via: hammons
Notes:
David Hammons’ Bliz-aard Ball Sale (1983) is an incisive, provocative, and deeply poetic performance that challenges notions of value, commodification, and the cultural landscape of art. Conducted on the streets of New York City, Hammons sold snowballs of varying sizes, neatly arranged on a blanket, mimicking the display of street vendors. The snowballs, ephemeral and ultimately valueless in a capitalist sense, became powerful symbols of both the absurdity and the critique of the art market. Hammons' choice to present this work outside of traditional gallery spaces and to engage directly with everyday passersby underscores his commitment to making art that disrupts the traditional hierarchies and systems of art valuation.
The work is a commentary on how value is assigned and what is deemed worthy of consumption in both economic and artistic terms. The snowballs, which would inevitably melt, reflect the fleeting nature of material objects and question the permanence that is often associated with fine art. By placing these transient objects in a pseudo-commercial context, Hammons forces viewers to confront their assumptions about what constitutes art. His interaction with the public—particularly in a bustling urban environment like New York—creates a stark juxtaposition between high art institutions and the street-level realities of daily life. This dynamic highlights the socio-economic divides that permeate the art world and society at large.
Additionally, Bliz-aard Ball Sale addresses issues of race and representation in art. As a Black artist, Hammons occupies a unique space within an art market historically dominated by white institutions and collectors. His decision to perform this piece in a public and unsanctioned setting can be seen as an act of defiance, reclaiming agency and space for his artistic practice. The simplicity of the snowballs belies the profound complexities of the work, positioning it as both a critique of and a participant in the systems it examines. Ultimately, Hammons’ piece remains a seminal example of conceptual art’s ability to interrogate societal norms and provoke meaningful dialogue.
- RJG