Art that really SHOCKED me

Before i found out about Amy Winehouse's tragic death on Saturday what I really wanted to write about was what shocked me face to face. There is a lot of art  out there that is supposedly meant to shock. Most of it, in reality, might be amazing art, might be art that I love, but it doesn't shock! Sex is exciting not shocking. Swearing just a part of the every day human language. Religion discussed.... Politics obvious! I must admit, even a water boarding  (torture technique) performance installation at the recent Goldsmiths showcase didn't shock me. It was too obvious, too tacky. What really shocks me is when I feel. When I feel disgusted, uneasy, shocked...at god knows what. When art is the unexpected.
  On saturday I walked in to the White Cube on Hoxton Square for the "Jake or Dinos Chapman" exhibition. A show put on in both White Cube's (I haven't been to Mason's Yard yet - but can't wait) in which the tow brothers have both made art separately from one another for one another but we don't know whose is who. Anyway I walked in and it was busy. There were some interesting paintings on the wall and some intricate sculptures. They didn't really mean anything to me. A mix of contemporary and african art by the looks of it. Fairly fun ... and then I noticed this group of school children at the end of the room. I thought to myself "Odd place for a school trip (they were very small looking - so i assumed must be young) especially on a saturday." And then in struck me. they were all ever so perculiar. Ever so still. Ever so intimidating. They weren't real!
  This made me feel incredibly uneasy. I don't know why. I couldn't stop staring and I hadn't even seen there fronts yet. I walked round and here it becomes obvious they aren't real but there is certainly some sort of life in them. They are a presence. A very REAL presence. I wont tell you about there faces. They aren't normal faces. But you have to go and see. It is the feeling that shocks. It is not the Nazi content or the distortion but just the fact they are there. Quite frankly I can't get over it. The press release has it just right "It is the attack on the body". The body of everyone.

It isn't there in the picture

"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to corollate all its contents"

    Dinos Chapman from the book "Nothing they Teach us"

cancer

It is a proper fear word. Hearing it just made me burst into uncontrollable tears. Tears I couldn't stop. I think we just associate cancer with ultimate doom.
It isn't me. My mother has skin cancer and just hearing it just created so much fear. Without it life is fine, happy, great but how could we be so naive. How could I not know. How can I be lauGhing and joking one minute and the next be so unbeleivably scared.
Cancer grips us like a menace. We all fear it even if we don;t know it. It is something no one wants to here. No matter how bad or not bad... the problem is in our heads it is associated with the worst.
I think w all need to be careful. Think about what ur life actually means. my mum has skin cancer from sun damage. She hs never sought after a tan or used a sun bed. She always wears sun cream in the summer but I think this just shows us. Any sun burn can do the trick. Every day sun can be the problem. We need to wear sun cream al the time. Protect our bodies. Same goes for everythin else, stop smokin, limit our drinking , try to be as healthy as possible because you never want to say to someone "I have cancer".
I think this has hit me hard. I always say " I don;t want to live to be old.. ive fast die young!" But this is stupid. I am underestimating the pain and suffering I could ccause to not just me ... but veryone else. The likely hood I am just goni to conk out is not a lare one but the irrepareable damage we do to our bodies is completely different. I am not going to kill myself unless I really put the boat out. Instead it just seems it is a long hard road to cancer.

Love you mum
xxx

do we aim?

shock 1 (shk)
n.
1.
a. A violent collision or impact; a heavy blow. See Synonyms at collision.
b. The effect of such a collision or blow.
2.
a. Something that jars the mind or emotions as if with a violent unexpected blow.
b. The disturbance of function, equilibrium, or mental faculties caused by such a blow; violent agitation.
3. A severe offense to one's sense of propriety or decency; an outrage.
4. A potentially fatal physiological reaction to a variety of conditions, including illness, injury, hemorrhage, and dehydration, usually characterized by marked loss of blood pressure, diminished blood circulation, and inadequate blood flow to the tissues.
5. The sensation and muscular spasm caused by an electric current passing through the body or a body part.
6. A sudden economic disturbance, such as a rise in the price of a commodity.
7. A shock absorber.
v. shocked, shock·ing, shocks
v.tr.
1. To strike with great surprise and emotional disturbance.
2. To strike with disgust; offend.
3. To induce a state of physical shock in (a person).
4. To subject (an animal or person) to an electric shock.
v.intr.
To come into contact violently, as in battle; collide.

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