Ursus Wehrli: Tidying up art

Summary

In this humorous TED talk, Swiss artist Ursus Wehrli presents his unique project, 'Tidying Up Art,' where he reimagines famous modern artworks by organizing their chaotic elements. With a blend of wit and creativity, he tidies up paintings by artists like Paul Klee, Joan Miró, and Jackson Pollock, transforming disordered works into structured, minimalist compositions. Wehrli showcases how he applies this method to various artworks and even patents his technique. His talk is an amusing exploration of art, order, and the absurdity of structure in modern creativity.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ursus Wehrli introduces his project, 'Tidying Up Art,' where he humorously applies organizational methods to chaotic artworks.
• 😀 He emphasizes that the concept is new and personal, and he even claims to have patented his methods in Switzerland.
• 😀 Wehrli’s humor shines as he reflects on modern art being 'topsy-turvy' and offers a 'neat' solution to perceived chaos in artworks.
• 😀 His process of tidying up begins with Donald Baechler's artwork, where he organizes scattered red squares into neat stacks, making the artist appear less 'miserable.'
• 😀 Wehrli explains that modern art often seems disorganized, using Paul Klee's work as an example, which he reinterprets by arranging the colors into neat, structured squares.
• 😀 The artist jokes about how sometimes, structure can cause chaos, demonstrated through an interactive exercise where the audience shakes hands, leading to amusing disorder.
• 😀 He continues with more examples, including Joan Miró’s spontaneous drawings, which Wehrli organizes into an economical, efficient structure.
• 😀 Wehrli humorously presents his method as 'scientific,' suggesting artists could benefit from a statistical approach, such as cataloging shapes and colors.
• 😀 He discusses how tidying up art could even be applied to famous works like Jackson Pollock’s, claiming to have even put the paint back into the cans in a 'tidy' way.
• 😀 The artist concludes with a lighthearted suggestion that he’s also working on organizing flags, showing a simplified proposal for the Union Jack.
• 😀 Wehrli wraps up by expressing the idea that art doesn’t need to be chaotic, and that 'Tidying Up Art' could offer a new, organized perspective on the future of artistic expression.

Q & A

What is Ursus Wehrli's main concept in the TED talk?

Ursus Wehrli's main concept in the TED talk is 'Tidying Up Art.' He humorously reinterprets famous artworks by simplifying them into more organized, tidy versions, suggesting that chaos in art can be cleaned up and turned into something more systematic.

Why does Ursus Wehrli apologize for his English at the beginning?

Ursus Wehrli apologizes for his English because he is from Switzerland and feels nervous about speaking in a foreign language. He humorously reassures the audience that his English is fine and jokes that it's not his problem since it's their language.

How does Wehrli explain his initial inspiration for tidying up art?

Wehrli was inspired to tidy up art after feeling sorry for a painting by Donald Baechler that he had hanging at home. He became frustrated with the messy arrangement of red squares in the artwork and decided to organize them, which led to his 'Tidying Up Art' concept.

What is the humorous critique of Paul Klee's artwork?

Wehrli humorously critiques Paul Klee's work by suggesting that the artist was unorganized with his colors. He claims Klee must have been in a hurry, and then presents his 'tidied-up' version, turning the chaotic colors into neat, structured squares.

How does Ursus Wehrli's approach to art challenge traditional perceptions?

Wehrli's approach challenges traditional perceptions by suggesting that art can be simplified and ordered. His tidied-up versions remove the complexity and chaotic beauty of the original works, offering a humorous perspective on how 'order' can strip away the intended artistic expression.

What is the significance of the patents that Wehrli mentions?

Wehrli humorously mentions having patented his 'tidying-up' process to give it a sense of legitimacy and seriousness. He quotes from the patent specification in German, joking about how complicated it sounds, but ultimately emphasizes the novelty of his approach.

What does the 'shake hands' experiment demonstrate?

The 'shake hands' experiment demonstrates how even a well-ordered system can lead to chaos when actions are performed in an organized manner. Wehrli uses this to show that structure can sometimes lead to unintended disorder.

How does Wehrli 'tidy up' the work of Niki de Saint Phalle?

Wehrli tidies up Niki de Saint Phalle's chaotic painting by simplifying the shapes and colors to create a clear image of a sunburnt woman playing volleyball, turning the abstract confusion into something recognizable and organized.

What does Wehrli's tidying-up of Jackson Pollock’s work signify?

Wehrli's tidying-up of Jackson Pollock's famous splattered paintings signifies an extreme reduction of the chaotic, free-flowing art into something orderly. He humorously 'puts the paint back into the cans,' reducing the creative chaos to its most basic components.

What is Wehrli's future project mentioned at the end of the talk?

At the end of the talk, Wehrli reveals that he is working on a related project involving the tidying up of flags. He presents a simplified version of the Union Jack and jokingly admits that some flags are difficult to tidy up, leading him to opt for simpler designs.