Excessivism

Description

Excessivism is an art movement. In 2015 American artist and curator Kaloust Guedel introduced it to the world with an exhibition titled Excessivist Initiative. The review of the exhibition written by art critic and curator Shana Nys Dambrot, titled "Excessivism: Irony, Imbalance and a New Rococo" was published in the Huffington Post. Its early adopters go back to late 20th century.

Excessivism is a reflection, examination, or investigation of every aspect of life in excessive state with particular consideration of areas that have real and consequential effect on members of society. Subject areas include, but are not limited to, economics, politics and psychology. Its economic criticism is a commentary on economic materialism, and the desire to acquire material goods beyond one's needs. Read more ↗

Key Artists

Kaloust Guedel
American-Armenian artist and curator who introduced and theorized Excessivism in 2015 as an artistic critique of late-capitalist hyper-consumerism.
Ai Weiwei
Globally renowned conceptual artist associated with Excessivist discourse for his massive accumulations of materials and scathing critiques of capitalist and industrial excess.
Roxy Paine
American sculptor featured in early Excessivist dialogues whose hyper-detailed, industrial stainless-steel 'Dendroids' and resin fields confront the artificial saturation of the natural world.
Zhu Jinshi
Chinese abstract painter associated with Excessivism known for applying thick, sculptural layers of oil paint with shovels and spatulas to embody material abundance.
Fabian Marcaccio
Argentine-American artist known for 'Paintants' that merge digital printing, silicone, and 3D relief into excessive, hybrid visual structures.

Famous Artworks

Excess #275
Kaloust Guedel · 2015
Exhibited at LA Artcore Brewery Annex, Los Angeles - Vinyl, acrylic, and mixed media on canvas
Coronation of Vagina
Kaloust Guedel · 2015
Los Angeles - Vinyl and mixed media sculpture
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Ai Weiwei · 2010
Tate Modern, London - One hundred million handmade porcelain sunflower seeds
Credit: Loz Pycock from London, UK - CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Maelstrom
Roxy Paine · 2009
Metropolitan Museum of Art Roof Garden, New York - Stainless steel pipes and rods
Boat
Zhu Jinshi · 2012
Exhibited internationally - Twelve thousand sheets of crumpled Xuan paper, bamboo, and cotton thread

Fun Facts

Excessivism was formally launched in October 2015 with an exhibition titled 'The Excessivist Initiative' at the LA Artcore Brewery Annex gallery in Los Angeles, curated by Kaloust Guedel.
↗ Source: en.wikipedia.org
According to Guedel's foundational manifesto, Excessivism investigates late-capitalist society's desire to acquire material goods far beyond basic human need, operating devoid of traditional aesthetic or ethical constraints.
↗ Source: en.wikipedia.org

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