We adore what the guys are Selfridges produce through their windows, particularly when there is a clear message being promoted. The influence of what they produce is of course quite immeasurable, although what we do know is that if they didn't do what they do visually, sales of merchandise would drop accordingly. With their almost Fine Art-like approach to their schemes, which entertain us, interest us, draw us in and so on, its hardly any wonder that these guys are at the top of their game. But, could it be higher still?
Fine Art, as a discipline which is perhaps produced with the intention of stimulating thoughts and emotions, has historically been often quite difficult to comprehend and of course was often the preserve of the wealthy or at least the very well informed. Through its various forms, media and styles, as with store windows, it communicates, can promote some kind of social inquiry, possibly some form of propaganda but ultimately, and certainly in this context, promotes commercialism. While the activity of association with Fine Art generally, remains almost wholly with that of the wealthy or well informed (unless you visited a gallery recently?), the understanding, or at least appreciation can be experienced by all. After all, looking is free. Communication of these commercial concepts, such as presented here, remains at least for us, the key element which bridges the crevasse between the wealthy (although we are not suggesting wealth brings automatic understanding) or the well informed and the rest of us. So why does no-one do it? These kinds of schemes here, as perhaps with performance Art or perhaps conceptual Art where the idea itself can't be bought or sold, understanding what we see is ever more important. We can wax lyrical about what we think we see, although perhaps what we see can only be really viewed as fluff 'n' stuff if it doesn't actually mean anything at all, right? So few brands / stores (if any at all) actually seem to record their own schemes and publish them on their websites with some form of explanation. Why is this? Do they know themselves? Does it mean anything anyway or are we're simply attempting to intellectualise something which actually isn't there?
