Text-o-possum: low tech, bad art

From the amazing "artist" who created the Compubeaver (a case mod involving a dead beaver meant as social commentary), comes this latest thought-provoking piece: the Text-o-possum. Delivered as a conceptual composition, the taxidermized opossum is supposed to represent our "disconnect from nature." Undoubtedly thrilling stuff if you just got out of art school, but seriously, this is just one of those laser keyboards wedged under the leg of a dead animal. We get the impression that, Damien Hirst excepted, no one's very interested.

[Via Wired]

[alex1robinson @ Jul 19th 2007 6:22AM]

Hmm, well yes it could be called bad taste but I think it does get the point across quite well. The position the animal is in suggests it is cowering from something. Our advancements in society have killed many of the worlds animals so I think this demonstrates it quite well.

[FK @ Jul 19th 2007 7:36AM]

LOL WUT

[louder @ Jul 19th 2007 6:28AM]

i think it's crap. this is not art.

[blackfeather @ Jul 19th 2007 9:49AM]

yeah, but it's still better than the iphone keyboard...

[Elepski @ Jul 19th 2007 8:18AM]

Junk art.... Taxidermy and Technology... just don't compliment each other... right up there with the stuffed deer butt with a light bulb in the hole....

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 19th 2007 8:54AM]

So where's the FireFox?

[nevermorethanzero @ Jul 19th 2007 9:30AM]

yeah.. good job on the damien hirst reference tiger. but seriously.. even recent art school grads find this less than thrilling. conceptual art (if this is the supplied nomenclature in this instance) too often uses concept as a scapegoat for craftsmanship and substance. yes... there may be a narrative in here.. but really... i could find a better example of art in the bottom of my toilet. bleh.

[Sour @ Jul 19th 2007 10:19AM]

"Conseptual" and "Abstract" art are attempts by those without any skill or talent to make something meaningful - does that make it less art? Technically no. Anything that you make that means something to you is technically art.

However, just because you make soemthing that's meaningful to you doesn't make it worthy of appreciation by others.

[nevermorethanzero @ Jul 19th 2007 11:40AM]

While i dislike this piece.. I do not argue whether it is or is not art. Aesthetics aside... Conceptual and Abstract are not merely the field of untalented artists... for an overview check out the work of Bruce Nauman, Joseph Beuys, Damien Hirst (and while you are at it.. the whole of the Young British Artists), Anthony Gormley, Kiki Smith, etc. Conceptual and Abstract art can and often are married to talent and skill.

[Yardsheep @ Jul 19th 2007 11:01AM]

I am pretty sure art is simply an expression of one's self. I don't like some things some people say - I don't agree with them, but it is simply the expression of themselves. So is this piece of art, warped, lacking or otherwise. It at least has a smack of humor that much other art lacks. Text-o-possum. It has a nice ring to it. Perhaps we could make some cases for handhelds or the iPhone from some departed possums. Don't laugh, you know damn well someone would buy it. Kudos to the maker of the laser empowered dead possum!

[lynn @ Oct 9th 2007 5:15PM]

Your comments sound so much like someone I used to know....... a good friend.... is your name Dave by any chance and do you happen to live in our countries Great North Region?

[Chris R @ Oct 9th 2007 6:02PM]

Hi Lynn. In fact I do live in the Great North, middle Great North to be less vague. My name is Chris, not Dave, but oddly enough I have been called Dave many many times in my life. I always wondered what was up with that. Are you from, or did you ever live in NYC?

:-)

[Bohi @ Jul 19th 2007 12:11PM]

Aren't those usually flat? Maybe that's just out on the road.

Good eats though – that asphalt flavors them real nice.

[XSportSeeker @ Jul 19th 2007 3:21PM]

Art or not art, truth be told: It's still crap.
What's next? A dead horse with a 20" laptop stuck in it's ass?
C'mom!

[Dante @ Jul 19th 2007 5:31PM]

If it actually worked i'd buy one.

[Jeff @ Jul 19th 2007 9:15PM]

haha, in fact, i just graduated with a degree in fine arts, and i can tell you that this certainly is NOT "thrilling stuff"

what a joke.

[drtekger @ Jul 19th 2007 10:32PM]

Imagine you pulling this thing out at Starbucks in order to write some stuff. Pure awesomeness! I will get me one :D

[Cormin @ Jul 20th 2007 2:44AM]

the artist that invented this is one that trys to make fun of all aspects of life, and bringing people out of their comfort zone...

so this could definetly could be considered art

[Spyvie @ Jul 25th 2007 11:59PM]

OK, so what if this was a prop in a Bond movie?

It could be part of some secret data entry system in some Cletus the Slack Jawed Yokel themed arch villain’s hideout.

Then it might be art.