The Art of the Ridiculous

 

I walked down the stairs, and there he was, the artist, let’s call him Mr P — bouncing across the stage, zipped up in a sleeping bag painted to look like poop. It was absurd, hilarious, and, somehow, completely serious.

“Hi, Jules!” he yelled. Yep, you read that right. Quite a few of his works feature faeces. To my amazement, the audience wasn’t laughing; they were having an intellectual discussion about his work being displayed in the loos.

But to be fair, dung in art isn’t exactly breaking news. Chris Ofili famously won the Turner Prize for paintings that incorporated elephant dung, beads, glitter, and clippings from porn magazines. I saw one of his pieces recently at the Saatchi Yates Gallery. I’ve always been a fan. 

Chris Ofili - Through the Grapevine 1998 - Once Upon a Time in London

And then there’s Piero Manzoni, who, back in 1961, took conceptual art to its most extreme conclusion. He literally canned his own excrement and sold it as artwork. Yes, really.

This kind of stuff has been driving art collectors bananas (literally). Someone paid $120,000 for Maurizio Cattelan’s Comedian, a banana taped to a wall. Then there was the shredded Banksy (now worth a cool $25 million), Exploding Shed, and Tracey Emin’s infamous My Bed.

Talking of ridiculous performances, I’m in NYC, where a giant orange wotsit seems to be directing the national stage. In the middle of it all, I encountered Analia Saban’s Puffer. Referencing the material of classical sculpture, yet carved by both the hand and the latest robotic technology, the work encapsulates a central concern in Saban’s practice: the dichotomy of the hand versus the machine.

Analia Saban’s - Puffer 2025

If you’re not steeped in the art world, I get it; these pieces might sound like total madness. But for me, art is about what intrigues or surprises me. Many of these works are making a statement, often poking fun at the art market itself.

And while the “mad” pieces are captivating, I also encountered some truly inspiring works that made my heart sing and my soul glow. You see, madness and magic often share the same canvas. Here are my top new finds in the city:

https://www.smjny.com/jennifer-packer

Jennifer Packer - Nate, Chey.. 2025

Jacob Hashimoto - Analogue Death 2025

Back to London, if anyone fancies a trip to see David Shrigley’s @davidshrigley Ten Ton’s of Rope, I’m up for it!

These creations remind us that creativity has no limits. Whether you love them or loathe them, they challenge how we define art. Because at the end of the day, art should provoke, surprise, and sometimes leave you wondering, What on earth did I just see?

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Much love,
Julesx






*Cover photo: Jennifer Packer

 
Art News, Art, Contemporary ArtJules DoyleBlank White Space Art Lovers, Art Consultation, Milan Art Scene, Milano ArtComment