Well, I think its more than just the paint on the canvas that she was aiming for. I thought it was interesting that she contrasted brilliant colors with something as gut wrenching as vomiting. Normally, I think puke is seen as something horrible and foul and perhaps by extension, one's insides might be seen in a similar light. The use of bright colors seemed to contradict that - suggesting that what is inside her is not so horrible and repulsive.
I think if I had that painting hanging up in my living room or wherever, I would be reminded of the tear inducing gags, back spasms, and breathless heaves that went into making it - along with whatever else she must have felt while performing. Call me crazy, but it seems as if part of what makes the painting special is the process through which it was made. I think I would be less interested in that painting if I had just read about how it was made as opposed to actually watching the video.
I admit, I fast forwarded though most of the sitting and sipping and I was kind of expecting a bit more noise, uncontrolled heaves, and blackened streams of tears. She had good puke control, but her finger technique was lacking.
Oh, and she did admit to that too, Volki.
"Is that art?"
Art is hard to define.
I would say if it was just a mindless, ordinary dropping without any special context, then no, not really. If you did something to make it different like eating specially colored or textured foods or glitter, leaving it in a strange place in order cause a conflict or provoke some emotional response, or if it was done in an expressive, artistic way, then perhaps so. That does not however, mean that I would have any interest in it.
I think art can be repulsive, morally wrong, even destructive, but that does not mean that people should just accept it, or stand back and feel forced to appreciate it.
