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Gerhard Richter  Life with Pop: A Demonstration for Capitalist Realism 1963 In October, 1963, Gerhard Richter staged a one-night-only performative installation artwork in the West German city of Düsseldorf, entitled Life with Pop: A Demonstration for Capitalist Realism (Figure 1).  Appropriating stylistic and thematic conventions of Northern Renaissance painting, Richter explored the relevance of fifteenth century artistic use of interior space, object symbolism, and subject-audience interaction to critically comment upon the benefits and complications of contemporary interaction between art, politics, and popular consumption.  Although the performative installation possesses pride of place within Richter’s entire oeuvre – it, and the artistic actions of the previous year that lead up to it, mark the starting point for the artist’s self-constructed career chronology – Life with Pop has received almost no critical attention from the myriad art historians who take Richter as a favorite subject.  The reluctance of art historians to engage with Richter’s performance art suggests that performance and installation, though by no means the newest of “new media,” are still considered outside of the canon of traditional art and, therefore, not given the same serious analysis as artworks created using more traditional media.  Using Richter’s Life with Pop as an example, this article will examine the strained relationship between art historians and so-called “new media” art, asserting that a failure among art historians to critically examine such works can not only lead to their marginalization, but also to their simplification and misinterpretation, by scholars and the public alike. Conversely, an openness to the inclusion of art history on the part of artists, critics, and viewers can add rich layers of meaning to new media artworks, which can help express artistic intent and address contemporary context.

Gerhard Richter  Life with Pop: A Demonstration for Capitalist Realism 1963

In October, 1963, Gerhard Richter staged a one-night-only performative installation artwork in the West German city of Düsseldorf, entitled Life with Pop: A Demonstration for Capitalist Realism (Figure 1).  Appropriating stylistic and thematic conventions of Northern Renaissance painting, Richter explored the relevance of fifteenth century artistic use of interior space, object symbolism, and subject-audience interaction to critically comment upon the benefits and complications of contemporary interaction between art, politics, and popular consumption.  Although the performative installation possesses pride of place within Richter’s entire oeuvre – it, and the artistic actions of the previous year that lead up to it, mark the starting point for the artist’s self-constructed career chronology – Life with Pop has received almost no critical attention from the myriad art historians who take Richter as a favorite subject.  The reluctance of art historians to engage with Richter’s performance art suggests that performance and installation, though by no means the newest of “new media,” are still considered outside of the canon of traditional art and, therefore, not given the same serious analysis as artworks created using more traditional media.  Using Richter’s Life with Pop as an example, this article will examine the strained relationship between art historians and so-called “new media” art, asserting that a failure among art historians to critically examine such works can not only lead to their marginalization, but also to their simplification and misinterpretation, by scholars and the public alike. Conversely, an openness to the inclusion of art history on the part of artists, critics, and viewers can add rich layers of meaning to new media artworks, which can help express artistic intent and address contemporary context.

5 months ago

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    Image links to full article. I’m interested in this… “In her recent book entitled Worldly Goods, historian Lisa Jardine...
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