Finding Art in the 'Uncommon Goods'

UH professor of art history, Jaimey Hamilton Faris released her first book Uncommon Goods: Global Dimensions of the Readymade in October 2013.  The Offsetter sat down with Faris to chat about her book and what inspired her to research the impact of common materials in modern art.  Faris delves into the works of Marcel Duchamp to Ai Weiwei, Thomas Hirschhorn, and fellow UH professor, Gaye Chan to explore the concepts of consumerism and the impacts our "common goods" have on society.  As a resident of Hawaii, Faris talks about the importance of understanding the lack of sustainability in our way of life, relying on mostly imported goods for everyday living.  However, an interesting point made is that Hawaii is not alone in its reliance on shipments of goods.  Most products used on the mainland are shipped in from various parts of the world as well.  Click here to read the full article and get Faris' insight into the art of consumerism within modern society.