Creative Vulgarism - Artist Makes Porcelain Figures Offend (GALLERY)

While some complain that the current offerings in art and design are uninteresting and uninspired, too kitschy and commercial to be deemed true art and design, there are artists, like Barnaby Barford, who consider their pieces clever.

Using both historic and modern ceramic or porcelain figurines, Barford would ordinarily be dismissed as populist; he reassembles the pieces with wit and humor, creating new works.  The new context brings new life to old pieces, and asks the usual ‘art questions’ such as, “What is respectability?” “What is art if not to question conflicting values?”

While Barford and other artists may say the works are explorations and satire, others call it Vulgarism.  And still others just like it.