Studio Orta

I was interested in finding out why the image of the hearts by studio Orta was included in the article, so I did some research on their work.

Studio Orta is an art partnership between Paris based Lucy and Jorge Orta.

I found their works, such as the one shown in the article, to be interesting because it combines both the artistic and activist techniques Raunig is interested in analyzing.

I like Studio Orta’s work because it is less nebulous than some of the works we have been looking at in the lectures, which are more conceptual or performance based. With Studio Orta’s work the viewer gets a synthesis between the aesthetic object and the political or social comment, which is behind the creation of the work.

A work like “The Gift–Life Nexus” is both an artwork ,and a social commentary about organ donation. Studio Orta have organized workshops around the world either teaching people how to make the hearts used in the artworks, or using traditional local methods of manufacture (ceramics, etc) and local craftsmen and artisans to help them create their artworks. In addition, while the process of making the hearts is going on, Lucy and Jorge work with students and activists to raise awareness about the issues surrounding organ transplants.

This is just an example of works from Studio Orta, but most of their projects have social and political motivations, which end up being translated/embodied in the works they produce.

http://www.studio-orta.com/