I Don't Get It.....

Um, so this is the first time that I haven't liked an "In the Making" article. I really didn't get this one at all. I understand the idea behind making art that doesn't harm the environment, but rather works with nature, but this man's work is beyond me. I don't see playing in the dirt as art. When I was reading this article, I couldn't help thinking about the kids I teach. They go outside everyday at recess and make some sort of construction out of nature. Little holes in the ground, piles of grass, planted 'seeds', trenches, etc. They will tell me about them and sometimes show them to me. When I was a child, I did similar things. I used nature as a toy. That's what I think this guy is doing, playing with nature, not really accomplishing anything. I understand that his pieces are used for specific purposes and are far more complicated than a hole in the ground, but I just can't wrap my head around calling what he does art. I also don't like the fact that he has 'clients.' Do these people pay him to play in the dirt and make them something that is so temporary that the next rain might destroy it entirely? No, I don't like this arrangement at all. I'm glad you enjoyed it though, Kelsey :) Maybe we can talk about why you do in class and I'll be able to understand this artist better. Oh, and I notcied that you didn't include one of his terms that actually stuck out to me the most...

Primordial waste: The process of taking command of our own feces, urine, and other by-products, bypassing public health management and centralized treatment systems, and returning them to usefulness in our resource base.

Eww, did you not also find this distgusting? Does he mean to recycle our waste or turn it into art or something? I don't know about you, but I totally do not support 'art', and I use the term very loosely, that includes bodily waste. How disturbing.

ps- i'm up for either idea, just lemme know....