings until you can paint as well on your own. Artistic influence is one thing, but eventually an artist must stand on their own. I appreciate how Gaga has pushed the ideas of performance art further into the main stream as mostly Pop seems to do in our culture, but it's time Gaga found a clearer way to recognize the artists she borrows from plus do something of her own.   In Camille Paglia's critique, "Lady Gaga the Death of Sex," she gives Gaga a righteous spanking that reduces her back to her schoolgirl self, Stefani Germanotta (Gaga's real name).   

It's time for Stefani to try something new. Step back from the artificial identity persona far enough to own something of your own.  She is overdue.  

  

Watch videos of Colette's early performances on the Colette Maison Lumiere YouTube channel and decide for yourself (click here).

Learn more about Colette:
Colette the artist website
Review by Edward Rubin in Sculpture magazine 2008.

My previous posts on Gaga.
Camille Paglia's, Lady Gaga the Death of Sex, The Sunday Times, 2010.
Lady Gaga, meat Jana Sterbak, Christopher Knight, LA Times, 2010.

the body as medium, Abramovic

Being an artist:

Marina Abramovic on The Artist is Present and how she came to working with the body in her art.  Via MoMA videos.

from bored and lost to being an artist; Sophie Calle

Being an artist:

Sophie Calle explains how she started making art in the 70s.  (Video from EGS, the European Graduate School.)

rauschenberg poetry

Being an artist:

Rauschenberg erased De Kooning.  The artwork became a classic almost instantly. 

I've always been struck with the simplicity and elegance of this artwork.  Period.  

When I listen to Rauschenberg tell how the work came about, I appreciate even more the strange competitive dynamic between many artists, even among the 'Masters'.  I love that Rauschenberg talked plainly of it and dealt with it for himself head on.

Hear him tell the story in the video below.

el bulli

Friday Flick: 

If you love to cook, and if you also love art, you must watch this movie documenting the avant-garde cooking at a restaurant in Spain of the same name, El Bulli.  It's about the art of experiencing food. I'm still thinking about the water, the ice and the frequent obsessiveness that comes with creativity.  And the moments of absurdity and grace found in its pursuit.

 

As an aside, we saw El Bulli in Portland at the very comfy Living Room Theater.  We had just eaten dinner, so I only gobbled down a Lion Bar.  Next time I plan to enjoy a taste from their tapas menu and a glass of wine with my movie.

El Bulli is by archaeologist, language teacher, author and filmmaker, Gereon Wetzel.