Flood believes that when artwork is overly glorified it is hard to experience it as “art” per se, which is why he has referred to himself as one of the “least important artists of the 20th century,” a sentiment reflected in the misspelling of “Gratest” in this exhibition’s title. While Flood is one of the most successful artists working today, his art has not been the subject of significant scholarship until now. CAMH seeks to examine Flood’s work through a serious curatorial and philosophical lens, not as mere hometown hero-worship.
This lack of scholarship about Flood’s work may be a result of his challenging the market-based logic of galleries and the complicity of museums, as well as his profound questions about who legitimizes art and artwork in public perception. Aware of the profound contradiction of his views and this survey, Gratest Hits highlights Flood’s uncomfortable relationship with success and praise and pokes fun at the art establishment and what it means to be a “great” artist.
CAMH
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