The End Of Art

Artist Nigel Madden says he is disappointed, but not surprised, that an urn containing his father's ashes failed to impress the judges of this year's Norsewear Art Award. Last year he entered photographs of his father's bruised body lying on a mortuary slab. Madden believes that it is not so much a question of dubious taste that his work has not been chosen for exhibition, but more that the judging panel prefers applied art to his "conceptual" efforts. He was happy that this year's entry, The End of Art, created an "event" not because of its subject matter, but because it was a conceptual work, he always suspected it might not appeal to the judges. "Its value lay around its idea. It's not a lot to look at and it wasn't made by me." The ashes were contained in an urn he bought over the Internet. (For full source and article click the Headline). Irish Art