Xu bing:Tobacco Project

               Xu Bing, conceptual artist hailing from Japan interested in researching the effects and artistic composition of tobacco projects, has raised the art world into a whole new dimension. Upon entering his gallery, the viewer, is not only greeted by the visual stimuli of his aesthetics, but by the sweet pungent aroma of tobacco in its most natural form. This attachment to the public’s sense of smell serves to burn the overall effect of the exhibit into the memory of the viewer in a way that is arguably even stronger than that of sight. In an instant, the viewer could be transported to a past memory of their grandfather, an uncle, a father with a pipe. Xu Bing proves to us that art can be made with just about anything. At first glance his concepts seem fairly simple, but upon further inspection, it becomes apparent that the man does his homework. While in America, Xu Bing spent months in Virginia and North Carolina, studying the processes and techniques of refining these state’s highest cash crop. Xu Bing is what is known as a conceptual artist, which means he is an artist who comes up with an idea, which he then gives to a team of artists to set about its execution. Such was the case with one of his more finalized pieces, entitled Honor and Splendor. This massive “tiger skin” was assembled piece by piece, entirely out of cigarettes. The slanted cigarettes make for an intriguing texture and varied tones which create a pattern of orange and white. Xu Bing does not create his pieces as an advocate of smoking either; his father ironically died of lung cancer. Rather, he studies the product packaging, its potential in the art world, and how the product has changed over time. Xu Bing also combines art with text, dedicating an entire wall to different brand names of cigarettes along with his original notes for conceptualized designs for the public to view.