ART from MONA That Your Child Could Have Made Skill Is a Thing

ART FROM MONA that your child could have made Skill is a thing. It isn’t a big thing, at first. Two young kids aren’t widely divergent in their capacity to learn, though they might be very different physically. Most of us assume that because size, strength, skin colour, hair, eye colour and other physical characteristics vary so much, the stuff we can’t see, like the ability to do sudoku, also varies. But it’s the physical stuff, the out-there-on-the-surface stuff that is sampled from the enormous number of genotypes (that thus express an enormous number of phenotypes—our observed characteristics) that enables us to respond to the environment.

The environment isn’t on the inside, so much. So we’re all pretty much the same on the inside (except for sex differences). Talent starts to appear through opportunity, training, repetition and serendipity. So a few of us get really, really good at something—like painting, or walking on stilts. Many of us, most of us, don’t get any good at anything.

Good means a number of things. Good at chess doesn’t mean the facility that your child could have made

to move the pieces. And good at painting doesn’t only mean putting ART FROM MONA paint on paper or canvas. Good does have a biological purpose, though. When you are good at something you are signalling that you were able to expend the time to acquire expertise, and that you were genetically blessed (i.e. a little bit better to begin with). For the most part, ‘good’ is a signal to a potential mate. Although the signals are created within you, ART FROM MONA and through your skills, you don’t have to be aware of them. Usually, you

that your child could have made ascribe your endeavours to something else (‘I like painting, it makes me calm.’ Or, ‘This is how I make my living’). That’s called a proximate motive, and it’s real for you. The evolutionary principles that made you, however, inadvertently have ultimate motives. If you, and thus your traits and your genes, don’t execute these ultimate motives well, your genes won’t get into the next generation (and therefore your ancestors did OK, for their genes hung around). You don’t have to be seeking a mate to behave in a way that enhances your chances of finding one. The signal is decoupled from the stimulus. You just need to seek pleasure because pleasure will, ultimately, be circumscribed by those things that get your genes into the next generation.

Addictions, though, circumvent the evolutionary mechanism by giving you pleasure while bypassing the signalling process. They work because they are too much of a good thing, like cheesecake, or chocolate. We aren’t UNTITLED, 2007 designed to live within an environment that satisfies every temptation. In Balint Zsako our ancestral environment, it was hard to get calories. So getting calories

3 ART FROM MONA that your child could have made 5 , . ART FROM MONA that your child could have made Arcane knowledge enables us to signal to those who don’t possess that to those who don’t enables us to signal Arcane knowledge going on. Art we have something knowledge that academics write essays academic jargon that serves no one understands, using that nearly no of seeking a glimmer lecture kids who are desperately purpose, and academics Unless they became simply to pass the course. understanding My use their newly acquired spurious knowledge. themselves they’ll never brother called this sort fact’. There’s no meat on of knowledge ‘bones of their a purpose for some. The academics build those bones, but they serve who prestige, and that’s attractive, even to those own peer recognition and aren’t in the clique. Conceptual artsame sort is the evolved of thing, at least when it abandons It requires the acquisition of an argot to appreciate, aesthetics (signalling). the signal their elitism with eloquent sophistries of but it enables elitists to ‘It’s art is’ type. because I say it When an arthe says (it’s academic talks about a work at Mona, and ‘It expresses a naive usually blokes that are the biggest prestige-hounds) be demarcated in its primitivism, but the conceptual ontology can only the emergent oeuvre’ axiological purview with a rigorous reckoning of he means it’s —David Walsh Toccata , you will attract appropriate suitors. This thing we call , you will attract appropriate

and Fugue in D Minor became very pleasurable. That pleasure is signalled through dopamine is signalled through pleasurable. That pleasure became very without the plan to get the dopamine example. But it’s a bad release, for evolved mechanism. skills are better than biology. is really subtle, and All this signalling than hot (hot is secondarily useful—it signals It’s better to be handy That’s because being hot attracts everyone, but reproductive fitness). appropriate mates is more useful (read: it has a filter that attracts only are outcomes in our genetic history). So if you produced more successful perfect note from the engine of an SLR Torana, really good at getting the can recognise the value and difficulty of that you will attract those that can extract the perfect note from Bach’s tuning. Likewise, if you ‘taste’ saves such a lot of time and effort.‘taste’ saves such a lot And that’s biologically useful. well—art,I know that making stuff music, bedspreads, lamingtons—is although making stuff consumes resources, biologically useful because, makes stuff, and always energy and time, every individual in every society make folk arthas, ever since voices and hands evolved. We (like singing a aid survival), and we football team song) to bind us together (communities make elite art to seek mates. Even if we (spend two years tuning a Torana) the signal is decoupled are rebelling against our mates, or are gay. Again, appropriate, but they are from the stimulus. Our cues are reproductively in competition with applied across the whole organism, and sometimes other traits expressed in our social and sexual self. evolutionary mechanism Some of the stuff we do has a much more indirect doesn’t do us (or no mechanism at all). Arcane knowledge acquisition effect of general learning much good. It might be that we do it as a side knowledge has a very specific being itself beneficial, but my guess is arcane role to play. One of my mates (Robert) Papiamento, a Caribbean learned speakers. He never got language with less than three hundred thousand Except with us. It to speak Papiamento, so it never did him any good. speak German. He also accrued more brownie points than his ability to to buy his book on the put his library catalogue online, and the CIA wanted to everybody, so my mate’s Kandahar dialect of Pashtu. We told that story did that benefit him? It prestige grew. I told that story at his funeral. How often are motives Ultimate status. my enhanced have well may it but didn’t, concealed. 4

that your child could have made have could child your that ART FROM MONA FROM ART 6 7 FAHRRAD MIT FARBE, 1995–2003 Roman Signer

Previous: 9 FREEING THE VOICE (still), 1975 Marina Abramović RED LINE, 2013 Chiharu Shiota 10

Previous: DOTS OBSESSION—TASMANIA, 2016 Yayoi Kusama 14 ANAL KISS, 2000 Wim Delvoye ALIEN (SKULL), 2005 John Kelly 16 Technician at Mona working on a copy of Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus (1601) for the exhibition Hound in the Hunt 19 BABY AUGUSTE, 1957 Charles Blackman 20 ENGPASS, 2000–11 Roman Signer 23 UNTITLED (detail), 2002 Jannis Kounellis 24 THE SOURCE, 2002–3 John Olsen 26 SLEEPING (still), 1998 Katthy Cavaliere 28 CANDLE DESCRIBING A SPHERE, 2006 Jason Shulman 31 O (BETWEEN FANS), 2006 Zilvinas Kempinas 32 ONE AND THREE BROOMS, 1965 Joseph Kosuth 35 MUR DE PELLICULE (WALL OF FILM), 2002 Michel Blazy 36 37 CHOLERA. SEED. THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT THOMAS, 2003 38 Damien Hirst FRECCIA LASER, 1988 Maurizio Mochetti 40 MAP 2, 2006–10 Tamuna Sirbiladze 42 THE MOTH COLLECTION, 2003–7 Stephen J Shanabrook 44 SKIN FLINT, 1984 TAKE OFF, 2012 Jean-Michel Basquiat Roger Ballen 47 WEAR NO. 4, 2001 Neil Haddon

ROBE STREET, ST KILDA, 1945 49 Sidney Nolan 48 LOVE IS NOTHING BUT A SORE, 2008 Dasha Shishkin 50 52 53 Previous: I AM MAKING ART (stills), 1971 John Baldessari 54 FERTILITY FIGURE South Caspian Region, North West Iran, c. 1000 BCE

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500,000 BP BP 500,000 c. cheulean, A France,

AXE HAND UNTITLED, 2007 Balint Zsako 57 ART FROM MONA that your child could have made 58 Tamuna Sirbiladze /BalintZsako Jason Shulman/Roman Signer / Chiharu Shiota/DashaShishkin / Stephen JShanabrook/ Sam Porritt/JonPylypchuk / Sidney Nolan/JohnOlsen Yayoi Kusama/ Maurizio Mochetti / Joseph Kosuth/JannisKounellis John Kelly/ZilvinasKempinas Neil Haddon/DamienHirst Katthy Cavaliere/WimDelvoye Charles Blackman/MichelBlazy Roger Ballen / Jean-Michel Basquiat / Marina Abramović /JohnBaldessari /

59 LIST OF WORKS 60 Abramović Archives oftheMarina Courtesy 3 hours Belgrade Student CulturalCentre, Performance New York,NY,USA (now Serbia);livesandworksin Born 1946,Belgrade,Yugoslavia Marina Abramović 1975 2008.010 Mona Dimensions variable paint Bicycle, rope,metalreservoir, St Gallen,Switzerland Switzerland; livesandworksin Born 1938,Appenzell, Roman Signer 1995–2003 (BICYCLE WITHPAINT) FAHRRAD MITFARBE 8–9 FREEING THEVOICE 6–7 2007.092 Mona 40.6 x30.5cm Watercolour andinkonpaper USA lives andworksinBrooklyn,NY, Born 1979,Budapest,Hungary; Balint Zsako 2007 UNTITLED 2

(still)

Courtesy oftheartist Courtesy 2005.029 Mona 198. 1x261.6cm Oil onlinen works inIreland in Australia1965–96;livesand Born 1965,Bristol,England; John Kelly 2005 ALIEN (SKULL) 17 Studio WimDelvoye Lipstick printonhotelstationery Belgium lives andworksinGhent, Born 1965,Wervik,Belgium; Wim Delvoye 2000 ANAL KISS 15 oftheartist Courtesy exhibition OntheOriginofArt Commissioned byMonaforthe Room 343x550876cm Mixed mediainstallation lives andworksinTokyo,Japan Born 1929,Matsumoto,Japan; Yayoi Kusama 2016 TASMANIA DOTS OBSESSION– 12–13 oftheartist Courtesy Geneva Collection OlivierVarenne, 138 x200cm Oil pastelonpaper where shelivesandworks in 1997toBerlin,Germany, Born 1972,Osaka,Japan;moved Chiharu Shiota 2013 RED LINE 10–11 21 (1601) Caravaggio’s working onacopyof exhibition HoundintheHunt ofMona’s A participant 18–19 2009.027 Mona Dimensions variable parts Jute coffeebags,coal;three died in2017 1956 toRome,Italy,wherehe Born 1936,Piraeus,Greece; Jannis Kounellis 2002 UNTITLED 24–25 2009.025 Mona 650 cm Concrete bunker240x1700 Installation withcar St Gallen,Switzerland Switzerland; livesandworksin Born 1938,Appenzell, Roman Signer 2000–11 ENGPASS (BOTTLENECK) 22–23 2004.063 Mona 112.8 x86.2cm hardboard Enamel paintonpaper died 2018,Sydney,Australia Brisbane andLondon,England; lived andworkedinMelbourne, Born 1928,Sydney,Australia; Charles Blackman 1957 BABY AUGUSTE (detail) Supper atEmmaus

2005.006 Mona 249.5 x610cm panels Oil onmarineplywood,five near Bowral,NSW,Australia Sydney, Australia;livesandworks Australia, 1928;movedin1935to Born Newcastle,NSW, John Olsen 2002–3 THE SOURCE 26–27 2006.071 Mona Dimensions variable electric fans Magnetic cassettetapeand NY, USA lives andworksinNewYork, Born 1969,Plunge,Lithuania; Zilvinas Kempinas 2006 O (BETWEENFANS) 33 2007.180 Mona Dimensions variable fabricated room Burning candlestickin where helivesandworks Born 1963,London,England, Jason Shulman 2006 SPHERE CANDLE DESCRIBINGA 30–31 Estate oftheartist VHS video;duration00:26:00 died 2012inSydney,Australia Italy; movedin1976toAustralia; Tuscany, Born 1972,Sarteano, Katthy Cavaliere 1998 SLEEPING 28–29 (still)

2006.030 Mona 163.8 x128.215cm Flies andresinoncanvas in Baja,Mexico Devon, England,inLondonand and worksnearCombeMartin, Born 1965,Bristol,England;lives Damien Hirst 2003 from ‘TheCancerChronicles’ THOMAS THE MARTYRDOMOFSAINT SEED. CHOLERA. 39 2008.157 Mona 370 x459cmoverall Agar-agar, tumericandwater works inParis,France Born 1966,Monaco;livesand Michel Blazy 2012 and2017 2002; recreatedatMonain (WALL OFFILM MUR DEPELLICULE 36–37 EA3.a-c-1979 Purchased 1979 Melbourne National GalleryofVictoria, 149 x190cm broom andscreenprint Gelatin silverphotograph, USA andLondon,England lives andworksinNewYork,NY, Born 1945,Toledo,OH,USA; Joseph Kosuth 1965 ONE ANDTHREEBROOMS 34–35 )

2008.067 Mona 49 x61.55cm crack use Remnants fromheroinand Russia York, NY,USAandMoscow, USA; livesandworksinNew Born 1965,Cleveland,OH, Stephen J.Shanabrook 2003–7 THE MOTHCOLLECTION 44–45 2010.056 Mona Dimensions variable supports movable panels,onwood Acrylic paintoncanvas,four Vienna, Austria Georgia); livesandworksin Born 1971,Tbilisi,USSR(now Tamuna Sirbiladze 2006–10 MAP 2 42–43 2004.083 Mona Dimensions variable laser andtransformer Carbon fibre,metal,plastic, where helivesandworks Born 1940,Rome,Italy, Maurizio Mochetti 1988 (LASER ARROW) FRECCIA LASER COVER, 40–41

61 LIST OF WORKS OF LIST LIST OF WORKS 62 AG8087 2004 FoundationofTasmania, Art Purchased withfundsfromthe Gallery Tasmanian MuseumandArt 210 x190cm canvas High-gloss enamelpainton Australia in Hobart, 1996 toAustralia;livesandworks 1990–96 inSpain;moved Born 1967,Epsom,England; Neil Haddon 2001 WEAR NO.4 49 2006.001 Mona 90 x121cm Enamel paintonhardboard died 1992,London,England Born 1917,Melbourne,Australia; Sidney Nolan 1945 ROBE STREET,STKILDA 48 ofthearist Courtesy 90 xcm Archival pigmentprint South Africa lives andworksinJohannesburg, Born 1950,NewYorkCity,USA; Roger Ballen 2012 TAKE OFF 47 217.8 x172.7cm canvas coloured transfercollageon Acrylic paint,oilstickand died 1988,NewYork,NY,USA Born 1960,Brooklyn,NY,USA; Jean-Michel Basquiat 1984 SKIN FLINT 46 NMR1178.1 University ofSydney The NicholsonMuseum, 16.3 x10.24.2cm Flint France, Acheulean,500,000BP HAND AXE 55 2222.0045 UniversityofMelbourne of Art, loan totheIanPotterMuseum Collection ofAntiquities,on The VizardFoundation 30 x167.5cm Terracotta West Iran,c.1000BCE South CaspianRegion,North FERTILITY FIGURE 54 2008.011 Mona sound; duration00:18:40 Video, blackandwhite,with Monica, CA,USA USA; livesandworksinSanta Born 1931,NationalCity,CA, John Baldessari 1971 I AMMAKINGART 52–53 2008.172 Mona 191.1 x261.6cm Acrylic paintandinkoncanvas and works in New York, NY, USA Born 1977,Moscow,USSR;lives Dasha Shishkin 2008 SORE LOVE ISNOTHINGBUTA 50–51 (stills) 2007.092 Mona 40.6 x30.5cm Watercolour andinkonpaper USA lives andworksinBrooklyn,NY, Born 1979,Budapest,Hungary; Balint Zsako 2007 UNTITLED 56 2007.095 Mona 40.6 x30.5cm Watercolour andinkonpaper USA lives andworksinBrooklyn,NY, emigrated in1989toCanada; Born 1979,Budapest,Hungary; Balint Zsako 2007 UNTITLED 57 Balint Zsako Dasha Shishkin;52–53©JohnBaldessari;56–57 Bridgeman Images;49©NeilHaddon;50–51 47 ©RogerBallen;48SIDNEYNOLANTRUST/ Jean-Michel Basquiat.ARS/CopyrightAgency,2018; 44–45 ©StephenJShanabrook;46Theestateof Maurizio Mochetti;42–43©TamunaSirbiladze; reserved, CopyrightAgency&DACS2018;40© Blazy; 39©DamienHirstandScienceLtd.Allrights ARS/Copyright Agency,2018;36–37©Michel 33 ©ZilvinasKempinas;34–35JosephKosuth. Estate ofKatthyCavaliere;30–31©JasonShulman; © JohnOlsen/CopyrightAgency,2018;28–29 © RomanSigner;24–25JannisKounellis;26–27 Charles Blackman/CopyrightAgency,2018;22–23 Kusama; 15©WimDelvoye;17JohnKelly;21 Signer; 10–11©ChiharuShiota;12–13Yayoi Bild-Kunst/Copyright Agency,2018;8–9©Roman 2 ©BalintZsako;6–7MarinaAbramović.VG notobtained. inadvertently from anycopyrightholderwhompermissionwas publication. Thepublisherwelcomescommunication permission tousecopyrightmaterialinthis hasbeenmadetoobtain Every reasonableeffort

63 PICTURE CREDITS PICTURE ART FROM MONA that your child could have made 64 and subsequentamendments. under theCopyrightAct(1968) publisher, exceptaspermitted permission inwritingfromthe retrieval system,withoutprior other informationstorageand photocopying, recordingorany or mechanical,including form orbyanymeans,electronic reproduced ortransmittedinany of thispublicationmaybe All rightsreserved.Nopart All texts©theauthors ©theartists All artworks 2018 © MuseumofOldandNewArt mona.net.au Australia Tasmania 7011 655 MainRoad,Berriedale Museum ofOldandNewArt Published in2018by places. exhibition loansfromother for temporaryevents,orwere collection, werecommissioned collection, wereinMona’s that areinMona’spermanent This publicationincludesartworks Asia PacificOffset PRINTED INCHINABY Splitting ImageColourStudio COLOUR REPRODUCTION Peter Whyte Jesse Hunniford Remi Chauvin PHOTOGRAPHERS Linda Michael COPYEDITOR Olivier Varenne Jarrod Rawlins Elizabeth Pearce Jane Clark Nicole Durling CURATORS Siân Scott-Clash PUBLISHER David Campbell CONCEPT &DESIGN David Walsh GOD