31 Comments

really shit!
john
2011-07-12 14:51:13

so this is what the fruits of half a day in the studio looks like

there is no irony in the title as it perfectly sums up this work. it wants to be clever/ funny/ ironic (delete as appropriate)..but it falls really flat as there is no effort, skill, imagination or art involved in this exhibition.

the artist new it was shit, and called it before we could, so therefor bravo to ian for being brave in titling the show and putting on such a fitting exhibition for the title. is he the fool or the gallery for putting it on? clueless or exploiting the emperors new clothes hype of art?
x
2011-07-12 17:38:05

I quite like the bin print at €20. It's the only priced about right. I'm sorry €200 for the rest?? And an exhibition for all of this? There's nothing original, funny, skilled or talented anywhere in this. Is it the creative equivalent of a reality TV "celebrity"?

Well done to the chap for getting what he can out of it.
Req
2011-07-12 22:21:55

"the artist new it was shit, and called it before we could, so therefor bravo to ian for being brave in titling the show and putting on such a fitting exhibition for the title. is he the fool or the gallery for putting it on? clueless or exploiting the emperors new clothes hype of art?"

This damning of the artist ought to close the book on Ian Stevenson's art career. When someone can condemn an artist so eloquently and poetically, surely there's no point in carrying on?
Kerry
2011-07-13 11:38:25

I've been a huge fan of Ian's work for year and I love this shit. Typical 'I could do that' brigade out in force. Get a grip peeps. It's art.
keith
2011-07-13 12:01:50

I quite liked it, thought it was funny.
CM Carter
2011-07-13 12:24:25

Kind of funny, don't know what to say if anyone actually does buy anything though.
fsw
2011-07-13 13:47:27

I've been sat here for a while, trying to think of justification as to why I like Ian Stevenson's work. The simple fact is that it is because it is actually shit - but no one else could do it. You all knock it, but there is no doubt that he owns this style, and he does it well. Even if that means that what he does is cack. I suppose it's all a matter of taste.

You can look at it as being pretentious, or ironic. Either way, Stevenson's work always makes me laugh. The joke might be on me, but I hope he carries on being shit. And brilliant.
Secretly Swedish
2011-07-13 15:26:49

FAO Secretly Swedish

'The simple fact is that it is because it is actually shit - but no one else could do it'...um...DAVID SHRIGLEY
x
2011-07-13 15:39:23

FAO x

Touche! Yes, there are stylistic similarities between the two, but I think both hold their own. I think Shrigley's work is more matter of fact in its humour, and is a bit more sincere / human - whilst also being pretty nonsensical at times. Stevenson's work is immediately more crude, both in style and humour, yet with a pretty obvious irony to it all. Or not. It's all subjective. I'm sure a host of other people will tell me "This person also does it too!". But Stevenson is one of the few illustrators in this "sort of thing" whose work I recognise, and like. Admittedly, I'm not that well versed or knowledgable in this sort of thing, so what does my opinion matter? :)
Secretly Swedish
2011-07-13 15:58:30

It put a smile on my face.
liam
2011-07-13 16:38:10

Hi keith, I don't know about a brigade, as nobody has actually said that they can do it.

I quite like David Shrigley's work though, thanks to the person who shouted that name out. I've been trying to find that website for a while. His jokes seem to tickle my funny bone a bit more whereas this stuff features jokes I've heard and seen in some form many times before. Shrigley's style seems to be the kind from a person who has a peculiarly funny way of looking at things.

Whereas taking the piss out of Burger King by way of making their logo say EAT CRAP... I dunno, is that supposed to be shit? It doesn't tickle me though so whatever.

i'll never understand why anything can be slated on Brand New's logo critique blog but the "over-defensive-it's-just-art" brigade jump out when someone's work is poo-poo'd here.
Req
2011-07-13 18:46:42

It looks as though a few sense of humour transplants need to be arranged.

Ian Stevenson's visual display of his views on the world and the idiots in it seems to have struck a chord with the ... idiots?
jessica
2011-07-13 20:05:22

Ians work is great, simple as. I don't think he is trying to be clever / funny / ironic - he's just doing what he does and is a lot more successful than most of the people posting on here, just look at his client list.
Joe
2011-07-14 11:34:24

FAO Joe

hahahahahahaha. simple as.

thanks for your rundown knowledge on everyone who posts here. glad you know us all and are simple enough to measure our opinions against our careers...even though you dont know who any of us are. clever boy!
of course! a client list = no opinions count as this person must be amazing...no, theres no mediocre/bad artists who have swinged a decent client list. robbie williams has sold 80m albums so he must be the best musician ever?

simple as? erm...no!
y
2011-07-14 12:47:40

look at you sick people mass debating over Ian Stevenson
Bob
2011-07-14 15:59:15

Oh sorry y your right, Robbie Williams has sold a lot of records.
Joe
2011-07-14 16:50:07

I like you Ian.
Rich
2011-07-15 11:19:34

He is using these negative comments as part of his 'art' promotion but I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I agree with them all. Artists such as Stewart Lee can get away with promoting his comedy from negative comments/reviews as he actually has intelligence and valid commentaries about society. This however makes the most basic of points;

Junk Food Chains =bad
Celebrity=bad
Consumerism= bad

Why is it bad? Get off the bandwagon and have an original thought, then maybe he can get away with drawing so badly.
Peter
2011-07-15 11:22:58

Mmmm opinions, delicious opinions..
Nom Nom Nom.
John Slade
2011-07-15 12:13:38

peter is an idiot. that is only my opinion
miki
2011-07-15 12:28:06

cool shit
Rich
2011-07-15 13:13:02

all you people who are hating on this work - well I pity you
get out a bit more, look inside your soul then maybe you might laugh

Ian Stevenson is the most refreshing and genuinely funny artist in a very long time and I'm sure he doesn't even read creative review so will be unaware of these shit negative comments you time wasters

if you've got no kind words to say then you should say nothing more at all..............me
susie
2011-07-16 14:42:54

I'm with Susie.....I love that we can see inside the twisted but funny mind of ian stevenson through his work...david shrigley my arse


IAN STEVENSON
IAN STEVENSON
IAN STEVENSON

I bought a canvas yay!
sarah
2011-07-16 20:15:47

I can see some sort of originality within his work (maybe for all the wrong reasons) but its truly embarrassing that this gets an exhibition. Personally, I don't think I'd gain anything more from this work by going and seeing it in person, but others may feel different.

There always seems to be someone on this blog that says 'don't say anything negative' - but if you hadn't realized by now, art and design is all about opinion and taste, and it's certainly healthy for getting a debate going.

I also ditto Peter's opinion. Drawing badly isn't a style.
Dave
2011-07-18 10:04:59

buff...

Haters be hating,
Art is subjective, he is good or he is shit, its up to u.

and David shrigley is not funny.
i know
2011-07-18 12:44:33

Ian is definately doing something right, because he gets shows, and has fun doing what he enjoys for a living.
To me it feels like his work is like a reaction against ignorant people. It can seem shallow, but I think he wants it to seem that way.
What I love about this show is this new work seems to be his most agressive. It feels like he went out of his way to deliberately annoy idiots while still doing what he does.
Anyway, I wish you the best Ian! We need more people like you out there! Especially in Britain!
Jeremy Beadle's Withered Hand
2011-07-19 19:26:47

i like him
peter
2011-07-19 23:00:43

I've seen this kind of thing a million times before, and done a lot better too. It's not very well done , and not even in an ironic way. Probably took 5 minutes to do.
Missouri Bill
2011-07-19 23:11:24

Seems a large portion of the creative community are just as stupid as I thought.
The amount of ignorant commentators out there grows daily. Get back in your holes.

Ian's work is great, clever and very darkly humorous.
Daniel Diggle
2011-07-20 14:05:37

the fact that we're all arguing here proves he does something right.
His work and this arguing is quite entertaining... thanks for that Ian.
lau
2011-07-20 16:59:14

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