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Penny Byrne Unconventional art created from objects that are not normally considered materials from which art is made is referred to as “Found Object” art, originating from the French word “object trove” (Chilvers and Glaves-Smith, 2009). Found object art dates to the early 18 th Century, evident through the early work of Pablo Picasso’s painting Still Life with Chair Caning (1912). However, Marcel Duchamp is often credited to have perfected the concept of “Found Object” art in 1917, through a series of ready-mades, which consisted of unaltered objects. (Artsy, 2013) Penny Byrne is an Australian artist who uses reconstructed figurines and other unconventional materials to create sculptures that are aesthetically striking politically engaged, exploring such important current issues such as Global warming, homosexual rights, rights of humans etc. (Artnau, 2013) The Four Horseman of the 21st Century Apocalypse, Shark Fin Soup 1 and How Much Can a Polar Bear?, are three of Byrne’s major works in which the artist has appropriated everyday objects to deconstruct and reconstruct their meanings, addressing cultural or political issues within society. Byrne has recycled a variety of everyday objects, reconstructing their meaning to create a message in her sculptural work, The Four Horseman of the 21st Century Apocalypse. The sculptural work consists of everyday and unusual deconstructed objects, which have been constructed in a specific way to highlight the current issues facing humanity in the 21 st Century. (See Appendix A). The Four Horseman of the 21st Century Apocalypse is an artwork based on the four horsemen in the Book of Revelation, with each horse reflecting certain issue. “I wanted each of the horses to reflect particular issues, that I am looking at. The four issues are over population, food scarcity, peak oil and water scarcity, which are the four issues which I believe we face in the 21 st Century”, as Byrne’s points out (Byrne, 2010). The artwork consists of four porcelain horses, ridden by action men with the heads of eyeless dolls. The horse that addresses the issue of food scarcity, is covered with rice, lentils, corn and red kidney beans that cover sections of the horse and its rider. Furthermore, a broken bowl has inventively been used as a helmet and placed on top of the rider’s head. The topic of water scarcity is emphasised through the incorporation of an old unused tap, and broken windscreen glass, which has been placed onto the horse in a mosaic-type pattern to resemble water. The overuse and extraction of oil within society is also highlighted through one of the “Four Horseman”, as it is covered with bits of screws, washers, dripping and oil. The last horseman, represents overpopulation-the masses of people in the world. It has been carefully represented by using plastic figurines, which cover the entire horse like armour. Byrne’s skilful use of everyday objects evident through her artwork was carefully deconstructed and reconstructed in a way, to provide a new message and highlight the issues in the 21st Century. Shark Fin Soup 1 is a controversial artwork in which Byrne has transformed porcelain figures and altered the purpose of the object, to highlight the global issue of shark finning. (See, Appendix B). Shark Fin soup is a soup or broth of Chinese origin, where sharks are captured, have their fins hacked off and are then thrown back into the water where they die. Byrne was inspired to create a piece that highlighted the issue of shark finning after witnessing a documentary. "I had an idea for the work after seeing sharks having their fins cut ... and then being thrown back into the ocean alive. I was so distressed, seeing the finless bleeding sharks," she remembers. (Walton, 2008). Conversely, after witnessing this horrendous topic Byrne seized upon the idea, and worked towards realising her vision. Byrne’s transformed ordinary porcelain sharks which were bought online from eBay, the objects were then altered as the artist grounded the fins off with a Dremel tool, piled them on top of each other and blood was painted, running from their missing fins. Thus, the artwork brought to light the inhuman and distressing actions of Chinese fisherman in regards to their actions towards the

massacring of sharks. Penny Byrne has appropriated everyday objects, deconstructing porcelain figures then reconstructing them to create a new meaning and message for viewers. The appropriation of vintage porcelain figures in Byrne’s artwork How much can a Polar Bear? (2007) is influential and creates thought-provoking political messages (See Appendix C). How Much Can a Polar Bear? ponders the impact of climate change upon polar bears, as the loss of sea ice affects a polar bear’s ability to find food. The melting of sea ice will be extremely catastrophic as the bears are driven to shore, or further out to sea, before they have caught enough food. They will either starve, or drown, and any young are unlikely to survive without adult protection (PolarBearInternational.org, 2018). Byrne’s artwork, How much Can a Polar Bear? consists of a central polar bear which is wearing an oxygen tank and flippers. Through Byrne’s artwork, the issue of climate change is reflected, as the proposition of climate change forces the bear to literally adapt or perish. The purpose of a vintage polar bear porcelain figure has been modified to convey Byrne’s message, by a mask and flippers it has literally changed the meaning and the context of the original object. Penny Byrne has successfully appropriated a variety of everyday objects, to create thought provoking art pieces which address severe issues within society. Byrne’s art pieces, The Four Horsemen of the 21st Century Apocalypse, Shark Fin Soup #2 and How much can a Polar Bear? are fine examples of recycled objects which have been used in a creative way to provide a new meaning, often forcing viewers to ponder upon issues facing the current world. Through Byrne’s work the artist effectively appropriates everyday objects to deconstruct and reconstruct meaning, through Found Object Art.

Appendix A

Name: Four Horsemen of the 21st Century Apocalypse Artist: Penny Byrne Date: Source: https://beneaththewisteria.blogspot.com/2014/07/artist-will-explain-four-horsemen-of.html

Appendix B

Name: Shark Fin Soup 1 Artist: Penny Byrne Date: 2006 Source: http://www.artmuseum.qut.edu.au/downloads/Arc_Education_Kit.pdf

Appendix C

Name: How much can a Polar Bear? Artist: Penny Byrne Date: 2007 Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/212865519870384474/

References: ARTNAU. (2013). Penny Byrne | ARTNAU. [online] Available at: http://www.artnau.com/2013/12/penny-byrne/ [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Artsy.net. (2013). Found Objects | Artsy. [online] Available at: https://www.artsy.net/gene/foundobjects [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Chilvers, Ian & Glaves-Smith, John eds., Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. pp. 587–588 Penny Byrne. (2010). [video] Available at: https://online.clickview.com.au/libraries/videos/5425351b-1245-157d-aee2-c077666c26a8/pennybyrne [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Polarbearsinternational.org. (2018). Sea-Ice Loss & Temperature Trends - Polar Bears International. [online] Available at: https://polarbearsinternational.org/climate-change/sea-ice-loss-temperaturetrends/ [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Walton, I. (2008). Vicious figurines: Penny Byrne's ceramic advocacy. - Free Online Library. [online] Thefreelibrary.com. Available at: https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Vicious+figurines %3A+Penny+Byrne%27s+ceramic+advocacy.-a0216897034 [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018].

Bibliography:

ARTNAU. (2013). Penny Byrne | ARTNAU. [online] Available at: http://www.artnau.com/2013/12/penny-byrne/ [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Artsy.net. (2013). Found Objects | Artsy. [online] Available at: https://www.artsy.net/gene/foundobjects [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Chilvers, Ian & Glaves-Smith, John eds., Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. pp. 587–588 Charles Monnett & Jeffrey S. Gleason, 'Observations of mortality associated with extended openwater swimming by polar bears in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea', in Polar Biology, Vol. 29/No. 8, July, 2006, p. 681-87. Lee, P. (2016). Contemporary Assemblage - The Art of Found Objects. [online] Widewalls. Available at: https://www.widewalls.ch/contemporary-assemblage-art/ [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Penny Byrne. (2010). [video] Available at: https://online.clickview.com.au/libraries/videos/5425351b-1245-157d-aee2-c077666c26a8/pennybyrne [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Polarbearsinternational.org. (2018). Sea-Ice Loss & Temperature Trends - Polar Bears International. [online] Available at: https://polarbearsinternational.org/climate-change/sea-ice-loss-temperaturetrends/ [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. S.J, F. (2018). The History of Found Objects in Art. [online] Inglisart.pbworks.com. Available at: http://inglisart.pbworks.com/f/history+of+found+objects+in+Art.pdf [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. The Museum of Modern Art. (2018). The Collection | MoMA. [online] Available at: https://www.moma.org/collection/ [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Theaustralian.com.au. (2012). Subscribe to The Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps. [online] Available at: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/review/pennybyrne-ceramicist-four-horsemen-of-the-21st-century-apocalypse/newsstory/d1241c0d8f8126d25f4b895a431b44d3 [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Ursula Sullivan & Joanna Strumpf (Eds), Sullivan + Strumpf 2008, gallery catalogue, Sydney, 2007, p.10. Wallace, I. (2014). The History of the Found Object in Art. [online] Artspace. Available at: https://www.artspace.com/magazine/art_101/art_market/the-history-of-the-found-object-in-art52224 [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]. Walton, I. (2008). Vicious figurines: Penny Byrne's ceramic advocacy. - Free Online Library. [online] Thefreelibrary.com. Available at: https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Vicious+figurines %3A+Penny+Byrne%27s+ceramic+advocacy.-a0216897034 [Accessed 12 Aug. 2018]....