Bed-Head 2002

Jim Lambie's 'Bed-Head' is a sculpture of a bed made using countless colorful buttons. Lambie emerged in the Glasgow art scene of the 1990s, known for its DIY ethos and reclaiming of everyday materials. 'Bed-Head' embodies this approach. Buttons, typically functional objects, lose their utility here, becoming purely aesthetic components. The bed itself, a symbol of rest and intimacy, is transformed into something hard and uninviting. The sheer accumulation of buttons creates a dazzling visual effect but also a sense of unease. Understanding the social conditions that shaped Lambie's artistic production, such as the economic realities and cultural landscape of Glasgow, helps us appreciate the work's critical edge. Examining exhibition histories and critical reviews provides further insight into how the art world has received and interpreted Lambie's button sculptures. The meaning of 'Bed-Head' is ultimately contingent on these social and institutional contexts.