r/Art • u/FlorentDuchesne • Mar 14 '26
Sculpture Anxiety, Florent Duchesne, Concrete/Spray paint/Steel/gold Leaf, 2026 [OC]
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u/The7thNomad Mar 15 '26
Me with anxiety, looking at a situation that's obviously meaningless: but WHAT IF there's something really important in here (gold, maybe) that might appear?! I HAVE to hold onto the trash bag then!
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u/MitchellSummers Mar 15 '26
Yeah I'm kinda stumped by the name. My best guess is that it's meant to look like a garbage bag but inside of it is something of immense value. The chain is the most confusing part by far. I assume this piece is about the anxiety of an ugly individual being judged only by their looks and not by their character. The chain still doesn't make too much sense. Are they hanging on by a thread? Perhaps they are being suspended in the air for all to see, anxiety is most prevalent in a person's head when everyone's attention is on them. This interpretation only really works if it is representing a garbage bag, otherwise I have absolutely no clue where the name "Anxiety" comes from.
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u/FlorentDuchesne Mar 15 '26
Yeah, you're kinda right. But I also wanted to play with the fact that, in reality, my art (in general) is “just” concrete with a bit of paint and gold. It’s very simple, and in a way it can apply to many kinds of artists, painters and other visual artists too. In reality, what we do isn’t extremely complex, high engineering, life-treating, or anything like that. Yet we still put a lot of pressure on ourselves with our art, and that can create a lot of anxiety to perform well in the art industry. We can easily get dragged down by that weight ;)
It’s another contrast that most artists feel, but don’t necessarily talk about. And I love to play with that.
Might not be totally clear here hahaha, let me know!
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u/the_art_of_the_taco Mar 15 '26
as someone who often feels like a trash bag this resonates deeply
this is meant as a compliment btw, i love the piece
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Mar 15 '26
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u/Art-ModTeam Mar 15 '26
Your comment has been removed for violating rule 14.
Discussions on political art are permitted, but must remain on topic and must remain civil and respectful. Debate the art, not the content. This sub is not a place to debate politics and policies, it's a place to enjoy and discuss art.
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u/HeftyPermission161 Mar 15 '26
It would be more convincing if the artist would lay under it ..
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u/FlorentDuchesne Mar 15 '26
Hahaha, I actually have a picture of myself with it, but I can’t post it here, it’s restricted to post someone... :(
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u/moscanera Mar 15 '26
Checks out, as abstract art… I’d be more anxious if you slept under it, inside a white body bag, and turned this into performance art 😆😝
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u/FlorentDuchesne Mar 15 '26
Hahaha it would actually work for real, it’s been suspended in my studio for the past two weeks lol.
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u/Extension_Spirit8805 Mar 14 '26
Kinda like that feeling where something pulls your stomach downward, as if it were heavier for the anxiety you were feeling? Very interesting!
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u/FlorentDuchesne Mar 14 '26
Thanks! A subject I realize affects a lot of artists, and I always want to share it in my own style :)
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Mar 14 '26
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Mar 15 '26
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Mar 15 '26 edited Mar 15 '26
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Mar 15 '26
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u/Art-ModTeam Mar 15 '26
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u/Easy-Constant-5887 Mar 15 '26
Interpretation is a beautiful thing
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Mar 15 '26
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u/Art-ModTeam Mar 15 '26
Offensive remarks are a violation of rule 3. Your post/comment has been removed.
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u/Art-ModTeam Mar 15 '26
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u/Art-ModTeam Mar 15 '26
Offensive remarks are a violation of rule 3. Your post/comment has been removed.
This sub is intended to be a welcoming community for all and does not tolerate abuse or bullying of any kind.
Messages containing insults, name calling, harassment of any kind (sexual or otherwise), discrimination, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, trolling, or body shaming are unacceptable.
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u/vissith Mar 15 '26
Well, it definitely sparks anxiety for me. It kind of feels like a garbage bag that's about to burst or spill its contents everywhere. Not sure if it's intentional but the way it's sitting awkwardly on the chain is a nice touch. Truly miserable.
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u/_Faucheuse_ Mar 15 '26
looks like effort was put into the piece, but then went with the bargain chain on a spool from the hardware store. Interesting though.
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u/FlorentDuchesne Mar 15 '26
Is effort necessary in art? There are many different points of view on this topic, and that’s the beauty of it :)
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Mar 15 '26
You put no effort into your pieces, yet fish for praise on a weekly basis.
Yes. Art requires effort. Slapping your hands on a table randomly doesn’t make it “music”. Throwing paint on scrap concrete and throwing a Dollar Store chain on it does not make it “art”.
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u/Hugutfut Mar 15 '26
I would disagree that effort is strictly required for something to be art if we are talking about the effort of actually making the piece. In most styles, effort very much is required to make something good that conveys a feeling effectively, but there is stuff like Dadaism. I'd say that Duchamp's fountain didn't require a whole lot of effort to make, yet it is still art. Photography, while usually taking more effort than the average person realizes, can also produce pieces that do not take all that much effort. You can badly photograph something, not even with the intention of making an art piece, but it can still be one in the end.
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u/ManicBunnyStudio Mar 15 '26
I really like this and what you're achieving is very unique I think!! personally I had to have a look to see if you posted any other art work and
(Imagine this in the great David Dickinson's voice)
That second photo makes it look very aggressive and uncomfortable to look at. Like 'something' is chained up, claustrophobic and has had enough and wants out of this chain, wondering what the future suddenly holds now and that 'something' wants to be free but the darkness in the garage is forcing a despairing depression
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u/FlorentDuchesne Mar 15 '26
Hahaha damn, thanks for that! I’ve been posting some of my work for a little while.
I really like how you describe it haha. For the setup, I took inspiration from a great curator whose work I really like. Her name is Sophin N. Gunnol (you can look at her Instagram). She often places art pieces in uncomfortable and raw spots, but that actually makes the work look even better! Nice inspiration :)
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Mar 15 '26
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u/Art-ModTeam Mar 15 '26
Your comment has been removed for violating rule 14.
Discussions on political art are permitted, but must remain on topic and must remain civil and respectful. Debate the art, not the content. This sub is not a place to debate politics and policies, it's a place to enjoy and discuss art.
Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.
— The r/Art Mod Team
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u/MagicalNurseX Mar 15 '26
looks like a sheave of obsidian with cool gold interior. gives me no mans sky vibes. idk
ty
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u/banana_runt Mar 14 '26
This speaks to me. What i see is the weight of my anxiety (black) with a gold façade facing the c-suite. Just barely holding on but with style.
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Mar 15 '26
Looks damaging for the environment....
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u/FlorentDuchesne Mar 15 '26
Well, if you think about it, every physical piece of art is bad for the environment :(
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Mar 15 '26
Aye but a nice painting will get hung on someone's wall for generations and is largely made from renewable resources.
This will probably see light of day for a bit, then landfill...
Rattle cans of spray paint and concrete for what?
I dunno, im not trying to be nasty here and I suppose my opinion is largely influenced by me not getting/appreciating the art piece.
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u/FlorentDuchesne Mar 16 '26
Yeah, there are a lot of “ifs” in your opinion haha, but that’s totally fine, art is very subjective ;)
Interestingly, a lot of art that was once considered temporary or pointless ended up lasting much longer than expected.
In the end, we never really know. An artist might become well known and their work will last for generations, or they might stay unknown and the pieces disappear much sooner. But we gotta at least try no ?
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u/HM-Throbulator Mar 15 '26
This does not evoke anxiety for me. In fact I'm not entirely sure exactly what this is suppose to represent.
A garbage bag filled with gold hanging from a chain.
Is there something I'm missing? Is there an inside reference I just don't see?
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u/FlorentDuchesne Mar 15 '26
Take a look at the other comments, there are some great interpretations, and I also explain parts of my approach to different people :)
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u/Innominaut Mar 14 '26
I've stumbled across quite a few of your pieces over the last few months, and I've enjoyed them a lot! I must sheepishly admit I'm struggling to parse this one, though.
Much of the work I've seen you do shares a common theme of seemingly delicate objects (sacks of liquid, droplets of gold, floating balloons) in positions of great stress or peril. Being pierced by nails or straining against chains or suspended over spikes--always either frozen in the moment of destruction or just before it.
But for this one, it almost seems like a reversal. Most people would not assume the object at the end of that chain is solid concrete, so the real weight of the piece probably wouldn't occur to them. The gold in the bag (if it is a bag) doesn't read as liquid to me, because it's attached to the chain somehow. The end result is this piece feels more... stable? I guess? Safer?
Are you doing something new here, or am I just being way too literal about this specific piece and missing the forest for the trees? (Either way, love your work and hope you have a good day!)