Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

The Birkin Bag Has Become a Canvas for Conceptual Art

The Birkin Bag Has Become a Canvas for Conceptual Art

The infamously-expensive handbag is a favorite subject of sculptures and painters alike


The most expensive handbag of all time, the Birkin, which Hermès named after Jane Birkin when the fashion house introduced it in 1984, is the definition of a status symbol for many people. For others, the cost (starting at four figures and reaching as high as six) represents all that is wrong with society. Everyone seems to agree that to destroy one is an affront to decency, either being perceived as “wrecking” an object of beauty, or being tone-deaf to the plight of the common people.

Many were up in arms when Kate Moss used hers as a diaper bag. And when Lady Gaga “ruined” hers by having a fan write on it in Sharpie. And, again, when Kanye West had George Condo paint on one for Kim Kardashian. Of course nothing drew people’s ire more than Tyler Shields, who notably paid $100,000 for a red crocodile-skin Birkin only to destroy it in the name of art. These reactions to the ways in which the luxury bag has been subverted seem to only pique artists' interest.



It is this reverence to an object that stone sculptor Barbara Ségal, whose work Rihanna posted on Instagram earlier this week, began exploring through hyper-realistic stone replicas of the bags. Ségal’s Cathedral Candy and Designer Handbag series work to discuss our obsession with status symbols, while drawing comparisons to the worship of religious icons.

“I'm bringing attention to the fact of how important this symbol is in current civilization, in current society. Idols were made from stone, and this is an idol,” she said last January. “...Basically, the Birkin is the epitome of an ultra-luxury accessories. When you walk out on the street with a Birkin on your hand it's sort of like a declaration of power, right?” This idea of power is perhaps what gets people so angry. To own an object of power is one thing. To destroy one is a whole other declaration.

Commenting on society’s focus on money and need to spend it also seems to be a factor of interest, and the handbag certainly is an easy target to modify. When speaking about his Kardashian-rendition in 2014, Condo explained that he knew her fan base would be angered. “The whole point was to take an icon of consumerism and change it, which is like blasphemy,” he said. “You can’t do this! It short circuits people’s concept of what’s untouchable, which is why it was fun to do.”

Of course, there are other ways of challenging the value of the object. In 2014 pop artist (and noted handbag aficionado) Jeff Koons collaborated with his friend Svetlana Kuzmicheva-Uspenskaya on a project for her charity Project Perpetual, in which he incorporated Birkins donated by the likes of Marc Jacobs into his artwork. He even sold off some of the donated bags as individual objects, thereby changing their nature. Were they still bag, or now art? Or, similar to Condo’s work, a bit of both?



Between shock value (Shields), emulation (Ségal), distortion (Condo, and the many artists who have painted on bags), or re-contextualization (Koons), the Birkin bag’s sustained identity as the most luxurious “it” bag in the world, as well as its staggering price tag, has also ensured that it will be a lightning rod for commentary from the art world.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
×