Human Skin Rug

"Yawn" represents my relationship with this artist's boring and unoriginal piece. I position myself as the voice of the many viewers that will look upon said art piece with disdain and disbelief - disbelief that any one could think this is art or clever or good or even interesting - especially the whole BS diatribe about why the artist thought this would interest anyone. Unlike the artist, I type this while sitting upright in a deskchair, back straight, eyes front, and mouth firmly closed, but not clenched (as the influences of my chiropractor stays with me long after the invoices have been paid).

"It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again!!!"

Bah. Van Gogh would have actually skinned himself and you know it.

Did anybody else think "Lindsay Lohan" when they first saw the picture?

Oh boo. Oh boo hoo hoo. Whose parental influences don't continue to suppress them? Can we now please have some art that isn't so egregiously navel-gazing? Please?

Wow. An other artist too stupid to realize that children don't come with instruction books for parents when we are born.

Move the frik on and maybe you'll make art that isn't derivative and looks like it came from a Spencers Mall shop.

ew

dumb dumb dumb

sometimes i think that i should just stop reading comments on this website...they make me angry and raise my heart rate and blood pressure...yeah, it's pretentious, but it is something the person obviously feels strongly about...we all have memories and different ways to deal with them...i'm an art student and i really don't care what people do for their art, as long as they are doing it for themselves...it is better to create bad art and use at least part of your creative brain, than to do absolutely nothing

i watched a video once that said it is better to do something than nothing, and i believe that is the case in any field we chose to take on...do something, build something, make your mark no matter whether it is a sketch on a napkin or a mold of your naked body

that isn't to say art shouldn't be criticized, but it deserves more respect than just "dumb dumb dumb," criticizing is doing something, but realize that she took time to make an object that obviously means something to her

Ditto pretty much what others have said. Just stupid and unoriginal crap. This isn't art....

@ lucky

If you admit that art should be open to criticism, then you shouldn't attempt to censor or shame that which you do not agree with.

i'm not saying censor...i'm saying explain...explain why you think it is dumb...offer more respect by explaining why it doesn't appeal to you rather than just adding adjectives

Zombie, pointing out that "dumb dumb dumb" is not criticism, but a dismissive insult, is not censoring.

I mean, by your own logic, you're telling Lucky to censor his/herself. Or do you just enjoy mind numbing hypocrisy?

Gross. Creative way of expression though. But still gross.

"that said it is better to do something than nothing"

The slogan of every psychopath, serial killer and hare krishna out there.

Teehee, self-portrait of herself!

Wow, she's like completely mole-less!

Smaller ones would make great bathmats.

When I originally read the title I had hoped this was something I've been eyeing for ages, making a laminar sheet of their own skin invitro and turning it into a rug (well, in my case a leather jacket). But when I clapped eyes on the disappointing effort which was produced, it just looks like a sex doll that someone had flattened out.

lol@ flattened-out sex doll.

I happen to think the first comment was well-thought-out and apt, and wasn't just a "dumb-dumb-dumb" rant.

How is that representative of parental influences? Was she Jeffrey Dahmer's secret love child? No, she had an idea about making a "bare skin rug", and then tacked on some artsy mumbo-jumbo about parenthood to try and elevate an otherwise tedious and lame concept.

Plus she's missing her pubes, and the nipples should be red.

lucky: After spending quite sometime reading neatorama, I came to realize that most people who take time to comment here don't actually grasp what modern art is all about. The big problem is that people tend to look at such a piece of art without reflecting about the creative process or the concept behind it. If shown any of Duchamps' ready-mades or Pollock's action painting, they'd dismiss it as junk because it didn't require hours of work from the artist. It's quite sad, actually, that only young art students and graduates such as you and me can appreciate modern art.

I personally love it, and even though the idea is quite simple, I think the artist deserves much credit for actually thinking about it and going through creating this work of art. After all, it might seem crap, but it's still more clever than what most commenters on here can come up with!

ted: don't you think that the whole sex doll look might have been what she was aiming for? otherwise she would probably have took the 1 or 2 hours it would have take to give it an acceptable paint job. (btw, red nipples? wtf? If I saw a topless girl with bright red nipples, I'd believe she has some kind of disease, or weird tattoo.)

Also, it's not because you don't get it that there isn't a true meaning behind it; guess what, if her goal was making up a load of bullshit and call it art, it would actually serve some kind of poetic purpose and thus, would be art. Just look at Dada work and see what I mean. and the first comment was just general modern art bashing from someone who still believe in the artistic values predating WW2.

Now I know i'm probably losing my time on this, but the point is this: There isn't good or bad art. only art. If you don't like it, it doesn't mean it's crap. If you feel the need to comment about it, tell us what can be improved to make it "better". That's what we call a critique.

I live a stone's throw from RISD and have lectured there.

@DavidG

Yes, good old Art Appreciation 101, if your art gets critiqued by the mere public, let them know they're too stupid or unsophisticated to "get it".

@Steeliecat. Oops! Fixed now.

suppression of her parents? give me a friggin break.
do what all kids do, drink you're face off, and hump anything that walks. then puke in ur dads pillow case. or get all emo and razor blade you self. but don't claim this as your "healing process" ... it's pathetic.

I can't say it's aesthetically something I would want to have around, but hey. If your angsty past is something best represented by a Barbie-colored skin cast, by all means go for it.

@who ever said something about no pubes, she said totally shaved. as for nipples.....gross.

I think it would be cooler if she willed this done to her body when she dies.

Another artist depression

@DavidG

I like modern art, but a lot of it has to do with being the first to think of something rather than mastering a technique. Most of it is neat, but some is as anoying as ... 'First!'

"drink you’re face off"

Poetry.

OMG Hasn't anyone thought about the possibility of getting ideas into heads of deranged cpoycat mentalcases that are out there and will want to make actual human skin rugs of innocent victims...? Groce! Dangerous!

What is it with the modern artist's preoccupation with domestic artifacts?

Was it art when human beings were actually turned into lampshades and bars of soap?

Might Ed Gein's handiwork instead be found in a gallery today had he been given a more acceptable medium to work in?

Interesting image. But if the artist has to explain it...

A real human rug would have gone through a tanning process. To achieve a more realistic effect, the skin should have been colored a deep amber in uneven layers resembling the marbled look of parchment. The hair might turn bright red from certain chemicals used in the process. There would also be some shrinkage and mummifying of facial features. Glass eyes would be put in.

it would be better if the artist used it to convey another message: animal skin is grose! shouts: cruelty! how would you feel if you were skinned?

yeah thats right, that would be so much cooler :p

Is that how I look when I am laying on the floor watching tv in my Snuggie?

Now she needs to step up her game and create a Necronomicon-esque tribute with a bit of skin. ;)

reading the title of the blog I felt WOW lets see what's , but honestly I was in disbelieve for few seconds...
Human imagination leads artist to strange things LOL

DavidG, sorry I don't have enough artistic imagination to appreciate the subtleties of this piece.

Actually, I have a suggestion for improvement. The floor underneath could be raised enough from the floor to sink a human body down in it. She could lie there with just the skin portion on top, and her feet, hands and head sticking out, so the body area still appears flat. Then, when people come by, she could start screaming.

Wait a sec - that's not art, though, is it? That's just something you could do for Halloween.

Without her explanation -- which I still have trouble associating with the piece -- I'd have assumed this as an animal rights statement, pointing to the strange ways in which we still use dead animals for fashion and decor. And despite the simplicity in this regard, it seems much more effective as such.

Regardless, I give her credit for doing something creative and passionate to express her frustrations. You know, instead of just trolling message-boards and putting other people down to feel better about herself.

Stick a fleshlight in the mouth and I'd buy one.

It is my opinion that user experience of most blogs – and especially this one – would be vastly improved if you turned off the comments.

hey LaDolt, you clicked the "view comments" link.
instead of flapping your mouth, next time just don't look at the comments.
your comment is included in your statement i presume?

"I position myself as a human rug on a wooden floor with an open mouth and eyes that gaze suggestively upward. Parental influences from childhood continue to suppress me, long after I have grown up and they have gone."

Chrissy, get over yourself and buy yourself a life.

Wow. That's a repulsive waste of human effort. People would have bear skin rugs because of the threat of a bear and the fact that they conquered it. White female human art students are much less of a challenge and threat to livestock. Many women fail to realize (yes, and I generalize) that men's trend to display of dead critters is because of an ingrained sense of defending the homestead or because of lack of resources. You shoot something with fur, it's going to end up covering the floor, wall or bald spot on your cranium.

How, to add insult to injury, that's not even her natural hair color.

Legs need to be more hairy amongst other parts.

Does anyone know if she consulted mental health services yet?

I'm not particularly into this piece, but I'm happy to see that all of you had awesome parents. Maybe this girl really does have some serious crap in her life beyond the usual kid/parent conflicts. If what you get from this is "whiny" and not "rage", count yourself lucky.

Want to know why this isn't funny?
Nazi's actually made household decor with such items as human skin.
Like lampshades and book binding.

"Relationship with my parents"? What BS!
Jesus, just say you thought it was a cool idea and leave it at that!
Stupid artsy-farsty diatribe trying to sound tortured and sensitive.
(I'm an artist and wouldn't be caught dead spewing that crud)

I had it rough with the parents but, I would never drag them into my explanations. In fact, i'd probably praise them for unintentionally pushing me towards bettering my chances at exploring my limits.

This is why I love modern art... because 95% of people don't get it.

OMG. She's the same artist who did the "Chrissy Caviar" um...project. I knew the name struck a bell somewhere in my memory. I remember thinking at the time of the "Caviar" news item that she must just be an incredibly self-obsessed twit, but I do have to feel sorry for her if she's obviously got some parent issues. Some points for originality, but I was never comfortable with the "look at me" self-portraiture that some artists espouse (and I've been known to be an artist at times).

Dave D, in other words, you love modern art because you feel like it makes you better than the crass, unwashed 95% non-artsy types.

So, it's not at all about the quality of the art or the sense it makes or the appeal it has as a work of art. It's about the openings, and the snobbery, and the free drinks, and the posing in front of artwork and coming up with profound things to say. Then, you can sound like you're the one who has his s**t together, and look down your nose at those whose tastes are too pedestrian or run-of-the-mill. Philistines!

I love it. Very good work.

Where are the nipples? the labia and asshole? It will be interesting if you can get someone to donate their skin when they die. Preferably someone with a lot of scars or interesting tattoos....

i've always imagined myself as a "ronnieskin rug"...a trophy of a huntress that places me on the floor right before her big old easy chair,just like a bearskin rug...everything is flat except for my head!...and just like a bearskin rug she has the taxdermist place a big nasty snarel upon my face...perhaps as an area rug beneath her furniture and coffee table...or even tacked to a wall for an interesting conversation piece...very interesting...an area rug shaped like a flattened out man...my aspirations though are to be skinned, my hide tanned and used for women's enjoyment in footwear

OH TOO BAD IT IS BORRING FOR THE FOR THE MANY WANNA BE ARTISTS OUT THERE KNOCKING HER EXPRESSING HERSELF IN THIS AS SHE FELT. PERHAPS IF IT WERE A ANIMAL NEAR EXTINCTION OR IF SHE HAD ITS FLESH OVER HERS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UN-BORRING. I FIND IT ENTICING AND WISH I COULD FIND A HUMAN SKIN RUG CAUSE I WOULD HAVE ONE IN EVERY ROOM OF MY HUGE HOUSE IN DEFENSE OF EVERY SKINNED HUNTED SLAUGHTERED DEFENSLESS ANIMAL FROM THE BEAR THE TIGER THE LION ETC ETC ETC. HUMAN SKIN RUG HAS SUCH A LOVELY SOUND TO IT.