But Schumann was leading the charge - taking the play to the people, and making only small concessions each time. It seems almost quaint, now that site specific performance is an accepted part of the theatrical cannon. Finding his work unsuited to such restrictions, Schumann took the streets before taking his performances everywhere that art is not normally found - countryside’s, communes, abandoned buildings. When Schumann arrived on the scene in the early 60’s, his fresh and open approach to art would have been shocking to a New York cultural elite that mooched around private galleries and auctions. In this instance, cheap art is not only economical from the company’s perspective - it is a vital element of democracy, in art as in life. In fact, the company’s name takes on yet another meaning - the company director Peter Schumann bakes dozens of fresh sourdough loaves to be shared at every performance. It should be like good bread - easy to make, and made to share. It should be available and easily accessible to all, and it should always be truthful. And just as well, because it is hard to imagine that the NEA would approve of their staunchly and unambiguously green-socialist stance.įor Bread and Puppet, art is not only democratic - it is one of the central tenets of life. Bread and Puppet’s unflinching (yet often hilarious) social critique is fundamentally attached to their economic approach to construction and performance as a company, they have never had to rely on funding from any external body. Over the course of their history, the company has tackled many an American institution or government policy - from the Vietnam war, to climate change deniers, to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, to the election of Donald Trump. Bread and Puppet similarly make use of meagre provisions for political ends, but with quite the opposite intent - the company has a long history of exposing the darker side of American culture. But their name also gives some clue as to their political manifesto: their name is a thinly veiled reference to the Roman idiom ‘bread and circus’, a deference to the meagre provisions given to Roman lower classes by the social elite, in an attempt to divert their attentions away from the huge economic inequality of Ancient Rome. As their name may suggest, they are a puppet group, creating huge puppets out of found materials and putting on shows in open public spaces. Bread and Puppet are a phenomenally successful and seminal political theatre troupe - one of the oldest in the Western World, having soldiered on continuously since the early 1960’s. If we are to talk about the history of cheap art, then immediate kudos has to go to Bread and Puppet, and their founder Peter Schumann. They shall provide new inspiration in financially uncertain times. Whether it be to circumnavigate the pressures of arts funding, to rally against a capital driven society, or simply to try and create something out of nothing, there are many examples of cheap art that have not only littered art history, but fundamentally diverted it. From guerrilla style puppet shows, to punk rockers and club kids, subcultures have always sought avenues that allow for a more fiscally conservative approach. But this is not the first time in history that artists have been under pressure to create eye catching work on a meagre budget. Especially now, as we all continue hurtling ever further down an economic rollercoaster, the inbuilt prejudice towards technically flawless and exquisitely created work has never seemed more imbalanced, a comprehensive metaphor for the wealth inequality at even this most supposedly democratic end of the art world. For an amateur artist, this can seem incredibly frustrating, and at times disillusioning. We aren’t just talking about the raw materials here, though that it is certainly a concern - the very nuts and bolts of online content (cameras, lighting set ups, editing equipment) demand that artists shell out top dollar if they want to compete in an oversaturated, perfection-obsessed market. With online mediums such as YouTube and Instagram dominating the amateur arts field, there has never been such a huge pressure on artists to spend a pretty penny in order to be seen. Whether it be to circumnavigate the pressures of arts funding, to rally against a capital driven society, or simply to try and create something out of nothing, there are many examples of cheap art that have fundamentally diverted art history.
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