Sunday, April 12, 2020
Strategic Issues and Problems Affecting Starbucks Company
Diversity In the company, there are interactions among the people from different backgrounds, sexes, religions, and social status. Indeed, diversity that the company experiences, poses a great challenge to management, that has to assure the stakeholders and potential customers of unilateralism. In fact, it was only through impartiality that the company could achieve sustained growth. Therefore, the management had to find a way of dealing with the dilemmas before it worsens the company operations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Issues and Problems Affecting Starbucks Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conflict of Interest In this company, conflict of interest occurs when oneââ¬â¢s interests affect his/her duties and the level of performance. Additionally, it lowers a personââ¬â¢s integrity, and might cause anxiety in the company. Notably, organizational ethics calls for the fact that the wor kers, stakeholders and customers should not be overwhelmed with personal interests at the expense of their duties. This might compromise the quality of their produces and integrity, because self-interest and nature of the duty may not have any relationship. Analysis and Evaluation (SWOT) Company Strengths The company is operated in a chain of coffee shops in various locations across the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, thus it commands the market and beverage industry (McWilliams and Matten 42). Therefore, consumers have the freedom to select from a range of coffee drinks and products served at Starbucks restaurants. The other strength of the company is the development of a website, designed to give relevant information about the drinks and other products that it sells. Company Weakness The company experience is the slow in the supply of the coffee that it uses in making the drinks. It means that the quantity they receive from the suppliers is short of the market demand s even within America. This emphasizes the need for increasing the production of coffee to cater for the increasing demands. In addition, the pricing of similar products that the small scale restaurants fix on similar products is also seen as a weakness to the giant company, since some of its customers are lost (McWilliams and Matten 44). Opportunities for the Company The quality products that the company sells and health concerns of the people in the developed nations have created an unending opportunity for the company. This shapes the buyer behavior and promotes its growth in the industry. Certainly, the involvement of the company in corporate social responsibility is also seen as an opportunity for growth (McWilliams and Matten 45). Finally, the company has built a brand in the coffee sector of the economy, hence enjoys the monopoly of the market. Threats to the Company The company has witnessed stiff competition from other local restaurants offering similar products. Notably, t he competition is in terms of product quality, good pricing, the kind of service given to the potential clients and the varieties available for the customers (McWilliams and Matten 47). Recommendations In order to improve its public image, eliminate conflict of interest and increase sales volume, the company should rely on innovation to accommodate diversity and improve the services to its clients. Secondly, it has to insist on the quality of its products, which must remain at its highest. It should also carryout vigorous sales promotions thereby attract more people to buy from their stores. The measures would make most of the buyers reconsider their preference for the company products.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Works Cited McWilliams, Crane, and D. Matten. Business Ethics: Starbucks Corporation, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print. This essay on Strategic Issues and Problems Affecting Starbucks Company was written and submitted by user Audriana Pacheco to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Race and Gender Discrimination essays
Race and Gender Discrimination essays __________________________________________________________________________ Analogies between racial and gender discrimination are highly problematic, both theoretically and historically. Discrimination can perhaps be better understood when analogized with cancer. Discrimination, like cancer, kills humanity. Discrimination, like cancer, comes in many specific forms. And each form of discrimination, like cancer, must be recognized treated with specific and focused efforts. The purpose of this paper is to show that when we recognize the differences between racial and gender discrimination we validate history and are more aptly able to end the current oppression of racial minorities and women. Ten years ago one of the most exclusive golf and country clubs in America, Shoal Creek, admitted its first black member after controversy surrounding the club's racial exclusionary policies nearly derailed the club's coveted plans to host the championship tournament for the Professional Golf Association. Today, the National Council for Women is waging a similar war on a different golf and country club. The National Council for Women discovered that Augusta National golf and country club, a private club, and home to a popular Professional Golf Association tournament, excludes women from the ranks of its membership. As such, the National Council for Women is using the same platform used by civil rights leaders to end racial exclusionary policies at Shoal Creek to attack Augusta National and its gender exclusionary policies. Specifically, The National Council for Women requested that corporate sponsors of the tournament including, IBM and Citibank withdraw their financial from the tournament at Augusta National. In addition, The National Organization for Women also requested that CBS refuse to televise the tournament at Augusta National. Furthermore, The National Council for Women has also requested ...
Sunday, February 23, 2020
Play review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7
Play review - Essay Example The change of setting was highly enlightening as it demonstrated the great universality of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s works. The particular choice of the 1920s seems to be motivated both out of particular elements in the play that fit well with this time period, as well as the time periodââ¬â¢s reputation as a time of excitement during the prohibition era. In terms of specific elements one considers that alcohol is implemented in a variety of scenes within the play. For instance, Toby and Andrew are regularly drunk and this motivates some of the action in the drama. The nature of the adaptation, however, didnââ¬â¢t play as large a factor as one might assume. To an extent it seems that this has to do with the nature of the production. Rather than being a full-scale theatrical production this play was more of a one-off reading. In these regards there were minimal sets. In terms of staging there were a variety of non-descript backdrops and the requisite bar that identified the play as o ccurring in the 1920s. The costumes, however, were directly influenced by the period; the men were dressed in Chicago-gangster like attire, while the women were replete in flapper wear. In terms of lighting elements there were minimal notable occurrences. There was a general stage light and a spotlight that was implemented for juxtaposition in a variety of scenes. Perhaps more significant at times was less the action occurring on the stage than the fact that it occurred within the specific playhouse. The Coconut Grove Playhouse has been in existence since the 1920s ââ¬â the same period the play was set ââ¬â and this gave the play a sort of vintage ambience that heightened the plot. In terms of acting it was clearly discernable that the production was not as extensive as other plays. While many of the actors were engaging, to a large extent their interactions lacked the unconscious and free-flowing intensity that is more indicative of productions where the
Friday, February 7, 2020
Selecting Media for Your Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Selecting Media for Your Organization - Essay Example The middle aged generation is lured to social media sites and that presented the venue of advertisement of the organization. In the organization, we embraced the use of the internet and television advertisements. It becomes easier to sell your name to a densely populated location. The best marketing strategies revolve around the internet. The internet is home to millions of people who opt for online shopping and bookings. With the organizationââ¬â¢s target audience being middle aged and international tourists, it is an obvious assumption that they use the internet and television to get marketing information. Using the internet and television advertisements meets the needs of the audience in different ways. First the two Medias are very convenient and cheap. Additionally, the internet provides the audience to interact with the organization if any need arises. It gives the audience to place prior bookings at any time and place. Using the two Medias come with different challenges. First, online marketing should be first and brief so as to maintain the clientââ¬â¢s patience. If a certain online advert is more than 3 clicks away, the client stands on high probability of abandoning the advert. Another challenge is that the lesser in society are not fully considered. In some instances, there are people who are not of any exposure to a computer or television set. Via the two media modes, the organization measures message exposure by internet hits and media impressions. For example, if a certain television channel may have 50.000 viewers at the time of the advertisement, then the organizations has made 50,000 impressions. The internet hit is an online mode of media impressions. The media plays a major role when choosing the best method f public relation messaging. According to Zarrella (2010), with the consideration of trends and the target audience, the media has a positive
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Electrical Engineering Essay Example for Free
Electrical Engineering Essay 1. Introduction Engineers have the potential of developing technology that will be used by hundreds, thousands, even millions of people. Since so many people are using this technology, it has to be safe and it has to benefit one population without making another suffer. As the engineers design new technology, they are the ones that have an ethical responsibility to ensure that it will not endanger lives or cause any suffering. The purpose of the essay is to explore the specific issues that face electrical engineers. The primary focus in this essay will be addressing the question: how can an issue be an ethical concern if it does not directly endanger human life or society? This is particularly important as in contrast to other branches of engineering, the moral issues surrounding electrical engineering do not usually affect a consumerââ¬â¢s health or lead to injury or death. A civil engineering dilemma could involve a building collapsing or roads falling apart leading to direct death or injury, such as the LAmbiance Plaza Collapse1 in Connecticut, or the Sampoong Department Store Collapse2 in Seoul. However, as discussed in Fleddermann (2000)3, the problems faced by electrical engineers are no less important, and that the engineers in this discipline should be aware of the particular ethical dilemmas of this field. The field of electrical engineering covers a wide range of technology from power generation and transmission lines to integrated circuits used in computers. This essay will outline, using real-life examples, three major concerns in electrical engineering and explain how they impact the world on an international scale. The current solutions to the ethical dilemmas will be evaluated using ethical analysis, and alternative solutions will be provided. The following scenarios are an excellent illustration of the ethical issues that electrical engineers have to face and opens up a unique discussion about their responsibilities in both a national and international setting. Issue 1 Quality of product vs. commercial success Electrical engineers are involved in the manufacturing of everyday household appliances. The circuitry that is designed is used in products that are sold by the manufacturer. Manufacturers can prioritise the commercial success of their product over the actual quality. This can result in a conflict of interest between manufacturer and engineer since the manufacturer can beà financially motivated, whereas an engineer is supposed to hold paramount the welfare of public in their professional duties (engineering code of ethics)5. An example of this is the manufacturing of the Intel microprocessor in 19944. The microprocessor had a flaw in it that meant that a regularly used operation by users would give the incorrect results. The engineers knew of this problem, and rectified it for future version. Despite this, Intel continued selling the product. This error was found by users, and Intel decided it would only replace microprocessor with a good one to people who could demonstrate that they needed it. Should Intel have provided a replacement regardless? Since Intel was aware of the problem, was it unethical to withhold this information from the users? If this information had been given, and warnings had been included, does this solve the ethical problems for the company? According to Intel, since the error was so minor it would not affect the majority of users. However the few people would have ââ¬Ësufferedââ¬â¢ from this flaw could have been rectified if Intel had offered to replace their microprocessor for free. This is what Intel did do and so according to utilitarianism principles their response was ethically sound. However, what was immoral was the fact that they did not bring up this issue themselves, and that they continued manufacturing and selling the product without warnings. They did not respect the dignity of their consumers enough to let them be informed consumers. By applying Kantian ethics, one can determine that Intel did not respect the dignity of their customers, and was merely using them as a means to an end. This was to maximise their profit margin by exhausting their faulty stock. There are a number of alternative solutions that Intel could have taken. Intel could have continued selling their product with a warning label so that further customers would be aware of flaw. A better solution would have been if Intel discontinued making this microprocessor and told their customers of the flaw straight away, whilst also offering a replacement chip. Issue 2 experimental nature of electrical. The technology used by engineers to design equipment is complex, and outside the understanding of a majority of general consumers. In addition to this, the lasting effect of some of these technologies is unknown. Since electrical technology is designed on such a small scale, there can beà unknown effects due to our limited understanding of quantum physics. This raises an interesting issue that has sparked debate. Can we use technology that we dont fully understand, but use on a daily basis? Is it safe to use this technology considering that there may be a potential risk that we have yet to comprehend? The nature of electrical engineering can be somewhat experimental. Transmission lines are used every day to transfer energy into our homes. There are inconclusive theories6 that suggests that these transmission lines which emit low-frequency electromagnetic radiation can be harmful to the general population. This ranges from causing headaches and muscles fatigue to an increased risk of cancer6. Is an engineer obliged to consider these potential risks in their design, even if there is little proof or knowledge into the lasting effects? Currently transmission lines are designed so that they are around 5-10 metres off the ground, this is both for efficiency as well as to remove them from the reach of the general public, avoiding electrocution. However, not many transmission lines have shielding to reduce or eliminate the effects of electromagnetic fields, as there is no quantitative evidence to suggest that shielding is necessary. If the observational theories were proven to be true, however unlikely, that would mean that the general public have been placed in a position of possible harm. In the unlikely case this was true, does the small probability of this being true outweigh the seriousness of the potential harm (cancer). An engineer should be morally responsible at all times, and so an engineer should employ some sort of safety measure. Even if there is only a tiny potential for transmission lines to have lasting negative effects, there should be methods used to combat this threat. This is applying contractualism principles. If engineers themselves believed that they could be exposed to these harmful effects, and knew that they could do something about it, they would integrate some shielding into their transmission line design. Issue 3 sustainability and power generation, impact of cheap labour Power generation and sustainability is a key concern for all people in the world. Electrical engineers are a vital part of this global machine concerned with sustainability. Engineers primarily concern themselves with providing the most efficient means of power generation and distribution, but this can cause negative effects on the global community. Can a balance be achieved? Is it possible for an electrical engineer to beà morally responsible at all time? Our current primary energy source is dependent on a limited resource, coal and fossil fuels7. The utilisation of these materials results in emissions and waste that are harmful to the environment. Since an electrical engineer is only concerned with the production of energy and not of its disposal is this even an issue they should concern themselves with? Its not just up to one person to be ethically responsible. An engineer is only a small part of a network of morally autonomous agents. An engineer can apply virtue ethics or kantian ethics, and create awareness of environmental issues. An engineer should have a virtuous nature and consider all areas of society that they can impact. If an engineer applies Kantianism, their actions would involve trying to tell their managers that they are using the Earthââ¬â¢s limited resources as a means to an end, and the environment gets negatively affected by this. If an engineer raises concern about environmental issues, then they are ethically sound. Even if the situation does not change due to the opinions of higher up people, the engineer has done all that they can be expected to. Cheap Labour: An example of our global effect is found in a youtube video8 where cheap child labour is used to break down parts in a circuit board for further use. The toxic fumes emitted from deconstructing the components are extremely hazardous and can cause lasting health consequences. Companies source labour to developing countries because it is an extremely economical alternative. This is primarily due to developing nations not having as stringent workplace health and safety requirements, and also being able to obtain workers who would work for a much lower wage. Essentially this action will achieve the same outcome, for a lesser cost. These companies clearly priorities profit margins over social wellbeing. Is this an electrical engineers concern? An electrical engineer is part of the company that makes the decision to employ cheap labour, and so they can be in a position to influence this decision. A number of options are available. Employ 1st world employees to perform the same job locally This will mean that there is a higher cost for the company. However, this will take away work from third work countries. Cheap labour will no longerà be exploited, but the people of the country will no longer have employment, which could have serious roll-over effects on the society and economy. A better solution would be: Employ 3rd world employees, and provide better wages and working conditions. The major benefit of this is that a company can still provide work for the global community, while improving the working conditions and economies of the developing nations, rather than exploiting them. The downside is extra cost put into educating employees and providing good equipment to apply process. Both scenarios involve extra money input from companies, resulting in loss of profits, but this is weighed against the safety of the people contracted to the company. Value of human life is held paramount here which satisfies engineering code of ethics. References 1. http://www.engineering.com/Library/ArticlesPage/tabid/85/ArticleID/168/LAmbiance-Plazza.aspx 2. http://www.hazardcards.com/card.php?id=8 3. http://www.ele.uri.edu/courses/ele400/f12/cases.pdf 4. B. Crothers, ââ¬Å"Pentium woes continue,â⬠Infoworld, vol. 16, no. 48, pp. a. 1ââ¬â18, Nov. 18, 1994. 5. http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au//sites/default/files/shado/About%20Us/Overview/Governance/CodeOfEthics2000.pdf 6. http://www.mcw.edu/radiationoncology/ourdepartment/radiationbiology/Power-Lines-and-Cancer-FAQs.htm#1 7. http://www.dg.history.vt.edu/ch2/impact.html 8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeDw6yHQVbI
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
i hate fish sticks :: essays research papers
i hate fish sticks cuz there not real fish they are some weird shit. Yo, whatââ¬â¢s up little pup. : You schmendrick, itââ¬â¢s not that hard to replace a muffler. Ooo, there is a problem with your catalytic converter. Use that Alpo can and some hose clamps damn it. : No, you ass youââ¬â¢ll eviscerate your self, choke up on the knife, turn it around and hold the blade likeâ⬠¦ give it to me, like this. : How about your mom, no, how about we build that model with those bottle rockets. : Why the hell canââ¬â¢t you read a fuckin map! It is there! Shut up crack head. Oh, your right it isnââ¬â¢t there. Crap. Letââ¬â¢s just take i295. : I hate it when people speed up and slow down & speed up and slow down! Why does on one know how to drive? : letââ¬â¢s race. Junior mints, when you leave them near your heater, they get nice and gooey, that way when you throw them out the sun roof at oncoming cars they splat like the nastiest bug you have ever seen, and for a bird effect use the fifty cent fruit pies at night. ; their gonna be confused when they open theyââ¬â¢re mail box and find all that KFC, or when in Canada PFK. ; Dude, that guy was holding poop in one hand and his pooch in the other with a really content expression on his face!? : You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose but you cant pick your friends nose. : Whatââ¬â¢s the difference between a truck load of bowling balls and a truck load of dead babies? You can unload one with a pitchfork. : Oh my, look at that chick in the car in front of us, she is going nuts. Way too much crack aye kid. Dude, she made my day. ; old guy! :Thatââ¬â¢s an awfully large green lady with some pretty bright head lights. She kinda van shaped. Oops he was just a mail box. ; Yes I have n ot herd Duran Duran since the 80ââ¬â¢s. This tares! You ate my cheetos didnââ¬â¢t you! You ate my cheetos didnââ¬â¢t you! toast your fingers they orange! You ate my cheetos didnââ¬â¢t you! They orange toast, they orange. Iiow punch yu in da moouf, yu gonna bleed on your sewf and ouders. Iââ¬â¢m comin after you.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
British contemporary art Essay
British contemporary art is the art that developed in the late 20th century and early 21st century in Britain. It was this time when there came a kind of rejection for ââ¬Ëmodern artââ¬â¢ and the force and dynamism of ââ¬Ëabstract expressionismââ¬â¢ reduced. At the end of 1950s loose movements of early contemporary art developed ââ¬ËPop artââ¬â¢ that emerged formerly in England and started with the exhibition of ââ¬ËThis Is Tomorrowââ¬â¢. The sixties art scene saw David Hockney, Peter Blake and Richard Hamilton during this time. Pop artââ¬â¢ can be characterized by descriptions of common places that were placed in new artistic ontexts, optical flickering of the international pop art movement were seen in the paintings of some artists and various other varieties in the work of numerous artists were appreciated. The styles that were diminished were put under the umbrella term of ââ¬Ëpostmodernismââ¬â¢. The development of new historicism, ironic and detached, which generated a number of artistic ââ¬Å"neonismâ⬠, marked the commencement of a new era in art. The Young British Artists movement in 1990s with the version of conceptual art that featured installations often achieved international recognition. Many new artists simultaneously tirred up and challenged history of art and gave a new definition to art that it is any work of art is an entity, which in itself is self-sufficient. The new art seemed to be sometimes detached with social consciousness and concentrated on issue driven themes and minorities like gay, feminism etc. Another trend that is being seen in numerous works of art is the concept driven by the use of photography and language as the substance. Further contemporary art movement includes digital art, which was initiated in 1970s but became prevalent with the beginning of 21st century. The digital artists make use of software and sophisticated computers along with video equipments and create an extremely different work of art. Damien Hirst, internationally renowned and leader of ââ¬Å"Young British Artistsâ⬠dominated the art world in Britain especially during 1990s. The central theme of Hirstââ¬â¢s work is ââ¬Ëdeathââ¬â¢ and his famous work was a series of dead animals preserved in formaldehyde. ââ¬Å"The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Livingâ⬠is a tiger shark dipped in formaldehyde in a vitrine and is of 14-feet, the sale of which made him worldââ¬â¢s second highest expensive living artist. He is well known for his ââ¬Ëspin paintingsââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëspot paintingsââ¬â¢. When considering international presentation his first major one was ââ¬Å"Mother and Child Dividedâ⬠in which a cow and a calf is cut into pieces and displayed in a series of split vitrines. Damien Hirst is considered as the second most famous living British artist after David Hockney. He was born in 1965 in Bristol and was brought up by his mother and stepfather. Before going to college he did a basic course in Leeds School of Art and then moved to London in 1986 and graduated in 1989 at Goldsmith College in BA Fine Art course. During his student life he held an exhibition ââ¬Å"Freezeâ⬠in Docklands warehouse for which he himself conceived the idea, organized it as well as promoted it too. This exhibition commenced his career along with many other young British artists. In this Mishra 3 show several of Damienââ¬â¢s art pieces were exhibited along with the works of his 16 fellow students of Goldsmith College. It can be said that this self-promoting exhibition gave way to starting ââ¬Å"Young British Artistsâ⬠movement. Ex-Thatcher ad-man, Charles Saatchi got impressed by his works and displayed some of his works in the first ââ¬Å"Charles Saatchiââ¬â¢s Young British Artistsâ⬠show. Saatchi even bought ââ¬Å"A Thousand Yearsâ⬠, a piece of Damien in 1990 and since then he has created a lot of pieces and has been admired by collectors as well as curators and his works are considered extraordinarily provocative. In 1991, he filled an art gallery with live tropical butterflies and presented an installation named ââ¬Å"In and Out of Loveâ⬠. ââ¬Å"The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Minds of Someone Livingâ⬠, a piece that made him the second highest expensive living artist, was commissioned for about US$32,000 in 1992. This made Damien a media icon and since then media and public both started to mitate, praise and also criticize him. The Young British Artists of Damienââ¬â¢s generation is completely different from their preceding generation and are well known for their entrepreneurial spirit, independence and media savvy. Most of them are self-promoters and get sponsored privately. They did not depend on government agencies to discover their talent and then present them as was done earlier but instead they displayed their talent with the help of private sponsors who readily organized exhibitions for them. Hirst tried to develop exploration of mortality as the central theme of his artworks and extended it with humor, ynamism, novelty and enthusiasm. His ââ¬Å"The Natural Historyâ⬠series, which is quite well known among his admirers, included dead animals presented, as momento mori as an irony on natural history. This series disclose the contemplation of his approach and the work of art has a visual power which is not possible to be described in words. Without having the experience of the series one cannot imagine or envisage it. If Hirstââ¬â¢s productions were to be categorized, it would be done in three types and they are paintings, the glass tank pieces and cabinet sculptures. Considering his paintings hat are divided into spot paintings and spin paintings. Spot paintings can be described as those paintings that are randomly organized and the canvases are color-spotted and their titles refer to pharmaceutical chemicals. Spin paintings are individually created with the help of centrifugal force and is literary done on a spinning table. His glass tank sculptures include dead animals or animals cut into pieces like cows, shark or sheep that are kept in formaldehyde perched in death. Hirstââ¬â¢s cabinet sculptures include collection of bottles of pills or surgical tools that are on highly arranged shelves. Damien Hirst was very quick in sharing his ideas and interest areas and very easily conveyed his message. His pieces of art were most simple but at the same time had complex ideas knitted along. Along with his paintings he expanded ââ¬Ëhobbyââ¬â¢-art technique that tried to attract audience towards the beauty and extreme energy of haphazard paintings. Hirstââ¬â¢s piece of art in which a single fish is suspended in formaldehyde was admired as a symbol of advanced art and people came to know that how ordinary things placed in an artistic manner could attract and look beautiful. Some of Hirstââ¬â¢s pieces of art ike ââ¬Å"Alone Yet Togetherâ⬠which included a cabinet that held 100 small fishes in small tanks of formaldehyde and ââ¬Å"Loss of Memory is Worse than Deathâ⬠which included a steel cage that contained several vitrines with surgical mask, syringe and gloves were auctioned but failed to sell. Damien puts the blame on media that it makes the public believe the flawed explanations from art critics and public get misguided and believe in them without even actually viewing the artwork. Damien is of the opinion that people understand as well as appreciate artwork even if they donââ¬â¢t possess an art degree because nyone has the basic knowledge of visual background, which makes them understand complex advertisements too. It is only because people are not exposed to artworks frequently they are unable to express or appreciate it. Damien now insists that his spin paintings should be provided with spinning equipment on the wall so that there is no confusion about the upper side of the painting. As far his spot paintings are concerned they have become an icon of Hirstââ¬â¢s artwork. Usually it is seen that Damienââ¬â¢s work have recurring themes in a different way and one of is themes is ââ¬Å" cigarettesâ⬠and the best example is his piece of work, ââ¬Å"Party Timeâ⬠. Damien considers smoking as a ââ¬Å"theoretical suicideâ⬠and he stated, ââ¬Å"The concept of a slow suicide through smoking is a really great idea, a powerful thing to doâ⬠. One more theme that is seen quite common in Hirstââ¬â¢s art is medical equipment and he had been infatuated and he wants people to believe in art just as they believe in medicine. The flood of ideas and images that Damienââ¬â¢s artwork creates leaves admirers of art amazed, fascinated and also threatened. One of the themes in Damienââ¬â¢s paintings is ââ¬Ëemptinessââ¬â¢ like in ââ¬ËHe Tried to Internalize Everythingââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËThe Acquired Inability to Escapeââ¬â¢ he displays a small cage like structure in which objects like desk, chair and other things usually needed for human interaction are seen covered with glass but there is human presence lacking. The feeling or intension of the artists behind these works can only be experienced and there is no question of solving any problem in this piece of art. Since the things are inside a glass cage the feeling seems to be suffocating and frustrating. Damien has fascination for glass because even though it is solid and dangerous it is transparent. It allows anyone to see everything but you cannot touch anything kept inside it. Damienââ¬â¢s lots of tank pieces are with animals in formaldehyde where they cannot go through any natural process and he finds it quite difficult to preserve them completely. He believes that the idea behind any creation is more important than the actual piece that has been used for the purpose. He wants his creative pieces to last till his lifetime and he is not much bothered about them after it. These animals are most famous among his works and at the same time they have been quite controversial too. He was awarded the Turner Prize for ââ¬ËMother and Child, Dividedââ¬â¢ and Damien says, ââ¬Å"I want people feel like burgers. I chose a cow because it was banal. Itââ¬â¢s just nothing. It doesnââ¬â¢t mean anything. What is the difference between a cow and a burger? Not a lotâ⬠¦ I want people to look at cows and feel ââ¬ËOh My Godââ¬â¢, so then in turn, it makes them feel like burgersâ⬠. Damien wants to make people look at ordinary things in a different way and he believes that they are frightening. He wants people to question because one thing that is useful in one way can be just opposite the other and this change of function is what makes things frightening. He says that the same is with art. He has received many letters in which people have protested, threatened or laid moral objections to the use of animals in Damienââ¬â¢s artwork. But Damien himself is very sympathetic about animals and most of his animals are bought from slaughterhouses or have died their natural death. Damien had quite a lot of problem convincing concerned authority his pieces of art were to be considered art and not food, as he was not allowed to take his artwork for an exhibition in United States. Again in August 1995 Damien was banned to exhibit his artwork ââ¬Å"Two Fucking, Two Watchingâ⬠which included dead cows fucking without formaldehyde. The objection was that the methane gas would explode the glass and would probably prompt vomiting among the visitors. Damienââ¬â¢s art installation that got changed into restaurant, which was followed to sale very shortly, is just an example that Damien is simply interested in art rather than conventional media. He is a versatile artist and his art include paintings, video, sculptures and every other media in between them. He has also designed cover art for albums, directed a music video and even was part of an art and film exhibition in 1996 at theà Hayward Gallery with his short film ââ¬Å"Hanging Aroundâ⬠. He included many of his pop star friends from London to provide music for this film. In 1998 he became a part of a pop group and recorded two singles. Damien has also worked on quite a few side projects. Damienââ¬â¢s work has been admired and exhibited in Britain, the USA, Korea, Australia and many other countries in Europe. His works are included in public museums and galleries as well as in lots of private collections too. He lives with his sons Connor and Cassius and his girlfriend Maia Norman in Devon and works at his home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)