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
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
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
×