What is Luxury?

Unfortunately, I found more new from nature.
Spider move rapidly like teleportation.

There's more to be said about that, but putting all that aside, I consider the exhibitions I visited in V&A museum.

First, I am impressed by "What is luxury?" exhibition.
The way of display was interesting.
Two different works displayed together, and named each section "passion", "future", like that. There is a collaboration between two works which was made for different aim, in different age, and at different place.
I rediscovered the appeal of ancient works. They are attractive because not only they are old, but also they show excellent craftsmanship. I imagine how time spent on the works.

This exhibition's theme is reconsider the meaning of luxury.
For example, there is a work that represents monkey try to open treasure chest. I found there is a crown made in Portugal at 16th century next to monkey object. This crown is made of gold, diamond, ruby, and so on. This work is made of extremely expensive material and high craftsmanship. However, I rethink about value of this work. This is what thief wanted to get in the remote past. I looked lots of these type of antique in the museum many times.
Monkey thief object lead me think these antique still exist in same time as me. I feel like the monkey says "I want to steal this and get money. Why are you standing in front of this? What do you want to do with this treasure?"
It is interesting that monkey thief object is decorated with swarovski glasses.

Moreover, there are a lot of works which rethink the society. 

For example, there is a work that A Comprehensive Atlas of Gold Fictions by Aram Mooradian.

He try to think the gold from lots of points.

"He suggests an economy of gold objects valued not as financial assets but for the memories and stories that they hold."(V&A museum page)

In addition, there is a video which project the mining face and factory with information such as the annual income of worker, the name of track, even if the symbol of elements of everything on the video.

The work I was impressed strongest is "Hair Highway".

It is dressing table and combs. They had the pattern of stripes of red and black. I wondered how they made.They were similar to traditional traditional material: amber, but little bit different.

There was a video next to dressing table. The video project how they made.

Actually, dressing table and combs are made of resin, include human hair.

Firstly, many women sold their hair, and buyer selected good condition hairs. Next, hair was cleaned, bleached, and dyed. Finally, dyed hair was pressed into resin, and cut.

I think the process of making resin include hair is similar to women who works in factory.

Hair doesn't asked, "Whose hair are you?"

Women doesn't asked, "Where are you come from?" 

Hair was dyed same color.

Women always do same work again and again.

Hair doesn't asked, "Why are you collected?"

Women doesn't asked, "Why are you doing this job?" 

No one care about women background.Women doesn't know the purpose of their works.

Women lose their past and future. I think it is a big problem of this society.

The point of I was surprised most is this work is very attractive.

It is  beautiful.

I think the reason is because this work cause question. First, I thought what material is this. After I watched video, I thought why did artist make this. 

It is easy to learn some lessons from this work. However, this work doesn't give us answer what should I do about lessons.

The final work has contradiction inside. It looks like traditional material, but it doesn't. It is used for hair, but include hair inside. 

There is no answer to ask these questions, but I think this is the reason this work is attractive.

I have to think about this forever.

Another work I was impressed is "Fragile Future Concrete Chandelier".

This work represents the collaboration of nature and technology.

It is consists of dandelion and LED light and copper circuit and concrete.

I feel nostalgia from this work. I understand the reason when I watch the video of artist saying.

Lonnenke Goldijin said that dandelion is the first plant which she knew the name of plant.

The dandelion is close to her childhood.

Ralph Nauta said that since he was a child, he is always looking for the technology.

Technology is close to his nostalgia, too.

They make sensitive work from them childhood memory.

This work reminds me that I live with nature, technology both. They can not separate completely for me.

The concrete and Copper circuit like reinforced concrete building. The LED lights like the light through a window. This metaphor is very modern, but I feel life from lights, that was produced by human who must be looking for new technology since they were kids. The dandelion gain the power of life from nature sensitively.

That is my impression from"What is luxury?"exhibition.

I'll write something about"Savage Beauty"on different page.