Conceptual Art is Over

The next set of figures I'm making, in wood-fired pewter, will acknowledge process more. The Unmaking of Conceptual Art is one reason why.

I am not a concept (no idea) — **I am not a concept (No Idea)** *2012 pewter*

Basically the idea will come last in the process of making art. Naming is the official end of the process. As I am very process focussed I need that sort of clear definition to come to an end. Also if something doesn't get a name in a few months then I will just melt it down again.

Naming the work is the final part of making the Art.

No name, no art, no idea.

I am sure this is not a new thing. I just want to acknowledge up front it in the face of idea driven art.

What I like in including the naming of the artwork in the process of making it, particularly in pouring metal sculpture, is that the accidents of the process will not portend disaster, nor be effaced. Especially when using all wallaby-dung & earth investments to the wax positives, where the process is primarily of trying to minimise the environmental impact.

I also like the way I recognise my previous want to be a writer in this, and not suppress it.

Now I do like ideas, so anticeptual is a way of saving ideation space, but any concepts or ideas associated with my work will be post hoc. Currently called anticeptual this is in contradistinction to conceptual. Might be a bad start I guess. Postceptual might be better. We'll see.

The Conceptual Impossibility of Contemplating the Product of Damien Hirst's Marketing Campaigns as Art, for while Conceptual Art was once a Liberating Idea, it is no longer funny, an old joke too often explained, (Peter Waller agreed it was a lot like Mannerism) and anyway Conceptual Art has been Killed by His Success (Damian Hirst is six months older than me) and as Art Markets Lose Control of "What is Art?" it is Possible that the Art Market will disappear, but not because Everybody is an Artist, even if they all are Creative and Full of Ideas, (though Sue Lovegrove once told me that "No, some people have no Ideas, no Idea at all," "Really?" I said. "Really Really Really," said Sue.) "Oh dear," I said, "No Art for Sale anymore? You won't be able to even sell 3D Printers because you can Print them too, once People get the Hang of that Idea what on earth will People Bother to Collect then?" *2012 pewter*

In realising the name Figures of Anticeptual Art for this set of figures I suddenly also recollected that the first of these figures was made two years ago. Thus #Swineflu is Born! (pewter, 2009, wallaby dung outer investment) is the first example of the process where naming is a conscious method of finishing the artwork.

It doesn’t start with an idea or concept, for the naming finishes it. The art is realised, not conceived.

I had just recovered from the misnamed swineflu.

(I caught the #swineflu from a young woman who served me a hamburger as I transited through Melbourne back to Hobart from Weilmoringle. She did not look well and should not have been at work.)

I was wanting to send a piece to the Twitter Art Show, so as I broke open the wallaby dung and plaster investment it was obvious what the piece should be called. I stopped then and there. I did not even cut it off its cup to retrieve all that pewter. It all went to Florida by Air Mail.

The work was finished in the moment I realised what its true name was.

Twitter hashtag and all.