Construction and Deconstruction - Function - Research Paper Example

In doing so, the artist seeks to produce with the onlooker a dialogue one that fills us with appreciation or apprehension about the world, others and ourselves. The Uses of Deconstruction Deconstruction has often been used or shock or stun the onlooker in the tradition of surrealism. Deconstructive art believes that we should not rely on any previous assumptions (Mundy, 2001). In general parlance, we can equate this to describing the meaning of a word by using another group of words. So we will find that there is a hierarchical or strong-weak or teacher-student relationship between the words generally used in a language.

This is frowned upon by the followers of deconstructive art. Such artists believe as much in the importance of leaving things out as in conveying no specific meaning. Though deconstruction has been criticised as a nihilistic and frivolously sceptical pursuit, yet some scholars have welcomed it as a useful reminder in, perhaps, politics where what is said is sometimes less important than what is purposefully left out. Deconstructive art can inversely remind us of the importance of structuralism in our lives and how it aids us in constructing logic and giving meaning to language, thought etc.

Alternatively, it can also form a basis for equating things that we normally never do, being of interest to inventors etc. I will now proceed to comment on the works of a number of different practitioners of deconstructive art, trying to fathom what message they are trying to convey through their works. The Works of Mona Hatoum Mona Hatoum (born 1952) is a Lebanese artist but has resided in the UK ever since the days of the war in 1975. She has never regarded herself as a Lebanese and her love of art was never encouraged by her family especially her father, since he wanted her to do something more practical in life.

While in exile in London, she had a chance to study at the Slade School of Art and the Shaw School of Art. Mona was especially interested in Minimalism and the psychological manifestation of art. In her own words: “I don’t think art is the best place to be didactic- I don’t think the language of visual art is the most suitable for presenting clear arguments, let alone for trying to convince, convert or teach” (Archer et al, 1997). Mona surprises by using seemingly innocuous materials to convey messages of fear, danger and isolation.

One of her first works, ‘Measures of Distance’ (1988) is a video tape she recorded that shows the distances between Arab and Western society, between male and female gender, between war and peace, freedom and exile. It is a monologue by her mother and a reply to all her questions. It speaks of fragmentation, of not knowing one’s place in society, of the dangers in living in Lebanon during the war. It appeals to the senses and the heart in a particularly personal way if you hear the work using headphones (as I did).

In ‘Silence’ (1994) Mona uses glass tubing to construct a child’s bed, reflecting the vulnerability of the child being hurt by glass in a place it equates with comfort, thus, there is a paradox here as well. In ‘Mexican Cage’ (2002) Mona again depicts the plight of Mexican workers. They are enslaved by low wages and even bonded labour. The red, blue, orange and white colours of the cage look so inviting but we must remember that it is a