The 5 Greatest Art Pranks of All Time A comedy article
by Daniel R Deakin 1,002 15 05/06/2011 12:55 AM 3740 views
The best pranks are a kind of art. And much of modern art, one could argue, is a kind of prank. When artists sneak unauthorized paintings into art galleries, isn't that in itself art? Check out our five picks for the Greatest Art Pranks of All Time and decide for yourself:
1. Harvey Stromberg Refits the Museum of Modern Art
Stromberg was a patient art prankster. He took a long time to study the MoMA and its fittings, such as air vents, light switches, keyholes and even the brickwork. He took photographs of these fixtures and produced them as stickers, then placed them in strategic locations around the museum. He managed to exhibit his work without anyone really knowing, and could then stride around the world-famous gallery with his friends, and point out a number of his own works. (Read the full story here.)
Please don't touch the fake light switch, it's art
2. Modern Art is Garbage
Cartrain is a young urban artist from London. At the precocious age of 16, he managed to start a public spat with established joker artist Damien Hirst; he also hung up a shield in the British Museum showing Greek soldiers wearing Nike trainers. In this clip, Cartrain manages to stick a piece of garbage on a wall in the Tate Modern.
The great thing about this clip is the reaction of some of the visitors. One of them looks quizzical but also moved by the piece, as if he has had an epiphany after studying it: "Hmm, clearly the artist is juxtaposing the glamorous lavishness associated with the story of The Three Musketeers with a base artifact commonly linked to logistics and homelessness. Bravo."
No. It's a dirty old cardboard box stuck on the wall by a teenager.
3. Tom Green Does Something Funny
You wouldn't normally associate Tom Green with a subtle prank, he usually goes for loud and obnoxious. For proof, just see his film Freddy Got Fingered (actually, don't see Freddy Got Fingered, it's 89 minutes of your life you will never get back). In this clip, the comedian sticks his painting "Tiger Zebra" in a gallery and gets quite a reaction, especially off an incensed tour guide as he prepares to alter his work.
Museum security guards are trained for two things: to keep an eye out for potential thieves, and to pat you down in an uncomfortable manner. They aren't trained for the unexpected event of someone actually adding art to an exhibition. They just don't cover this at the Online School For Art Security ($300 only, diploma guaranteed).
4. Banksy Goes Undercover with the Art Elite
Banksy is very well known for his art pranks. However, he is not above getting dressed up in a ridiculous disguise and snooping around various museums and galleries to exhibit his priceless pieces of work, such as the depiction of a caveman pushing a shopping cart looking for a bargain on woolly mammoth steaks.
5. Art is About Taking the Piss
Marcel Duchamp is a famous French Surrealist/Dadaist who lived from 1887 until 1968. Considering the art movements he was involved in, he had to challenge museums and galleries on their perception of what could be classified as art. In one famous case of art pranking, he took a urinal, turned it upside down and then signed it "R Mutt, 1917". Calling the piece "Fountain," he actually managed to get it exhibited. Although the piece was later lost, official reproductions of it have been made and can be seen at various museums around the world.
You can study it in this clip, but try not to get too lost in trying to examine the raw aesthetic beauty of a piece created by an artist who could barely control the turmoil of his torn soul conflicting with his craftsman's brain. Because that would be taking the piss...
It is ridiculous that a urinal could be misconstrued as a piece of art. Anyone who knows even the smallest amount about art knows that real art looks like this:
"Equivalent VIII" by Carl Andre, bought for GBP2,297 by the Tate Gallery in 1972 (about $65,000 in 2011).
Store
1,002 
15 
128,751 
73
