Arts & Culture
Originally published on Friday, 30th May 2008
The Name Game
What is it with names and meanings? I have a few friends whose names mean pretty things like ‘Cherry Blossoms’ or ‘Elegant Dancer’. But mine? In Japanese, mine means ‘to have a scent’. You know, as in ‘I smell’.
Which is why I’ve been thinking about changing it. Maybe to something fantastic like ‘If Hitler Had Been a Hippy How Happy Would We Be’ Maeno. What’s that you say? The Chapman brothers got there first? Thieves! Stealing not only a stack of Hitler’s mediocre landscapes to re-decorate with ‘60s kitsch, but also my future name and happiness.
Well I suppose it was a bit of a tongue-twister. So how’s about something along the lines of Tom Friedman’s ‘Monster and Stuff’. It’s a short and sweet title for his huge, scary monsters made of paper and cardboard and, erm, stuff. But it’s kind of cute too.
Or perhaps something with a hint of Haim Steinbach’s artsy logic to it. Transforming plain and ordinary objects, from cereal boxes to dog chews, into sculptures apparently causes such a reaction of wonder in its viewers that he’s called the whole thing ‘The Effect’.
That’s it!
Yours, The Effect Maeno.
Monsters and Stuff
Gagosian Gallery, Britannia St, WC1X 9JD
Starts 30 May
The Effect
Waddington Galleries, 11 Cork St, W1S 3LT
Starts 29 May
If Hitler Had Been A Hippy How Happy Would We Be
White Cube, Maison’s Yard, SW1Y 6BU
Starts 30 May
